Is Satan in Islam the same as Satan in the Bible?
The sections of this article are:
- Is Satan in Islam the same as Satan in the Bible?
- Satan in the Bible.
- Are the Bible's Books of Chronicles really valid?
- Is the Bible's Book of Job really valid?
- In Islam, when people follow Satan's way of life, they would be
called "Satans".
- Conclusion.
No he is not. The Satan of Islam was a Jinn who was raised with the Angels and lived with them. His name was Iblis:
Let us look at the following Noble Verses from the Noble Quran:
Adam was first created on Earth: "Behold, thy Lord said to the Angels: 'I will create a vicegerent on earth.'...(The Noble Quran, 2:34)"
Iblis became Satan: "Behold! We said to the Angels, 'Bow down to Adam': they bowed down except Iblis. He was One of the Jinns, and he broke the Command of his Lord....(The Noble Quran, 18:50)"
"It is We Who Created you and gave you shape; then We bade the Angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; he refused to be of those who bow down. (Allah) said: 'What prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee? He said: 'I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay. (Allah) said: 'Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art of the meanest (of creatures). He said: 'Give me respite till the day they are raised up. (Allah) said: 'Be thou amongst those who have respite.' He said: 'Because thou hast thrown me out of the Way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy Straight Way: Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt Thou find, in most of them, gratitude (of Thy mercies).' (Allah) said: 'Get out from this, disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee - Hell will I fill with you all. (The Noble Quran, 11-18)"
Iblis was a Jinn who was raised and lived with the Angels. He is a powerful Jinn, and Allah Almighty loved him so much that He treated him like an Angel, until Iblis broke Allah Almighty's Commands and turned into Satan and was expelled with disgrace from the Group of the Angels and from Paradise.
Satan in the Bible:
Jews and Christians assume that Satan was an Angel, even though the Bible never directly claimed that Satan was actually an Angel. Also, the Bible never really talked about how Satan became bad and why? At least the Bible never actually talked about Satan during Adam and Eve's times. It began talking about Satan during Ezra's and then latter Job's (Ayyoob in Arabic) period, 1000's of years after Adam.
Let us look at the first occurrence of Satan in the Bible:
"Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, 'Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.' (From the NIV Bible, 1 Chronicles 21:1-2)"
It is assumed that Ezra was the author of the books of Chronicles in the Bible as discussed in the "Are the books of Chronicles really valid?" section below.
Let us look at little more details about Satan, where he is assumed (without real facts) to be an Angel by the Jews and Christians:
"One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. One day when Job's sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!" At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship. (From the NIV Bible, Job1:6-20)"
Jews and Christians assume that Satan was an Angel from Job 1:6. Notice in that verse, Satan was not really identified as an Angel. It says that GOD Almighty called upon the Angels, and that Satan came with them. He could've been anything other than the Angels, a Jinn for instance as Islam claims, and pushed himself with the crowd of the Angels. "
Job 1:6 does not explicitly say that Satan was an Angel. This is only a Jewish-Christian assumption. Notice how it says "and Satan also came with them", which clearly proves that Satan does not necessarily have to be an Angel.
Also notice in Job 1:8, "Have you considered my servant Job?", which clearly shows that the earliest information the Bible has about Satan was not during Adam and Eve's times, but as I said above during Ezra's and then latter Job's times, which literally came 1000's of years after Adam and Eve.
As I said above, the Bible lacks a great deal of information about Satan's history, especially during Adam's times. The Noble Quran is far more accurate about explaining who Satan is than the Bible.
Are the Bible's Books of Chronicles really valid?
I would like to show you from the NIV Bible's Theologians' and Historians' commentary a sample about how most of the Bible's books are corrupt, unreliable, and their authors' are mysterious. They are definetly not the True Words of GOD Almighty. The commentary about the books of Chronicles is listed with the examples below.
Note: The NIV Bible Book's information (Bibliography) is listed in the following link.
The following was taken from www.answering-christianity.com/authors_gospels.htm
The book of Judges:
"Although, according to tradition, Samuel wrote the book, authorship is actually uncertain."
"The date of the composition is also unknown, but it was undoubtedly during the monarchy."
(From the NIV Bible Commentary, page 322).
Another book with many doubts had been inserted into the Bible. How much more evidence do you need to be convinced that the Bible is corrupted, or to say the least, not a perfect book?
The book of Ruth:
"The author is unknown. Jewish tradition points to Samuel, but it is unlikely that he is the author because the mention of David (4:17,22) implies a later date. (From the NIV Bible Commentary, page 360)"
Same as above.
The books of 1 and 2 Samuel:
"Many questions have arisen pertaining to the literary character, authorship and date of 1,2 Samuel."
"Who the author was cannot be known with certainty since the book itself gives no indication of his identity."
(From the NIV Bible Commentary, page 368).
Again, unknown books with unknown authors had been inserted into the Bible and are now considered GOD's Revelations. What a joke! Since when do we consider man-made stories and narrations as GOD's Revelations?
The books of 1 and 2 Kings:
"There is little conclusive evidence as to the identity of the author of 1,2 Kings."
"Whoever the author was, it is clear that he was familiar with the book of Deuteronomy."
(From the NIV Bible Commentary, page 459).
Again, another unknown books with unknown authors had corrupted the Bible.
The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles:
"According to ancient Jewish tradition, Ezra wrote Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah (see Introduction to Ezra: Literary Form and Authorship), but this cannot be established with certainty. (From the NIV Bible Commentary, page 569)"
Again, another doubtful nonsense had been considered to be GOD's Revelations.
The book of Esther:
"Although we do not know who wrote the book of Esther, from internal evidence it is possible to make some inferences about the author and the date of composition. (From the NIV Bible Commentary, page 707)"
Same as above.
(www.answering-christianity.com/authors_gospels.htm)
Also, please visit Why did Allah Almighty allow for the Bible to get corrupted?
Is the Bible's Book of Job really valid?
How can we even trust the contents of the so-called Book of Job? As I mentioned above, according to the Theologians and Historians of the NIV Bible, most of the Books and Gospels of the Bible were corrupted and tampered with by man. Let us look at what they said about the validity of the Book of Job:
Note: The NIV Bible Book's information (Bibliography) is listed in the following link.
The following was taken from www.answering-christianity.com/authors_gospels.htm
The book of Job:
"Although most of the book consists of the words of Job and his counselors, Job himself was not the author."
"The unknown author probably had access to oral and/or written sources...."
(From the NIV Bible commentary, page 722).
Ironically, the book is named as "The book of Job", but yet, Job was not the author, and no one in this world knows who wrote the book. Today, it is considered GOD's Revelations.
It's quite pathetic to consider unknown people as GOD's Messengers and attribute their work to GOD's real Messengers.
It's obvious that like most of the Bible's book and gospels, the Book of Job had been lost.
(www.answering-christianity.com/authors_gospels.htm)
Also, please visit Why did Allah Almighty allow for the Bible to get corrupted?
In Islam, when people follow Satan's way of life, they would be called "Satans":
The following article/section was written by brother Kamal; may Allah Almighty always be pleased with him.
This section is a refutation to the Christian "Answering Islam" team's article about Satan in Islam:
Note: Please be advised that the word "Hadith" means "Saying" of our Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
A rebuttal on IBLIS Satan
http://answering-Islam.org/Index/index.html
Some hadiths about Satan
It's about some hadiths of Bukhari:
Hadith Bukhari (2:245)
Number:245. Narrated 'Abdullah :
A person was mentioned before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he was told that he
had kept on sleeping till morning and had not got up for the prayer. The
Prophet said, "Satan urinated in his ears."
Hadith Bukhari (4:516)
Number:516. Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "If anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs the
ablution, he should wash his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it
out thrice, because Satan has stayed in the upper part of his nose all the
night."
Hadith Bukhari (4:509)
Number:509. Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said, "Yawning is from Satan and if anyone of you yawns, he
should check his yawning as much as possible, for if anyone of you (during
the act of yawning) should say: 'Ha', Satan will laugh at him."
Hadith Bukhari (2:243)
Number:243. Narrated Abu Huraira
Allah's Apostle said, "Satan puts three knots at the back of the head of any
of you if he is asleep. On every knot he reads and exhales the following
words, 'The night is long, so stay asleep.' When one wakes up and remembers
Allah, one knot is undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot
is undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets up
energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up lazy and
with a mischievous heart."
Hadith Muslim (1:634)
Number:634. Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) as saying: "Do not eat with your left hand, because Satan eats
and drinks with his left hand.''
[Muslim].
Some people on answering-Islam are using some hadiths like above for making them
ridiculous. There are more hadiths like this like one telling Satan sleeps under
your dirty nails, so you should cut them. The hadith starts with a false assumption:
"Iblis is the Islamic name for Satan. " (according to answering-Islam team)
In fact Iblis is the Arabic translation for Devil. Sheytan is Arabic translation
for Satan. However Iblis is a jinn and not the same as the fallen angel of the
christians. And I will show that the concept they have of Satan is not the same as the
Islamic one neither.
Who is or what is Satan?
The base for thinking is their image of Satan, assuming that the Islamic Satan is the same as the Christian “monster” with horns and wings. The Islamic Satan is different and so is the Jewish one. In Christianity Satan is the Devil. But in Islam Satan can be the Devil (Iblis) or some evil person or a synonym of general evil. In Islam Iblis (Devil) is sometimes used as personification of evil but certainly not always. Islamic Satan is often a synonym of evil. Even today some Muslims call USA the big Satan, would you accuse them for thinking USA is the horned winged “monster”? Here are some verses from Quran showing how Satan of Quran is not always Iblis:
4:76 Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject Faith Fight in the cause of Evil: So fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.
28:15 And he entered the city at a time when its people were not watching: and he found there two men fighting,- one of his own religion, and the other, of his foes. Now the man of his own religion appealed to him against his foe, and Moses struck him with his fist and made an end of him. He said: "This is a work of Evil (Satan): for he is an enemy that manifestly misleads!"
Surah (Chapter) 114.
1. Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind,
2. The King (or Ruler) of Mankind,
3. The Allah (for judge) of Mankind,-
4. From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),-
5. (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,-
6. Among Jinns and among men.
So we can see Satan is synonym of evil and can be both among men as jinns. So what is the meaning of the hadith(s)?
Some hadiths put the link between Satan and unhygienic acts or unmannered acts. Like using the right hand for both eating and shaking hands as unhygienic acts. First we have to know that dirt is called evil, and who will disagree with it nowadays?
Bad manners are called evil too. So in trying to understand the hadiths it would be good if u replaced Satan with evil since they are synonyms in some cases.
So is it surprising for a prophet (who is known to be talking in metaphors and examples many times) 1500 years ago to teach barbarian Arabs good morals and hygiene by metaphors and examples? In fact, by first warning them about Iblis and say Iblis is a personification of Satan (evil) it was a very good way to use Satan in reminding them of good morals, manners and about hygiene.
Why make trouble?
When a teacher calls his student something and he gets no answer, a teacher can say: “you have garbage in your ear !”. After this NO ONE would think the teacher really believed the student had garbage in his ear. But sadly some people are searching for points to make the prophet look ignorant. They take the literal meaning of words where it is obvious that they should be taken metaphorically. Such people can hardly be taken serious.
Conclusion:
Satan in Islam is different than Satan in the Bible. The Bible lacks a great deal of
information about Satan's history with GOD Almighty and Adam (Mankind's first creation).
The Bible's Books of 1 Chronicles and Job that talk about Satan are an unreliable and
very doubtful and corrupted books. Their contents can not in anyway be considered as
the True Living Words of GOD Almighty. Therefore, we can not trust any of the
Bible's claims about Satan.
Please visit Why do some Muslims call America and
the West "Great Satan"?
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