Difference between revisions of "Iblis" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Iblīs''' (Arabic إبليس), is the name given to the primary [[devil]] in [[Islam]].  
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'''Iblīs''' (Arabic إبليس), is the name given to the primary [[devil]] in [[Islam]]. He is also referred in the [[Qur'an]] (Islamic holy Book) as the ''[[Shaitan]]'', a term used refering to any evil spirit allied with Iblis, but which is often used to refer to Iblis alone. Iblis is mentioned 11 times in the Qur'an, and Shaitan (‏(الشيطان is mentioned 87 times. Although there are important differences between the Islamic and Christian concepts his character, Iblis is the same being known as [[Satan]] or "the Devil" to [[Christian]]s.  
  
He appears more often referred in the [[Qur'an]] (Islamic holy Book) as the ''[[Shaitan]]'', a general purpose term used to refer to all of the evil spirits in alliance with Iblis, but which is often used to refer to just Iblis. Iblis is mentioned 11 times, and Shaitan "al-Shaitaan" (‏(الشيطان is mentioned 87 times. He is chief of the spirits of [[evil]] (Shaitan), he is known as [[Satan]], or "the devil" to [[Christian]]s.  
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Iblis was a [[Genie|Jinn]], a creature made of 'smokeless fire' by God, while like humans are made of 'clay'. In an outburst rooted in envy, Iblis disobeyed [[Allah]] and was expelled from divine grace. He also lured [[Adam and Eve]] into eating fruit from the forbidden tree. He was condemned by Allah (God) to [[Jahannam]], or [[Hell]]. He replied by saying that he wanted to bring the inhabitants of Earth down with him, and Allah, to test mankind and the Jinn, allowed him to roam Earth to attempt to misguide others.
  
Iblis was a [[Genie|Jinn]], a creature made of 'smokeless fire' by God (like humans are made of 'clay'). In an outburst rooted in envy, Iblis disobeyed [[Allah]] and was expelled from the grace of Allah. He was later sent to earth along with [[Adam and Eve]] after having lured them into eating fruit from the forbidden tree, although in this role he is always referred to as [[Shaitan|al-Shaitan]]. He was condemned consequently by Allah (God) to [[Jahannam]] (Hell). He replied with saying that he wanted to bring the inhabitants of Earth down with him, and Allah (God), to test Mankind and Jinn, allowed him to roam Earth to attempt to misguide others.
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Iblis tempts humans through his whispering of sinful ideas to them. In the end, it is believed, he will be cast into ''[[Jahannam]]'' ([[Hell#Islam|Hell in Islam]]) along with those who give in to his temptation and disobey Allah's (God's) true message of [[Islam]], while those who successfully try to follow a righteous path will be rewarded with the pleasures of ''[[Jannah]]'' (Paradise or Heaven in Islam).
  
He tempts humans through his whisper (''waswas'', "he whispered") of sinful ideas in their head and false suggestion (''haiif''). In the end, it is believed, he will be cast into ''[[Jahannam]]'' ([[Hell#Islam|Hell in Islam]]) along with those who give in to his temptation of sinful ideas and disobeyed Allah's (God's) true message to mankind (Islam), while those who successfully try to follow a righteous path will be rewarded with the pleasures of ''[[Jannah]]'' (Paradise or Heaven in Islam).
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Although he was rebellious, the Qur'an does not depict ''Iblis'' as operating outside of Allah will, for Allah is supreme over all His creations. Iblis' single enemy is humanity. He intends to discourage humans from obeying God. Thus, humankind is warned to struggle against Shaitan and the temptations he gives them in.
 
 
The Qur'an does not depict ''Iblis'' as the enemy of Allah, for Allah is supreme over all His creations and Iblis is just one of His creations. Unlike the [[Zoroastrian]] beliefs, all good and bad deeds are from Allah Himself and only He can save humanity from the evils of His universe and His creations. Iblis' single enemy is humanity. He intends to discourage humans from obeying God. Thus, humankind is warned to struggle against the mischiefs of the Shaitan and temptations he puts them in.  A commonly shared belief in both [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]] is that the universal existence of [[evil]] in personal lives is usually experienced because of the devil.
 
  
 
==Etymology==
 
==Etymology==
Non-Muslim scholars generally hold Iblis to be a contraction of the Greek word diabolos, meaning "devil."  They claim that the Christian and Jewish communities of Arabia during Muhammad's time are likely to have known the word from Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible and the Gospels. Muslim scholars, on the other hand, are more inclined to derive the word from the Arabic verbal root balasa بلس, meaning "the despaired."
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Non-Muslim scholars generally hold Iblis to be a contraction of the [[Greek]] word ''diabolos'', meaning "[[devil]]."  Accprdomg to this theory, the Christian and Jewish communities of [[Arabia]] during [[Muhammad]]'s knew the word from Greek translations of the [[Hebrew Bible]] and the [[Gospels]]. Muslim scholars, on the other hand, are more inclined to derive the word from the Arabic verbal root ''balasa'' (بلس) meaning "the despaired."
  
 
==Origin==
 
==Origin==
In contrast with the Christian tradition, the Qur'an names Iblis a [[Genie|Jinn]] [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/018.qmt.html#018.050 (18-50)] rather than an angel. The Jinn are created from fire [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/007.qmt.html#007.012 (7-12)][http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/038.qmt.html#038.076 (38-76)], and in the Islamic tradition are considered to have free will. (In the opening pages of the Qur'an, Iblis demonstrates this by refusing to obey Allah's command to kneel before Adam [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.034 (2-34)].) In Islam, angels are specifically messengers and do not posses free will. There is, accordingly, no parallel in Islam to the ''[[Fallen angel]]'' story in some Christian and Jewish traditions.
+
The [[Qur'an]] identifies Iblis as a [[Genie|Jinn]] [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/018.qmt.html#018.050 (18-50)] rather than an [[angel]]. The Jinn are created from fire [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/007.qmt.html#007.012 (7-12)][http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/038.qmt.html#038.076 (38-76)], and in the Islamic tradition are considered to have free will. In the opening pages of the Qur'an, Iblis demonstrates this by refusing to obey [[Allah]]'s command to kneel before [[Adam]] [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.034 (2-34)]. In Islam, angels—unlike Jinn—are basically messengers and do not possess free will. There is, accordingly, no parallel in Islam to the ''[[Fallen angel]]'' story in Christian and some Jewish traditions.
  
According to the Qur'an, after Allah (God) had completed the creation of everything else [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.029 (2-29)], God announced that He will create a ''[[Khalifa]]'' (vicegerent) on Earth, causing the angels to exclaim how He intends to place on earth one who shall make mischief and shed blood while they hymn His praise and sanctify Him. It caused them to receive the answer that He knows what they do not [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.030 (2-30)].
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According to the Qur'an, after Allah (God) had completed the creation of everything else [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.029 (2-29)], God announced that He would create a ''[[Khalifa]]'', or vicegerent, on Earth. So Allah created [[Adam]] and gave him from His knowledge what no other creature of His possesses. Teaching him the names of each creation, God also presened them to the angels, [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.030 (2-30)], knowing that they would fail where Adam succeeded.
  
So Allah (God) created Adam and gave him from His knowledge what no other creature of His possesses, by teaching him the names of everything, and by presenting them to the angels, Allah (God) demanded that they tell the names [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.030 (2-30)], knowing that they would fail.
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After the angels had admitted that they had no knowledge except that which [[Allah]](God) had given them [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.030 (2-30)], God commanded Adam to display his knowledge,[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.033 (2-33)], and when Adam did, God commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam and so they did. Iblis, however, refused [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.034 (2-34)], [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/007.qmt.html#007.011 (7-11)], [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/020.qmt.html#020.116 (20-116)].
  
After the angels had admitted that they had no knowledge except that which [[Allah]](God) had given them [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.030 (2-30)], God commanded Adam to display his knowledge in front of the angels [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.033 (2-33)], and when Adam did, He commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam and so they did except for Iblis [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/002.qmt.html#002.034 (2-34)], [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/007.qmt.html#007.011 (7-11)], [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/020.qmt.html#020.116 (20-116)].
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In another telling of the story, Allah (God) informs the angels that He will create Man from clay [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.028 (15-28)] and that as soon as He has completed his creation they should all prostrate themselves before him [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.029 (15-29)]. The all do so [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.030 (15-30)], except for Iblis [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.031 (15-31)], [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/038.qmt.html#038.074 (38-74)] When Allah demands an explanation from Iblis of why he refused to bow to Adam [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.032 (15-32)], Iblis explains that it is because Adam has been created from clay [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.033 (15-33)] [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/017.qmt.html#017.061 (17-61)], while Iblis was created from fire [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/038.qmt.html#038.076 (38-76)], and as such he was better than Adam [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/007.qmt.html#007.012 (7-12)].
  
In another telling of the story Allah (God) informs the angels that He will create Man (Bashar) from clay [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.028 (15-28)] and that as soon as He has completed his creation they should all prostrate before His creation [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.029 (15-29)], and so they all do [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.030 (15-30)], except for Iblis [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.031 (15-31)], [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/038.qmt.html#038.074 (38-74)] When Allah demanded an explanation from Iblis of why he refused to prostrate to Adam [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.032 (15-32)], and Iblis explains that he would not prostrate before [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] whom Allah has created from clay [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/015.qmt.html#015.033 (15-33)] [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/017.qmt.html#017.061 (17-61)], while he himself Iblis was created from fire [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/038.qmt.html#038.076 (38-76)], and as such he was better than Adam [http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/007.qmt.html#007.012 (7-12)].
 
  
==Trivia==
 
{{Trivia|date=June 2007}}
 
* In the Dune prequels science fiction series there is a corrupted high priest named [[Iblis Ginjo]].
 
* In the original (1978-1979) Battlestar Galactica, there was an alien known as [[Count Iblis]].  He was seen to be a science fiction equivalent of the Devil and was also the voice of the Cylon Imperious Leader.
 
* In [[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 game)]], Silver (the newest character in the Sonic Series) believes that Sonic is the mysterious 'Iblis Trigger'. Iblis is a fiery demon who destroyed the world.
 
* The second installment in the [[Quest for Glory]] series of adventure games, [[Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire|Trial by Fire]], the antagonist [[Ad Avis]] plots to release a djinn by the name of Iblis. Releasing him will result in the destruction of the world as well as a gameover. Iblis can only be freed according to a strict prophecy involving the Hero from the East, being you the player.
 
* There is a character in the Star Wars universe named Garm bel Iblis (Garm being the hellhound, like Cerberus, in Norse mythology, and Bel (Baäl) a pagan god). He first appeared in Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. In contrast to the original Iblis, he was a highly moral senator who opposed Palpatine, and later played vital roles in the Rebellion and New Republic.
 
*In the Playstation 2 exclusive game Primal, in which there are four demon worlds for the user to explore the fourth and most dangerous world Volca is home to the Djinn who are ruled by their King, King Iblis.
 
*In the [[The Wheel of Time|Wheel of Time]] series, the ''Nae'blis'' is Shai'tan's regent on Earth.
 
*In World of Warcraft there is a sword called ''Iblis, Blade of the Fallen Seraph''.
 
*In the Tom Clancy novel "The Teeth of the Tiger," a federal agent invokes the name of Iblis while forcing a dying Islamic terrorist to hold pigskin in order to induce fear and insult.
 
*[[MF Grimm]] has an album entitled [[The Downfall of Ibliys: A Ghetto Opera]].
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 02:34, 19 August 2007


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Iblīs (Arabic إبليس), is the name given to the primary devil in Islam. He is also referred in the Qur'an (Islamic holy Book) as the Shaitan, a term used refering to any evil spirit allied with Iblis, but which is often used to refer to Iblis alone. Iblis is mentioned 11 times in the Qur'an, and Shaitan (‏(الشيطان is mentioned 87 times. Although there are important differences between the Islamic and Christian concepts his character, Iblis is the same being known as Satan or "the Devil" to Christians.

Iblis was a Jinn, a creature made of 'smokeless fire' by God, while like humans are made of 'clay'. In an outburst rooted in envy, Iblis disobeyed Allah and was expelled from divine grace. He also lured Adam and Eve into eating fruit from the forbidden tree. He was condemned by Allah (God) to Jahannam, or Hell. He replied by saying that he wanted to bring the inhabitants of Earth down with him, and Allah, to test mankind and the Jinn, allowed him to roam Earth to attempt to misguide others.

Iblis tempts humans through his whispering of sinful ideas to them. In the end, it is believed, he will be cast into Jahannam (Hell in Islam) along with those who give in to his temptation and disobey Allah's (God's) true message of Islam, while those who successfully try to follow a righteous path will be rewarded with the pleasures of Jannah (Paradise or Heaven in Islam).

Although he was rebellious, the Qur'an does not depict Iblis as operating outside of Allah will, for Allah is supreme over all His creations. Iblis' single enemy is humanity. He intends to discourage humans from obeying God. Thus, humankind is warned to struggle against Shaitan and the temptations he gives them in.

Etymology

Non-Muslim scholars generally hold Iblis to be a contraction of the Greek word diabolos, meaning "devil." Accprdomg to this theory, the Christian and Jewish communities of Arabia during Muhammad's knew the word from Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible and the Gospels. Muslim scholars, on the other hand, are more inclined to derive the word from the Arabic verbal root balasa (بلس) meaning "the despaired."

Origin

The Qur'an identifies Iblis as a Jinn (18-50) rather than an angel. The Jinn are created from fire (7-12)(38-76), and in the Islamic tradition are considered to have free will. In the opening pages of the Qur'an, Iblis demonstrates this by refusing to obey Allah's command to kneel before Adam (2-34). In Islam, angels—unlike Jinn—are basically messengers and do not possess free will. There is, accordingly, no parallel in Islam to the Fallen angel story in Christian and some Jewish traditions.

According to the Qur'an, after Allah (God) had completed the creation of everything else (2-29), God announced that He would create a Khalifa, or vicegerent, on Earth. So Allah created Adam and gave him from His knowledge what no other creature of His possesses. Teaching him the names of each creation, God also presened them to the angels, (2-30), knowing that they would fail where Adam succeeded.

After the angels had admitted that they had no knowledge except that which Allah(God) had given them (2-30), God commanded Adam to display his knowledge,(2-33), and when Adam did, God commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam and so they did. Iblis, however, refused (2-34), (7-11), (20-116).

In another telling of the story, Allah (God) informs the angels that He will create Man from clay (15-28) and that as soon as He has completed his creation they should all prostrate themselves before him (15-29). The all do so (15-30), except for Iblis (15-31), (38-74) When Allah demands an explanation from Iblis of why he refused to bow to Adam (15-32), Iblis explains that it is because Adam has been created from clay (15-33) (17-61), while Iblis was created from fire (38-76), and as such he was better than Adam (7-12).


See also

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References
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  • Gustav Weil, The Bible, the Koran and the Talmud (London, 1846).

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