3rd International Conference on Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization SATAN IN THE QUR AN Dr Bernard Power. Lecturer in Islamic Studies. Melbourne School of Theology, Australia BPower@mst.edu.au ABSTRACT This paper gives a comprehensive treatment of the topic of Satan in the Qur an. Every Qur anic verse concerning Satan has been classified in this study. The result is a complete list of the terminology relating to Satan and a description of his nature. Satan s history from the time of creation is delineated, particularly in relation to Adam, the first man, and his wife. Details of Satan s helpers are given, along with the ways in which the Prophet (pbuh) interacted with him. Satan s actions now and in the future are outlined. The paper finishes with the Qur an s prescriptions on how believers should deal with Satan. Terminology: He is named as the Satan al-shayt}ān 64 times and 11 times as the devil iblīs. The names Shayt}ān or iblīs are used interchangeably. 1 There are also 6 references to a satan/devil shayt}ān, 2 16 references to the satans/devils alshayāt}īn, 3 and 2 references to satans/devils shayāt}īn. 4 These latter references may apply to idols, 5 or to Jinn. 6 Nature: Satan is one of the jinn, 7 created from fire nār. 8 He is a persistent rebel, whom Allah (swt) has cursed. 9 Satan was ungrateful to his Lord. 10 There are no details in the Qur an about the time or circumstances of Satan s creation or origin. 1 e.g. 2:34,36; 7:12,20 2 4:117; 15:17; 22:3; 37:7; 43:36; 81:25 3 2:102; 6:121; 7:27,30; 17:27; 19:68; 21:82; 26:210,221; 37:65; 38:37; 67:5 4 2:14; 6:112 5 e.g. 4:117 6 E.g. 15:17; 37:7; 43:36; 81:25 7 18:50 8 38:76 Organized by http://worldconferences.net 139
History: When Allah (swt) created Adam, He told the angels to bow down to Adam. Only Satan refused to prostrate (sajad) to Adam, because he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers (kāfirūn) (x7). 11 He claimed that he was better than Adam, being made of fire, rather than of clay, as Adam was (x3). 12 Allah (swt) ordered Satan to get down uhbit} from paradise because of his disobedience, but Satan asked for respite until the Day of Resurrection, and Allah (swt) granted it. (x4). 13 Satan said to Allah (swt): Because You caused me to go astray (aghwaytani) (x2) 14, I will sit in wait for humans, in front, behind, left and right, to cause them to go from the straight path (x2). 15 He tells Allah (swt) that by your might, I will mislead them, 16 and he will take an appointed portion of Your slaves. 17 He warns Allah (swt) that most of mankind will be ungrateful 18 a claim which proves true. 19 Allah (swt) then orders Satan out of paradise again, and says whoever follows Satan will enter hell (x2). 20 [Satan apparently ignores this command, for he stays in paradise to tempt the first humans.] Allah (swt) then provides Satan with some advice on how to tempt humanity: Befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice, make assaults on them with your cavalry and infantry, share with them wealth and children, and make promises to them. 21 Satan tempts Adam and his wife Satan s temptation was to whisper to Adam and his wife (un-named in the Qur an) to uncover their private parts, 22 and to eat fruit from the forbidden tree (x2). 23 Satan claims this would make them like angels and immortal. 24 Satan swears that it is good advice. 25 But he misled them with deception, and when they ate of the tree, they saw they were naked, and covered themselves with 9 4:117, 118 10 17:27 11 2:34; 7:11; 15:31; 17:61; 18:50; 20:116; 38:74 12 7:12; 15:33; 38:76 13 7:13-15; 15:34-38; 17:62; 38:77-81 14 7:16; 15:39. Note: Satan is accusing Allah of being the author of evil, a concept also outlined in Q.113:2 the evil you have created 15 7:17; 17:62 16 38:82 17 :118 18 7:17 19 34:20 20 7:18; 17:63 21 17:64 22 7:20 23 7:20; 20:120 24 7:20 25 7:21 Organized by http://worldconferences.net 140
leaves (x2). 26 It seems that uncovering their private parts is as much a sin as eating from the tree. 27 Allah (swt) announces that humans and Satan are enemies, and casts them down to earth for a period. 28 Satan had caused Adam and his wife to slip (azall) and be expelled (akhraj) from paradise. 29 Satan s helpers Satan has a tribe, 30 and Allah (swt) has made the devils shayat}īn as helpers and protectors (auliya) for those who do not believe. 31 The unbelievers have taken the devils as protectors, so they deserved to be in error (x2). 32 The spendthrifts were the brothers of the demons. 33 These satans are called rejected (lit. stoned ) rajīm 34 and rebellious mārid. 35 Satan is in league with the female pagan deities: whoever calls on them, calls on him. 36 Allah (swt) is able to call out the guards of hell zabānīh to deal with unbelievers. 37 Satan tries to make people fearful of his helpers. 38 Those who follow him become Satan s party, and they will be the losers. 39 These satans try to sneak into heaven to listen to those higher (possibly to the divine rulings), but are pelted from every side with clear and piercing flames (x2). 40 Satan s actions in the life of the Messenger (pbuh) Early on in his public preaching, Muhammad (pbuh) needed to deny that his teaching had come from Satan. 41 Satan threw (falsehood) into the revelation of every previous messenger or prophet, but Allah (swt) abolished (nasakh) what Satan threw into it. 42 The story of the Satanic verses and Sura 26 7:22; 20:121 27 7:27 28 7:24 29 2:36 30 7:27 31 7:27 32 7:30; 18:50 33 17:27 34 15:17 35 37:7 36 4.117 37 96:18. Other verses describe the angels as guards in hell see 74:30,31 38 3:175 39 58:19 40 37:7-10; 15:16-18 41 81:25 42 22:52 Organized by http://worldconferences.net 141
53 suggest that this happened to Muhammad (pbuh). 43 Satan caused Muhammad (pbuh) to forget Qur anic verses sometimes. 44 Muhammad (pbuh) was taught to seek refuge with Allah (swt) when Satan whispered to him. 45 Muhammad (pbuh) was so concerned about forgetting the Qur anic verses that Allah (swt) had to reassure him (x3). 46 Satan caused the Muslim soldiers to run away (lit. slip astazall) during the battle of Uhud. 47 He followed some-one (not named) who was disobedient. 48 Satan s actions now Satan is active in the world today. He wishes to lead people astray. 49 Satan is an obvious enemy, not to be followed (x10). 50 He is a clear misleading enemy. 51 He is an enemy to the believers and to humanity in general (x3). 52 Satan whispers into human breasts (x2), 53 arouses in them false desires, orders them to slit the ears of their cattle, and to change the nature created by Allah (swt). 54 He makes false deceptive promises, 55 threatens people with poverty, 56 and commands them to do what is evil and sinful, and to say against Allah (swt) what they do not know (x2). 57 Satan wants to excite enmity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling, and hinder people from the remembrance of Allah (swt) and from prayers. 58 He overpowers them, 59 and makes people forget (x2). 60 He makes wrongdoing and hard-heartedness seem reasonable (x4). 61 He spreads dissent among the believers. 62 He is the helper (wali) of the disobedient. 63 Unbelievers take Satan as their friend, and what a dreadful friend he is. 64 He commands indecency al-fah}shā and disbelief al-munkar. 65 He sows 43 Reported by Ibn Ishaq in Alfred Guillaume The Life Of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq s Sirat Rasul Allah (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 1955), pp.165-167 and Ibn Taymiyyah in Shahab Ahmed Ibn Taymiyya and the Satanic Verses in Studia Islamica 87 (1998), 67-124 44 6:68 45 7:200 46 87:6,7; 20:114; 75:16-19 47 3:155 48 7:175 49 4:60; 36:60 50 2:168, 208; 6:142; 7:22; 12:5; 17:53; 20:117, 123; 35:6; 36:60 51 28:15 52 12:5; 17:53; 35:6 53 114:5; 41:36 54 4:119 55 4:120 56 2:268 57 2:169, 268 58 5:91 59 58:19 60 6:68; 58:19 61 6:83; 8:48; 16:63; 27:24 62 58:10 63 16:63 Organized by http://worldconferences.net 142
[discord] among the believers. 66 However he has no authority over the Muslims who are Allah (swt) s slaves, 67 and he cannot harm the believers, except as Allah (swt) permits. 68 His authority is over those wrong-doers who follow him (x4). 69 Satan promises humanity nothing but deceit, 70 and his plot is weak. 71 Satan s action in the future On the Day of Resurrection, Satan will beat people involved in usury, leading them to insanity. 72 Although he pretended to be their friend (khalīl), Satan led the unbelievers astray, and will desert them. 73 He will tell them that he has betrayed them, but they can only blame themselves, so he cannot help them. He repudiates their act of associating him as a partner with Allah (swt). 74 His followers will become dwellers of the blazing fire. 75 Responding to Satan Satan is called the outcast (lit. the stoned one al-rajīm), 76 and believers should seek refuge from him (x3), 77 particularly before they read the Qur an. 78 When an evil thought comes from Satan to believers, they should remember Allah (swt). 79 They should not follow Satan s footsteps (x3). 80 They should take him as an enemy, 81 and not worship him. 82 Believers should fight against Satan s friends (awliya). 83 Had it not been for the grace and mercy of Allah (swt), all of humanity, except a few, would have followed Satan. 84 64 4:38 65 24:21 66 17:53 67 17:65 68 58:10 69 14:22; 15:42; 16:99; 34:21 70 17:64 71 4:76 72 2.275 73 25:29 74 14:22 75 35:6 76 3.36. The explanation given is that Satan tried to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son, so Abraham threw stones at Satan. 77 3:36; 7:200; 41:36 78 16:98 79 7:201 80 2:168, 208; 6:142 81 35:6 82 36:60 83 4:76 84 4:83 Organized by http://worldconferences.net 143