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Iblis
Anik
10/14/01 at 03:17:01
AA guys this has probably been talked about somewhere else, but i wanted to know, is iblis a jinn or angel, or a special type of jinn, or both-? my friend and i argue about that, she says iblis is half half... in the Quran it points out more that Iblis was expected to bow down as an angel, while it says it was because he was a jinn that he did not why was he asked to bow down? does it say? or was all the al-amin asked to bow down? advise please. asalaamu alaikum. abdullah,.

Re: Iblis
Kashif
10/14/01 at 04:56:35
assalaamu alaikum This is taken from notes from a tafsir class i intended some time back. Surah al-Kahf [18:50] Behold! We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam": They bowed down except Iblis. [color=red]He was one of the Jinns,[/color] and he broke the Command of his Lord. Will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me? And they are enemies to you! Evil would be the exchange for the wrong-doers! Some of the early Muslims actually differed regarding whether Iblis was one of the angels or not. They based this on the ayaat of Surah Saad: So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together: Not so Iblis: he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith. [Qur’an 38:73-74] In the above ayah it seems to imply that Iblis was one of the angels, and those who believed he was an angel explained their belief that the jinn were actually a tribe from amongst the Angels. However, this ayah [18:50] is a decisive refutation of such belief, and confirms that Iblis was one of the jinn who we are told in another ayah [15:27] were made of smokeless fire. We also know that the angels are made of light. Fasaqa – to come out. Thus, Iblis ‘came out’ of the command of his Lord. The word fisq can be applied to every sin, since we are covered within the ‘shell’ of Islam, but when we sin we come out of that. Someone once asked Imam ash-Sha’bee whether Iblis had a wife. The imam responded by saying “that is something that I did not witness.” But then he remembered this ayah wherein Allah mentions shaitaan’s progeny, which would seem to imply that he has a wife. However, this is a matter of the unseen, and knowledge of it remains with Allah. We know from a hadith of the Prophet that shaitaan has his throne over the water, and that the closest of his followers to him are those that create the most fitna. Jabir reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: “Iblis places his throne upon water; he then sends detachments (for creating dissension) ; the nearer to him in tank are those who are most notorious in creating dissension. One of them comes and says: I did so and so. And he says: You have done nothing. Then one amongst them comes and says: I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a husband and a wife. The Satan goes near him and says: 'You have done well.' A'mash said: "He then embraces him.” [Muslim no. 6759] The names of two jinn that are famous in hadith are: - Khinzib/Khinzab – this is the one that whispers to you during your prayer causing you to forget what and how much you have completed of your prayer. To free oneself of the effects of this jinn, one should recite a’oothu billah three times and then spit lightly over the left shoulder. - Wal-haan – this is the one who whispers to you during your wudoo causing you to forget how much you have washed and how many times you have washed a limb. Other jinn that have been mentioned in the books of the `ulama are: - Al-a`war – the one who brings trouble. - Al-abyad – the one who is the enemy of the Prophets alaihimus-salaam. - Daasim – the one who eats with you when you don’t begin your meal with bismillah. The Prophet told us that if one forgets to recite bismillah at the beginning of the meal he should recite the following as soon as he remembers: bismillahi awwalahu wa aakhirahu. - Murra – the companion of music. - Khaffaaf – the one who misleads during travel. Kashif Wa Salaam
NS

Re: Iblis
Merimda
10/14/01 at 11:39:53
Salam, In Ibn Kathir's, "Stories of the Prophets" in the chapter of Adam he talks about Iblis his nature and history. I rememeber in it, Ibn Kathir said that Iblis used to be among the most pious of Jinn. His name was Azazil (I think) and that he had a different form before he was turned into the cursed figure of Satan. I would type up that section for you but I don't have the book on me right now because my friend borrowed it from me. If anyone else has the book, perhaps they could type up that section for you.. Salam, merimda

Re: Iblis
dolunay
10/14/01 at 17:32:35
[quote] The names of two jinn that are famous in hadith are: - Khinzib/Khinzab – this is the one that whispers to you during your prayer causing you to forget what and how much you have completed of your prayer. To free oneself of the effects of this jinn, one should recite a’oothu billah three times and then spit lightly over the left shoulder. - Wal-haan – this is the one who whispers to you during your wudoo causing you to forget how much you have washed and how many times you have washed a limb. Other jinn that have been mentioned in the books of the `ulama are: - Al-a`war – the one who brings trouble. - Al-abyad – the one who is the enemy of the Prophets alaihimus-salaam. - Daasim – the one who eats with you when you don’t begin your meal with bismillah. The Prophet told us that if one forgets to recite bismillah at the beginning of the meal he should recite the following as soon as he remembers: bismillahi awwalahu wa aakhirahu. - Murra – the companion of music. - Khaffaaf – the one who misleads during travel. Kashif Wa Salaam[/quote] As Salamu Alaikum...I heard this names of jinn first time. Thank You brother for information, Jazakallahu Khayr. wassalam

Re: Iblis
se7en
10/15/01 at 00:26:54
as salaamu alaykum wa rahmatAllah, [center] [img]http://playandlearn.org/images/2_34.gif[/img][/center] "And when We said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He refused through pride, and so became a disbeliever." [Quran 2:34] "So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together: Not so Iblis: he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith." [Qur’an 38:73-74] I remember hearing an interesting explanation of these ayaat in a lecture a while back.  The speaker talked about how in the Arabic language, "except" can be used in reference to something that is not part of the mentioned group at large.  (I think this is called "taghleeb", but I am not sure about that.) Ok.. that doesn't really make much sense :)  But an example the speaker gave was this: "All the men stood up, except the donkey." Now in English that seems a bit wierd, but in Arabic, from what I remember the speaker saying, that is a perfectly correct sentence. And this is how the majority of scholars understand the ayah that *seems* to refer to Iblis as an angel. This, along with the ayah in Surah Kahf, are what have the majority of scholars understand Iblis to be a jinn.  wAllahu a'lam. [quote]why was he asked to bow down? does it say?[/quote] The sajdah was one of respect, not of worship.  (This type of prostration was abrogated with the shariah of Rasulullah [saw].) [url=http://www.islam101.com/people/prophets/adam.htm]Here[/url] is an article that talks a little bit about this incident, and gives a short overview of Adam (alayhis salaam)'s life. InshaAllah I'll try to find some more articles for you. take care :) wasalaamu alaykum. ps - I love search engines :)  Check [url=http://www.islamicvoice.com/march.2001/religion.htm#ibl]this[/url] out for an awesome explanation of the ayaat on Iblis by Dr. Zakir Naik.

Re: Iblis
Merimda
10/15/01 at 22:28:44
Salam, Here is the tradition cited in Ibn Kathir's work that I was referring to (My friend still has the book but I found sections from it on this site: http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/Prophet/Adam.htm): Ibn Masud, Ibn Abbas, and a group of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad said that Iblis had been the head of the angels in the worldly heavens. Ibn Abbas said in one narration that his name had been Azazil, and in another narration he said it had been Al-Harith. Ibn 'Abbas also said that Iblis was a jinn and that they had once been the keepers of Paradise, with Iblis the most honorable, the most learned and the most pious of them. Another tradition says that he had been one of the famous four possessors of wings (i.e. angels), before Allah transformed him into the accursed Satan. *** Here are other selections from that chapter which may shed more light on the nature if Iblis: We imagine when Allah the Almighty decided to create Adam: He addressed His angels and told them to prostrate before him. He did not mean to ask their opinion or take their advice, for He is above that. Allah the Exalted told them that He was going to create a vicegerent on the earth who would have children and grandchildren who would corrupt the earth and shed each other's blood. That is why the angels said to Allah the Almighty: "Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood!" Surah 2:30 Traditions about the Angels There are old traditions about the angels before the creation of Adam. According to Ibn Qatadah, it was said that the angels were informed about the creation of Adam and his progeny by the jinn who lived before Adam. 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar said that the jinn had existed for about two thousand years before Adam and then shed blood. Therefore, Allah sent on them an army of angels that drove them out to the depths of the seas. Thn Abi Hatim narrated from Ali Jafar Al-Baqer that the angels were informed that man would cause wickedness and shed blood on earth. It was also said that they knew that no one would be created on earth who would not be wicked and shed blood. Whether or not these traditions are correct, the angels did understand that Allah would create a vicegerent on earth. Allah the Almighty announced that He was going to create a human being out of clay, that He would mold him and blow His spirit into him, and then the angels should prostrate before him. Salam, merimda

Re: Iblis
Arsalan
10/15/01 at 12:09:24
[slm] [quote]why was he asked to bow down? [/quote] Allah knows best, but the most convincing explanation that I have come across is that it was a test for Iblis.  Like human beings, the jinn also possess a free will to choose (either to obey or disobey Allah).  The ego of Iblis was tested when Allah (swt) asked him to bown down to a being who was materially less superior than himself (made of clay; Iblis was made of fire).  When Iblis refused based on his envy towards Adam and his pride (kibr), Allah (swt) punished him for this disobedience.   Interestingly enough, Adam was also tested right after his creation.  He was told not to approach a tree.  He also, like Iblis, disobeyed Allah (swt).  But the difference between Adam and Iblis was that Adam asked for forgiveness upon realizing his mistake, whereas Iblis never did ask forgiveness for his disobedience.   This may be why Iblis was ordered to bow down to Adam afterall!  Because the nature of man comes from the material he's made - clay.  It is a soft, mouldable material.  The nature of the jinn comes from the material that they are made of - fire.  Thus Iblis was easily enraged when asked to bow down, and never realized his mistake, and continued to transgress beyond limits by not even asking for forgiveness and declaring himself an enemy to the one he was asked to bow down to. Anyway ... sorry for the digression :) Wassalamu alaikum.

Re: Iblis
Barr
10/17/01 at 10:41:56
Assalamu'alaikum :-) [quote]why was he asked to bow down? [/quote] I'm not sure if this is very much related to the original question.. but, just thought of sharing some things I've learnt from an Islamic Psychology module that I took last month, inshaAllah. Allah created Adam (a.s.) from a mixed composition of different types of soils. And if we are to imagine, the smell, texture and image of a being made with soil and clay... well, it ain't a lovely sight. But what made that being beautiful, such that it's status is described to be higher than the angels, and the latter was told to prostrate to him was when Allah breathed into him his soul... and Adam (a.s.) became what he is - a Man. This soul that is invisible by the naked eye... determines our purity and status in the sight of Allah, and not our physical visible bodies. So...perhaps, Iblis refusal to prostrate is a lesson for us too...that it is undeserving for a creation to be arrogant, when he dares to refuse a commandment of Al Alim (the Knower of all things), due to something which his intellect can only apprehend, at a superficial level, ... which in turn, defies Allah's power to make something from a substance of an "inferior" condition to rise above the physical make-up. Therefore, this prostration, is probably more of a reflection on the submission to Allah, rather than submission to man. This inability to recognise reality is very much related to us, human beings... as arrogance and pride can blurr our intellect and heart, and we fall to the position of Iblis... for it is not our ruh (soul/ spirit) with Allah's light(Nur) that beautifies our selves, but the dirt, soil and clay of the physical make-up that "taints" the nur of the ruh - and hence, the person himself. Hmmm... I hope I make sense.... Please correct me if I erred in my explanation. Allahua'lam :::Barr::: What is Apparent may not be Real
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