IBLEES & SATAN
The verses of the “Quran” are explained with the help of symbols or signs or demontrations that are termed as Ayaat (آيَاتٌ)in the Arabic language. The basic purpose of any ayaat, sign or symbol or language is to show direction, to guide on the basis of which a person or a thing can be known. Ayaat or signs should always be clear and tangible. An important point to be noted about an ‘ayaat’ is that they (ayaat) are addressed to any seeker of knowledge or information be it an individual or group.
Ya / يا is a vocative particle and is one of the derivatives of word Ayaat آيَاتٌ - It is used for calling those who are near and alive- Ayaat are living signs or symbols in any language that are meant to be studied or observed diligently so that it can act like a guide and it is not meant to be sung as rote.
The notable point is that the ayaats are always addressed to those who are near or close by, they are not distant or far because the basic purpose of ayaat is that it should be studied carefully. If they are far or intangible then how can we study or understand them? An ayaat or a sign that is intangible has no appeal or value to the person to whom it is addressed.
Quran the book does not discuss or give any clues about the life or birth place of any of the “Prophets” and their progeny. Neither does it talk about any event; nor about any science, geography or history. Neither does it glorify “God” by praising its attribute; nor does it encourage any rituals to please “God”. The main theme of the entire book Quran is mankind and his script, i.e Kitab in Arabic (21:10) and how he should manage his / her affairs and extract benefits from this book of wisdom.
If the book Quran does not increase your wisdom then it means you do not understand its signs and the symbolic meanings embedded in them. Instead of focusing on the message which demonstrate emitting signs (Ayaat), we are either concentrating more on the nuance of pronunciations of the language; or we are busy in comparing the biblical stories with the “Quran” rather than understanding it independently on the basis of the language alone.
The powerful message of Quran on human psychology is totally ignored and sadly the followers of this magnificent book are the ones who are suffering the most with the problem of psychological disorder. The glorious message of the Quran is the only remedy for them but sadly its prescription has gone in vain.
The term Adam is the symbol which represents mankind; similarly Allah, Rabb, Rehman, Iblees, Satan, Malaikah, Noah, Ibrahim, Musa, Firaun, Marium, Isa, etc are all Ayaats (Symbols). These simple demonstrative symbols combined with parables represent a deep meaningful clear message, confine in a simple symbol and narrated with the help of examples. The respected author of the 114 chapter book Quran explains the magnificent message in a theophany format by depiction of characters to illustrate different roles of the various characteristics in humans.
IBLEES is one of the important traits of mankind (Adam). Adam is basically a homogenous mixture of many characters arranged in a single body of species Adam. Iblees is termed as the enemy of mankind in “Quran” and it is a fact. Hope or faith / safety / security (Iman)is termed as the greatest gift bestowed upon mankind. Those who are in despair of hope are called Iblees in Arabic. To be in the state of Iblees is the highest form of dejection and primarily the main cause of all malfunctions in life. The state of Iblees is the breeding ground or favorable ground for Satan to emerge and this type of condition can be experienced by anyone in life.
In short Iblees represents a state of hopelessness, dejection, despair, depression or under some grief or who have lost all hopes from the Rabb [Consciousness].
The root word of Iblees is ب ل س - The word Iblees is a verbal noun (Form IV) just like the word Islam – This pattern is similar to form II in that it makes intransitive verbs transitive, and transitive verbs doubly so. This verb form IV indicates that the word Iblees is a state of desperation; low spirit, affliction , sulking nature, if adapted or transformed into that state one becomes hopeless or dejected and is not able to follow the commandments of his / her Consciousness (Rabb).
2:34 وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
And when We said for the Malaikah [dictatorial faculty of mind], "become humble for Adam"; so they become humble, except Iblees [broken spirit / despair]. He refused and chose to remain arrogant and became from the disguised one /impersonator / masquerader / one who gives false hope. – 2:34
إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ اسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنْ الْكَافِرِينَ
Not so Iblis: he was arrogant, and is ever one of those who conceal the fact (Al-Kafireen) – 38:74
The word Iblees and its derivatives are mentioned 16 times in the entire “Quran”. To deduce the right meaning of any word of the “Quran” we should go through all the verses where the word Iblees and its derivatives are mentioned. Apart from the lexicon meaning, the contextual meaning of the word also plays a very important role in understanding the right application of the word. The basic meaning of Iblees is a state of desperation or despair; please check in verses (6:44, 23:77, 30:12, 30:49, and 43:75)
The act of suicide is the highest form of dejection or desperation. Losing all hopes or all forms of apprehensions can also be termed as the state of Iblees. The condition of Iblees (dejection) rejects all types of positivity. In other words it’s a failure of consciousness or awareness to act in the right direction. The state of Iblees is the lower form of Satan because it has no energy or power to act, as though the person has given up or surrendered completely to fear. Satan is a powerful force, whereas Iblees is a depressed form or a fertile ground for the growth of satanic allies.
It was not Iblees who tempted Adam (Mankind) to go near the “tree of dispute” (Shajrah). One of the characters present in Adam is the state of dejection (Iblees) that caused Satan to breed and raise its head. The state of despair (Iblees) is the fertile ground for the Satan to grow and develop false desires in Adam. This false desire compels him to disobey the command of his consciousness (Rabb). The state of desperation (Iblees) in Adam did not allow him to obey the commandment of his Rabb. But it was Satan who was responsible for the degradation of Adam; from the position of security and bliss (Jannah), where enlightenment flows to the position of blockage and stagnation of thoughts or the state of Jahannum.
EFFECTS OF IBLEES:
To understand Iblees first we should understand what does Kafir mean, as we know that Iblees is described as one of the Kafireen in “Quran” – 2:34 – WHO ARE KAFIRS?
Indeed, those who disbelieve (kafir) - it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them - they will not believe.
Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment. (2:6-7) – Traditional translation
Iblees is the state where our vital abilities (intellect, understanding and insight) stop working and this condition is a great punishment in itself (2:6-7). This happens when they are not ready to trust the rules of the system (Allah). The basic rule of the System is “As you sow, so shall you reap”.
One of the major causes for such plight is the habit of being secretive or concealing of facts (Kafir). When one starts concealing or hiding facts and pretends to be normal the habit of denying the facts develops gradually. Such state is termed as Kafir in Arabic. Slowly the person begins to feel the gravity of hiding and concealing the facts. Living on the basis of lies leads him to the life of fear.
The second stage of Kafir is Iblees where the person is in the state of depression and hopelessness.
The last and final stage is Satan, a powerful force who dictates his terms and condition on the person until he is confronted by truth or facts.
The individuals deceive themselves by not obeying the system (Allah)but they don’t realize (2:9). In their intellect is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they used to lie (2:10). They spread corruption in the lower consciousness and they themselves are corrupted due to that but they realize not (2:11-12).And it is told to them to trust but they think others as unwise, and they don’t know that they themselves are deprived of wisdom (2:13). And when they are with those who trust they will say we are with you but when they are alone with their Shaitaan they would say we were just mockers (2:14).
The reason of discussing the initial verses of surah Baqra is to make the readers aware that how the “Quran” should be understood in the right perspective. From the beginning of the surah to the last verse the subject should not drift into different segments. The sign of a good script is that the theme and the plot run parallel to the story. The script of the Quran is the masterpiece in the Arabic language, how can it discuss thing irrelevant to the topic. All the characters of the “Quran” should be relevant and interconnected to the entire topic, and then only the message will make sense. But our translators have messed up the Quran into various tales. To understand Iblees we cannot directly jump to verse 2:34. We have to understand all the preceding and following verses in sequence and also understand the connection between them, prior to understanding any context and its vocabularies.
We need to understand each and every word according to the theme of the subject in order to extract the right message. The signs or Ayaats of the Quran have to be relatively applicable in our present day lives. The Quran is invariably or universally applicable in today’s times and it’s definitely alive, but to restrict it to ancient Biblical interpretation is an act of grave injustice to this marvelous message.
SHAITAAN / IBLEES
IBLEES is the dejected state of human beings. In such a state man fails to recognize the facts and gets inspired by the whims of Satan (Shaitaan). Here the word Shaitaan is an adjective which indicates - one of the evil qualities of a human being to seduce man away from the truth or fact.
The root word of Shaitaan is shīn ṭā nūn (ش ط ن). The word Shaitaan (الشَّيْطَانُ) and its derivatives are mentioned 88 times in the entire “Quran”.
The basic meaning of ش ط ن is – Distant, remote far from the truth, turn away from the direction, penetrating, concealed, firmly fixed, bound him…
LET’S ANALYZE SOME VERSES TO UNDERSTAND THE EXACT ROLE OF SATAN IN OUR LIVES:
2:36 - Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get you down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood - for a time."
2:168 - O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one, for he is to you an avowed enemy.
2:268 - The Evil one threatens you with poverty and bids you to conduct unseemly. Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounties. And Allah cares for all and He knoweth all things.
3:175 - It is only the Evil One that suggests to you the fear of his votaries: Be ye not afraid of them, but fear Me, if ye have Faith.
4:119 - "I will mislead them, and I will create in them false desires; I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and to deface the (fair) nature created by Allah." Whoever, forsaking Allah, takes Satan for a friend, hath of a surety suffered a loss that is manifest.
4:120 - Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but satan's promises are nothing but deception.
6:43 - When the suffering reached them from us, why then did they not learn humility? On the contrary their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them.
7:20 – So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"
7:22 - So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"
7:27 - O ye Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you, in the same manner as He got your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame: for he and his tribe watch you from a position where ye cannot see them: We made the evil ones friends (only) to those without faith.
7:175 - Relate to them the story of the man to whom We sent Our signs, but he passed them by: so Satan followed him up, and he went astray.
8:11 - Remember He covered you with a sort of drowsiness, to give you calm as from Himself, and he caused rain to descend on you from heaven, to clean you therewith, to remove from you the stain of Satan, to strengthen your hearts, and to plant your feet firmly therewith.
8:48 - Remember Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them, and said: "No one among men can overcome you this day, while I am near to you": But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he turned on his heels, and said: "Lo! I am clear of you; lo! I see what ye see not; Lo! I fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment."
12:5 - Said (the father): "My (dear) little son! Relate not thy vision to thy brothers, lest they concoct a plot against thee: for Satan is to man an avowed enemy!
12:42 - And of the two, to that one whom he considers about to be saved, he said: "Mention me to thy lord." But Satan made him forget to mention him to his lord: and (Joseph) lingered in prison a few (more) years.
14:22 - And Satan will say when the matter is decided: "It was Allah Who gave you a promise of Truth: I too promised, but I failed in my promise to you. I had no authority over you except to call you but ye listened to me: then reproach not me, but reproach your own souls. I cannot listen to your cries, nor can ye listen to mine. I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrong-doers there must be a grievous penalty."
16:63 - By Allah, We (also) sent (Our messengers) to Peoples before thee; but Satan made, (to the wicked), their own acts seem alluring: He is also their patron today, but they shall have a most grievous penalty.
17:27 - Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil Ones; and the Evil One is to his Lord (himself) ungrateful.
17:53 - Say to My servants that they should (only) say those things that are best: for Satan doth sow dissensions among them: For Satan is to man an avowed enemy.
17:64 - "Lead to destruction those whom thou canst among them, with thy (seductive) voice; make assaults on them with thy cavalry and thy infantry; mutually share with them wealth and children; and make promises to them." But Satan promises them nothing but deceit.
19:44 - "O my father! Serve not Satan: for Satan is a rebel against (Allah) Most Gracious.
20:120 - But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, "O Adam! Shall I lead thee to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?"
22:52 - Never did We send a messenger or a prophet before thee, but, when he framed a desire, Satan threw some (vanity) into his desire: but Allah will cancel anything (vain) that Satan throws in, and Allah will confirm (and establish) His Signs: for Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom:
22:53 - That He may make the suggestions thrown in by Satan, but a trial for those in whose hearts is a disease and who are hardened of heart: verily the wrong-doers are in a schism far (from the Truth)
24:21 - O ye who believe! Follow not Satan's footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan, he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong: and were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, not one of you would ever have been pure: but Allah doth purify whom He pleases: and Allah is One Who hears and knows (all things).
25:29 - "He did lead me astray from the Message (of Allah) after it had come to me! Ah! The Evil One is but a traitor to man!"
28:15 - And he entered the city at a time when its people were not watching: and he found there two men fighting,- one of his own religion, and the other, of his foes. Now the man of his own religion appealed to him against his foe, and Moses struck him with his fist and made an end of him. He said: "This is a work of Evil (Satan): for he is an enemy that manifestly misleads!"
35:6 - Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents that they may become Companions of the Blazing Fire.
36:60 - "Did I not enjoin on you, O ye Children of Adam, that ye should not worship Satan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed?
47:25 - Those who turn back as apostates after Guidance was clearly shown to them, - the Evil Onehas instigated them and busied them up with false hopes.
58:19 - The Evil One has got the better of them: so he has made them lose the remembrance of Allah. They are the Party of the Evil One. Truly, it is the Party of the Evil One that will perish!
59:16 - (Their allies deceived them), like the Evil One, when he says to man, "Deny Allah": but when (man) denies Allah, (the Evil One) says, "I am free of thee: I do fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!"
The above translations are taken from Esq. Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
WHO IS SATAN?
1) The one who is your avowed enemy – 2:168, 7: 20-22, 12:5, 36:60
2) The one who inspires / instigates false hope or desire – 22:52, 47:25
3) The one who deceives you with wrong suggestions – 22:53, 59:16
4) The one who affects your memory and remembrance – 12:42, 58:19
5) The one who misleads – 7:175, 28:15
6) The one who betrays – 25:29
7) The one who commands shameful and wrong acts – 24:21
8) The one who whispers evil – 20:120
9) The one who is the rebel against the Rehman (Teacher of Quran) – 19:44
10) Commits false promises, has no authority – 4:119-120, 14:22, 17:64
11) The one who sows dissensions – 17:53
12) Spendthrift is the brothers of Satan – 17:27
13) The one who makes own acts seem alluring – 8:48, 16:63
14) The One who gives false assurances – 8:48
15) The one who seduces you to follow what is wrong – 7:27
16) The one who inculcates fear- 3:175
17) The one who threatens you with insecurities / poverty – 2:268
18) The one who makes you slip from the state of bliss and protection – 2:36
19) The one who runs away when the facts confront it –
HOW TO SAVE YOURSELVES FROM SATAN:
1) Don’t ever live in the state of contentment it leads to heedlessness (10:7)
2) Always guard yourselves from wrong and lewd acts (19:59-60) (29:45)
3) Never hide the facts as this leads to fear which will ultimately take you to the state of depression and guilt.
4) The state of depression (Iblees) is the fertile ground for the birth of Satan and its allies.
5) The most important book (مكتب) is your brain; protect it from evil imprints of the Satan.
BE CAUTIOUS FROM THE SATAN THAT LIES WITHIN:
There are ideally more than three stages of evolution of becoming a full-fledged Satan but we will discuss three of them.
*The first stage being Kafir – when one starts to be secretive or lies to the colleagues / companions / caretakers and knows that he is wrong and has guilt feelings. This continuous feeling of fear and guilt weighs him down to the next stage – Iblees.
*The second stage is Iblees – At this stage the person has lost all hopes and becomes weak by telling lies and living a life of falsehood. He does not have the courage to come out of the fear and delves deeper into the problems thus not sharing with the colleagues and eventually surrenders and gives up on hope. At this stage one rejects all positivity.
*The third one is the final that is Satan – The weakened morale helps Satan to easily capture or control the person at the Iblees stage. It’s an easy target for Satan to cultivate or breed on the ground that is already fertile through Iblees. Satan can easily control the affected person and make him do any vices (to lie, steal, to cheat, conceal the truth) thus blocking his ability to reason or think. He is not aware about himself at what state of mind he is and much he is actually suffering.
With the help of this explanation let us take heed and stop ourselves at the first stage itself. The moment we realize that we are at the first or maybe second stage; we need to be cautious and take help and discuss with the ones we are close to. Do not wait until Satan overpowers you. Pay attention to the demonstrative signs [Ayaats] around and within you as they come to you as messengers and guidance from the Knowledgeable Rabb. Do not ignore them giving Satan a chance to sneak in.
The actual Satan is inside you, take precaution, and don’t wait to travel to Mecca to throw stones at him. Satan is not made of concrete and cement pillars but he is made up of false notions. The Satan within is far more dangerous than what we can imagine, if Satan can provoke the person to commit suicide we better beware. Refrain from letting negativity taking control of you. Your body is a sacred place; don’t let any wrong thoughts enter into it. Keep it pure.
EmoticonEmoticon