7. Who is Iblis?

Iblis is Satan or otherwise known as Lucifer. In surah 38 Sad ayah 41 we read of Iblis afflicting Job with distress and suffering. It seems that Iblis tries to deceive mankind so they believe lies about Allâh.

The Bible records that Satan approached God and accused God of favouring Job saying that Job was only serving Him because of all the blessings he had received. Read Job 1 verses 7-12. God allowed Satan to test Job to prove that his love was true, and he would love God even in the midst of affliction and the loss of everything. Job passed the test and Satan did not win Job over to serve him. Job, a faithful man of God, was not deceived by Satan (Lucifer).

In the New Testament of the Bible, Acts 5 verse 3 it seems that Satan filled the heart of Ananias to lie to the Holy Spirit. This deception cost Ananias his life because he suddenly fell down dead.

The Bible states that Satan was previously the archangel Lucifer who led the choirs of heaven. One day he looked at himself and decided that he was more beautiful than God. His proud spirit caused one- third of the angels of heaven to rebel against God and worship Satan. The fallen angels became the demons that torment mankind. Read Ezekiel 28 verses 12 – 19.

Similarly in surah Sad 38 ayat 71 – 78, the Qur’an states: ‘Behold the Lord said, To the angels, ‘I am about to create man from clay, when I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of my Spirit, Fall ye down in obeisance unto him. So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together. Not so Iblis.’ He was haughty and became one of those who reject Faith. Allâh said to Iblis, ‘What prevents thee from prostrating thyself to one whom I have created with my hands, art thou haughty or art thou one of the high and mighty ones.’ Iblis said ‘I am better than he; Thou created me from fire but him Thou created from clay.’ ‘Then get thee out from here for thou art rejected, accursed, and My curse shall be on thee till the day of Judgement.’ It seems that the Holy Qur’an teaches that Iblis influences those who reject faith in Allâh.