Page 20 - Satan: The Sworn Enemy of Mankind

SATAN: THE SWORN ENEMY OF MANKIND
This is a point those who opposed the messengers and waged
war against them were unable to accept. Unbelievers are unable to
accept a normal human being like themselves as having been im-
parted the role of messenger. This envy and haughty rebellion is
founded on the same perverted belief as Iblis' when he refused to
prostrate himself before the Prophet Adam (as). The following verse
refers to the way in which most people have been unable to find the
path to salvation, for just that reason:
Nothing prevents people from believing when guidance
comes to them but the fact that they say, "Has Allah sent a
human being as Messenger?" (Surat al-Isra´, 94)
A curious enigma governs Iblis' rebellion. Iblis is an entity pos-
sessed of knowledge, having himself witnessed to the existence of
Allah. He has knowledge of the angels, and is cognizant of man's
creation. He is also aware of Allah's greatness and might, as well as
of the torment of Hell.
The mystery of the illogic of Iblis, and of all those who follow
him, is in their propensity to oppose the commandments of Allah,
thereby becoming unbelievers, despite first-hand knowledge of the
existence and oneness of Allah. This is a most puzzling phenome-
non. With such knowledge available, Iblis should have been of the
most profound faith. His degree of awareness should lead him to be
eternally obedient and reverent to Allah. Yet, Iblis embarked on a
course of action that not even the person least aware of such facts
would have been courageous enough to do.
The mystery of Iblis' irrationality does not end there. Despite
committing a sin so great as to incite others to deny Allah, he never-
theless admits to fearing Him. This indicates a particularly diseased
pattern of thought:
They are like Satan when he says to a human being,

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