ভূমিকা

(Sura al-Muminun, 23:97-8) The jealous nature of Iblīs Because of his jealous nature, Iblīs has been exiled from the Heaven. He cannot bear man, whom he thought inferior in comparison to himself, attaining nearness to Allah (S.w.T.). Satan has expressed to Allah (S.w.T.), ‘You have made me with fire and have created Adam (a.s.) with soil.

Fire is superior to soil and your ordering me to prostrate before Adam (a.s.) is gross injustice!’ Despite all this, man reaches august position and Satan has been repudiated by Allah (S.w.T.) thus, ‘Get away from here! You are inferior and contemptible. You have no right to brag about your superiority here!’ The human being wishes to achieve nearness to the Creator through prayer.

But Satan tries with all his faculties and stratagems to create hurdles in the way of the person’s progress towards the goal. This he does to satisfy his instinct of jealousy. Satan is such an accursed creature that if he is unable to cause major impediments to the efforts of the person, he will satisfy himself even with small disturbances to the man. For example, if Satan is unable to turn a person into an infidel or hypocrite, he will satisfy himself with making the person commit lesser sins.

Jealousy and pride have nothing to do with Heaven Hadrat Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) says in the Sermon of Qaasiya quoted in the Nahj al-Balaagha : “O people! Satan has rendered himself accursed because of his jealousy. Beware, you too might get involved in jealousy meet the same fate as Satan. Allah (S.w.T.) banished Satan from the Heaven because of his jealousy. He earned the displeasure and ire of Allah (S.w.T.) because of his pride and jealousy.