Angels in heaven and hell thumb|upright|Zabaniya and the punishment of hypocrites (cutting of flesh) from The Timurid Book of the Prophet Muhammad’s Ascension, c. 1436.|alt= thumb|left|Manuscript of the Annals of al-Tabari depicting Iblis, the angels and Adam. Topkapı Sarayı in Istanbul. The Qur’an makes multiple references to angels. These angels take on both active and passive roles in Quranic stories. In the story of the creation of Adam, God announces to the angels that he intends to create man. The angels act as witnesses to this announcement and subsequent creation of Adam. Although there are many versions of the story, Islamic sources relate that God used the creation of Adam as a punishment or test for the angels. Therefore, the role of angels is often described as in opposition to man.
Angels in heaven and hell thumb|upright|Zabaniya and the punishment of hypocrites (cutting of flesh) from The Timurid Book of the Prophet Muhammad’s Ascension, c. 1436.|alt= thumb|left|Manuscript of the Annals of al-Tabari depicting Iblis, the angels and Adam Topkapı Sarayı in Istanbul. The Qur’an makes multiple references to angels. These angels take on both active and passive roles in Quranic stories. In the story of the creation of Adam, God announces to the angels that he intends to create man. The angels act as witnesses to this announcement and subsequent creation of Adam. Although there are many versions of the story, Islamic sources relate that God used th.e creation of Adam as a punishment or test for the angels. Therefore, the role of angels is often described as in opposition to man.