A DIALOGUE WITH THE
DEVIL
THE TURNING POINT
IN THE HISTORY OF
MAN AND SHAITAN
(By: M. Javed Naseem)
Arrogance
(‘Takabbar’) is very hateful in the eyes of Allah, the Almighty. Arrogance cost
Iblees (Shaitan or Devil) his high status when he used to hang out with angels
in the Heaven. He was degraded and cursed by Allah for his disobedience (based
on arrogance). Thus Shaitan became the biggest adversary of man (‘Insaan’). Allah
promised him and his followers Hell as their final destination. Here is a brief
dialogue between Allah, the Creator, and Iblees (Shaitan or Devil) as recorded
in the Holy Quran, Surah al-A’raaf, Verses 12-18. That was the turning point in
the history of mankind as Devil became an open enemy to Adam and his offspring
(all human beings):
قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلاَّ تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ قَالَ
أَنَاْ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِى مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ
قَالَ فَٱهْبِطْ مِنْهَا فَمَا يَكُونُ لَكَ أَن
تَتَكَبَّرَ فِيهَا فَٱخْرُجْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلصَّاغِرِينَ
قَالَ أَنظِرْنِى إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ قَالَ إِنَّكَ
مِنَ المُنظَرِينَ
قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لَـأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ
صِرَاطَكَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
ثُمَّ لَـأَتِيَنَّهُمْ مِّن بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ
خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَانِهِمْ
وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ وَلاَ تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ
قَالَ ٱخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُوماً مَّدْحُوراً لَّمَن
تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَـأَمْلَـأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
“(Allah) said: ‘What prevented you from prostrating
when I commanded you?’ He said: ‘I am better than he: You have created me from fire,
and him from clay.’
(Allah) said: ‘Get you down from here: it is not for
you to be arrogant here: get out, for you are of the meanest (of creatures).’
He said: ‘Give me respite till the day they are raised
up.’
(Allah) said: ‘Be you among those who have respite.’
He said: ‘Because you have thrown me out of the way,
lo! I will lie in wait for them on your straight path. Then will I assault them from before
them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor will you find, in most
of them, gratitude (for your mercies).’
(Allah) said: ‘Get out from this, disgraced and
expelled. If any of them follows you, Hell will I fill with you all.” –
(al-Quran 7:12-18).
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