Introduction
It is an open reality that, in this material world of observation, if man was left to rely totally on his senses and his intellect, that is, he was allowed to opt according to his intellect whatever was commanded by his senses, we would have remained in the dark about the transcendental matters; It was, therefore, his Profound Justice and his Mercy on us that he did not let the hidden matters out of the comprehension of our intellect: rather, He endowed it, form Himself, with the knowledge of the invisible according to its requirements.
It is well established that we are unable to perceive everything that exists in this world with our senses. What’s more, there are many other worlds in existence which we are not aware of, the closest example being ‘spirit’. How can we deny the existence of spirit, when it keeps everyone alive? But has anyone ever known the true essence of spirit? Of course not. In other words, the world that we can see and perceive is described by the Holy Qur’an as the ‘seen world’, and the world that is beyond our sense of perception is the ‘unseen metaphysical world’. Every human being, without exception, endorses and expresses belief in the seen world. Even animals perceive this world with their senses. Therefore, no one can claim superiority or precedence over anyone else in this matter, because this belief forms part of what we called ‘essential knowledge.’ However, ‘superiority’ is granted to those who, on the basis of trust in the truth of the Message conveyed to them, believe in and claim that the unseen world exists. It is this quality which gives superiority to the God fearing over others. And it is the very first quality emphasized in the Holy Qur’an:
“Who believe in the Unseen…”(Qur’an;2:3)
How Can We Believe in the Unseen?
How can we believe in the unseen when God has not given us the sense perception to perceive it? If we were left to depend only on our senses and power of intellect in order to draw our conclusions, we would still be groping in the dark, and remain ignorant about the metaphysical world. But God, in His wisdom and mercy, has not left the human intellect in its state of helplessness. On the contrary He has provided it with the necessary guidance and information. But this information cannot be obtained from within the self. It can be found in external sources sources which are not connected with intuition, spiritual inspiration, intellectual enlightenment or powers of reasoning. And neither can it be evolved from human ability alone. It can only be obtained through one of the following three methods:
1. God might communicate it to man either through an inspiration, or a dream or through any other method of transmission which does not involve any effort on our part. It is something that cannot be intellectualized in such a way that we can feel and express it.
2. A prophet, to whom revelation is sent, may hear it without being able to know or locate the original source of the sound.
3. God may choose a human being to receive His Message through one of his angels, with the command that this Message be conveyed to mankind, In this context the Holy Qur’an says: “And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden inspiration, or (by a voice, as it were), from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He will (to reveal)” (Qur’an;42:51).
Matters in which Faith in the Unseen is Essential
Faith in the Unseen is an element of Faith, which has been described in detail through the Divine Revelations a part of our faith to trust this knowledge. The unseen includes the Angels, the Jinn, the Revealed Books, the Prophets, the Day of Judgement, and the Day of Reckoning, when we shall receive reward or punishment and belief in destiny. We are also asked to believe everything that is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an like; the creation of heaven and earth, the creation of man, and all the other information like historic narratives, future and scientific or any other information which it contains.
Rationale to Believe in Something Not Perceived by Senses
Materialists will refuse to believe in anything which they do not perceive with their senses. Our response to this is already mentioned in the ‘The Principles of Conceptualization of Faith’, which states, “We are not in a position to deny the existence of whatever is beyond our senses.” In other words, just because we cannot sense certain things, this does not mean we can deny their existence. And also, the 3rd principle of conceptualization of faith’ states that, “Certitude transmitted by an authentic person gives us a good enough proof as through that which we can see or feel.” Since the honesty of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in conveying the Divine Message revealed to him has been established for us, we Muslims firmly believe in the unseen.
Classification of the Unseen
We can classify the unseen into several categories:
1. Historic Events: The first category of the unseen includes all the events which occurred in the lifetime of past generations. It is for this reason that the story of Joseph is referred to in the Holy Qur’an as: an account of something that was beyond the reach of thy perceptions: “We now reveal unto thee”. Our Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) had not witnessed the events of this story. It was only witnessed by the sons of Israel, i.e., the sons of Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him). Such information has therefore been classified by the Almighty as something “beyond the reach of perception”, or as “stories of what happened unseen”.
2. Events Before Existence of Humanity: The second category involves events which mankind would have observed, had the human race been in existence at their time of occurrence. For example, all the events that took place on earth before the birth of the human race, information regarding all the creatures that existed on earth, and the story regarding the creation of Adam, the” father of mankind. The only means that human beings have had to learn about these events has been through revelation.
3. Matters Imperceptible through Senses & Intellect: In the third category of the Unseen, we can group all those matters which cannot be perceived by the senses issues which cannot be reasoned through the intellect, nor belief in the unseen comprehended by using the power of imagination. The Attributes of God, Creations, He has hidden from our sight, the angels, judgement and how it will take place, and the consequent reward and punishment.
Knowledge about Child in the Womb and Weather
Some people might say regarding the realm of the unseen, that God has reserved certain pieces of knowledge for Himself. For example, the causing of rains to occur or the knowledge of the sex of a child in the womb. But how does the weather forecaster predict the weather every day whether the skies will be clear, or whether it will rain? And how does science discover the sex of a child in the mother’s womb? The answers to all this are as follows:
1. God revealed the Holy Qur’an, and He created this universe and everything that has ever happened in it. It is therefore impossible to find a text in the Holy Qur’an which contradicts any physical reality. Whenever we think we have come across such a text, we will find after further scrutiny that the real meaning is something other than what we understood.
2. As for the weather forecast, it informs us about weather conditions after the causes have been examined. For example we may be told there will be rain in the south west. If we study the laws of this universe, which have been laid down by God, we understand that this rain is caused by a breeze which comes from the side of the Atlantic Ocean, passes through the Straits of Gibraltar and collides with a block of still air, resulting in the ‘ formations of clouds, which cause the rain. We can compare this kind of prediction with the example of someone who sees the postman approaching his house, and tries to predict how long it will take him to reach the door. He may predict that it will take him three minutes. Or we can take the example of someone looking through binoculars and observing vehicles approaching, and then telling others about them, in advance. Such knowledge is not knowledge of the unseen. It is merely information gained in advance of other people. It can be compared to the prediction of the sex of a baby after it takes shape as a fetus. But the knowledge about rain clouds, the falling of rain on land which God has deemed to be dry, the prevention of rain on land which He deemed to be blessed with rain and the knowledge of the sex of an embryo when it is still a sperm are all matters which belong to the realm of the unseen.
Allah is Omnipotent and Omniscient He has granted knowledge of certain things to humankind. But Allah has knowledge of the seen as well as the unseen. Many people believe that the Qur’an claims that Allah alone knows the sex of the child in the mother’s womb. The Glorious Qur’an says:
“Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone). It is He who sends down Rain, and He who knows what is in the wombs” (Qur’an;31:34).
A similar message is given in the following verse: “Allah doth know what every female (womb) doth bear, By how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or do exceed. Every single thing is before His sight, in (due) proportion.”(Qur’an;13:8). Today science has advanced and we can easily determine the sex of the child in the womb of a pregnant mother, using ultrasonography. It is true that many translations and commentaries of this verse of the Glorious Qur’an say that only Allah knows the sex of the child in the mother’s womb. If you read the Arabic text of this verse, there is no Arabic word corresponding to the English word ‘sex’. In fact the Qur’an says the knowledge of what is in the womb is with Allah alone. Many commentators have mis-understood it to mean only Allah knows the sex of the child in the womb, which is a mistake. This verse does not refer to the sex of the child in the womb but it refers to, how the child in the mother’s womb will be. How will his nature be? Will he be a blessing or a curse to his parents? Will he be a boon or a bane to the society? Will he be good or evil? Will he go to heaven or hell? The complete knowledge of all things is with Allah alone. No scientist in the world, no matter how advanced his equipment, will ever be able to accurately determine the knowledge of these things about the child in the mother’s womb. As far as rain is concerned He says: “It is He who sends down Rain”.
The Angels, the Scriptures and the Messengers
Belief in the angels, the Books and the prophets is one of the pre-requisites of faith, without which no one will be considered to be a believer. Angels are God’s messengers to the prophets and the prophets are messengers of God to mankind. The Holy Scriptures (Books) are the messages conveyed by the angels to the prophets and by the prophets to mankind.
Divine Revelation
The necessity of Divine revelation is a rational possibility. This is because God is capable of creating the angels, nominating the prophets and laying down laws. Once the human intellect believes in the existence of God, His ability and power, it cannot deny this possibility. Revelation has occurred because the news of its occurrence has been conveyed to us with certitude. We stated earlier that “Certitude through news conveyed from an authentic person is as good as certitude by seeing and feeling.” This is why we believe in what is communicated to us with authenticity, in the same way as we believe in what we see and hear.
Divine revelation is necessary because, without it, mankind would be engrossed in a material life, oblivious of the fact that there is an After-life. Without such revelation, human beings would behave like animals eating, drinking and indulging in carnal pleasures. They would have no contact with their Lord nor would they seek to work for the life Hereafter. If it were not for Divine revelation, man would be deprived of moral values and nobility of character. He might live in a world of illusion, drawing inspiration from various theories on social ethics. But any system based on social ethics alone, is like a palace built on quicksand. Man is by nature self-centered and seeks to satisfy his own needs and protect himself from harm and does not do anything which does not give him pleasure or some sort of gain. Say someone who only has fifty pence with which to buy himself dinner notices a charity box in aid of orphans. Would he be willing to donate his fifty pence towards that cause in a discreet manner, not telling anyone what he has done and forgoing his dinner, unless he were a believer in God and the Day of Judgement? A believer would certainly give money in such a case, and would be aware that God is watching him, and that if he donates his fifty pence he will be rewarded with the equivalent of, say, fifty thousand pounds on the Day of Judgement. Only a believer carries out charitable actions, without caring whether people notice what he has done or not, or whether they express gratitude, or reward him or not. And only a believer restrains himself from doing what he knows is wrong, regardless of whether he is alone or in the company of others.
However the person who does good in order to gain recognition will not do so unless he is sure of obtaining a good name and fame. Likewise, the person who will not commit a crime for fear of being caught by the police or shown up in the public eye will nonetheless act without regret if he knows he is alone. If God were to take people to task on the Day of Judgement, for the mistakes they have made in their lives and had not sent prophets to teach mankind the Divine laws, they would certainly protest, saying, “Oh Lord- if only Thou had sent us an apostle, we should certainly have followed Thy signs before we were humbled and put to shame.” (Qur’an;20:134). And they might also claim that had the Message been sent to them sooner they would have abided by it, and had they known the Divine law they would have adhered to it. The Holy Qur’an states that the apostles gave good news as well as a warning so that mankind after (the coming) of the apostles should have no plea against God. (Qur’an;4:165).
Humanity Could Have been Created Sinless
Some people ask questions such as:
1. “Why hasn’t God guided everyone to the path of paradise? And why does he give us sexual desires, and then punish us for committing adultery?
2. Why does He infuse in us the desire for money, and then takes us to task for holding on to it?”
We can take the sort of questions asked by school children as an analogy to the above. For example they might ask,
1. Why don’t teachers give us answers to our exam questions at the beginning of the year?
2. Why are exam questions kept secret?
3. Why are we asked to prepare for exams? and so on.
Needless to say the purpose of keeping the questions secret is to ensure that students study the whole syllabus, as prescribed. If the exam questions were made known to the students beforehand, the examinations themselves would become a pointless exercise.
This world is a testing ground in the same way. We are given certain tests and given different problems, where the faithful and the God-fearing stand apart from the unfaithful and the unbelievers, and the righteous stand apart from the corrupt. In other words, were it not for the hurdles in a race, you would not be able to distinguish a horse who runs fast from the one who is lazy.
If God had so willed He could have created the whole of mankind as one nation. He could also, if He had wished, have “made all mankind show absolute obedience to Him, like the angels. But, He willed differently, and nothing can change what He wills, and it is not for us to question what He does. God has absolute control over us: unto Him we belong and unto Him we shall return. There is no other God but Him. He can, if He wills, cause us great hardship and unhappiness, and if He wishes He may pardon us. So we pray to Him to I grant us pardon and mercy, and we seek refuge in Him from His punishment. The truth is that we cannot save ourselves from this punishment unless He pardons us; and He alone grants that pardon.
The Angels
True followers of Islam believe in the existence of angels, as affirmed in the Holy Qur’an. The information we are given about them is as follows:
True followers of Islam believe in the existence of angels, as affirmed in the Holy Qur’an. The information we are given about them is as follows:
1. Angels were created before the creation of mankind: “And when thy Lord said unto the angels, “Lo! I am about to place a viceroy on earth. They said, “Wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we hymn thy praise and sanctify thee?” He said, “Surely I know that which ye know not.”(Qur’an;20:30).
2. Angels were created in order to obey God totally: “0’ ye who believe! ward off from yourselves and your families a fire whereof the fuel is men and stones, over which are set angels strong, severe, who resist not God in that which He commands them, but do that which they are commanded”(Qur’an;66:6) They celebrate His praises and bow down before Him”(Qur’an;7:206). “Those who bear the throne, and all who are round it, hymn the praises of their Lord and believe in Him”(Qur’an;40:7)
3. When God has created Adam, He taught him the nature of all things and made him teach the angels about these facts since they expressed ignorance about them. Then when Adam’s superiority over the angels was established. God ordered them to bow to Adam. They did this not in worship, but in reverence.
4. Angels sometimes take the physical form of human beings. The Holy Qur’an states in the chapter concerning the story of Mary: “Then we sent unto her Our spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man” (Qur’an;19; 17). “And Abraham’s guests were angels in the form of human’ beings, to whom a sumptuous dinner of fatted calf was laid out:’ And when he saw their hands reached not to it he mistrusted them and conceived a fear of them. They said, “Fear not. Lo! We are sent unto the folk of Lot” (Qur’an;11:70).
5. The angles’ abode is in heaven, and they come down to earth according to God’s orders: “We (angels) come not down save by commandment of the Lord. Unto Him belongs all that is before us and all that is behind us and all that is between those two, and thy Lord was never forgetful” (Qur’an;19:64).
6. And the angels are grouped in various categories and denominations, according to their characteristics and degree of servitude to God. God describes them as follows: “Praise be to God, The Creator of the heavens and the earth. Who appoints the angels messengers having wings-two, three and four. He multiplies in creation what He will” (Qur’an;35:1). “There is not one of us (angels) but hath his known position” (Qur’an;37:164′).
7. Among the angels is Gabriel, who conveys the revelation: “Say (O Mohammed, to mankind): Who is an enemy to Gabriel ‘. For he it is who hath revealed (this Scripture) to thy heart by God’s leave, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, and a guidance and glad tidings to believers. (Qur’an;2:9).And among the angels are those responsible for death: “Say (one day), the angel of death who has been given charge of you will gather you, and then unto your Sustainer you will be brought back” (Qur’an;32:1 1).
8. Among the angels are also those who blow the trumpet and the Angel Michael and the bearers of the throne: “Those who bear the Throne, and all who are round about it, hymn the praises of their Lord” (Qur’an;40:7). “And the angels will be on the sides thereof, and eight will uphold the throne of thy Lord that day, above them” (Qur’an;69:17).
9. There are angels who are responsible for the comfort of those in paradise: “Gardens of Eden which they enter, along with all who do right of their fathers and their helpmates and their seed. The angels enter unto them from every gate”(Qur’an;13:23). And there are still more angels who are charged with the task of inflicting punishment on those who are in hell: “0’ ye who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a fire whereof the fuel is men and stones, over which are set angels strong, severe, who resist not God in that which He commands them, but do that which they are commanded” (Qur’an;66:6). Some angels are assigned the work of recording mankind’s deeds: “He utters no word but there is with him an observer ready” (Qur’an;50:18), “Generous and recording” (Qur’an;82:11).
10. And there are angels who usher men into the Divine presence on the Day of Judgement, and bear witness against them: “And every soul cometh, along with it a driver and a witness” (Qur’an;50:21).
11. The Holy Qur’an also states that angels infuse believers with courage and fortitude at times of war: “When thy Lord inspired the angels, (saying) “I am with you. So make those who believe stand firm.” (Qur’an;8:12). The angels pray for soldiers and seek God’s forgiveness for them: “He it is Who bless you, and His angels (bless you) that He may bring you forth from darkness into light” (Qur’an;33:43). “Our Lord! Thou comprehends all things in mercy and knowledge, therefore forgive those who repent and follow Thy way. Ward off from them ill-deeds; and he from whom Thou ward off ill-deeds that day, him verily hast Thou taken into mercy. That is the supreme triumph” (Qur’an;40:79). And the angels witness the dawn prayers with the believers: “And (the recital of) Qur’an at dawn. Lo! (the recital of) the Qur’an at dawn is ever witnessed” (Qur’an;17:78). When we pass on from this worldly life, the angels bring tidings to believers and reproach to unbelievers: “But behold as for those who say, “Our Sustainer is God”, and then steadfastly pursue the right way-upon them do angels often descend, (saying), “Fear not and grieve not, but receive the glad tiding of that paradise which has been promised to you!” (Qur’an;41:30). “Behold, those whom the angels gather in death while they are still sinning against themselves, (the angels) will ask, “What was wrong with you?”. They will answer, “We were too weak on earth”. (The angels) will say, “Was then God’s earth not wide enough for you to forsake the domain of evil?”. For such then, the goal is hell – and how evil a journey’s end!”(Qur’an;4: 97). “And if thou couldst but see (how it will be) when He causes those who are bent on denying the truth to die: the angels will strike their faces and their backs, and (will say), “Taste suffering through fire in return for what your own hands have wrought, for never does God do the least wrong to His creatures (Qur’an;8: 50-51).
12. The angels lead sinners to the fire and rebuke them: “And those who were bent on denying the truth will be urged on in throngs towards hell till, when they reach it, its gates will be opened, and its keepers will ask them, “Have there not come to you apostles from among yourselves, who conveyed to you your Sustainer’s messages and warned you of the coming of this your Day of Judgement?” They will answer, “Yea indeed”. But the sentence of suffering will (already) have fallen upon the deniers of the truth. (And) they will be told, “Enter the gates of hell, therein to abide!” (Qur’an;39:71-72) And angels also greet and welcome those who enter paradise: “And those who keep their duty to their Lord are drives unto the garden in troops till, when they reach it and the gates thereof are opened, and the warders thereof say unto them, “Peace be unto you! Ye are good, so enter ye (the garden of delight), to dwell therein.” (Qur’an;39:73).Angels do not marry or have children, and they are not described as being sexual beings, males or females.
13. The above gives a general picture of what is mentioned about angels in the Holy Qur’an. And, as stated before, because they are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, believers are expected to believe in them. To believe in Angels is among one of the basic tenets of faith. “The messenger believed in that which had been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in God and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers we make no distinction between any of His messengers.” (Qur’an;2:285).
Benefits, Gained by Belief in Angels
Belief in angels increases our awareness of God’s glory and makes us more conscious of His mercy, as angels pray for believers and seek forgiveness on their behalf. By knowing that angels keep a record of all our deeds, we are able to steer clear of what would be harmful to us, as believers. What’s more, we feel encouraged to embark upon noble deeds, such as Striving for the cause of God, knowing that God has ordered the angels to support us. We therefore seek to behave in such a way that will lead us to paradise, where we shall be greeted by them. Likewise, we will abstain from actions which will lead us to hell, where angels will rebuke us. In other words, the overall benefit from having a belief in angels is that it will make us more committed in our obedience to God, and more conscious of abstaining from doing what is against His will. And in so doing, we strengthen angelic qualities within ourselves.
The Jinn
God Almighty has also informed us of other beings who cannot be perceived by us and who dwell in the unseen. Our inability to perceive them is similar to our not being able to see ultraviolet or infra-red rays, or hear sound waves or perceive flow of electricity. This special species, mentioned in earlier chapters, are known as Jinn. While, unlike belief in angels, belief in Jinn is not a basic tenet of faith, but since Jinn are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an they must therefore be taken note of.
The Qur’anic Views Regarding Jinn
1. The Holy Qur’an informs us that jinn were created from fire. However, this does not mean that they are fiery bodies burning anything that comes into contact with them. It is quite possible that God may have changed them into a different form, as He did in the case of human beings. Man was created from clay, but transformed into a different entity -a structure consisting of bones, muscles, blood and nervous system. This means, therefore, that all creations may change from one state of being to another, in accordance with God’s laws for this universe. In the same way, a single cell may be transformed into different living organs of varying qualities, shapes and sizes. Similarly, if God wills. He may create different kinds of metals from a single atom, and a lush green tree from a seed.
A scientific speculation, added here for general information: The renowned scientist Albert Einstein, through his famous ‘Special Theory of Relativity’ established the equitation of Mass and Energy, according to which the Energy (E) of a quantity of Matter, with Mass (m), is equal to the product of the Mass and the square of the velocity of Light (c). This relationship is commonly expressed in the mathematical formula: E = mc2. It can be deduced that the matter, light and energy are interchangeable or different forms of the same thing. The crude example of three different forms of water, solid (ice), liquid (water) and gas (steam or vapors) may be considered for understanding. Thus it may be reasonable presumption that the human are made of dust or ‘matter’ (m= a solid & liquid forms of material), then other creatures can also be made from other forms i.e. Angels from ‘light’ (C) and jinn’s from ‘energy’ (E) the parable of heat energy produced from the flame of fire!
2. Jinn were created before man: “Whereas the jinn we had created, (long) before that, out of the fire of scorching winds”(Qur’an;15:27).
3. Even though jinn can see us, we cannot see them. But there is nothing strange about this. For example, someone looking through binoculars can see someone far from where he is standing, but that person, the object of his view, cannot see who is looking at him. Scientists have also invented equipment such as television which reflects the image of the speaker in TV studio to us, hence we can see the people in studio but they can’t see us. So it is therefore not beyond Divine power to create beings that can see us without us seeing them.
4. Jinn will also be judged on their actions, in the same way as humans, and will also be subject to reward and punishment. This means that hell will consist of both Jinn and human beings. And (tell them that) I have not created the Jinn and men to any end other than that they may (know and) worship Me” (Qur’an;51:56); “But (as for those who refuse to avail themselves to Divine guidance), that word of thy Sustainer shall be fulfilled: “Most certainly will I fill hell with jinns (invisible beings) as well as with humans, all together.” (Qur’an;11:119)
5. The Divine Message was also conveyed to jinn as revealed to both our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Prophet Moses (peace be upon him): “They said, “0 our people! Behold, we have been listening to a revelation bestowed from on high after (that of) Moses, confirming the truth of whatever there still remains (of the Torah): it guides towards the truth, and onto a straight way.” (Qur’an;46:30).
6. Like human beings, jinn have different characteristics; good, obedient as well as evil and sinful beings dwell among them. Just as (we do not know how it happens) that: “some from among us are righteous, while some of us are (far) below that: we have always followed widely divergent paths” (Qur’an;72:11); “Yet (it is true) that among us are such as have surrendered themselves to God-just as there are among us such as have abandoned themselves to wrong doing. Now as for those who surrender themselves to Him it is they that have attained to consciousness of what is right”(Qur’an;72:14).
7. God made them (jinn) submissive to the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him): “They worked for him as he desired: making arches, images (*tamathil), basins as large as reservoirs and built-in cooking cauldrons. We said: “O Family of David! Work gratefully.” Only a few of My devotees are truly grateful” (Qur’an;34:13). [*Many interpreters of the Qur’an have inferred form tamathil, the picture of inanimate objects and the natural scenery, and this is preferable because making of statues of living beings is forbidden even the Shari’a followed by Solomon but also in present Islamic Shari’a.]
8. Jinn do not have knowledge of the unseen. Therefore they continued to work for Solomon (Suleiman) even after his death: “When We decreed Solomon’s death he was leaning on his staff. The jinns did not know that he was dead until the termite ate away his staff and fell down. Thus it became clear to the jinns that if they had known the unseen, they would not have continued in the humiliating punishment of their task” (Qur’an;34:14).
9. God also challenged the jinn, in just the same way as He challenged human beings, to produce a work similar to the Holy Qur’an: “Say: Verily though mankind and the jinn should assemble to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce the like thereof though they were helpers one of another” (Qur’an;17:88).
10. Jinn were curious to find out more about the nature of the heavens and tried to pick up information from Angels; However, after the advent of Islam, they were prevented from doing so and whenever they tried to find out more, they were confronted with a blazing fire: “And we used to sit on places (high) therein to listen. But he who listens now finds a flame in wait for him”(Qur’an;79:9).
The Devils
Unbelievers among jinn are known as devils, and their Chief is Iblis (Lucifer). Some people believe that Iblis (Lucifer) is an angel, but in fact he is a Jinn. The reasons to support that are:
1. God has said so in the Holy Qur’an: “Behold! We said to the angels, bow down to Adam. They bowed down, except Iblis. He was one of the Jinn and he broke the command of his Lord.” (Qur’an;18:50).
2. “Iblis disobeyed his Lord Whereas angels flinch not from the commands they receive from God”. (Qur’an;66:6).
3. The Holy Qur’an states that Iblis (Lucifer) was created from fire: God said, “What prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?” He said, “I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire and him from clay” (Qur’an;7:12).
Qur’an on Devil
The Holy Qur’an mentions many things about Devil, some are mentioned below:
1. The devil is enemy number one to mankind: “Surely Satan is your enemy: so take him as an enemy. He is inviting his adherents towards his way so that they may become companions of the blazing fire”. (Qur’an;35:6). It is he who caused the banishment of the Adam (the father of all mankind) from paradise. His main aim is to prevent people from entering paradise, so he tries to lead us into temptation and the path of hell. Unfortunately, many of us succumb to his temptation and are led away from the path of God, therefore disregarding the guidance shown by the prophets. God has reprimanded man for his foolishness in giving in to temptation in such a way, instead of following His path, which ensures mercy and forgiveness: “Will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me? And they are enemies to you! Evil would he the exchange for the wrong doers!” (Qur’an;18:50).
2. The above verse indicates that the devil has offspring, and these offspring are from Iblis.
3. While God has made the devil a predominant source of evil influence on mankind. He has not granted him the power, has granted him is cunning: “feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan”. (Qur’an;4:76); “ but he (the devil) cannot harm them in the least, except as God permits”. (Qur’an;58:10); “even though he (devil) had no authority over them. It all happened because We wanted to see who among them believed in the hereafter and who is in doubt concerning it. Your Lord is watching over all things”. (Qur’an;34:21). “Surely he has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is over those only who take him as patron and who join partners with Allah.” (Qur’an;16:99-100).
4. The devil’s sole occupation is to cast doubt on man’s mind that the path of God is the right one to follow, and therefore the devil will try to mislead him and ultimately cause him the greatest harm. “The evil one threatens you with poverty and bids you to conduct unseemly (acts)” (Qur’an;2:268). “Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desire. But Satan’s promises are nothing but deception.” (Qur’an;4:120); “O believers! Intoxicants and gambling (games of chance), dedication to stones (paying tribute to idols) and division by arrows (lottery) are the filthy works of Satan. Get away from them, so that you may prosper” (Qur’an;5:93). The devil’s main task is to spread evil, immorality and dissent among all human beings. The basic rule he has laid down is to tempt man towards exhibitionism to give up modesty and resort to crude behaviour: “O children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you as he caused your (first) parents to go forth from the garden and tore off from them their robe (of innocence) that be migh1 manifest their shame to them. Lo! He sees you, he and his tribe, from whence you see them not. Lo! we have made the devils protecting friends for those who believe not.” (Qur’an;7:27). The devil also strives to make what is bad appear good in the eyes of his followers: “and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them” (Qur’an;6:43). He also instigates his followers to spread doubts among believers and to turn their attention away from following the way of truth by provoking arguments and disputes. God has warned us against this: “and eat not of that where on God’s name hath not been mentioned, for lo! it is abomination. Lo! the devils do inspire their minions to dispute with you. But if you obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters.” (Qur’an;6:121) The devil also persistently tries to persuade the believer to forget God and to embark on acts which lead him away from truth: “The devil hath engrossed them and so hath caused them to forget remembrance of God. They are the devil’s party. Lo! is it not devils party who will be the losers.” (Qur’an;58:19). Lo! Those who ward off (evil), when glamour from the devil troubles them, they do but remember (God’s guidance) and behold them seers!” (Qur’an;7:201).
5. Even though the devil, with his persistent tricks and intrigues is our greatest enemy, ultimately, he can neither help nor harm us. He may try his best to influence us regarding everything we do, but in fact this influence is only temptation. In the end, the choice is ours: we either give in to his temptations or disregard them and rise to sublime heights, which in turn, affect the way we conduct ourselves in our lives. This is what is meant: “Once the matter has been decided, Satan will say: “In fact, the promises which Allah made to you were all true; I too made some promises to you but failed to keep any of them. However, I had no power over you. I just invited you, and you accepted my invitation. Now! Do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor you can help me. I reject what you did before; that you associated me with Allah. Certainly such wrongdoers will have painful punishment.” (Qur’an;14:22). When Iblis begged God to grant him respite until the Day of Resurrection and God agreed. “Iblis said: “My Lord! Because Thou has sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them on earth, and shall mislead them every one.” (Qur’an;15:39) And God the Almighty said: This is a right course incumbent upon Me. Lo! as for My servants, thou hast no power over any of them save such of the forward as follow thee.” (Qur’an;15:41-42). “And when thou recite the Qur’an, seek refuge in God from Satan the outcast. Lo! he hath no power over those who believe and put trust in their Lord. His power is only over those who make a friend of him, and those who ascribe partners unto him” (Qur’an;16:98-100).
6. The devil abandons his followers in their hours of need and betrays them: “Remember Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them and said(to the polytheists of Mecca on the day of the. battle of Badr), “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. I see what ye see not. I fear God!” (Qur’an;8:48). “Their parable is like the Satan who says to man disbelieve, but when man becomes a disbeliever, he says: “I have nothing to do with you; I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” (Qur’an;59:16).
The Human Devils
Human beings can acquire devilish characteristics when they spend their time talking against God, behaving immorally and inducing others to wear indecent clothing. Such people provoke arguments which are not founded on truth and create disharmony within the Muslim community and we should be wary of them. They Holy Qur’an says: “Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of mankind, the King (or Ruler) of mankind, the God (or Judge) of mankind, from the mischief of the whisperer (of evil) who withdraws (after his whisper the same) who whispers into the hearts of the people whether he be from among the jinn or from the mankind.” (Qur’an;114:1-6). Therefore anyone who places importance on the spread of immorality in any form whatsoever is a ‘Human Devil’; that also includes anyone who supports racialism or diverts people from their religious path: “O my Lord! I seek refuge in You from the prompting of the Satans, and O Lord! I seek refuge in You even from their coming near me.” (Qur’an;23:97-98).
To be continued …..
Reference: “Ta’rif-e-Aam bi-Din il-Islam” (General introduction to Islam) By Shaikh Ali Tantawi, https://SalaamOne.com/islam/
