The Promise of Iblis

The Promise of Iblis

The Almighty says:

{[71] [So mention] when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I am going to create

a human being from wet clay. [72] So when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration." [73] So the angels prostrated themselves entirely. [74] Except for Iblis; he was arrogant and was among the disbelievers. [75] [God] said, "O Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating yourself to that which I created with My hands? Were you arrogant [then], or were you [already] among the haughty?" [76] He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from wet clay." [77] [God] said, "Then get out of Paradise, for indeed, you are expelled. [78] Indeed, upon you is My curse until the Day of Reckoning." [79] He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected." [80] [God] said, "So indeed, you are of those reprieved [81] Until the Appointed Day. [82] [Iblis] said, "By your might, I will surely mislead them all [83] Except for Your chosen servants among them." [84] [God] said, "The truth [is My oath], and the truth I say [85] [That] I will surely fill hell with you and those of them that follow you all together."}^[19]

God Almighty created Adam^℗and commanded the angels to prostrate themselves to him. This prostration was a practical acknowledgment of Adam’s merit over the angels^℗. These sacred beings prostrated themselves in the way that is customary for their circumstances and world. The prostration was not to the body of Adam^℗, but to his spirit and inner truth. The prostration was actually directed through Adam and toward the truth of Muhammad, the complete human and the closest veil.^[20] Through Muhammad^℗, the angels' prostration turned toward the Ever Living One Who does not die. God Almighty did not command them to prostrate themselves until after He had projected the ideal image of God onto the body of Adam^℗, blowing His Spirit into him. It is narrated that the Prophet^℗ said, “God created Adam in His image.” In other words, Adam^℗, the human being, or let us say the created being, is capable of acquiring the divinely perfect attributes to the highest degree possible. Although Adam^℗ did not reach the distance of two bows’ brace heights or nearer, ^[21] this distance was reached by one from his lineage: Muhammad^℗, the chosen and purified one. Iblis (may God curse him) recognized a part of this truth but rebelled, did not prostrate himself with the angels, and remained on the earth. He looked at the material from which Adam’s body was created and compared it to the energy, or fire, from which he himself was created, deciding that fire is nobler than matter. He was heedless regarding the truth of Adam^℗ and his nearness to God. Thus, Iblis fell into the abyss, despite his vast knowledge and lengthy worship, because he was not a sincere worshipper of God. Instead, he was a sincere worshipper of himself; throughout all of his time spent worshipping, he sought only exaltedness and rank.

The test of prostrating himself to Adam^℗ was a huge catastrophe for Iblis that shook him to his core, and he envied Adam^℗. If you were to imagine it, you would have found him saying at the time, “I spend all this time in worship, and God creates a worshipper who is better than me as soon as he is created and the moment he speaks? He gets to be elevated and raised so that the angels are lower than him?” This veil^[22] prevented him from seeing the truth about Adam and drove him to look for an excuse to convince himself to not prostrate himself and to argue with his Lord.

The response of God Almighty was nothing but expulsion and damnation because Iblis was of those who reject the signs out of injustice and arrogance, while the inner self is convinced of the truth.^[23] The Almighty said: {We assign that home of the hereafter to those who do not desire exaltedness or corruption upon the earth. And the best outcome is for the pious.}^[24]

So Iblis (may God curse him) was not an ignorant one who needed to be taught, nor was he a disobedient one who needed to be scolded and disciplined. Instead, he was an arrogant, knowledgeable cleric whose oppressive, conceited nature would not be dissuaded. Adam was the reason for Iblis's expulsion from the mercy of God, as Iblis's soul inclined toward despising this new creation. Also, Iblis's dismissal is what motivated him to make enemies out of Adam and his lineage. He requested a reprieve and postponement of accountability until the day of resurrection in order to misguide them [Adam and his progeny] from the straight path. However, God Almighty gave him time only until the Appointed Day, and this cursed one promised to misguide the children of Adam from the straight path of God:

{[16] [Iblis] said, "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. [17] Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You]."}^[25]

The Appointed Day is the day of the rise of the Mahdi^℗. Is-haq Ibn Ammar narrated that he asked Imam [Al-Sadiq]^℗ about God’s reprieve for Iblis until the Appointed Day that He mentioned in His book. He^℗ said, “The Appointed Day is the day of the rise of the Riser.^[26] When God dispatches him, he will be in the Kufa mosque. Iblis will come, kneel before him, and say, ‘Woe to me on this day.’ The Riser will strike his neck. That Day of the Appointed Time is the end of him.”^[27]

The Gospel mentions that in the Minor Resurrection, which is the time of the rise of Imam Al-Mahd^℗, Satan will be chained. The Book of the Revelation of John states:

[1] Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to

the bottomless pit and a great chain. [2] And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, [3] and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.^[28]

Sayyed Ibn Tawoos (may God have mercy upon him) states:

Regarding the question of Iblis and God’s response to him, I found the following

mentioned in the book of Prophet Enoch^℗: He [Iblis] said, “My Lord, reprieve me until the Day of Resurrection.” God said, “No. However, you are of those reprieved until the Day of the Appointed Time. On that day you will die and perish, and I will purify the earth from disbelief, associating anything with Me, and sin. I chose servants of mine for that time whose hearts I tested for faith and filled with understanding, sincerity, certitude, piety, humility, honesty, tolerance, patience, dignity, holiness, asceticism toward this world, and desire for what I have. I will make them of those who call to the sun and the moon.^[29] I will make them vicegerents on the earth and firmly establish their religion to my level of satisfaction. They will worship Me and not associate others with Me. They will establish prayer and give charity at certain, specific times. They will command good and forbid evil. At that time, I will place the Trust^[30] on the earth, and no one will cause harm or fear anything. The vermin and cattle will be among the people and will not hurt each other. I will remove the sting of every vermin and the poison of whatever bites. I will send down blessings from the heavens and the earth, and the earth will bloom with the best of plants and bring out all its fruits and scents. I will place compassion and mercy among them so they comfort each other and share their provision, and the poor will become rich. They will not be arrogant toward one another. The old will be merciful toward the young, and the young will respect the old. They will practice in truth and rule by it, and because of it, they will be just.

These are my supporters. I selected for them a chosen, faithful, trustworthy prophet. I

made him a prophet and messenger, and made them his righteous ones and supporters. I selected them as a community for my chosen Prophet, my faithful and trustworthy one. Everyone knows that the Appointed Time will surely come, even though the exact hour of its occurrence is hidden in the knowledge of My unseen. On that day, I will eradicate you [Iblis] and all your horses, your men, and your soldiers. Go! You are among those who are reprieved until the Day of the Appointed Time.”^[31]

This is the story of Iblis, the scholar, the worshipper who fell into the abyss, whose arrogance led him into hellfire. This story contains a lesson for those who learn and a reminder for those who remember, but where are the ones who will happen upon this lesson and not only learn, but also remember?

The Prince of Believers^℗ said,

You should learn a lesson from what God did with Iblis. He nullified his great deeds

and extensive efforts on account of the vanity of one moment, even though Iblis had worshipped God for six thousand years-it is not known whether this time measurement is by the rules of this world or the next. After what happened to Iblis, can anyone feel safe from God while committing a similar disobedience? No one at all will be safe. God, the Glorified One, will not let a human being enter Paradise who has perpetrated the same act for which God turned away an angel. His command is the same for all the inhabitants of the sky and earth. God has no tolerance for, nor does He give license to, any individual from His creation to engage in an undesirable thing that He considers unlawful for all of the worlds.

Therefore, beware, lest Iblis infect you with his disease, lead you astray through

his call, or harm you with his horsemen and footmen. By my life, he has put the arrow in the bow, stretched it tensely, and aimed it at you from nearby. Iblis said: {“Lord! Because You let me stray, certainly I will adorn unto them the path of error, and certainly I will cause them all to go astray.”}^[32] Seek God’s protection from the danger of arrogance, just as you seek His protection from calamities.

Certainly, if God were to allow anyone to indulge in pride, He would have allowed it

for His selected prophets and vicegerents . . . but they were oppressed people. God tried them with hunger, afflicted them with difficulty, tested them with fear, and upset them with troubles . . . When Moses, son of Imran, and his brother Aaron^℗ went to Pharaoh wearing (coarse) shirts of wool and holding canes in their hands, they guaranteed him longevity for his country and continuance of his prestige if only he would submit. But Pharaoh said: ‘Do you not wonder at these two men who guarantee that my prestige and dominance will continue, although you see their poverty and lowliness? If that is the case, then, why do they not have gold bangles on their wrists?’ He said this while feeling proud of his gold and collected possessions and belittling wool and those wearing it . . .

Fear God regarding the immediate consequence of rebellion, the eventual

consequence of weighty oppressiveness to accrue in the next world, and the evil result of vanity. Vanity is the great trap of Iblis and his great plot that grips the hearts of men, just like fatal poison does. It never misses its target, not anyone, whether it be the learned ones with knowledge or the destitute in rags . . . God, the Glorified One, cursed the past generations only because they had forsaken enjoining others to do good deeds and refrain from doing bad deeds. In fact, God cursed the foolish ones for committing sins and the lenient for giving up on prohibiting others from committing evil deeds . . . Beware! You have breached the restrictions of Islam, transgressed its boundaries and destroyed its commands . . . Certainly, I belong to the group of people who do not fear anyone’s reproach in matters concerning God. The countenance of this group is that of the truthful and their speech is that of the virtuous. They are wakeful during the nights (in devotion to God) and beacons (of guidance) in the day. They hold fast to the rope of the Holy Quran and revive the traditions of God and His Messenger. They do not boast or indulge in self-conceit, misappropriate, or create mischief. Their hearts are in Paradise while their bodies are busy in deeds.^[33]