• They are the keepers of Paradise: “And those who kept their duty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups, till, when they reach it, its gates will be opened and its keepers will say: Salaamun ‘alaikum (peace be upon you!). You have done well, so enter here, to abide therein.” (Qur'an, 39:73) • They are the keepers of Hell, who are “stern and severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.” (Qur'an, 66:6) • There are angels that carry the Throne, glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask forgiveness for the believers who repent sincerely. (Qur'an, 40:7) • An angel is responsible for blowing the Trumpet to signal The Hour (Israfeel). • Angels drive the clouds and descend with each drop of rain (Mikael and his helpers). • Angels take a person's soul at the time of Death (there is no authentic narration to state that the name of the angel of Death is Azra'eel). • Angels test a person in the grave (Munkar and Nakeer). • Angels are engaged in various acts of worship tirelessly: some are bowing, some are prostrating, some are standing in rows, some are circumambulating the House of Allah over the seventh heaven (Al-Bayt Al-Ma‘moor), which is the counterpart of the Ka'ba in the Heavens. • Angels keep record of a person's deeds, the “honorable scribes” (Kiraman Katibeen) who know all that we say and do. (Qur'an, 6:61; 43:80; 50:17-18) • Angels protect a person throughout his life. “For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the command of Allah.” (Qur'an, 13:10-11) • An angel is responsible for the fetus in the womb, who “breathes the spirit into (the fetus), and is charged with four commands: to write down his provision, his life-span, his actions, and whether he will be wretched or happy.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) • There are angels who travel throughout the world, seeking out and gathering around assemblies of Dhikr (remembrance of Allah). • Angels witness the recitation of the Qur'an at Fajr (Dawn): “Indeed, the recitation of Fajr is witnessed.” (Qur'an, 17:78) • Angels are incharge of the stability of mountains, as mentioned in the authentic narration where the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was addressed by the angel of mountains at Taif, when he went there to call the people to Islam. __
