God told Gabriel, "Fetch me a handful of Earth's dust."
"No!" said Earth. She didn't want God to create Adam.
God sent Michael. Earth refused.
Then Seraphiel. Earth refused.
Finally, God sent Azrael.
"I cannot fail to accomplish God's command," Azrael said to Earth.
They debated back and forth, and when Earth was distracted by their argument, Azrael snatched the handful of dust.
God then appointed Azrael as the Angel of Death.
"But everyone will hate and fear me," said Azrael.
"I will create fevers and sicknesses," God replied, "and weapons of war. They will bear the blame, not you."
Inspired by: The English prose version of Rumi in More Tales from the Masnavi by A. J. Arberry.
Notes: This is story 145 in the book.
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