There is no clear text about this topic.

There’s no credible hadith saying that the angel of death will get itself (or himself). And there’s no clear Quranic verse which may even support the idea that angels would die at all, but there are certain interpretations of Quranic verses and some weak Ahadith from which inference has been drawn by scholars.

Following Quranic Verses and Ahadith are used to support the idea of the death of Angels.

Quran 28:88 (Excerpt)

كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ

“Everything is perishable but He.” (Trans. By Mr. Shakir)

And Quran 55:26-27

كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا فَانٍ ﴿٢٦﴾ وَيَبْقَىٰ وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَالْإِكْرَامِ

“All that lives on the earth is destined to die and only the glorious and majestic person of your Lord will abide forever”. (Trans. By Ghamidi Sahab rendered in Eng. By Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

Both these verses are talking about absolute permanence of Being of God and mortal nature of his creation which by nature is not eternal and can be perished subject to the will of God. However, this does not necessitate the death of any creation except for all the creation on Earth.

__

And another verse Quran 39:68 (Excerpt):

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَاءَ اللَّـهُ

“[On that day, such will be the matter with all the world that] when the trumpet will be blown, all that are in the heavens and the earth will fall down unconscious except those whom God wants“. (Trans. By Ghamidi Sahab rendered in Eng. By Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

Ibn-e-Kathir writes under this verse:

هَذِهِ النَّفْخَةُ هِيَ الثَّانِيَةُ، وَهِيَ نَفْخَةُ الصَّعْقِ، وَهِيَ الَّتِي يموت بها الأحياء من أهل السموات وَالْأَرْضِ، إِلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ كَمَا هُوَ مُصَرَّحٌ بِهِ مُفَسَّرًا فِي حَدِيثِ الصُّورِ الْمَشْهُورِ. ثُمَّ يَقْبِضُ أَرْوَاحَ الْبَاقِينَ حَتَّى يَكُونَ آخِرُ مَنْ يَمُوتُ مَلَكَ الْمَوْتِ، وَيَنْفَرِدُ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ الَّذِي كَانَ أَوَّلًا وَهُوَ الْبَاقِي آخِرًا بِالدَّيْمُومَةِ وَالْبَقَاءِ،

وَيَقُولُ: {لِمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ} [غَافِرٍ:16] ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ. ثُمَّ يُجِيبُ نَفْسَهُ بِنَفْسِهِ فَيَقُولُ: {لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ} أَيِ: الَّذِي هُوَ وَاحِدٌ وَقَدْ قَهَرَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ، وَحَكَمَ بِالْفَنَاءِ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ. ثُمَّ يُحْيِي أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُحْيِي إِسْرَافِيلَ، وَيَأْمُرُهُ أَنْ يُنْفَخَ فِي الصُّورِ أُخْرَى، وَهِيَ النَّفْخَةُ الثَّالِثَةُ نَفْخَةُ الْبَعْثِ

“This is the second blowing of the horn, that is the blow of death where all the residents of the heavens and earth will face death except whom Allah wills. This is stated as the affirmation of the interpretation of the famous hadith regarding the blowing of the horn. Then, the remaining souls of His creations are gripped until the last creation that will die is the angel of death. And the All Living (الحي) and All Standing (القيوم), the Beginning and Everlasting is the only One that remains forever.

He stated: “لِّمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ” (To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day?) (Surah Ghafir: 16). He asked it rhetorically thrice, then He answered Himself through the verse: “لِلَّـهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ” (To Allah, the One, the Prevailing) That is, it is He the One and Only. Indeed, He transcends everything and decides the destruction of everything. Next, the first creation to be resurrected is Israfil who is then commanded to blow the Horn for the third time as the blow of resurrection”.

(Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, 7/116, Second Edition, Dar Taiyyiba lil Nashar Wal Tozii)

Similarly, Jalal ud Din Suyuti writes:

‌‌سئلت: هل تموت الملائكة بنفخة الصعق ويحيون بنفخة البعث؟

والجواب: نعم، قال تعالى: (وَنُفِخَ فِي الصَورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فَي السَمَواتِ وَمَن فَي الأَرضِ إِلا مَن شاءَ الله) الزمر: 68 وتقدم في أول الكتاب حديث:

أن المستثنى حملة العرش وجبريل وإسرافيل وميكائيل وملك الموت وأنهم يموتون على أثر ذلك.

وتقدم عن وهب أن هؤلاء الأملاك الأربعة أول من خلقهم الله من الخلق وآخر من يميتهم وأول من يحييهم.

وفي حديث الصور الذي أخرجه أبو يعلى في مسنده وأبو الشيخ في العظمة والبيهقي في البعث عن أبي هريرة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:) ثم يأمر الله إسرافيل فينفخ نفخة الصعق فيصعق أهل السموات والأرض إلا من شاء الله، فيقول ملك الموت: قد مات أهل السماء والأرض إلا من شئت، فيقو لاله – وهو أعلم: فمن بقى؟ فيقول: أي رب بقيت أنت الحي الذي لا تموت، وبقيت حملة العرش، وبقي جبريل وميكائيل وبقيت أنا، فيقول الله: فليمت جبريل وميكائيل، فيموتان ثم يأتي ملك الموت إلى الجبار فيقول: قد مات جبريل وميكائيل، فيقول الله

فلتمت حملة العرش، فيموتون ويأمر الله العرش فيقبض الصور من إسرافيل، ثم يأتي ملك الموت إلى الجبار، فيقول: رب قد مات حملة عرشك، فيقول – وهو أعلم: فمن بقى؟ فيقول: بقيت أنت الحي الذي لا تموت وبقيت أنا، فيقول الله: أنت خلق من خلقي خلقتك لما رأيت فمت، فيموت … إلى أن قال: ثم يأمر الله السماء أن تمطر أربعين يوما ثم يأمر الله الأجساد أن تنبت حتى إذا تكاملت أجسادهم فكانت كما كانت، قال الله تعالى: لتحى حملة عرشي فيحبون ويأمر الله إسرافيل فيأخذ الصور فيضعه على فيه، ثم يقول: ليحيا جبريل وميكائيل فيحييان ثم يدعو الله بالأرواح فيلقيها في الصور ثم يأمر الله إسرافيل أن ينفخ نفخة البعث فينفخ فتخرج الأرواح كأنها النحل، فيقول الله: وعزتي وجلالي ليرجعن كل روح إلى جسده، فتدخل الأرواح في الأجساد

“I was asked: ‘Will the angels die due to the blowing of the horn?’ I answered: Yes. Allah SWT states: “وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَن فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَن شَاءَ اللَّـهُ” (And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills).

We (Imam al-Suyuti) explained that the exemptions are the bearer of Arsh, Gabriel, Israfil, Mikael and the angel of death and all of them will die afterwards. And it is stated by Wahb that these are the first creation created and the last to die and the first to be resurrected.

And in the hadith of Soor (Trumpet), which was included by Abu Yala in his Musnad, Abu Al-Sheikh in Al-Azmeh, and Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Baath on the authority of Abu Hurairah, he said: The Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: Then God commands Israfil to blow the trumpet (of shock), and the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth are struck down except whom God wills. He says: O Lord, you are the living who does not die, and the bearers of the throne remain, and Gabriel and Mikael remain, and I remain, so God says: Let Gabriel and Mikael die, and they die, then the angel of death comes to the Al-Mighty and says: Gabriel and Mikael have died, so God says: Let the bearers of the throne die, and they die And God commands the Throne, and He seizes the Soor from Israfil, then the Angel of Death comes to the Al-Mighty, and says: My Lord, the bearers of Your Throne have died, and He says – and He knows best: Who remains? So he says: You remain the Living One who does not die, and I remain. Then God says: You are a creation from My creation. I created you when I saw you and you died, so he dies… until he said: Then God commands the sky to rain for forty days. Then God commands the bodies to sprout until, when their bodies are perfect, they are as they were. God Almighty said: Long live the bearers of My throne and they live. God commands Israfil to take the trumpet and place it on his mouth. Then he says: Long live Gabriel and Michael and they live. Then he calls on God for the souls and casts them in the trumpet. Then God commands Israfil to blow the blast of resurrection, and he blows and the souls come out as if they were bees. Then God says: By My Might and Majesty, let every soul return to his body, so the souls enter the bodies”.

(al-Habaik fi Akhbar al-Malaik, Pages 272-273, Dar ul Kutab Al-ilmiya, Beirut, First Edition)

While there are many narrations in this regard (with more or less the same wording as quoted above with slight additions in some variants and slight deductions in some), some attributed to some Sahaba as their sayings and some to different Tabaee. But as far as Marfu narrations (attributed to Prophet Muhammad (sws)) on this topic are concerned (with proper chain of narrators), they are reported through two Sahaba:

1) Anas bin Malik (rta):

Weak Narrations which cannot be accepted.

Narrated in:

Jamay Al-Bayan (Tafsir-e-Tabri) by Ibn-e-Jarir Tabri (d:310H), 20/254, (Dar-ul-Hijr, First Edition)

Behr-ul-Fawaid by Abu Bakr Al-Kalabazi (d:380H), Page 361, (Dar-ul-Kutab al-ilmiya, Beirut, First Edition)

Through Primary chain of narration from: Muhammad bin Ishaq from Al-Fadl bin Issa on the authority of his uncle Yazid Al-Raqashi from Anas bin Malik from Prophet Muhammad (sws).

Al-Fadl bin Issa is Munkir-ul-Hadith (one who narrates strange Ahadith which cannot be accepted because of their strangeness)

Yazid Al-Raqashi is a weak narrator (Daef)

And with a different primary chain narrated in:

Al-Bayhaqi (d:458H) in Al-Baath Wal-Nushur, Page 204, (Maktaba Dar-ul-Hijaz, Riyadh Saudia, First Edition) from a primary chain of:

Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Ishaq from Yusuf bin Yaqub from Muhammad bin Abi Bakr from Zaida bin Abi Al-Raqqad from Ziyad Al-Numayri from Anas bin Malik from Prophet Muhammad (sws).

Ziyad Al-Numayri is a weak narrator (Daef)

Zaida bin Abi Al-Raqqad is Matruk-ul-Hadith (Abandoned)

2) Abu Huraira (rta):

Weak Narration which cannot be accepted.

Narrated in:

Jamay Al-Bayan (Tafsir-e-Tabri) by Ibn-e-Jarir Tabri, 20/256, Dar-ul-Hijr, First Edition)

Through a chain of narration from: Abu Kurayb from Al-Muharbi Abd al-Rahman bin Muhammad from Ismail bin Rafi al-Madani from Yazid, on the authority of a man from the Ansar from Muhammad bin Kab al-Qurazi, on the authority of a man from the Ansar from Abu Huraira from Prophet Muhammad (sws).

Ismail bin Rafi al-Madani is Matruk-ul-Hadith (Abandoned)

Yazid (bin Zayad) is Matruk-ul-Hadith

Men from the Ansar are Majhul (unknown)

__

And Ghamidi Sahab writes under this verse (Quran 39:68)– (i.e. “except those whom God wants“):

“This probably is a reference to the angels who will be busy glorifying and extolling God around His throne. They are mentioned at the end of the surah. ”

And the last verse (Quran 39:75) reads as:

وَتَرَى الْمَلَائِكَةَ حَافِّيْنَ مِنْ حَوْلِ الْعَرْشِ يُسَبِّحُوْنَ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِمْ وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَقِيْلَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ.

“[On the day when the earth will shine with the light of its Lord] and you will see angels extolling and glorifying their Lord while sitting around His throne. On that day, judgement will be passed with fairness and [from everywhere] it will be proclaimed: “Worthy of praise is God, Lord of the worlds.”

(Trans. By Ghamidi rendered in Eng. By Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

__

Ibn-e-Hajr Asqalani (d:852H) writes about Ibn-e-Hazm (d:486H) who holds a different view in this regard:

أبو محمد بن حزم في الملل والنحل فقال: ‌الملائكة ‌أرواح ‌لا ‌أرواح ‌فيها ‌فلا ‌يموتون ‌أصلا

“Abu Muhammad bin Hazm in Al-Milal wal-Nihal said: Angels are spirits, but there are no souls in them, so they do not die at all”.

[Fath-ul-Bari, 11/371, (Maktaba Salfiya, Egypt, First Edition)]

And Ibn-e-Taimiya’s (d:728H) conclusion is right in this regard:

الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ، أَنَّ جَمِيعَ الْخَلْقِ يَمُوتُونَ (*) ‌حَتَّى ‌الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَحَتَّى عِزْرَائِيلُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ. وَرُوِيَ فِي ذَلِكَ حَدِيثٌ مَرْفُوعٌ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَالْمُسْلِمُونَ وَالْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى مُتَّفِقُونَ عَلَى إمْكَانِ ذَلِكَ وَقُدْرَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ؛ وَإِنَّمَا يُخَالِفُ فِي ذَلِكَ طَوَائِفُ مِنْ الْمُتَفَلْسِفَةِ أَتْبَاعِ ” أَرِسْطُو ” وَأَمْثَالِهِمْ وَمَنْ دَخَلَ مَعَهُمْ مِنْ الْمُنْتَسِبِينَ إلَى الْإِسْلَامِ أَوْ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى: كَأَصْحَابِ ” رَسَائِلِ إخْوَانِ الصَّفَا ” وَأَمْثَالِهِمْ مِمَّنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ ” الْمَلَائِكَةَ ” هِيَ الْعُقُولُ وَالنُّفُوسُ وَأَنَّهُ لَا يُمْكِنُ مَوْتُهَا بِحَالِ بَلْ هِيَ عِنْدَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ وَأَرْبَابٌ لِهَذَا الْعَالَمِ وَالْقُرْآنُ وَسَائِرُ الْكُتُبِ: تَنْطِقُ بِأَنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ عَبِيدٌ مدبرون كَمَا قَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ: {لَنْ يَسْتَنْكِفَ الْمَسِيحُ أَنْ يَكُونَ عَبْدًا لِلَّهِ وَلَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ وَمَنْ يَسْتَنْكِفْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَيَسْتَكْبِرْ فَسَيَحْشُرُهُمْ إلَيْهِ جَمِيعًا}. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: {وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا سُبْحَانَهُ بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُكْرَمُونَ} {لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ} {يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إلَّا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى} وَقَالَ: {وَكَمْ

مِنْ مَلَكٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ لَا تُغْنِي شَفَاعَتُهُمْ شَيْئًا إلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَرْضَى} . وَاَللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ قَادِرٌ عَلَى أَنْ يُمِيتَهُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيَهُمْ كَمَا هُوَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى إمَاتَةِ الْبَشَرِ وَالْجِنِّ ثُمَّ إحْيَائِهِمْ. وَقَدْ قَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ: {وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ} . وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ وَعَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ الصَّحَابَةِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: {إنَّ اللَّهَ إذَا تَكَلَّمَ بِالْوَحْيِ أَخَذَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ مِثْلُ الْغَشْيُ} وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ {إذَا سَمِعَتْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كَلَامَهُ صُعِقُوا} وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ {سَمِعَتْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كَجَرِّ السِّلْسِلَةِ عَلَى الصَّفْوَانِ فَيُصْعَقُونَ فَإِذَا فُزِّعَ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَيْ أُزِيلَ الْفَزَعُ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ قَالُوا مَاذَا قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ؟ قَالُوا الْحَقَّ فَيُنَادُونَ: الْحَقَّ الْحَقَّ} فَقَدْ أَخْبَرَ فِي هَذِهِ الْأَحَادِيثِ الصَّحِيحَةِ أَنَّهُمْ يُصْعَقُونَ صَعْقَ الْغَشْيِ؛ فَإِذَا جَازَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَعْقُ الْغَشْيِ جَازَ صَعْقُ الْمَوْتِ؛ وَهَؤُلَاءِ الْمُتَفَلْسِفَةُ لَا يُجَوِّزُونَ لَا هَذَا وَلَا هَذَا؛ وَصَعْقُ الْغَشْيِ هُوَ مِثْلُ صَعْقِ مُوسَى عليه السلام قَالَ تَعَالَى: {فَلَمَّا تَجَلَّى رَبُّهُ لِلْجَبَلِ جَعَلَهُ دَكًّا وَخَرَّ مُوسَى صَعِقًا} .

وَالْقُرْآنُ قَدْ أَخْبَرَ بِثَلَاثِ نَفَخَاتٍ: نَفْخَةُ الْفَزَعِ ذَكَرَهَا فِي سُورَةِ النَّمْلِ فِي قَوْلِهِ: {وَيَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَفَزِعَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ إلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ}

وَنَفْخَةُ الصَّعْقِ وَالْقِيَامِ ذَكَرَهُمَا فِي قَوْلِهِ: {وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ إلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَإِذَا هُم قِيَامٌ يَنظُرُونَ}

وَأَمَّا الِاسْتِثْنَاءُ فَهُوَ مُتَنَاوِلٌ لِمَنْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ الْحُورِ الْعِينِ فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا مَوْتٌ وَمُتَنَاوِلٌ لِغَيْرِهِمْ. وَلَا يُمْكِنُ الْجَزْمُ بِكُلِّ مَنْ اسْتَثْنَاهُ اللَّهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَطْلَقَ فِي كِتَابِهِ. وَقَدْ ثَبَتَ فِي الصَّحِيحِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: {إنَّ النَّاسَ يُصْعَقُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَأَكُونُ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يُفِيقُ فَأَجِدُ مُوسَى آخِذًا بِسَاقِ الْعَرْشِ فَلَا أَدْرِي هَلْ أَفَاقَ قَبْلِي أَمْ كَانَ مِمَّنْ اسْتَثْنَاهُ اللَّهُ؟} وَهَذِهِ الصَّعْقَةُ قَدْ قِيلَ إنَّهَا رَابِعَةٌ وَقِيلَ إنَّهَا مِنْ الْمَذْكُورَاتِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ. وَبِكُلِّ حَالٍ: النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدّ تَوَقَّفَ فِي مُوسَى وَهَلْ هُوَ دَاخِلٌ فِي الِاسْتِثْنَاءِ فِيمَنْ اسْتَثْنَاهُ اللَّه أَمْ لَا؟ فَإِذَا كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمْ يُخْبِرْ بِكُلِّ مَنْ اسْتَثْنَى اللَّهُ: لَمْ يُمْكِنَّا نَحْنُ أَنْ نَجْزِمَ بِذَلِكَ وَصَارَ هَذَا مِثْلَ الْعِلْمِ بِوَقْتِ السَّاعَةِ وَأَعْيَانِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَأَمْثَالِ ذَلِكَ مِمَّا لَمْ يُخْبِرُ بِهِ وَهَذَا الْعِلْمُ لَا يُنَالُ إلَّا بِالْخَبَرِ. وَاَللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ

“What most of the people believe is that all of creation will die, even the angels, and even the Angel of Death. There is a hadith concerning that which is marfu i.e., attributed to the Prophet (sws).

The Muslims, Jews and Christians all agree that this is possible and that Allah is able to cause it to happen. It is only some groups of philosophers, the followers of Aristotle and the like, who differed concerning this, and those so-called Muslims, Jews and Christians who joined them in this, such as the authors of the Ikhwan al-Suffa letters and their ilk who claimed that the angels are minds and souls and that they cannot die under any circumstances; rather, in their view they are gods and the lords of this world.

The Quran and all other scriptures state that the angels are slaves of Allah who are subject to His command as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“The Messiah will never be proud to reject to be a slave of Allah, nor the angels who are near (to Allah). And whosoever rejects His worship and is proud, then He will gather them all together unto Himself.” [4:172]

“And they say: ‘The Most Gracious (Allah) has begotten a son (or children)’. Glory to Him! They [whom they call children of Allah i.e. the angels, Essa, son of Maryam, Uzair], are but honoured slaves.” [21:26]

“And there are many angels in the heavens, whose intercession will avail nothing except after Allah has given leave for whom He wills and is pleased with.” [53:26]

Allah is able to cause them to die then bring them back to life, just as He is able to cause mankind and the jinn to die then bring them back to life. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And He it is Who originates the creation, then He will repeat it (after it has been perished); and this is easier for Him.” [30:27].

It is proven in a sahih hadith from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), via more than one isnad (chain of narration) and via more than one of the sahaba (companions), that he said: “When Allah speaks the Revelation, the angels swoon”. According to another report, “When the angels hear His words, they swoon.” Another report states: “The angels hear something like a chain dragging on a rock and they swoon, then when the fear leaves their hearts, they say: ‘What did your Lord say?’ They say: ‘The truth.’ Then they call out: ‘The truth, the truth.’”

In these sahih ahadith (authentic narrations) we are told that they can swoon, so if it is possible for them to swoon, it is possible for them to die.

As for the exception (in the verse “except him whom Allah wills”), this applies to those who have been admitted to Paradise of the hoor alaiyn (maidens of Paradise), for there is no death in Paradise; and it applies to others, but we cannot be certain about who is exempted. It is proven in al-Sahih that the Prophet (sws) said: “The people will swoon on the Day of Resurrection and I will be the first one to wake up, and I will see Musa holding onto the leg of the Throne and I will not know whether he awoke before me or whether he was one of those whom Allah exempted.” If the Prophet (sws) was not told of everyone who will be exempted by Allah, then we cannot be certain of that. This is like knowing when the (final) hour will begin or the names of all the prophets, and other things that we have not been told, and this knowledge cannot be attained except by being told.”

[Majmu Al-Fatawa, 4/259-261, (Majma Al-Malik Fahad, Medina, Saudia)]

Please also refer to the video below from 41:52 to 45:03

https://youtu.be/BVivQ1xPI24?si=sN7sSylNlJpOZluJ&t=2512