The World of the Jinn and Devils

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(v) They cannot appear in the form of the Messenger in dreams

The devils are unable to appear in the form of the Messenger in dreams.

According to the hadith narrated by Tirmidhi from Abu Hurayrah (radhiyAllaahu anh) from the Messenger :

“Whoever sees me (in a dream) has indeed seen me, for the Shaytaan is not able to imitate me.”

(Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2/260, no. 1859)

In As-Saheehayn (Bukhaari and Muslim) it is narrated that Anas (radhiyAllaahu anh) said:

“The Prophet said:

‘Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for the Shaytaan cannot appear in my form.’”

This is narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (radhiyAllaahu anh). In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it says:

“The Shaytaan cannot appear in my image.”

Bukhaari also narrated that Abu Sa’eed said:

“Whoever sees me has seen the truth, for the Shaytaan cannot take my form.”

In As-Saheehayn it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah:

“The Shaytaan cannot appear in my form.”

Saheeh Muslim narrated from the hadith of Jaabir:

“Whoever sees me in a dream has indeed seen me, for the Shaytaan cannot appear in my form.”

According to another report from Jaabir:

“For the Shaytaan cannot take my image.”

(See the ahaadeeth about the inability of the Shaytaan to appear in the form of the Messenger in Bukhaari, 12/283, nos. 6993-6997; in Muslim, 4/1775, nos. 2266-2268).

It is apparent from the ahaadeeth that the Shaytaan cannot take on the true form of the Messenger , but this does not prevent him from appearing in a form other than that of the Messenger of Allah and claiming to be the Messenger of Allah. This is what was understood by Ibn Seereen (rahimahullaah) in the reports that Bukhaari narrated from him.

(Bukhaari, 12/383)

Hence it is not permitted to use this hadith as evidence that everyone who sees the Messenger in a dream has indeed seen him, unless his image matches the descriptions of the Prophet narrated in the books of hadith. Otherwise, many people would claim to have seen him in a form that differs from the form described in the reliable books.

 

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(vi) The jinn are unable to go beyond a certain limit in space

Allah says:

O' assembly of jinns and men! if you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, Then pass (them)! But you will never be Able to pass them, except with authority (from Allâh)!

Then which of the Blessings of Your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny?

There will be sent against you both, smokeless flames of fire and (molten) brass, and you will not be able to defend yourselves.

(Qur’aan, 55: 33-35)

Despite their powers and great speed, there are limits beyond which they cannot go, or else they will be destroyed.

 

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Chapter Two - The Accountability of the Jinn

1 – The purpose for which they were created​

Allah created the jinn for the same purpose as that for which He created mankind:

And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).

(Qur’aan, 51: 56)

On this basis, the jinn are accountable and subject to commands and prohibitions: whoever obeys Allah, Allah will be pleased with him and will admit him to Paradise, and whoever disobeys Him and rebels , will enter Hell. This is indicated by many texts.

On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will say, addressing the kuffaar of the jinn and mankind, rebuking them:

‘O’ you assembly of jinn and Mankind! ‘Did not there come to you Messengers from amongst you, reciting unto you My Verses and warning you of the Meeting of this Day of yours? They will say: ‘We bear witness against ourselves.’ It was the life of this world that deceived them. And they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelivers.

(Qur’aan, 6: 130)

These aayaat indicate that the laws of Allah were conveyed to the jinn too, and that there came to them Messengers who warned them and conveyed the Message.

The evidence that they will be punished in Hell are the aayaat:

(Allah) will say: ‘Enter you in the company of nations who passed away before you, of men and jinn, into the Fire.’

(Qur’aan, 7: 38)

And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell.

(Qur’aan, 7: 179)

I will fill Hell with jinn and mankind together.

(Qur’aan, 32: 13)

The evidence that the believers among the jinn will enter Paradise is the aayah:

But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two Gardens (i.e. in Paradise).

Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?

(Qur’aan, 55: 46-47)

The words here are addressed to the jinn and mankind, because the beginning of the soorah (chapter) is addressed to both of them. In the preceding aayah Allah reminded the believers among the jinn that they would enter Paradise; if they could not attain that, then He would not have reminded them of that blessing.

Ibn Muflih said in his book Al-Furoo’: “The jinn are accountable in general according to the consensus of the scholars; the kuffaar among them will enter Hell, according to scholars’ consensus, and the believers among them will enter Paradise according to Maalik and Al-Shaafa’i (may Allah be pleased with them). They will not become dust like the animals. The reward of the believers among them will be salvation from the Fire. This is in contrast to the view of Abu Haneefah, Al-Layth ibn Sa’d and those who agreed with them.”

And he said: “The apparent meaning of the first view is that they, like others, will be in Paradise according to the extent of their reward, in contrast to the view of those who said that they do not eat or drink, such as Mujaahid, or that they will be on the outskirts of Paradise, around Paradise, such as ‘Umar ibn Abd al-‘Azeez. Ibn Haamid said in his book that the jinn are like mankind in that they are accountable and obliged to worship.”

(Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah, 2/222-223)

Al-Shibli wrote a chapter entitled, “Baab fi an al-jinn mukallifoon bi ijmaa’ ahl al-nazr (The jinn are accountable according to the consensus of the scholars)”, in which he narrated from Abu ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-Barr that according to the majority the jinn are accountable and are addressed by the call of Islam because Allah says:

Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?

(Qur’aan, 55: 13)

Al-Raazi said in his Tafseer said: “There is unanimous agreement that the jinn are all accountable.”

Al-Shibli narrated that Al-Qaadi ‘Abd al-Jabbaar said: “We know of no difference of opinion among the scholars concerning the view that the jinn are accountable. It is narrated from some writers in some of their writings that the anthropomorphists said that they are compelled to do what they do, and that they are not accountable.”

He said: “The evidence that they are accountable is what is mentioned in the Qur’aan of condemnation and cursing of the devils, and warnings against their deceit and evil, and descriptions of the punishments that Allah has prepared for them. This is something which Allah does only to those who go against His commands and prohibitions, commit major sins and transgress the sacred limits, when it was possible for them not to do that and they were able to do the opposite. This is also indicated by the fact that it is part of the religion of the Prophet to curse the devils, and to describe their nature and explain that they call for evil and sin, and insinuate whispers into men’s hearts to that effect. All of this indicates that they are accountable. And Allah says:

Say (O Muhammad ): "It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten In number) of jinns listened (to this Qur'aan). they said: 'Verily! we have heard a wonderful recital (this Qur'aan)!

'It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with Our Lord (Allâh).

(Qur’aan, 72: 1-2)

 

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They are held accountable according to their nature

Ibn Taymiyah (Gharaa’ib wa ‘Ajaa’ib al-Jinn, by Al-Shibli, p. 49) said:

“The jinn are commanded with regard to basic issues, and with regard to minor issues they are accountable according to their nature. They are not comparable to mankind as far as the nature of their deeds are concerned. The commands and prohibitions enjoined upon them are not the same as those enjoined upon mankind, as far as the quantity is concerned, but they are also subject to commands and prohibitions, as humans are, and they are subject to rulings of halaal and haraam. This is a matter concerning which no dispute is known among the Muslims.”

 

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2 – How can they be punished in the Fire when they are created from fire?

Some people express their doubts and say, you state that the jinn are created from fire, then you say that the kuffaar among them will be punished in the Fire of Hell, and that those among them who try to eavesdrop are struck with flaming fire. How can fire have any effect on them when they are created from it?

The answer is that the essence from which they are created is fire, but after they have been created they are no longer like that, because they have become something other than fire. This may be explained by the fact that man is made from dust, but after he has been created he becomes something other than dust, and if a man is struck with a piece of baked clay it will kill him, and if dust is thrown at him it will harm him; if he is buried in it he will suffocate. Even though he is created from dust, dust can harm him. The same applies to the jinn.

Abu’l-Wafaa’ ibn ‘Aqeel said: “The devils and jinn are related to fire in the same way that man is related to dust, clay and mud. What is meant with regard to man is that his origin is clay, not that the human is actually clay, but he was clay. Similarly the jinn were originally fire.”

(Laqt al-Marjaan fi Ahkaam al-Jaan, p. 33)

 

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3 – The Messengers of Allah to the jinn

As the jinn are accountable, then Allah must convey His revelation to them and establish proof against them. How is that achieved? Do they have Messengers from amongst themselves, as mankind has Messengers from amongst themselves, or are their Messengers from among the human Messengers?

The aayah,

O’ you assembly of jinn and Mankind! Did not there come to you Messengers from amongst you.

(Qur’aan, 6: 130)

- indicates that Allah has sent Messengers to them, but it does not state clearly whether these Messengers were from among the jinn or from among mankind, because the word minkum (“from amongst you”) may mean both. It may mean that Messengers of each race were from amongst their own kind, or it may mean Messengers to both of them were sent from amongst one of the two races, namely mankind. Thus there are two differing opinions on that:

i – That the jinn have Messengers from amongst themselves. Among those who expressed this view was Ad-Dahhaak. Ibn al-Jawzi said: this is the apparent meaning of the words. Ibn Hazm said: “No human Prophet was ever sent to the jinn before Muhammad ”.

ii – That the Messengers to the jinn were human. Al-Suyooti said: “The majority of scholars, of the earlier and later generations, say that there has never been a Messenger or Prophet among the jinn. This is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, Mujaahid, Al-Kalbi and Abu ‘Ubayd.”

(Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah, 2/223-224. See also Laqt al-Marjan, 73.)

What makes it more likely that the human Messengers were also the Messengers to the jinn is what the jinn said when they heard the Qur’aan:

Verily, we have heard a Book (this Qur’aan) sent down after Moosa (Moses).

(Qur’aan, 46: 30)

But this is not a definitive statement concerning the matter. Discussion of this issue is of no real importance, and there is no definitive text concerning it.

 

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4 – The Message of Final Messnger is universal and addressed to both humans and jinn

Our Messenger Muhammad was sent to both jinn and mankind. Ibn Taymiyah (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 19/9) said: “This principle is agreed upon by the Sahaabah and those who followed them in truth, by the imams of the Muslims and by all the groups of Muslims, Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah and others.

This is indicated by the fact that the Qur’aan challenges both the jinn and mankind:

‘Say: “If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur’aan, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.’

(Qur’aan, 17: 88)

A group of jinn hastened to believe when they heard the Qur’aan:

Say (O Muhammad Sal-Allaahu 'alayhe Wa Sallam): "It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten In number) of jinns listened (to This Qur'aan). they said: 'Verily! we have heard a wonderful recital (this Qur'aan)!

'It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with Our Lord (Allâh).

(Qur’aan, 72: 1-2)

Those who heard the Qur’aan and believed are the ones who are
mentioned in Soorat al-Ahqaaf:

And (remember) when we sent towards You (Muhammad Sal-Allaahu 'alayhe Wa Sallam) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the jinns, (quietly) listening to the Qur'aan, when they stood in the presence thereof, they said: "Listen In silence!" and when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners.

They said: "O Our people! Verily! we have heard a Book (this Qur'aan) sent down after Moosa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the Truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islâm).

O Our people! respond (with obedience) to Allâh's Caller (i.e. Allâh's Messenger Muhammad Sal-Allaahu 'alayhe Wa Sallam), and believe In Him (i.e. believe In that which Muhammad Sal-Allaahu 'alayhe Wa Sallam has brought from Allâh and follow Him). He (Allâh) will forgive You of Your sins, and will save You from a painful torment (i.e. Hell-fire) .

And Whosoever does not respond to Allâh's caller, He cannot escape on earth, and there will be no Awliyaa' (protectors) for Him besides Allâh (from Allâh's punishment). those are In manifest error.

(Qur’aan, 46: 29-32)

They heard the Qur’aan and believed in it, and they went back as daa’iyahs (missionaries) calling their people to Tawheed and faith, bringing them glad tidins and warnings.

The story of those who listened to the Messenger is narrated by Bukhaari and Muslim from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: “The Prophet set out with a group of his Companions, heading for the marketplace of ‘Ukaaz. The devils had been prevented from hearing the news of heaven, and the flaming fire had been sent against them, so the devils came back to their people, and asked them, ‘What is the matter with you?’

They said,

‘We have been prevented from hearing the news of heaven, and flaming fire has been sent against us.’

They said,

‘It can only be something new that is preventing you from hearing the
news of heaven.’

So they searched throughout the earth, east and west, looking for what is was that had prevented them from hearing the news of heaven.

That group which had headed for Thiaamah came across the Messenger of Allah in Nakhlah, hading for the marketplace of ‘Ukaaaz, leading his Companions in praying Fajr. When they heard the Qur’aan, they said:


‘Listen! This, by Allah, is what is preventing you from hearing the news of heaven.’

That was when they went back to their people and said:

O’ our people! Verily, we have heard a Book (this Qur’aan) sent down after Moosa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to the Straight Path (i.e. Islam).’

(Qur’aan, 46: 30)

Then Allah revealed to His Prophet:

‘Say (O’ Muhammad): “It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinn.’

(Qur’aan, 72: 1)

What the jinn had said was revealed to him.”

(Narrated by Bukhaari, 1/253, no. 774; Muslim, 1/331)

 

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Delegations of the jinn who received knowledge from the Messenger

That was the start of the jinns’ awareness of the message of Muhammad , when they listened to the Qur’aan without the knowledge of the Messenger , and a group among them believed and went to call others to guidance.

Then delegations of the jinn came to receive knowledge from the Messenger . The Messenger gave them some of his time and taught them some of that which Allah had taught hi. He recited Qur’aan to them and told them the message of Islam... That happened in Makkah before the Hijrah.

Muslim narrated in his Saheeh that ‘Aamir said:

“I asked ‘Ilqimah,

‘Was Ibn Mas’ood present with the Messenger of Allah on the night of the jinn?’

He said,

“Ilqimah said:

I asked Ibn Mas’ood, were any of you present with the Messenger of Allah on the night of the jinn?

He said,

No, but we were with the Messenger of Allah :saW: that night. We lost him, and we searched through the valleys and hills, then we said, he has either been taken away (by the jinn) or secretly killed.

We spent the worst night that any people have ever spent, then in the morning we saw him coming from the direction Hiraa’.

We said,

O’ Messenger of Allah! We lost you, and we looked for you but could not find you. We spent the worst night that any people have ever spent.

He said,

‘A caller from among the jinn came to me, and I went with him, and recited Qur’aan to them. Then we set off, and he showed us their footsteps, and the traces of their fires.
They asked him for provision, and he said:

‘You will have every bone over which the name of Allah has been mentioned; when it falls into your hands it will have plenty of meat on it. And all droppings are food for you animals.’

Then the Messenger of Allah said,

‘Do not use (these things) for cleaning yourselves after relieving yourself, for they are the food of your brothers.’”

(Narrated by Muslim, 1/332, no. 450)

Among the verses that he recited to them was Soorat ar-Rahmaan. Al-Suyooti said: “It is narrated by Tirmidhi, Ibn al-Mundhir, Abu’l-Shaykh in Al-‘Azamah, Al-Haakim who classed it as saheeh, Ibn Mardawayh and Al-Bayhaqi in Ad-Dalaa’il that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah said:


“The Messenger of Allah came out to his Companions and recited Soorat ar-Rahmaan to them, from beginning to end. They remained silent, then he said:

‘Why do I see you silent? I recited it to the jinn on the night of the jinn, and they responded in a better manner than you, Every time I came to the words, Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny?

They said,

“We do not deny any of your blessings, O’ Lord, and to You be praise.’””

(Al-Durr al-Manthoor li’l-Tafseer bi’l-Ma’thoor, by Al-Suyooti, 7/690)

That night was not the only night. The Prophet met the jinn repeatedly after that. In his commentary on Soorat al-Ahqaaf, Ibn Katheer quotes ahaadeeth which were narrated describing how the Prophet met with the jinn. In some of these it states that Ibn Mas’ppd was close to the Messenger on one of those nights.

In some of the reports narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari it says that some of the jinn who came to him came from the direction of Yemen, from a place called Nusaybeen. Bukhaari narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said: “A delegation from Nusaybeen – and what good jinn they are – came to me and asked me for provision. I prayed to Allah that they would not pass by any bone or dung without finding food on it.”

(Narrated by Bukhaari, 7/171, no. 3860)

 

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5 – Their calling man to good...

...their testimony in favour of the Muslim and their levels of righteousness and corruption
​

In the ahaadeeth it is stated that some of the jinn play a role in guiding man. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it says that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab asked a man who had been a soothsayer during the jaahiliyyah about the most astonishing thing that his female jinni told him of. He said,

“One-day while I was in the market, she came to me scared and said,

‘Haven’t you seen the jinn and their despair and they were overthrown after their defeat (and prevented from listening to the news of heaven) so that they (stopped going to the sky and) kept following camel-riders (i.e., Arabs)?”

‘Umar said,

“He is telling the truth,”

- and added,

“One day while I was sleeping near their idols, there came a man with a calf and slaughtered it as a sacrifice (to the idols). An (unseen) creature shouted at him, and I have never heard anything harsher than his voice.

He was crying,

‘O’ you bold evil-doer! A matter of success! An eloquent man is saying:

None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.’

At that the people fled, but I said,

‘I shall not go away until I know what is behind this.’

Then the cry came again:

‘O’ you bold evil-doer! A matter of success! An eloquent man is saying:

None has the right to be worshipped except Allah.’

I then went away and a few days later it was said,

‘A prophet has appeared.’”

(Bukhaari, 7/177, no. 3866)

Ibn Katheer said in his commentary on Soorat al-Ahqaaf, after quoting this hadith, this is the version given by Bukhaari. A similar report is also narrated by Al-Bayhaqi from the hadith of Ibn Wahb. Then he said: the apparent meaning of this report indicates that ‘Umar himself heard the voice shouting from the calf that was slaughtered. This is stated clearly in a da’eef (weak) report narrated from ‘Umar. All the reports indicate that the soothsayer was the one who told of having seen and heard that. And Allah knows best. Then he said: This man (the soothsayer) was Sawaad ibn Qaarib.

We will quote below the hadith in which the Messenger said that his qareen (Companion) from among the jinn had become Muslim and did not tell him to do anything but good.

Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said to Abu Sa’sa’ah:

“I see that you love sheep and the wilderness. If you are with your sheep or in the wilderness, say the adhaan for your prayer, and raise your voice when doing so, for as far as the muezzin’s voice reaches, there is no jinn, human or thing, but it will bear witness for him on the Day of Resurrection.”

Abu Sa’eed said:

“I heard that from the Messenger of Allah .”

(Narrated by Bukhaari, 2/88, hadith no. 609)

So he told us that the jinn will bear witness on the Day of Resurrection for the one whose adhaan they heard.

 

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They are of varying degrees of righteousness and evil

Some of them are perfect in their righteousness, goodness and doing good deeds, and some are of a lesser status than that. Some of them are naive and unsophisticated, and some are kuffaar; they are the majority.
Allah tells us that the jinn who listened to the Qur’aan said:

There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups having different ways (religious sects).

(Qur’aan, 72: 11)

i.e., some of them are perfect in their righteousness, some of them are less than that, and they follow different paths, as is the case among mankind.
And Allah tells us that they said:

‘And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allah, after listening to this Qur’aan), and of us some are Al-Qaasitoon (disbelievers those who have deviated from the Right Path)’. And whosoever has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting to Allah), then such have sought
the Right Path.’

And as for the Qaasitoon (disbelievers who deviated from the Right Path), they shall be firewood for Hell.

(Qur’aan, 72: 14-15)

i.e., there are Muslims among them, and those who wrong themselves by disbelieving. Whoever among them becomes a Muslim, his deeds are based on guidance, and whoever wrongs himself is fuel for Hell.

 

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6 – The nature of the devils – can they become Muslim?

Allah has given the jinn the ability to believe or disbelieve. Hence the Shaytaan used to worship with the angels, then he disbelieved (became a kaafir).

When he turned to kufr, accepted it and began to love and seek evil, he enjoyed doing it and calling others to it, he was keen for that because of the evil nature of his own soul, even if that would lead to punishment:

(Iblees) (Satan) said: ‘By Your Might, then I will surely, mislead them all.

Except Your chosen slaves amongst them (i.e. faithful, obedient, true believers of Islamic Monotheism).’

(Qur’aan, 38: 82-83)

This had to do with man, because when man’s soul becomes corrupt, he desires that which harms him and enjoys it, and he desires that in a manner that corrupts his reason, religious commitment, attitude, body and wealth. It is sufficient for you to ponder the state of the drinker or smoker, for these two substances (alcohol and tobacco) kill those who use them, and they cannot get rid of this addition except by putting themselves though great hardship.

 

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Is it possible for the Shaytaan to become Muslim?

The greater Shaytaan, i.e., Iblees, cannot become Muslim because Allah has told us that he will remain a kaafir. But apart from him, it seems to us that other shayaateen or devils could become Muslim, based on the fact that the devil-companions of the Messenger became Muslim.

(This hadith in which the Messenger said that Allah helped him against his devil-companion and he had become Muslim and did not tell him to do anything but good, is narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 4/2168, no. 2814)

But some of the scholars reject this idea and say that a devil cannot become a believer; among these scholars is the commentator on At-Tahhaawiyyah, who interpreted the Prophet’s words, “fa aslama (translated above as ‘and he became Muslim’)” as meaning he submitted and surrendered.

(Sharh al-‘Aqeedah at-Tahhaawiyyah, p. 439)

Some of the scholars say that the report says “fa aslamu” (as opposed to “fa aslama”) meaning I became safe (from him). Although the commentator on At-Tahhaawiyyah thinks that this is a distortion of the wording.

An-Nawawi in his commentary on Muslim said: “These are two well known reports, and he attributed to Al-Khattaabi the view that the report containing the word aslamu was more likely to be correct, and he narrated that Al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad preferred the report containing the word aslama, which was also the one favoured by An-Nawawi.

(Sharh an-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, 17/158)

Among those who thought that a devil could become a Muslim was Ibn Hibbaan, who said, commenting on the hadith:

“This report indicates that the devil of the Chosen Prophet became Muslim, so that he did not tell him to do anything but good. But he (the Prophet) was safe from his harm even when he was a kaafir.”

What the commentator on At-Tahhaawiyyah suggested, that a devil cannot be anything but a kaafir, is subject to further discussion. If he thought that the word shaytaan (devil) cannot be applied to anything other than the kaafirs among the jinn, then this is correct. If he thought that a devil could never turn to Islam, then this is extremely unlikely, and the hadith is proof against him. It is sufficient for us to know that the Shaytaan was a believer who then disbelieved, and that the devils are obliged to believe and will be punished for their kufr. Faith and kufr are two states to which this creature is subject, as is the case with man.

 

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Chapter Three - The Enmity between Man and the Shaytaan

1 – The reasons for this enmity, its origin and intensity​

The enmity between man and the Shaytaan is deeply-rooted; its origins go back to the day Allah formed Adam, before He breathed the soul into him. The Shaytaan started to walk around him. In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah said:

“When Allah formed Adam in Paradise, He left him for as long as He willed to leave him, and Iblees started to walk around him, looking at him to see what he was. When he saw that he was hollow, he knew that he had been created with a disposition such that he would not have self-control.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 4/2016, no. 2611)

When Allah breathed the soul into Adam, and commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, Iblees used to worship Allah with the angels of heaven, so he was included in the command. But he thought too highly of himself and was arrogant, so he refused to prostrate to Adam:

Iblees said: ‘I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.’

(Qur’aan, 7: 12)

Our father Adam opened his eyes, and found the utmost respect, for he found the angels prostrating to him. But he also found a terrible enemy who threatened him and his children with destruction and misguidance.
Allah expelled the Shaytaan from Paradise, the abode of eternal life, because of his arrogance, but he obtained a promise from Allah to let him alive until the Day of Resurrection:

(Iblees) said: ‘Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up (i.e., the Day of Resurrection).’

(Allah) said: ‘You are of those respited.’

(Qur’aan, 7: 14-15)

The accursed one vowed to himself to mislead the children of Adam:

(Iblees) said: "Because You have sent Me astray, surely I will sit In wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path.

Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find Most of them as thankful ones (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You)."

(Qur’aan, 7: 16-17)

These words indicate the extent of his efforts to misguidance the children of Adam. He comes to him in all directions, from the right and the left, from in front and from behind. Al-Zamakhshari said in his commentary on this aayah:

“Then I shall most certainly come to him from the four directions from which an enemy usually comes. This is a metaphor for his insinuating whispers (waswaas) to them, and his encouraging them to do well as much as he can, as Allah said:

‘And befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice (i.e. songs, music, and any other call for Allah’s disobedience), make assaults on them with your cavalry and your infantry.’

(Qur’aan, 17: 64)

(Tafseer al-Kashshaaf, 2/71)

 

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Allah warns us against the devils

The Qur’aan warns us at length against the Shaytaan because of the seriousness of his fitnah (temptation, tribulation), how clever he is at misguiding people, and how keen he is to do so.

Allah says:

O’ Children of Adam! Let not Shaytaan (Satan) deceive you.

(Qur’aan, 7: 27)

Surely, Shaytaan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy.

(Qur’aan, 35: 6)

And whoever takes Shaytaan (Satan) as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allah, has surely, suffered a manifest loss.

(Qur’aan, 4: 119)

The enmity of the Shaytaan never changes and never ceases, because he thinks that his banishment, his being cursed and his expulsion from Paradise happened because of our father Adam, so he has to take revenge on Adam and his descendants:

(Iblees (Satan) said: ‘See this one whom You have honoured above me, if You give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely, seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!’

(Qur’aan, 17: 62)

Those who seek to educate and guide people focus their attention on the soul and its defects but they fail to acknowledge their sworn enemy.

 

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2 – The aims of the Shaytaan

(1) His ultimate aim​

There is one aim which the Shaytaan is striving ultimately to achieve, which is to lead man to Hell and deprive him of Paradise:

He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.

(Qur’aan, 35: 6)

 

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(2) His short-term goals

That is the ultimate aim of the Shaytaan; with regard to his short-term goals, they are many, and include the following:


i) Causing people to commit shirk and kufr

He does this by calling them to worship things other than Allah, and to disbelieve in Allah and His laws:

(Their allies deceived them) like Shaytaan (Satan), when he says to man: ‘Disbelieve in Allah.’ But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shaytaan (Satan) says: ‘I am free of you.’

(Qur’aan, 59: 16)

Muslim narrated in his Saheeh from ‘Iyaad ibn Himaar that the Prophet gave a khutbah one day, in which he said:

“O’ people, Allah has commanded me to tell you something of which you are unaware, that He has taught me today. (Allah says) ‘All the wealth that I have bestowed upon a person is halaal. I have created all my slaves as hunafaa’ (pure monotheists), but the devils came to them and diverted them from their religion. They forbade them that which I had permitted to them, and commanded them to associate in worship with Me things for which I had not sent down any authority.’”

(Narrated by Muslim, 4/2197, no. 2865)

 

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ii) Causing them to commit sins and acts of disobedience

If the Shaytaan cannot manage to make people commit sin and kufr, he does not give up. He is content with less than that, namely making them commit sins and acts of disobedience. He sows the seeds of enmity and hatred amongst their ranks. In Sunan at-Tirmidhi it says:

“The Shaytaan has despaired of ever being worshipped in this land of yours, but he will be obeyed in matters that you think of as insignificant, and he will be content with that.”

(Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 2/230, no. 1753)

In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated that Jaabir said:

“The Messenger of Allah said:

‘The Shaytaan has despaired of ever being worshipped by the worshippers in the Arabian Peninsula, but (he will be content) with stimulating enmity among them”

(Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh, 1/27, no. 10)

i.e., by sowing enmity and hatred amongst them, and provoking one against another, as Allah says:

Shaytaan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salaah (the prayer). So will you not
then abstain?

(Qur’aan, 5: 91)

He enjoins all kinds of evil:

He (Shaytaan (Satan) commands you only what is evil and Fahshaa’ (sinful), and that you should say against Allah what you know not.

(Qur’aan, 2: 169)

To sum up: every act of worship that is loved by Allah is hated by the Shaytaan, and every sin that is hated by Allah is loved by Shaytaan.

 

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iii) Causing them to commit bid’ah (innovation)

This is more loved by the Shaytaan then immorality and sin, because its harm affects religious commitment.

Sufyaan al-Thawri said:

“Bid’ah is dearer to the Shaytaan than sin, because one may repent from sin, but not from bid’ah.”

(Gharaa’ib wa ‘Ajaa’ib al-Jinn, by al-Shibli, p. 206)

 

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iv) Preventing people from obeying Allah

He is not content simply to call people to kufr, sin and disobedience; he also prevents them from doing good. He does not leave any of the ways of goodness that a slave of Allah could follow, but he lies in wait on the path and blocks it, and makes them deviate. It is narrated that Sabrah ibn Abi Faakih said:
“I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

‘The Shaytaan lies in wait on the paths of the children of Adam, and he lies in wait on the path of Islam, and says.

“Will you become Muslim and forsake your religion and the religion of your fathers and grandfathers.”

Then he disobeys him and becomes Muslim.

Then he lies in wait on earth of hijrah and said,

“Will you migrate and leave your land and sky? The one who migrates is like a horse on a long rope.”

(Horse on a long rope: i.e., he still has an attachment to his homeland)

Then he disobeys him and migrates for the sake of Allah.

Then he lies in wait on the path of jihad and says:

“Will you engage in jihaad and strive with yourself and your wealth, and fight and be killed, so your wife will remarry and your wealth will be shared out?”

Then he disobeys him and engages in jihaad.

Whoever does that, will deserve to be admitted to Paradise by Allah. Whoever is killed will deserve to be admitted to Paradise by Allah. Whoever is drowned will deserve to be admitted to Paradise by Allah. Whoever is trampled by his riding beast will deserve to be admitted to Paradise by Allah.’”

(Saheeh Sunan an-Nasaa’i, 2/657, no. 2937)

This is confirmed by what Allah says in the Qur’aan, where He tells us that the Shaytaan said to the Lord of Glory:

(Iblees) said: ‘Because You have sent me astray, surely, I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your straight path.

Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (i.e., they will not be dutiful to You).’

(Qur’aan, 7: 16-17)

The interpretation of the salaf, explaining what is meant by the path, are similar to one another. Ibn ‘Abbaas explained it as meaning the clear religion. Ibn Mas’ood explained it as meaning the Book of Allah. Jaabir said that it means Islam, and Mujaahid said that it means the truth.

So the Shaytaan does not leave any path of goodness but he lies in wait to prevent the people from following it.

 

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v) Corrupting acts of worship

If the Shaytaan is not able to prevent people from obeying Allah, then he strives to corrupt their acts of worship and obedience, so that he can deprive them of the reward. For example, the Sahaabi ‘Uthmaan ibn Abi’l-‘Aas came to the Prophet and said:

“The Shaytaan comes between me and my prayer and recitation of Qur’aan, and he is confusing me.”

The Messenger of Allah said:

“That is a devil called Khinzab. If you notice that, then seek refuge with Allah from him, and spit dryly to your left three times.”

‘Uthmaan ibn Abi’l-‘Aas said: I did that, and Allah took him away from me.

(Narrated by Muslim, 4/1728, no. 2203)

When a person starts to pray, the Shaytaan comes and whispers to him (waswaas), and distracts him from worshipping Allah, and reminds him of worldly matters. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah said: “When the call to prayer is given, the Shaytaan runs away breaking wind loudly, so that he will not hear the adhaan. When the call to prayer ends, he comes back, but when the iqaamah starts he runs away, and when the prayer begins, he comes back until he whispers into the heart of the person, and says to him, ‘Remember such and such; remember such and such – things that he did not remember before the prayer – until he does not know how many rak’ahs he has passed.”

(Narrated by Bukhaari, 2/84, no. 608. See also nos. 1222, 1231, 1232. Also narrated by Muslim, 1/291, no. 389)