Page 22 - Satan: The Sworn Enemy of Mankind

SATAN: THE SWORN ENEMY OF MANKIND

was incepted. However, it must not be forgotten that Allah created
Satan, with all these propensities, and that he is a factor under our
Lord's command. In other words, Satan has no power independent
from Allah. Nevertheless, according to the deviant belief, wide-
spread due the ignorance of today's societies, a power struggle ex-
ists between Satan and Allah. Therefore, according to this opinion,
when Satan manages to turn people away from the true path, he will
have gained the victory over Allah (Allah is surely beyond that).
The truth is, however, that Satan is only able to carry out all that
he does by the permission of Allah. Due this same fact, though,
Satan is at times able to influence a great majority of human beings.
Yet, he can do nothing without Allah's leave. The period of time re-
quested by Satan, that is, the respite granted by Allah, is related as
follows in the Qur'an:
"He [Satan] said, "My Lord, grant me a reprieve until the
Day they are raised again." He [Allah] said, "You are among
the reprieved." (Surat al-Hijr, 36-37)
In another verse, the respite accorded to Satan is described as
follows:
He [Satan] said, "Do you see this creature you have honored
over me? If You reprieve me till the Day of Rising, I will be
the master of his descendants except for a very few." He
[Allah] said, "Go! And as for any who follow you, your re-
payment is Hell, repayment in full!" (Surat al-Isra´, 62-63)
As can be discerned from these verses, Satan acts under within
the confines of the will of Allah. He is aware that Allah is the Lord of
the Worlds. Indeed, while declaring that he will insinuate sugges-
tions into human beings, Satan swears on the greatness of Allah:
He [Satan] said, "By Your might, I will mislead all of them."
(Surah Sad, 82)

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