He used to remain in the company of the angels and was bestowed with a very prestigious and distinguished status in the court of Allah . It has been reported by Sayyiduna Ka’b-ul-Ahbaar that Satan served as the treasurer of Heaven for forty thousand years and remained in the company of the angels for eighty thousand years. He kept on delivering sermons to the angels for twenty thousand years and remained the chief of Muqarrabeen (distinguished beloveds of Allah) for thirty thousand years.
Furthermore, he was designated as the chief of Ruhaniyeen for one thousand years and performed (Tawaf) of I Arsh (the Divine Throne) for fourteen thousand years. He was recognized as ‘Aabid on the first sky, Zahid on the second sky, ‘Aarif on the third sky, Wali on the fourth sky, Taqi on the fifth sky, Khaazin on the sixth sky and ‘Azazeel on the seventh sky. In the Lawh-e-Mahfuz (the Secured Tablet his name was mentioned as Iblees. He was unaware of his fate and bad end. (I’afseer As-Saawi, vol. 1, pp. 51; part 1, Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 34; Tafseer Jamal, vol. 1, pp. 60)
However, when Allah ordered to prostate to Sayyiduna Aadam , Satan refused and arrogantly expressed his superiority over Sayyiduna Aadam. In the punishment of this very offence, he was condemned and accursed in the both worlds by Allah and his followers were destined for Hell. Therefore, it is mentioned in the Holy Quran that:
(Allah) said, ‘What prevented you that you did not prostrate when I commanded you?’ Answered he (Iblees), ‘I am better than him; You created me from fire and created him from clay.’ Said (Allah), ‘So get down from here (Paradise)! It does not befit you to stay here, being arrogant; get out! You are of the degraded ones!’ He (Shaytan) said, ‘Give me respite till the Day when people will be resurrected.’ Said (Allah), ‘You are given respite.’ He (Shaytan) said, ‘Hence I swear by the fact that You led me astray, I will certainly lurk in ambush for them (i.e. children of Aadam) on Your Straight Path. Then I will certainly come to them; in front of them and from the back and from the right and from left; and you will find most of them ungrateful.’ He (Allah) said, ‘Get out from here; rejected, banished (with disgrace)! Definitely, whoever amongst them follows your call, I will fill Hell with all of you.’
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 8, Surah Al-A’raf, Ayah 12-18)
Moral: In this strange incident mentioned by the Holy Quran, there are several clear lessons and warnings for us. That’s why, Allah has related this incident at seven places in the Holy Quran in different words and various ways. This heart-trembling incident has been mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-A’raf, Surah Al-Hijr, Surah Bani Israel, Surah Al-Kahf, Surah Taahaa and Surah Saad from which, we can learn following lessons:
1. A major moral lesson for us is that we should never boast upon or be proud of our acts of worship and righteous deeds. Similarly, a sinful person should never lose the hope of forgiveness as the ends and final fates are unknown to common people. Salvation and success in eternity actually depends upon the good
end of the worldly life. If a devout
person suffers bad end (i.e. losing
faith in Islam), he will be destined
for the hellfire and if a grave sinner
dies of a faithful end, he will dwell
in the Paradise forever. You see
how devout Satan was and what a high rank he had in the court of Allah &s’;. How esteemed and distinguished status he was blessed with but what was he fated for? All his worship spoiled. He was condemned and accursed in both the worlds and became deserving of the hellfire due to arrogant boasting upon his acts of worship and high ranks. But he was absolutely oblivious of his final fate. It is mentioned in a Hadees that a person keeps committing the acts of Hell dwellers although he is destined for Paradise and a person keeps committing the acts of Paradise dwellers although he is destined for Hell. i.e. Acts are dependent upon the endings.
(Mishkat-ul-Masabih, Kitab-ul-Iman, Al-Fasal-ul-Awwal, pp. 20)
May Allah &.;’;, the Most Compassionate, bless every Muslim with a good ending and protect from bad end!
7. We have also come to know that whether someone is an ‘ Aalim (scholar) or an illiterate, either a devout or a sinner, every individual should remain vigilant and should strive to secure himself from the vile temptations and the deceptions of Satan in entire lifetime. Satan has sworn the oath in the court of Allah hat he will derail and deviate Allah’s bondmen from the right path by tempting them from left and right and back and forth; and will restrain a lot of people from being grateful to Allah .
8. Satan has announced to attack human beings and misguide them by satanic whispers from left and right and back and forth i.e. from four directions. We have come to know that Satan will not attack and infuse whispers in human beings from the top and bottom. Therefore, if one observes any light or any surprising thing above or below him, then he should not take it as a satanic trick. Instead, assuming it a sign of goodness, he should pay attention towards it and should hope goodness from Allah .
Furthermore, he was designated as the chief of Ruhaniyeen for one thousand years and performed (Tawaf) of I Arsh (the Divine Throne) for fourteen thousand years. He was recognized as ‘Aabid on the first sky, Zahid on the second sky, ‘Aarif on the third sky, Wali on the fourth sky, Taqi on the fifth sky, Khaazin on the sixth sky and ‘Azazeel on the seventh sky. In the Lawh-e-Mahfuz (the Secured Tablet his name was mentioned as Iblees. He was unaware of his fate and bad end. (I’afseer As-Saawi, vol. 1, pp. 51; part 1, Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 34; Tafseer Jamal, vol. 1, pp. 60)
However, when Allah ordered to prostate to Sayyiduna Aadam , Satan refused and arrogantly expressed his superiority over Sayyiduna Aadam. In the punishment of this very offence, he was condemned and accursed in the both worlds by Allah and his followers were destined for Hell. Therefore, it is mentioned in the Holy Quran that:
(Allah) said, ‘What prevented you that you did not prostrate when I commanded you?’ Answered he (Iblees), ‘I am better than him; You created me from fire and created him from clay.’ Said (Allah), ‘So get down from here (Paradise)! It does not befit you to stay here, being arrogant; get out! You are of the degraded ones!’ He (Shaytan) said, ‘Give me respite till the Day when people will be resurrected.’ Said (Allah), ‘You are given respite.’ He (Shaytan) said, ‘Hence I swear by the fact that You led me astray, I will certainly lurk in ambush for them (i.e. children of Aadam) on Your Straight Path. Then I will certainly come to them; in front of them and from the back and from the right and from left; and you will find most of them ungrateful.’ He (Allah) said, ‘Get out from here; rejected, banished (with disgrace)! Definitely, whoever amongst them follows your call, I will fill Hell with all of you.’
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)] (Part 8, Surah Al-A’raf, Ayah 12-18)
Moral: In this strange incident mentioned by the Holy Quran, there are several clear lessons and warnings for us. That’s why, Allah has related this incident at seven places in the Holy Quran in different words and various ways. This heart-trembling incident has been mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-A’raf, Surah Al-Hijr, Surah Bani Israel, Surah Al-Kahf, Surah Taahaa and Surah Saad from which, we can learn following lessons:
1. A major moral lesson for us is that we should never boast upon or be proud of our acts of worship and righteous deeds. Similarly, a sinful person should never lose the hope of forgiveness as the ends and final fates are unknown to common people. Salvation and success in eternity actually depends upon the good
end of the worldly life. If a devout
person suffers bad end (i.e. losing
faith in Islam), he will be destined
for the hellfire and if a grave sinner
dies of a faithful end, he will dwell
in the Paradise forever. You see
how devout Satan was and what a high rank he had in the court of Allah &s’;. How esteemed and distinguished status he was blessed with but what was he fated for? All his worship spoiled. He was condemned and accursed in both the worlds and became deserving of the hellfire due to arrogant boasting upon his acts of worship and high ranks. But he was absolutely oblivious of his final fate. It is mentioned in a Hadees that a person keeps committing the acts of Hell dwellers although he is destined for Paradise and a person keeps committing the acts of Paradise dwellers although he is destined for Hell. i.e. Acts are dependent upon the endings.
(Mishkat-ul-Masabih, Kitab-ul-Iman, Al-Fasal-ul-Awwal, pp. 20)
May Allah &.;’;, the Most Compassionate, bless every Muslim with a good ending and protect from bad end!
7. We have also come to know that whether someone is an ‘ Aalim (scholar) or an illiterate, either a devout or a sinner, every individual should remain vigilant and should strive to secure himself from the vile temptations and the deceptions of Satan in entire lifetime. Satan has sworn the oath in the court of Allah hat he will derail and deviate Allah’s bondmen from the right path by tempting them from left and right and back and forth; and will restrain a lot of people from being grateful to Allah .
8. Satan has announced to attack human beings and misguide them by satanic whispers from left and right and back and forth i.e. from four directions. We have come to know that Satan will not attack and infuse whispers in human beings from the top and bottom. Therefore, if one observes any light or any surprising thing above or below him, then he should not take it as a satanic trick. Instead, assuming it a sign of goodness, he should pay attention towards it and should hope goodness from Allah .
