1. Their Duties and Powers
The Angels
Their Duties and Powers

2. Allah tells us there are 19 angels assigned to guard over the hellfire
t was said that a number of the disbelievers said jokingly, that even if they were thrown into the Hell-fire,they would fight the Guardians of Hell and overpower them, then escape from the Fire. Allah replied that he had not placed as Guardians over the Hell-fire except angels, so let anyone try, be he strong enough to over-power nineteen men, his strength would avail him nothing for the Guardians of Hell are angels, not men and he will never be able to overpower them. Allah (swt) continues:
And We have fixed their number (19) only as a trial for those who disbelieved-in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty and the Believers may increase their faith - and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the Believers." (Qur'an 74:31)

3. The disbelievers speculate and argue vainly concerning the number of Guardians, saying
How can it be that this Fire which contains countless numbers of mankind has only nineteen guardians over it? Allah (swt) says: " And We have fixed their number 19 only as a trial for those who disbelieved."
(Qur'an 74:31)

4. Amongst the angels' attributes is that they are the winged Messengers of Allah to mankind; Allah says:
All praise be to Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels Messengers with wings, two, three or four."
(Qur'an 35:1) That is, some of them have two wings, while others have three and others four, while others still have more; it is related by Bukhari that the Messenger of Allah (saas) saw Jibreel (as) and he had six hundred wings, each of them filling the horizon. Allah (swt) says about him: " He was taught by one mighty in power." (Qur'an 53:5)

5. The angels possess great strength
At-Tabari says: He (Muhammad (saas)) was taught the Qur'an by Jibreel (as).
The angels possess great strength by Allah's Will, and the proof of this is that when Allah sends forth an angel, he gives just one shout and a part of creation is destroyed, as it happened to the people of Thamood: " Verily, We sent but one shout and they became like dry twigs of the builder of the cattle fold."
(Qur'an 54:31)

6. Thus, the people of Thamood, who rejoiced in their great strength and arrogance became like dry sticks after the shout from the angel took them
Likewise the people of Loot who lived in three or four townships, but the angel Jibreel (as) raised them up, people, buildings and all, until the other angels could hear the dogs barking and the cocks crowing, then he inverted their towns upon them and Allah (swt) caused the earth to collapse upon them and then stones of baked clay were rained upon them, according to At-Tabari, who narrated the story in his commentary on verse 82 of Soorah Hood.

7. In addition to physical strength, some of the angles have other purposes as well
It is Israafeel (angel) (as) who will blow the trumpet on the Last Day; the first trump will cause the death of every living creature in the heavens and the earth and the destruction of all created things: " Then when the trumpet will be blown with one blowing [the first], and the earth and the mountains shall be removed from their places, and crushed with a single crushing, then on that Day shall the Great Event befall, and the heaven will split asunder, for that Day it [the heaven] will be frail [weak] and torn up, and the angels will be on its sides, and eight angels will, on that Day, bear the Throne of your Lord above them." (Qur'an 69:13-17)

8. Then comes the second trump, which is the Calling Forth:
Then behold! They will be standing, looking on[waiting]." (Qur'an 39:68) This is just one of the duties of Israafeel (as) which Allah (swt) has ordered him to perform. The angels are sent by Allah (swt) at times to help the Muslims, when they are in need of assistance against the unbelievers: " [Remember] when you [oh, Muhammad] said to the believers: Is it not enough for you that your Lord should help you with three thousand angels, sent down?" (Qur'an 3:124)

9. And on the Day of Resurrection, the angels will be sent down to the earth in hosts:
And [remember] the Day when the heaven shall be rent asunder with clouds, and the angels will be sent down, with a grand descending." (Qur'an 25:25) Amongst their duties are some who ask forgiveness for the believers on earth: " Nearly the heavens might rent asunder from above [by His Majesty], and the angels glorify the praises of their Lord and ask forgiveness for those on earth, verily, Allah is the Oft-forgiving." (Qur'an 42:5)

10. There are also some assigned to remove the soul
By those [angels] who pull out [the souls of the disbelievers and the wicked] with great violence; by those (angels) who gently take out [the souls of the Believers]." (Qur'an 79:1-2) Then there are those who watch over us: " But verily, over you [are appointed angels in charge of mankind] to watch you, honourable [in Allah's sight] writing down [your deeds] they know all that you do." (Qur'an 82:10-12)

11. Some of the angels have been appointed as bearers of the Divine Revelation
He sends down the angels with inspiration of His Command to whom of His slaves He pleases, [saying]:Warn mankind that none has the right to be worshipped but I, so fear Me. (Qur'an 16:2) Of these Messengers, Jibreel (as) is the greatest, the best and the most noble, for it is he who delivered the Qur'an to Muhammad (saas). Allah (swt) says: " The Trustworthy Spirit [Jibreel] has brought it [the Quran] down upon your heart [oh, Muhammad] that you may be [one] of the warners, in the plain Arabic language." (Qur'an 26: )

12. Jibreel (as) as possessing many fine attributes, such as:
Verily, it [the Quran] is the Word [brought by] a most honourable Messenger [Jibreel] owner of power and high rank with [Allah], the Lord of the Throne, obeyed [by the angels], trustworthy there [in the heavens]."
(Qur'an 81:19-21)