Ajrail

AJRAIL The angel Ajrail crushes the evil-doers in the crusher like the sesame seed. (Gaurt Ki Var M. 4, Shalok M. 5, p. 315) He, who is dependent on Thee, O Lord! Ajrail is the friend of that person. (Tilang M. 5, p. 724) The rebels will be called to account; the angel Ajrail will surround them for punishment. (Ramkali Ki Var M. 3, Shalok M. l, p. 953) When the Malik-ul-Maut (the angel of death) will come after breaking all the doors; those dear brothers will bind you and send you for burial... (Shalok Farid, p. 1383).

Where Ajrail (Azrail), one of the archangels, is the angel of death. He is called Malik-ul-Maut in Persian. He becomes the guest of everyone on the fixed day and time. He punishes the evil-doers and is a friend of the virtuous, and devotees of the Lord.

Kohli, Surindar Singh, Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993.

Baba Farid of course has based this on the Qu'ran

In the Qu' ran the Angel, who is usually transliterated in English as Azrael, who with the help of either Nakir or Munkar's (two Islamic Angels) interrogation of the soul in its grave will separate the soul from the body, either harshly or painlessly depending on how righteous the person was during their lifetime (Qur'an 79.1-2). Muslim's believe that one's soul stays in the grave till judgement day having vision and feeling pain, etc. If one was evil in life, or not a Muslim, he will be "smashed with a hammer big enough to crush a mountain" and then wait, in that presumably painful state, till judgement day when things get worse.

If one did good things in life, and was a Muslim, his grave widens comfortably after his interview and a (majical-non visible to the living) opening is made, in order for the dead person's soul to see through, in the earth he/she is buried in allowing him to view heaven till judgement day.

Dying as a jihadist martyr, of course, allows 'passing jail (the earthly grave) and going directly to heaven' where each (man, I don't know about the 2 down syndrome girls who were strapped with remote control bombs in Iraq by al Qaeda in February of 2008) has his 72 virgins for his private use and all the wine he cares to drink from the abounding rivers of wine which the Qu'ran describes in Heaven.

Sounds a little like the earthly life of most of the Great Moghul rulers of India.

Maybe the nasty effects that alchohol has on mortals which have lead to its condemnation in many religions on earth don't plague drinkers in the Heaven of Islam.

On Nakir and Munkar from wikipedia

Nakir and Munkar prop the deceased soul upright in the grave and ask three questions: "Who is your Lord? Who is your Prophet? What is your religion?" A righteous believer will respond correctly, saying that their Lord is Allah, that Muhammad is their prophet and that their religion is Islam. If the deceased answers correctly, the time spent awaiting the resurrection is pleasant. Those who do not answer as described above are chastised until the day of judgment.

From where might this ancient pre-Islamic Arabic belief have come?

The ancient Egyptian pyramids have a hole or shaft from the large, once treasure filled, burial chamber to the exterior to allow the dead pharoah's soul to ascend to the stars.