Page 87 - Satan: The Sworn Enemy of Mankind

Satan's Faction: The Hypocrites

repeatedly against such people. One of the points these verses em-
phasize particularly is the nearness between the hypocrites and
Satan. Therefore, many features of Satan, including his mysterious
thought patterns, are also manifested in the hypocrites. A verse of
the Qur'an refers to the way the hypocrites are completely within
the fold of Satan and join his legions:
Satan has gained mastery over them and made them forget
the remembrance of Allah. Such people are the party of
Satan. No indeed! It is the party of Satan who are the losers.
(Surat al-Mujadala, 19)
It is for this reason that, when we look at Satan's character, we
can also recognize several features also common to the hypocrites.
Like Satan, the hypocrites utter inconsistent and contradictory state-
ments, as well as behave strangely. The most significant feature they
share in common is a superiority-complex. As we know, Satan re-
fused to prostrate himself before the Prophet Adam (as), because of
his errant tendency to regard himself as superior. This insolence of
his is referred to in Surah Sad:
So the angels prostrated, all of them together. Except for
Iblis who was arrogant and was one of the unbelievers. He
said, "Iblis, what prevented you prostrating to what I cre-
ated with My own Hands? Were you overcome by arro-
gance or are you one of the exalted?" He [Satan] said, "I am
better than him. You created me from fire but You created
him from clay." (Surah Sad, 73-76)
This arrogance is also referred to in other verses. For instance,
from Satan's response we can discern that he did not think it fitting
for him to prostrate himself before the Prophet Adam (as) (Surat al-
Isra´, 61). The words, "… I will not prostrate to a human being
whom You have created out of dried clay formed from fetid black

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