All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
In terms of meaning, it is permissible for a Muslim to seek refuge in Allah from the keepers of the Fire, because what is intended is that Allah protect him from the punishment which those angels are assigned to carry out upon the people of Hell. It is not intended as criticism of the angels or as a belief that they commit evil independently of Allah. However, as far as we know, no specific supplication seeking refuge from the keepers of Hell has been authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, it is sufficient for a Muslim to seek refuge in Allah from the Fire and its punishment. If Allah protects him from it, then He has protected him from all the punishment within it.
Seeking refuge means asking for protection, safety, and shelter from someone who is able to protect a person from what he fears.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, explained that the meaning of “I seek refuge” revolves around taking precaution, seeking protection, and seeking shelter; that is, a person flees from what he fears to the One who can protect him from it.
Therefore, when a Muslim says, “I seek refuge in Allah from the Fire,” he is asking Allah to protect him from it and from its punishment.
The keepers of Hell are noble angels whom Allah has appointed over the Fire to carry out whatever He commands them.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
“O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are angels, stern and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, but do what they are commanded.”
[Al-Tahrim: 6]
Thus, the angels appointed over the Fire do not punish anyone on their own initiative. Rather, they carry out Allah’s command and never disobey Him in what He commands them.
No.
If a Muslim says, “I seek refuge in Allah from the keepers of the Fire,” intending that Allah protect him from becoming one of the people of Hell whom its keepers are assigned to punish, then this does not involve any criticism of the angels.
In reality, the person is asking to be saved from the punishment and torment that these angels carry out by Allah’s command.
Merely seeking refuge from something does not necessarily mean that the thing itself is blameworthy.
It is authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to say in his prostration:
“O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your anger, and in Your pardon from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in You from You. I cannot enumerate Your praise; You are as You have praised Yourself.”
[Reported by Muslim]
The meaning of “I seek refuge in You from You” is that the servant seeks refuge in Allah, His mercy, and His pleasure from His anger and punishment.
This is part of the perfection of Tawhid, because Allah alone possesses the power to repel harm and bring benefit, and there is no escape for the servant from His punishment except through His mercy and pardon.
Accordingly, seeking protection from the keepers of Hell does not imply holding any bad belief about those angels.
We do not know of any authentic supplication from the Prophet ﷺ specifically seeking refuge from the keepers of the Fire.
Therefore, although the expression is permissible in meaning, it is better and more complete to restrict oneself to the comprehensive supplications transmitted in the Sunnah, including seeking refuge in Allah from the Fire and its punishment.
Whoever Allah protects from the Fire has been protected from its punishment and from every evil found within it.
It is reported that Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, heard his son going into great detail in his supplication, asking Allah for Paradise, its delights, its beauty, and other things, while seeking refuge from the Fire, its chains, shackles, and various forms of punishment.
He then mentioned to him the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
“There will be people who transgress in supplication.”
He then said to him:
“If you are granted Paradise, you will be granted it along with all the good within it; and if you are protected from the Fire, you will be protected from it and from all the evil within it.”
[Reported by Abu Dawud]
Thus, a comprehensive supplication makes it unnecessary to enumerate every detail.
There is no harm, in terms of meaning, in seeking refuge in Allah from the keepers of the Fire, if what is intended is that Allah protect the servant from entering Hell and from the punishment those angels are assigned to carry out.
This does not involve disrespect toward the keepers of Hell, for they are noble angels who “do not disobey Allah in what He commands them, but do what they are commanded.”
However, no specific supplication seeking refuge from the keepers of Hell has been authentically reported from the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, it is sufficient for a Muslim to seek refuge in Allah from the Fire and its punishment, as this wording is broader and more comprehensive.
And Allah knows best.