By:
Hojjat
al-Islam
Mahdi Hadavi
Tehrani
Satan’s
Influence
Question:
How does
Satan influence
our
thoughts?
Brief
Answer
Before
we can
investigate
the
influence
of Satan on
our
thoughts,
we must
gain an
understanding
of who
Satan is.
Lexicographers
differ
over the
linguistic
root of
the word shaytan
(satan).
The
strongest
opinion
states
that it
comes from
“shatana”
meaning
“to be
far.” As
it is
known, shaytan
in
‘Arabic,
is a
common
noun, and
can
therefore
be applied
to any of
a number
of beings.
However,
the
archetypical
satan—the
leader of
them
all—is
known in
Arabic as Iblis.[168]
Satan is
a member
of the
class of
beings
called
jinn. Like
all jinn,
he can
transform
himself
into
various
forms,
sometimes
appearing
as a man,
sometimes
as an
animal.
The only
limitation
placed on
him is
that he
cannot
manifest
himself as
a prophet
or Imam.
It is
mainly
through
these
transformations
that Satan
misguides
people. At
watershed
moments in
a
person’s
life, he
appears as
a
well-wishing
advisor
and lays
the
groundwork
for his
destruction.
Salman
al-Farisi
narrates
that Imam
‘Ali (ع)
said,
“The old
man who
was the
first to
pledge his
allegiance
to Abu
Bakr and
whose
forehead
was
calloused
from
extensive
prostrations,
was the
accursed
Satan.”
However,
Satan does
not always
employ
this
method. He
exists in
an
intermediate
state
between
the
material
and the
immaterial
realms.
For this
reason, he
cannot
directly
affect the
immaterial
spirit of
the human
being.
Rather, he
infiltrates
a
person’s
thoughts
by means
of one
aspect of
the human
soul
called al-nafs
al-ammarah
(the lower
soul).
This is
the
animalistic
aspect of
the soul,
that can
be
transformed
into al-nafs
al-mutma’innah
(the
higher
soul)
through
training
and
enhancement.
It is
through
temptation
and by
showing
the lower
soul
manifestations
of what it
desires
that Satan
paves the
way to
misguide
man. For
this
reason,
Satan is
only a
part of
the cause
of human
misguidance.
These
manifestations
take on
different
forms, yet
they all
conform to
what the
lower soul
desires:
1.
The
beautification
of ugly
deeds: By
making
ugly
actions
appear
beautiful,
Satan effectively
strips the
otherwise
inherent
ugliness
of sin and
mitigates
the
societal
taboo
associated
with sin
in such a
way that
man easily
falls into
the trap
of sin.
This
phenomenon
can be
witnessed
in a
person who
rationalizes
his wrong
actions.
2.
False
promises:
Through
false
promises
and
unattainable
hopes,
Satan renders
man
heedless
of the
Hereafter,
death, and
even Allah (awj).
Such a
person
becomes a
slave to
his
desires
and is
prepared
to go to
any
lengths to
attain the
attainable,
even if it
means
sinning
against
Allah (awj).
3.
Fear:
Satan scares
man with
thoughts
of the
future,
compelling
him to
accumulate
wealth,
flee from jihad,
aid the
unjust,
etc.
Detailed
Answer
To
properly
understand
the answer
to this
question,
we must
first gain
an
understanding
of the
nature of
Satan.
Lexicographers
differ
over the
linguistic
root of
the word
“satan.”
The
strongest
opinion
states
that it
comes from
“shatana”
meaning
“to be
far.” It
is for
this
reason
that
anyone
that
distances
man from
his Lord
is called
a “satan.”
Many
exegetes
of the
Qur`an
believe
that a
“satan”
is any
mischievous
being that
has been
misguided.
According
to this
opinion,
“satan”
is a
common
noun that
can be
applied to
any of a
number of
members,
whether
jinn or
human.
However, Iblis
is a
proper
name for
the
particular
satan who
refused to
prostrate
before
Adam.[169]
The
Qur`an
explicitly
states
that Satan is
a jinn[170]
and is
made of
fire. The
jinn are
in an
intermediate
state
between
physical
and
immaterial
and can
manifest
themselves
as various
physical
beings.
Human
beings, on
the other
hand, are
composed
of a body
and soul.
Man’s
soul in
turn has
two
aspects.
One aspect
is Godly
in nature.
It is
alternatively
called the
spirit (al-ruh)
and the
higher
soul (al-nafs
al-mutma’innah).
The other
aspect of
the human
soul is
animalistic
in nature
and is
called the
lower soul
(al-nafs
al-ammarah).
To gain
control
over man,
Satan must
access
this lower
soul.
Being
immaterial
himself,
he cannot
establish
direct
contact
with
man’s
physical
body. It
is this
connection
between
Satan and
the lower
soul of
man that
is called
a
“whispered
temptation”
(al-waswas)
in
Qur`anic
terminology.
Therefore,
Satan is
only a
part of
the cause
and cannot
misguide
man by
himself.
Rather he
invites
man to
that which
his lower
soul
desires.
Man can
then
choose to
follow
Satan’s
temptations
or the
laws of
Allah (awj)
and the
standards
of his
intellect.
It is for
this
reason
that Allah
(awj)
admonishes
man in the
following
way:
“Do
not follow
in
Satan’s
footsteps,
for he is
your
manifest
enemy.”[171]
How
exactly
does Satan incite
a
person’s
irrational
desires to
push him
towards
sin? We
will
enumerate
several of
the
techniques
that Satan
employs
for this
purpose:
1.
As stated
earlier,
Satan,
being a
jinn, is
able to
manifest
himself in
different
physical
forms. At
various
critical
points, he
presents
himself as
a
well-wishing
advisor
for the
express
purpose of
misguiding
people.
There is
ample
mention of
such
instances
in
history,
and it is
even
possible
that such
instances
have
presented
themselves
in our own
lives.
For
example,
it is
narrated
from
Salman al-Farisi
concerning
the
incident
of Saqifah:
Imam
‘Ali b.
Abi Talib (ع)
asked,
“Do you
know the
man who
ascended
the pulpit
and
preceded
everyone
else in
pledging
his
allegiance
to Abu
Bakr?” I
said,
“No. But
I saw that
he was an
old man
who leaned
heavily on
his cane,
and I saw
that on
his
forehead
was a
large
callous
that was
the result
of lengthy
prostrations.
He was the
first to
ascend the
pulpit. He
expressed
with tears
running
down his
cheeks,
‘Praise
be to the
Allah that
did not
take my
life so
that I
could see
you here.
Extend
your hand
that I may
pledge
allegiance
to you.’
He
extended
his hand
and
pledged
allegiance,
then he
came down
from the
pulpit and
left the
masjid.”
Imam
‘Ali b.
Abi Talib
(ع)
asked,
“Salman,
do you
know who
that
was?” I
said,
“No, but
he upset
me. It
seemed as
though he
spoke
facetiously
of the
Prophet’s
death.”
Imam
‘Ali b.
Abi Talib
(ع)
said,
“That
was
Satan—may
Allah
curse
him.”[172]
2.
The
beautification
of ugly
deeds:
Satan makes
ugly deeds
seem
beautiful
so that
people
begin to
gravitate
toward
them. This
phenomenon
is
referred
to in the
Qur`an as
“the
confounding
of truth
and
falsehood.”[173]
Beautifying
ugly deeds
is a
relatively
easy task
that
conforms
to base
human
desires.
It is for
this
reason
that the
following
verse was
revealed:
“Satan
made their
actions
seem
beautiful
to them,
and then
diverted
them from
Allah’s
path.”[174]
3.
False
promises:
By making
false
promises
and
encouraging
one’s
farfetched
hopes,
Satan keeps
a
person’s
mind
engaged in
thoughts
that are
far from
reality.
As a
result,
the person
remains
heedless
of Allah (awj).
The
following
verse
mentions
this
phenomenon:
“Satan
promises
them and
compels
them to
entertain
farfetched
hopes.”[175]
4.
Fear:
Another of
Satan’s
tricks is
to
frighten
people
about the
future.
Such fear
results in
hopelessness,
cynicism
in Allah (awj),
a lack of
trust in
Allah (awj),
and
finally
complete
abstention
from any
benevolent
actions.
For
instance,
Satan
frightens
people of
poverty to
such an
extent
that they
are driven
to
miserliness,
as the
Quran
states:
“Satan
threatens
you with
poverty
and
enjoins
you toward
sin.”[176]
Notes:
[168]
Iblis
will be
denoted as
Satan with
a capital
‘s.’
When satan
as a
common
noun is
intended,
it will be
spelled
with a
lower case
‘s.’
[169]
Surat
al-Baqarah
(2), Verse
34:
[170]
Surat
al-Kahf
(18),
Verse 50:
[171]
Surat
al-Baqarah
(2), Verse
208:
[172]
al-Kafi,
vol. 8,
pp.
343-344:
[173]
Surat
al-Baqarah
(2), Verse
42:
[174]
Surat
al-Nahl
(16),
Verse 63:
[175]
Surat
al-Nisa` (4),
Verse 120:
[176]
Surat
al-Baqarah
(2), Verse
268:
Power
of Satan
and Jinn
Question:
To what
extent do
Satan and
the other
jinn have
power over
human
beings?
Brief
Answer
The
words
“satan”
and
“jinn”
are
repeatedly
mentioned
in the
Qur`an.
There is
also a
chapter in
the Qur`an
named
“al-Jinn”.
“Satan”
is a
common
noun that
denotes
any
creature
that is
mischievous,
misleading,
and
delinquent,
whether it
be human
or not.
“Iblis”
is a
proper
noun and
is the
‘Arabic
name of
the
particular
satan who
deceived
Adam and
Eve (ع)
and even
now lays
in wait
for any
opportunity
to deceive
the sons
of Adam.
The
word
“jinn”
is
etymologically
derived
from a
word
meaning
“to
hide” or
“to be
hidden.”
It denotes
a creature
made of
fire that
possesses
both a
body
and a
soul. The
jinn are
held
legally
accountable
before
Allah (awj)
and can
choose to
believe or
disbelieve.
Some
people’s
understanding
of the
jinn is
full of
hyperbole
and
fantastic
stories,
while
others
reject
their
existence
all
together—repudiating
even true
accounts
of jinn.
The Qur`an
and
ahadith
describe
jinn as
powerful
creatures.
For
example,
in
Surat
al-Naml
(27),
Verse 39,
the Qur`an
recounts
the story
of an ‘ifrit
(one kind
of jinn)
who
claimed to
be able to
bring the
throne of
Bilqis to
Sulayman (ع)
“quicker
than you
can stand
up.” It
should be
noted that
Sulayman (ع)
did not
repudiate
this
jinn’s
claim,
thus
indicating
that he
truly
possessed
the power.
However,
one must
be careful
not to
exaggerate
such
information
out of
proportion,
thereby
claiming
that jinn
have
infinite
power.
Such a
belief is
tantamount
to shirk
(the
attribution
of
partners
to Allah (awj)).
No
creature,
no matter
how
powerful,
can act
without
Allah’s
(awj)
sanction.
For this
reason,
Satan has
power to
misguide
only those
people who
have
relinquished
their
belief in
one Allah
(awj) and
have
surrendered
to the
temptations
of Satan.
Accordingly,
Satan
himself
admits
that he
has no
power over
Allah’s
(awj)
sincere
servants
when he
swears,
“I
shall
misguide
them all
except
Your
sincere
servants.”[177]
Satan’s
sole
influence
over man
is by way
of
whispering
temptations.
He can
never
strip man
of his
free will.
In
philosophical
terms,
Satan’s
non-materiality
is not
complete,
therefore
he cannot
reach the
lofty
station
that the
spirit of
the
righteous
enjoys.
Giving
into the
temptation
of the
carnal
soul (al-nafs
al-’ammarah)
opens the
way for
satanic
influence
thereby
pulling
man into
Satan’s
traps. The
sole
respite
from his
grasp is
to turn
one’s
attention
to Allah (awj)
and seek
his
protection.
Allah (awj)
says,
“You
(Satan)
have no
power over
my
servants.”[178]
Detailed
Answer
The
Etymology
of Satan and
Jinn
We
begin our
discussion
by
analyzing
the words
“satan”
and
“jinn,”
and then
investigate
the limits
of
Satan’s
power.
“Satan”
means
“banished”
or
“mischievous”.
In its
singular
form,
“satan”
has been
used 71
times in
the Qur`an
and in its
plural
form, 18
times.
Both the
Qur`an and
ahadith
indicate
that Satan
is one of
the jinn.
“Satan”
is a
common
noun that
denotes
any
creature
that is
mischievous,
misleading,
and
delinquent,
whether it
be human
or not.
“Iblis”
is a
proper
noun and
is the
‘Arabic
name of
the
particular
satan who
deceived
Adam and
Eve (ع)
and even
now lays
in wait
for any
opportunity
to deceive
the sons
of Adam.
The
Etymology
of Jinn
The
word
“jinn”
has been
used 22
times in
the Qur`an.
“Jinn”
is derived
from a
word
denoting
“to
hide” or
“to be
hidden.”
Jinn are
created
from fire
or from an
amalgam of
fire. In
the
language
of the
Qur`an,
jinn are
conscious
beings
with free
will that
are hidden
from human
perception
under
normal
circumstances.
Like
mankind,
jinn are
legally
accountable
to Allah (awj)
and can
choose to
believe or
disbelieve.
They will
be raised
on the Day
of
Judgment.
Mulla
Sadra
describes
the jinn
in the
following
terms:
“Jinn
have
substantial
existence
both in
this
corporeal
realm and
in the
unseen or
imaginable
world.
Now,
as for
their
existence
in this
world, it
is as we
explained
before—there
is no
substance
that has
any type
of
subtlety
and
composure
whatsoever
but that
it
contains a
spirit and
a soul
which has
been
infused
into it
from the
source of
Pure
Activity.
Perhaps
the reason
why jinn
can
manifest
and hide
themselves
at
different
times lies
in the
subtlety
of their
bodies.
They can
disperse
the
components
of their
bodies and
then
collate
them. When
they
collate
their
bodily
components,
they can
be seen.
And when
they
disperse
themselves,
they
become
invisible
like water
vapour
which
appears
like
clouds
when
condensed
and
disappears
when
heated.”
Just
like human
beings,
jinn
possess a
body and
spirit and
are
conscious
and have
free will.
Some are
male and
others
female.
They
reproduce
and are
legally
accountable
to Allah (awj).
They are
born and
they die.
They can
choose to
believe or
disbelieve.
The
Relationship
between
Jinn and
Satan
The
Arabic
word “shaytan”
conveys
the
adjectival
meaning
“mischievous.”
The term
has been
used in
the Qur`an
in this
very
meaning.
However,
it is also
used
alternatively
for Iblis
and for
any being
for whom
mischief
has become
a
deep-rooted
character
trait. In
fact the
Qur`an
explicitly
states
that a
“satan”
can be
from the
ranks of
jinn or
man.
The
Limits of
Satan’s
Power
In
the
dualistic
religion
of
pre-Islamic
Iran
,
Ahriman
was
thought to
be the
creator of
all evil.
Some may
think
Satan in
the Qur`an
is the
counterpart
of Ahriman
of ancient
Iran
.
This is a
mistaken
belief
since
Satan had
no role to
play in
creation
whatsoever.
Allah (awj)
created
everything,
and no
other
being
besides
Allah (awj)
can create
independently.
In the
Qur`an,
Allah (awj)
derogates
such
beliefs
when he
says,
“They
make the
jinn
partners
of Allah (awj),
when He
has
created
them, and
they carve
sons and
daughters
for Him
without
any
knowledge.”[179]
Satan has
power to
incite man
with
tempting
thoughts,
to call
him toward
evil, and
to make
evil seem
beautiful
to him. He
has no
power to
force
anyone to
do
anything.
It
is true
that both
angels and
jinn have
the power
to descend
upon
people.
The
descent of
angels is
not
limited to
the moment
of death.
For
example,
if someone
says,
“Allah”
with full
attention,
angels
descend
upon him.
Jinn also
have
certain
such
powers.
For
instance,
they can
perform
feats with
incredible
speed.
Though
their
power of
intellect
is weak,
they are
able to
move heavy
objects
with great
speed.
Some
verses of
the Qur`an
indicate
that
jinn—like
humans—are
physical
beings.
In
the story
of
Sulayman (ع),
one jinn
claims to
be able to
bring
Bilqis’s
throne to
Sulayman’s
(ع)
court
quicker
than he
can stand
up. Though
he does
not
actually
perform
this feat,
Sulayman (ع)
does not
repudiate
his claim,
indicating
that he
did
possess
such an
ability.
In other
verses,
jinn are
able to
listen to
the Qur`an
being
recited (a
feat
requiring
that they
have the
physical
faculty of
hearing).
Satan’s
Influence
Satan launches
his
assaults
on mankind
from every
direction.
As the
Qur`an
says:
“I
shall
approach
them head
on and
from
behind and
from the
right and
from the
left.”[180]
Satan’s
exerts his
influence
on man’s
thoughts.
He
launches
his
assaults
from
various
fronts, of
which we
mention a
few:
1.
He tries
to deter
man from
worshipping
Allah (awj)
according
to the
requirements
of
revelation
by
tempting
him to act
according
to his own
desires.
2.
He
influences
man’s
ability to
think
rationally
so that
instead of
reaching
conclusions
based on
solid
reasoning,
he accepts
fallacies
that only
seem to be
rational.
3.
He
influences
man’s
ability to
understand
reality as
it is. He
skews
man’s
understanding
or
convinces
him to
reject the
possibility
of
understanding
such
reality.
In this
way, Satan first
corrupts
one’s
perception
of
reality,
then his
ability to
comprehend
reality,
and
finally
his
actions.
The
Qur`an and
ahadith
indicate
that Satan and
his
cohorts
only have
influence
over
people who
have
surrendered
their
devotion
to Allah (awj)
and
who—in a
fit of
heedlessness—have
fallen
into a
stupor of
self-conceit.
Of his own
admission,
he has no
influence
over
Allah’s
(awj) true
servants.
“I
shall
misguide
them all
except
Your
sincere
servants.”[181]
In
philosophical
terms,
Satan’s
immateriality
is not
complete,
therefore
he cannot
reach the
lofty
station
that the
spirits of
the
righteous
enjoy.
However,
this does
not stop
him from
trying to
mislead
such
people.
People
have
invented a
myriad of
myths
about jinn
that do
not make
logical
sense. If
however,
we strip
away the
myths, the
basic
belief in
their
existence
is totally
logical.
In
particular,
we have no
reason to
believe
that
living
beings are
limited to
those
things we
can
perceive.
Rather,
the
ahadith
indicate
that
imperceptible
beings are
more in
number
than
perceptible
ones:
“Allah created
the jinn
of five
types:
a type
like
airborne
odours and
fragrances,
a
snake-like
type, a
type like
scorpions,
a type
like
insects of
the earth,
and a type
like
mankind
who will
have to
give
accounts
and will
receive
retribution.”[182]
As
history
attests,
it is in
large part
because of
the myths
that
people
have
created
around the
jinn that
many
otherwise
rational
scholars
have come
to deny
their
existence
altogether.
In
reality,
each group
has lost
the truth
by going
to
extremes.
Islam
affirms
the
existence
of the
jinn but
rejects
the
fantastic
tales
surrounding
them. It
is for
this
reason
that one
chapter of
the Qur`an
specifically
addresses
the topic
of the
jinn.
It
is
essential
to
remember
that in
the
Islamic
worldview,
all that
exists—whether
they be
angels,
jinn, or
human
beings,
and
whether
they are
material
or
immaterial—are
creations
of Allah (awj),
and can
only act
according
to
Allah’s
(awj)
will.
Allah (awj)
constantly
reminds us
in the
Qur`an
that no
cause,
whether
material
or
immaterial,
can act
independently.
Life and
death,
benefit
and loss,
are all
subservient
to His
power.
Therefore,
one must
always
remember
Him and
trust in
Him and
seek
sanctuary
in Him. It
is by
establishing
such a
relationship
with Allah
(awj) that
one can
inoculate
himself
against
all harm.
As the
Qur`an
says,
“Nothing
can harm
them
except by
Allah’s
leave.”[183]
We
are also
warned
about
human
beings and
jinn who
are evil
(literally,
who are
“satans”),
as one
author
states:
“Never
incline
towards
them.
Satan is
the sworn
enemy of
Allah and
man. He
has taken
a solemn
oath to
misguide
you.
However,
his power
over you
is limited
to
whispered
temptation
and he can
never
negate
your free
will. The
source of
evil
thoughts
is in the
human soul
itself (al-nafs
al-’ammarah).
This
aspect of
the soul
is the
Achilles’
heel of
the human
being
through
which
Satan
acts.
Allah (awj)
has said,
“We
created
man and we
know the
temptations
of his
soul; we
are closer
to him
than his
jugular
vein.[184]
He
also said,
“Indeed
as for My
servants
you do not
have any
authority
over them,
except the
perverse
who follow
you.”[185]
Notes:
