The Reality of Satan - Mankind and Satan

The Reality of Satan

Now we shall resume our talk about who is Satan. Satan was from the jinn and not from the angels, because angels never disobey the Commands they receive from Allah and secondly because the jinn has a free will exactly like mankind.

  

Some scholars classify the creatures who have free choice into three classes: devils, jinn and mankind. We say to them that this is a wrong division because the only two classes that have the power of free choice from among the creatures of Allah are jinn and mankind alone. Concerning this, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, says in Surah Ar-Rahmân what means: 

“We shall attend to you, O you two classes (jinn and men)!” (Ar-Rahmân, 55: 31)

We also read in Surah Al-Jinn the Saying of The Most Exalted, which means:

 “And among us are Muslims [in submission to Allah], and among us are the unjust. And whoever has become Muslim – those have sought out the right course. But as for the unjust, they will be, for Hell, firewood.” (Al-Jinn, 72: 14-15)

Thus, we can see that among the jinn are those who are righteous and also those who are rebels against Allah’s Command, and that the rebellious among the jinn are called devils. Therefore, regarding what is said about a third or fourth class other than those that Allah has informed us about we say to them “No”, there is only jinn and mankind who are free to choose, just as Allah has declared. 

Thus, Satan is from the jinn, he disobeyed Allah’s Command of prostrating to Adam. About this incident the Noble Qur’an relates what means: 

“And they prostrated, except for Iblees (Satan). He was of the jinn and departed from the command of his Lord.” (Al-Kahf, 18: 50)

This was Satan’s sin: refusal of submission to the Command of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, and prostration before Adam. But was Satan’s rebellion against Allah’s Command just negligence or a guilt that he regretted afterwards? Or was his rebellion born out of the arrogance and pride that swelled within his inner self and heart?

Satan’s sin was pride, arrogance and tenacious persistence in sin. Because of his conceit and pride he rejected the Command of The King, Allah, all praise and glory is to Him, as the Noble Qur’an relates to us what means:

“He said, ‘Should I prostrate to one You created from clay?’” (Al-Isrâ’, 17: 61)

   

Satan also said as the Noble Qur’an relates what means:

“[Satan] said, ‘I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.’” (Al-A‘râf, 7: 12)

As though Satan rejected the Command, saying: How do You want me to prostrate myself to a human created from clay when I am created from fire. He wants to justify his disobedience and rebellion by claiming that fire is a component higher than mud, because it possesses transparency and that creatures from fire excel those created from clay in many things. They are endowed with fast movement, agility and are invisible, for humans cannot see the jinn. They can also ascend to high altitudes, traverse walls and enter closed places which men cannot.

Source: (Book) Mankind and Satan