Devil (Islam)
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In Islam, the Devil is known as Iblīs (Arabic إبليس) or Shayṭan (Shaitān) (Arabic: شيطان) (plural: شياطين Shayātīn). According to the Qur'an, God created Iblis out of "smokeless fire" (along with all of the other jinn) and created man out of clay. The primary characteristic of the Devil, besides hubris, is that he has no power other than the power to cast evil suggestions into the heart of men, women, and jinn.
Namings and etymology
The word "Iblis" may be derived from the Arabic verbal root balasa بَلَسَ, meaning "he despaired"; therefore, the linguistic meaning of Iblis would be "he/it that causes despair".[1] However, some maintain an etymological derivation from the Greek "Diabolos", from which the English word "Devil" is derived as well.[2]
"Shayṭān" "Satan" (شيطان, from the root šṭn ش-ط-ن) is both a noun and an adjective. As a noun it means "mischief" and as an adjective it means "adversarial," "opposing," or "evil." In popular Islamic culture, Shaitan is often simply translated as "The Devil," but can refer to any of the beings who rebelled against God. Shaytan has a similar meaning and origin to the English word Satan. The devil (iblis) got jelous because allah created another important person out of clay and the devil iblis went against allah and allah said to him this is your choice got to away and create hell or something and iblis asked can i take some people with me .
The Devil in Islamic theology
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According to The Oxford Dictionary of Islam, shaytan is used in the Qur'an "in both the singular and the plural, often interchangeably with Iblis" who is "considered to be a particular shaytan".[3]
According to basic Islamic teachings, God created at least three intelligent races: angels, jinns, and humans, of which the latter two have been granted free will to choose between good and evil.[4][5]
Iblis was a jinn and a devoted servant of God, according to the Qur’an.[6][7][8] However, according to other non-Qur'anic sources he was a "disobedient angel".[3][9] He attained a very high status and was brought close or even equal with the angels. God knew Iblis harbored ill intentions, however, and this was the reason for his name, Iblis "Desperate," or "despair."[citation needed]
The angels do not have free will and simply do not sin because they were not granted the freedom by God to disobey. God one day told his creations that one of them will turn against him. The angels then rushed to Iblis, knowing that God valued his supplication immensely. Iblis prayed to God to "not let any of the angels be the one to turn against God", and God granted his plea. However, he did not include himself in the supplication because he thought of himself as safe and high in God's eye.[citation needed] When God created Adam (Adem), He commanded all the angels and Iblis (whose rank allowed him to be considered equal to that of an angel) to prostrate to Adam as was termed "the Best of Creation". All the angels did so except Iblis, who refused to obey.
It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and they prostrate; not so Iblis; He refused to be of those who prostrate.
(Allah) said: "What prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay."
Iblis was proud and arrogant and considered himself superior to Adam, since Adam was made from clay and Iblis was created from smokeless fire. For this act of disobedience, God cursed him to Hell for eternity, but gave him respite until the Day of Judgment (Qiyamah), after Iblis requested it. Iblis obtained permission from God and vowed that he would use this time to lead all human men and women astray to Hell as a way of revenge against them. By refusing to obey God’s order he was thrown out of Paradise and thereafter he was called "Shaitan".
He said: "Give me respite till the day they are raised up."
(Allah) said: "Be thou among those who have respite."
He said: "Because thou hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy straight way:
"Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for thy mercies)."
(Allah) said: "Get out from this, disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee,- Hell will I fill with you all.— Qur'an, sura 7 (Al-A'raf), ayat[11]
Although God grants the request, He also warns the Shayṭān that he would have no authority over His sincere ‘ubūd "devoted servants".
"As for My servants, no authority shalt thou have over them:" Enough is thy Lord for a Disposer of affairs.
Shaytan as a "Whisperer"
In Islamic theology, the Shaytan and his minions are "whisperers", who whisper into the hearts of men and women, urging them to commit sin. This is where the desire to sin comes from, according to Islam.
The Qur'an provides a supplication for mankind, aimed at fighting the tempting of ash-Shaytan and his minions:
Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,
The King (or Ruler) of Mankind,
The god (or judge) of Mankind,-
From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),-
(The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,-
Among Jinns and among men.