Under Guard

S 85:21-22 Rather, it is a glorious quran, In a guarded tablet.

The Quran is in a guarded tablet? Why must Allah have it guarded? Against whom or what? The word used for 'guarded' is mahfuz.

مَحْفُوظ : - مَصُون

- Under protection and guard - Reliable or untroubled by danger - sustained; upheld; vindicated; reserved; protected; guarded; retained; safeguarded; conserved; saved; well-guarded; defended; maintained; secured; shielded; well-kept; sheltered; stored; well-preserved; well-protected; achieved; ensured; guaranteed; patrolled; preserved; protégé محفوظ In English - Translation and Meaning in English Arabic Dictionary of All terms Page 1

S 39:71 And those who have disbelieved were driven to Jahannam in batches until when they came to it its gates were opened and its keepers said to them: Did messengers not come to you from you reading your lord’s verses to you and warning you of the meeting of this day of yours? They said: Yes, but the word of torture has been confirmed against the kafirun.

S 40:49 And those in the fire said to the keepers of Jahannam: Invoke your lord to lighten for us a day of the torture.

Why does hell need to have keepers or guards?

S 39:73 And those who have feared their lord were driven to the Jannah in batches until when they had come to it and its gates were opened and its keepers said to them: Peace be upon you. You have done well so enter it abiding indefinitely.

The Jannah too must be guarded. Why and from whom? Side note: In both cases, the denizens are driven to their respective places. Are the denizens of the Jannah forced to go there?

S 15:9 We have sent down the dhikr and we are keepers for it.

The 'we' is supposedly Allah. Allah would guard the dhikr. The word 'keepers' is in the plural. See my post: Plural Nouns and Allah

Hafiz:

حافِظ : - واقٍ

- conservative

حافِظ : - حارِس، صائِن، واقٍ

- Person who preserves something - Caretaker of a public building - Someone or something that maintains - Something or someone who protects - Person who has custody of something - Person who is in charge of or looks after something - Someone who has control of money or property that is in a trust for someone else - conserver; curator; sustainer; sustaining; trustee; custodian; conserving; upholder; preservative; protecting; protective; saving; protector; retainer; retaining; guardian; conservator; vindicator; guarding; preserver; maintaining; maintainer; keeping; defender; defensive; guarder; holder; keeper; caretaker; preserving; preventive; conservative; concervative; supporter

المختصر

حافَظَ على ( فعل ): - أدَامَ

- carry on; continue

حافَظَ على ( فعل ): - حَفِظَ

- Have in custody - Take care of - Take custody of - conserve; defend; guard; hold; keep; preserve; protect; retain; safeguard; save; secure; shield; store; sustain; uphold; vindicate

المختصر

حافَظَ على ( فعل ): - اِلْتَزَمَ بِ

- Keep on doing - keep doing; live up to; abide by; adhere to; comply with; conform to; persevere in; persist in; stick to; follow; honor; maintain; observe; respect

المختصر

حافَظَ على ( فعل ): - تَحَفّظَ بِـ

- look after; attend to

حافَظَ على ( فعل ): - أبْقَى

- reserve

حافظ In English - Translation and Meaning in English Arabic Dictionary of All terms Page 1

Further reading:

The Jannah/Jahannam: A Comparison