Baqarah 34

34- AND AS WE SAID TO THE ANGELS: “PROSTRATE TO ADAM”, THEY PROSTRATED EXCEPT IBLIS (SATAN), HE REFUSED, WAS PROUD AND BECAME A DISBELIEVER.

Allah the Highest, commanded the Angels and Iblis (Satan) to prostrate to Adam, the first human created. They prostrated, but Iblis did not.

Iblis was not an Angel or a fallen Angel as some people think, but was of the Jinn. Allah the Highest described him as such “EXCEPT IBLIS WHO WAS OF THE JINN AND HE DISOBEYED THE COMMANDS OF HIS LORD”. (S: 16 A: 50)

The Angels do not have a choice or a will of their own, and they always obey Allah’s commands. The Jinn have a will of their own and choice, therefore, they are able to obey and disobey.

Iblis (Satan) felt that he was a superior being, being created from fire while Adam was created from clay. This is clear in this Ayah “HE (ALLAH) SAID: WHAT STOPPED YOU PROSTRATING AS I COMMANDED YOU? HE (SATAN) SAID: I AM BETTER THAN HIM, YOU CREATED ME FROM FIRE WHILE CREATED HIM FROM CLAY”. (S: 7 A: 12)

This was arrogance and pride, and Allah the Highest does not accept this from those close to Him, and punishes others for on the Day of Judgement. Besides, only Allah the Highest decides who is better than whom. “HE (ALLAH) SAID TO HIM: GET DOWN FROM IT (PARADISE) YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE ARROGANT IN IT, GET OUT YOU ARE OF THE DEGRADED”. (S: 7 A: 13)

Satan’s disobedience was particularly bad because:

1- Being close to Allah, his sins are worse than those not so close.

2- His pride in the presence of Allah the Highest, was very bad, as he was just one of Allah’s slaves “CERTAINLY, ALL THOSE IN THE HEAVENS AND IN THE EARTH WILL COME TO THE MOST MERCIFUL AS SLAVES” (S:19 A:93)

3- Only Allah the Highest decides who is better than whom of His slaves, and He measures this by piety. “THE MOST HONOURABLE OF YOU IN THE SIGHT OF ALLAH IS THE MOST PIOUS” (S:49 A:13)

4- Instead of repenting and seeking forgiveness after Allah the Highest agreed to reprieve him (postpone his punishment), Iblis swore to take revenge from Adam and his descendants by misguiding them. This was a further act of grave disobedience of Allah the Highest. “HE (IBLIS) SAID: REPRIEVE ME UNTIL THE DAY THEY ARE RESURRECTED * HE (ALLAH) SAID: YOU ARE AMONGEST THOSE REPRIEVED. HE (IBLIS) SAID: BECAUSE YOU LET ME GO ASTRAY, I WILL AWAIT THEM ON YOUR STRAIGHT PATH * AND I WILL COME TO THEM FROM BEFORE THEM, FROM BEHIND THEM, FROM THEIR RIGHT AND LEFT, AND YOU WILL NOT FIND MOST OF THEM THANKFUL”. (S:7 A:14-17)

Since then, Iblis and his descendants (who follow him, not all Jinn are evil), have become the advocates of evil to Adam and his descendants, us. They carry and will carry greater sins than most. They will carry as much sin as those they mislead. This does not relieve those who follow them from any guilt. Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said: “Those who call people to guidance will have as much reward as those who follow them, without decreasing their reward; and those who call people to misguidance, will have as much sin as those who follow them without decreasing their sins”. (M:Elm;16 & D:Sonah;6 & T:Elm;15 & Ma:Moqademah;14 & Da;Fadael El-Quran;1)

Allah the Highest put Adam and Eve through a test of obedience, just as He did with Iblis.

B: Bukhari M: Muslim Mal: Malek A: Ahmed D: Abu Dawood

Da: Daremy Ma: Ibn Magah N: Nesae T: Termezi