Editing Devil (section)

== Islam ==
{{main|Azazil|Iblis}}
{{see also|Satan#Islam}}
[[File:Adam honored.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Iblis]] (top right on the picture) refuses to prostrate before the newly created [[Adam]] from a [[Persian miniature]].]]
In Islam, the principle of evil is expressed by two terms referring to the same entity:<ref>Jane Dammen McAuliffe ''Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān'' Brill 2001 {{ISBN|978-90-04-14764-5}} p. 526</ref><ref name="ReferenceE">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages'', Cornell University Press 1986 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49429-1}}, p. 57</ref><ref>Benjamin W. McCraw, Robert Arp ''Philosophical Approaches to the Devil'' Routledge 2015 {{ISBN|978-1-317-39221-7}}</ref> ''[[Shaitan]]'' (meaning ''astray'', ''distant'' or ''devil'') and ''[[Iblis]]''. Iblis is the proper name of the devil representing the characteristics of evil.<ref name="ReferenceF">Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|978-90-420-2231-7}} p. 250</ref> Iblis is mentioned in the [[Quran]]ic narrative about the creation of humanity. When [[God in Islam|God]] created [[Adam in Islam|Adam]], he ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before him. Out of pride, Iblis refused and claimed to be superior to Adam.{{Cite-quran ayah|7|12|s=y|b=yl}} Therefore, pride but also envy became a sign of "unbelief" in Islam.<ref name="ReferenceF"/> Thereafter, Iblis was condemned to Hell, but God granted him a request to lead humanity astray,<ref>{{qref|17|62|b=y}}</ref> knowing the righteous would resist Iblis's attempts to misguide them. In Islam, both good and evil are ultimately created by God. But since God's will is good, the evil in the world must be part of God's plan.<ref name="ReferenceG">Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|978-90-420-2231-7}} p. 249</ref> Actually, God allowed the devil to seduce humanity. Evil and suffering are regarded as a test or a chance to prove confidence in God.<ref name="ReferenceG"/> Some philosophers and mystics emphasized Iblis himself as a role model of confidence in God. Because God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves, Iblis was forced to choose between God's command and God's will (not to praise someone other than God). He successfully passed the test, yet his disobedience caused his punishment and therefore suffering. However, he stays patient and is rewarded in the end.<ref>Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|978-90-420-2231-7}} pp. 254–255</ref>

Muslims hold that the [[Pre-Islamic Arabia|pre-Islamic]] [[jinn]], [[Tutelary deity|tutelary deities]], became subject under [[Islam]] to the judgment of God, and that those who did not submit to the law of God are [[Shaitan|devils]].<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 58</ref>

Although Iblis is often compared to the devil in [[Christian theology]], Islam rejects the idea that [[Satan]] is an opponent of God and the implied struggle between God and [[the devil]].{{clarify|date=June 2021}} Iblis might either be regarded as ''the most monotheistic'' or ''the greatest sinner'', but remains only a creature of God. Iblis did not become an [[unbeliever]] due to his disobedience, but because of attributing injustice to God; that is, by asserting that the command to prostrate himself before [[Adam]] was inappropriate.<ref>Sharpe, Elizabeth Marie ''Into the realm of smokeless fire: (Qur'an 55:14): A critical translation of al-Damiri's article on the jinn from "[[Hayat al-Hayawan al-Kubra]]'' 1953 The University of Arizona download date: 15/03/2020</ref>  There is no reference to angelic revolt in the [[Quran]] and no mention of Iblis trying to take God's throne,<ref>{{cite book|first=Amira|last=El-Zein|title=Islam, Arabs, and Intelligent World of the Jinn|publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]]|date=2009|isbn=978-0815650706|page=46}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Stephen J.|last=Vicchio|title=Biblical Figures in the Islamic Faith|publisher=[[Wipf and Stock]]|location=Eugene, Oregon|date=2008|isbn=978-1556353048|pages=175–185}}</ref> and Iblis's [[sin]] could be forgiven at any time by God.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Nader|last1=Ahmadi|first2=Fereshtah|last2=Ahmadi|title=Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual|publisher=[[Axel Springer]]|location=Berlin, Germany|date=1998|isbn=978-0-230-37349-5|page=80}}</ref> According to the Quran, Iblis's disobedience was due to his disdain for [[human|humanity]], a narrative already occurring in early [[New Testament apocrypha]].<ref>{{cite book|first1=Alberdina|last1=Houtman|first2=Tamar|last2=Kadari|first3=Marcel|last3=Poorthuis|first4=Vered|last4=Tohar|title=Religious Stories in Transformation: Conflict, Revision and Reception|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|location=Leiden, Germany|date=2016|isbn=978-9-004-33481-6|page=66}}</ref> 

As in Christianity, Iblis was once a pious creature of God but later cast out of Heaven due to his pride. However, to maintain God's absolute sovereignty,<ref>Amira El-Zein ''Islam, Arabs, and Intelligent World of the Jinn'' Syracuse University Press 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-8156-5070-6}} p. 45</ref> Islam matches the line taken by Irenaeus instead of the later Christian consensus that the devil did not rebel against God but against humanity.<ref name="ReferenceB">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press, 1987, {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 56</ref><ref name="ReferenceE"/> Further, although Iblis is generally regarded as a real bodily entity,<ref name="ReferenceH">Cenap Çakmak ''Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia [4 volumes]'' ABC-CLIO 2017 {{ISBN|978-1-610-69217-5}} p. 1399</ref> he plays a less significant role as the personification of evil than in Christianity. Iblis is merely a tempter, notable for inciting humans into sin by ''whispering'' into humans minds (''waswās''), akin to the Jewish idea of the devil as ''[[yetzer hara]]''.<ref name="ReferenceI">Fereshteh Ahmadi, Nader Ahmadi ''Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual'' Springer 1998 {{ISBN|978-0-230-37349-5}} p. 79</ref><ref>Nils G. Holm, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=A9unBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA54 The Human Symbolic Construction of Reality: A Psycho-Phenomenological Study]'', LIT Verlag Münster, 2014 {{ISBN|978-3-643-90526-0}}, p. 54.</ref>

On the other hand, ''Shaitan'' refers unilaterally to forces of evil, including the devil Iblis who causes mischief.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/shaitan "Shaitan, Islamic Mythology"].  ''Encyclopaedia Britannica''.  Retrieved 23 June 2019.</ref> Shaitan is also linked to humans' psychological nature, appearing in dreams, causing anger, or interrupting the mental preparation for prayer.<ref name="ReferenceH"/> Furthermore, the term ''Shaitan'' also refers to beings who follow the evil suggestions of Iblis. Also, the principle of ''shaitan'' is in many ways a symbol of spiritual impurity, representing humans' own deficits, in contrast to a "[[Mumin|true Muslim]]", who is free from anger, lust and other devilish desires.<ref>Richard Gauvain, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=AJ6gL2iwhy8C&pg=PA74 Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God]'', Routledge, 2013, {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}}, p. 74.</ref>

In Muslim culture, devils are believed to be hermaphrodite creatures created from hell-fire, with one male and one female thigh, and able to procreate without a mate. It is generally believed that devils can harm the souls of humans through their whisperings. While whisperings tempt humans to sin, the devils might enter the [[Qalb|hearth]] (''qalb'') of an individual. If the devils take over the soul of a person, this would render them aggressive or insane.<ref>Bullard, A. (2022). Spiritual and Mental Health Crisis in Globalizing Senegal: A History of Transcultural Psychiatry. US: Taylor & Francis.</ref> In extreme cases, the alterings of the soul are believed to have effect on the body, matching its spiritual qualities.<ref>Woodward, Mark. Java, Indonesia and Islam. Deutschland, Springer Netherlands, 2010. p. 88</ref>

=== In Sufism and mysticism ===
{{See also|Nafs}}
In contrast to Occidental philosophy, the Sufi idea of seeing "Many as One" and considering the creation in its essence as the Absolute, leads to the idea of the dissolution of any dualism between the ego substance and the "external" substantial objects. The rebellion against God, mentioned in the Quran, takes place on the level of the [[Nafs|psyche]] that must be trained and disciplined for its union with the [[Ruh|spirit]] that is pure. Since psyche drives the body, ''flesh'' is not the obstacle to humans but rather an unawareness that allows the impulsive forces to cause rebellion against God on the level of the psyche. Yet it is not a dualism between body, psyche and spirit, since the spirit embraces both psyche and corporeal aspects of humanity.<ref>Fereshteh Ahmadi, Nader Ahmadi ''Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual'' Springer 1998 {{ISBN|978-0-230-37349-5}} p. 81-82</ref> Since the world is held to be the mirror in which God's attributes are reflected, participation in worldly affairs is not necessarily seen as opposed to God.<ref name="ReferenceI"/> The devil activates the selfish desires of the psyche, leading the human astray from the Divine.<ref>John O'Kane, Bernd Radtke, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=BsrbAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA48 The Concept of Sainthood in Early Islamic Mysticism: Two Works by Al-Hakim Al-Tirmidhi – An Annotated Translation with Introduction]'', Routledge, 2013, {{ISBN|978-1-136-79309-7}}, p. 48.</ref> Thus, it is the ''[[I (pronoun)|I]]'' that is regarded as evil, and both Iblis and [[Pharaohs in the Bible|''Pharao'']] are present as symbols for uttering "I" in ones own behavior. Therefore, it is recommended to use the term ''I'' as little as possible. It is only God who has the right to say "I", since it is only God who is self-subsistent. Uttering "I" is therefore a way to compare oneself to God, regarded as ''[[Shirk (Islam)|shirk]]''.<ref>Peter J. Awn, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=D4D3S2iwnUQC&pg=PA93 Satan's Tragedy and Redemption: Iblis in Sufi Psychology]'', BRILL, 1983, {{ISBN|978-90-04-06906-0}}, p. 93.</ref>

=== Islamist movements ===
{{See also|Taghut}}
Many [[Salafism|Salafi]] strands  emphasize a [[Dualistic cosmology|dualistic]] worldview between believers and unbelievers,<ref>Thorsten Gerald Schneiders, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=cKkWBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA392 Salafismus in Deutschland: Ursprünge und Gefahren einer islamisch-fundamentalistischen Bewegung]'', transcript Verlag 2014, {{ISBN|978-3-8394-2711-8}},  p. 392 (German).</ref> The unbelievers are considered to be under the domain of the Devil and are the enemies of the faithful. The former are credited with tempting the latter to sin and away from God's path. The Devil will ultimately be defeated by the power of God, but remains until then a serious threat for the believer.<ref>Richard Gauvain, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=AJ6gL2iwhy8C&pg=PA74 Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God]'', Routledge, 2013, {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}}, p. 67.</ref> 

The notion of a substantial reality of evil (or a form of dualism between God and the Devil) has no precedence in the Quran or earlier Muslim traditions.<ref>Leezenberg, Michiel. "Evil: A comparative overview." The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Evil (2019): 360-380. p. 22</ref>  The writings of ibn Sina, Ghazali, and ibn Taimiyya, all describe evil as the absence of good, rather than having any positive existence. Accordingly, infidelity among humans, civilizations, and empires are not described as evil or devilish in Classical Islamic sources.<ref>Leezenberg, Michiel. "Evil: A comparative overview." The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Evil (2019): 360-380. p. 22</ref> This is in stark contrast to Islamists, such as [[Osama bin Laden]], who justifies his violence against the infidels by contrary assertions.<ref>Leezenberg, Michiel. "Evil: A comparative overview." The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Evil (2019): 360-380. p. 22</ref> 

While in classical [[hadith]]s, devils (''shayāṭīn'') and [[jinn]] are responsible for ritual impurity, many Salafis substitute local demons by an omnipresent threat through the Devil himself.<ref>Richard Gauvain, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=AJ6gL2iwhy8C&pg=PA68 Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God]'', Routledge, 2013, {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}}, p. 68.</ref>  Only through remembrance of God and ritual purity, can the devil be kept away.<ref>Richard Gauvain, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=AJ6gL2iwhy8C&pg=PA69 Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God]'', Routledge, 2013, {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}}, p. 69.</ref> As such, the Devil becomes an increasingly powerful entity who is believed to interfer with both personal and political life.<ref>Michael Kiefer, Jörg Hüttermann, Bacem Dziri, Rauf Ceylan, Viktoria Roth, Fabian Srowig, Andreas Zick ''"Lasset uns in shaʼa Allah ein Plan machen": Fallgestützte Analyse der Radikalisierung einer WhatsApp-Gruppe'' Springer-Verlag 2017 {{ISBN|978-3-658-17950-2}} p. 111</ref> For example, many Salafis blame the Devil for [[Western world|Western]] [[emancipation]].<ref>Janusz Biene, Christopher Daase, Julian Junk, Harald Müller ''Salafismus und Dschihadismus in Deutschland: Ursachen, Dynamiken, Handlungsempfehlungen'' Campus Verlag 2016 9783593506371 p. 177 (German)</ref>