The Quran

وَما جَعَلنا أَصحابَ النّارِ إِلّا مَلائِكَةً ۙ وَما جَعَلنا عِدَّتَهُم إِلّا فِتنَةً لِلَّذينَ كَفَروا لِيَستَيقِنَ الَّذينَ أوتُوا الكِتابَ وَيَزدادَ الَّذينَ آمَنوا إيمانًا ۙ وَلا يَرتابَ الَّذينَ أوتُوا الكِتابَ وَالمُؤمِنونَ ۙ وَلِيَقولَ الَّذينَ في قُلوبِهِم مَرَضٌ وَالكافِرونَ ماذا أَرادَ اللَّهُ بِهٰذا مَثَلًا ۚ كَذٰلِكَ يُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَن يَشاءُ وَيَهدي مَن يَشاءُ ۚ وَما يَعلَمُ جُنودَ رَبِّكَ إِلّا هُوَ ۚ وَما هِيَ إِلّا ذِكرىٰ لِلبَشَرِ

Ali Unal

We have appointed none but angels as keepers of the Fire, and We have not caused their number to be anything but a trial for those who disbelieve, that those who were granted the Book before may become certain (that Muhammad, who explains everything revealed to him without any hesitation in the face of all antagonism and derision, is God’s Messenger), and those who believe may grow firmer in faith; and that both they who were granted the Book before and the believers may feel no doubt at all; and those in whose hearts there is a disease and the unbelievers may say: “What does God mean by this description?” Thus, God leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. None knows your Lord’s hosts except He. All this is but a reminder to the mortals (so that they may take heed and act accordingly).¹

The unbelievers who rejected the afterlife and, therefore, any fact or Qur’ānic expression concerning it, scoffed at the idea that there are 19 keepers over the Fire, saying that they could easily defeat such a number. So God explained that these 19 are angels, not human beings. However, those unbelievers considered angels as “the daughters of God” and, therefore, did not hold their power in awe. Another verse (66: 6) describes them: Over it are angels stern and strict (in executing the command to punish), who do not disobey God in whatever He commands them, and carry out what they are commanded (to carry out). So this otherworldly fact became a means of trial for them. God has many other hosts about which we do not know. The Qur’ān mentions such facts, in addition to some other purposes, as a reminder and explanation for humans, especially unbelievers, who tend to perceive God and the facts concerning Him in human terms.