Ramadan Lecture Series 1445 A.H.
Presented by Al-Sayyid Abdul Malik Badruddin Al-Houthi
Lecture Fifteen
Friday, 19 Ramadan 1445 A.H. (29 March 2024 A.D.)
Through the Story of Adam in Surah Al-Hijr
(Part Seven)
The reason behind Iblis' refusal to prostrate, his methods of temptation, and the curse he deserved!
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. I believe that there is no god but Allah, the Sovereign and the Manifest Truth, and that Muhammad, our master, is His servant, Messenger, and Last Prophet.
O Allah! Confer Your salat and blessings upon Muhammad and the Family of Muhammad as You conferred Your salat and blessings upon Ibrahim and the Family of Ibrahim. You are Owner of Praise, Owner of Glory! And be pleased with Muhammad's good companions and all Your righteous servants and mujahidin.
O Allah! Guide us and grant us acceptance, for You are the Hearing, the Knowing; accept our repentance, for You are the Relenting and the Merciful.
Brothers and sisters, peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Today, we continue our discussion based on the Quranic verses about the story of Prophet Adam (PBUH) and the beginning of human existence, as we considered presenting some lectures and lessons based on the stories mentioned in the Holy Quran, which contain important and beneficial lessons and insights. We have already talked about what is mentioned in the blessed verses from Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah Al-A'raf. Today, we will briefly discuss what is found in some other surahs.
Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the blessed verses of Surah Al-Hijr, {'And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud’} . Here, Allah clarifies how the creation of man began, which is an important matter. As we mentioned in previous lectures, those people of misguidance and falsehood who are among the devotees of Satan, particularly those connected to Zionism and Judaism, attempt to present the beginning of human existence as something unknown. They then make speculative assumptions based on guesses, doubts, and illusions, rather than on concrete facts. As a result, they have put forth a very distorted view of the beginning of human existence, one that strips it of its dignity, and they focus heavily on this issue.
Jewish ideology is rooted in a devaluation of human dignity and presents false ideas that reinforce the notion that humans are merely animals, evolved from monkeys, lacking any dignity or honour in their creation and role. Allah has clarified for us the beginning of human existence, showing that He (Glory be to Him) created man as an independent being, meaning he is not a branch of another creature or a result of evolution from one animal to another. Rather, He created him directly from the clay of the earth.
We have previously discussed how Allah (Glory be to Him) created humans as earthly beings from the clay of the earth, and their mission is tied to their role as vicegerents on the earth and their responsibilities in this life. Allah (Glory be to Him) clarified that humans were made from the clay of the earth, which was a thick mud—a dark, altered soil due to its constant exposure to water. This clay absorbed water until it changed colour to black. Allah (Glory be to Him) mixed it thoroughly, forming a human-like structure and shape. Thus, it transformed into hard clay. When the moist clay dries completely, it becomes hard, so it makes a sound similar to pottery when struck or tapped. This comparison is illustrated in the Quranic verse in Surah Ar-Rahman: {'like pottery'}. However, pottery is baked and hardened by fire, while this hard clay is dried either by the sun, wind, or other natural elements. So Allah, (Glory be to Him) created man from this material and showed us how the creation of man began from the clay of the earth.
{'And the jinn We created before}—before the creation of humans, as the jinn were created before humans—{from scorching fire'}. They are made from a substance different from that from which Allah created humans. 'Scorching' here means very hot air. In Surah Ar-Rahman, Allah said, {'He created the jinn from the flame of fire'}. Thus, they are created from a fiery flame that comes from fire.
Allah's command to the angels to prostrate to Adam and the reason behind Iblis’ refusal!
{'And when your Lord said to the angels, "Verily, I am going to create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud. And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My soul, then fall down to him in prostration"'}. We spoke about how the angels were created very long before humans and about their role, their worship, and their relationship with the future of humankind, as they have tasks related to human existence. Allah (Glory be to Him) informed them and made it clear to them that He was going to create a human being out of the soil of this earth. Therefore, a man in his composition, skin, and body was created from clay. Indeed, humans were originally created from clay that was created and moulded {'from an altered black mud'}.
{'And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My soul, then fall down to him in prostration."'} When Allah (the Almighty) gives humans their form and structure, He breathes into them the soul, which is what gives life to them. The soul is one of Allah's secrets: {'And they ask you about the soul. Say, "The soul is of the affair of my Lord"'}. Humans do not comprehend the nature of this soul, nor do they know a lot about it. However, when Allah (the Almighty) breathes it into the human being, He gives him life. In addition, in His saying, {'of My soul'}, this has to do with the fact that He is the Creator and Owner of human beings. It has also to do with honouring the soul, as it is an astonishing thing that has a mysterious effect on the formation of human beings. It is an essential component in the formation of human beings. When Allah created man from the soil of the earth, He breathed into him the soul, so it is a crucial addition in the formation of man and has an impact on his life, thoughts, perceptions, qualities, energies, and so on. {'Then fall down to him in prostration"'}—this prostration serves both as an honour to Adam and as an act of worship to Allah (the Almighty) because it was made in accordance with Allah's command and in obedience to Him.
{'So the angels prostrated, all of them entirely'}. The angels themselves, who are of many kinds and hold different ranks and positions, all obeyed Allah's command to prostrate without hesitation. {'Except Iblis; he refused to be among those who prostrated'}. Iblis, who worshipped Allah alongside the angels and among their ranks, strongly refused to prostrate with them. {'Except Iblis; he refused to be among those who prostrated. Allah said, "O Iblis, what is with you that you are not with those who prostrate?"'}. We already clarified that this question from Allah (the Almighty) is meant to reveal to us the reason behind Iblis's refusal to prostrate, although this reason is a flawed motive and cannot represent a legitimate justification. Since understanding this matter is important for us, Allah wanted us to know it through Iblis’s own admission: {'He said, "Never would I prostrate to a human whom You created out of clay from an altered black mud"'}. He made it clear that the reason and motivation behind his disobedience was arrogance—a very serious flaw. He believed that being created from fire made him superior to a being made from clay, which led him to harbour this arrogance, causing him to overlook many truths:
- Firstly, any creature—whether jinn, angels, or humans—must carry out the commands of Allah (Glory be to Him), with one thing in mind: They are the commands of Allah, regardless of any other considerations. Our servitude to Allah makes it incumbent upon us to carry out and obey all His commands. This is a great honour and does not diminish any creature's dignity to obey and act upon Allah's commands. The right of Allah over all His creations (jinn, angels, and humans) is immense; He has the right of divinity over His servants. All creatures are merely servants of Allah (Glory be to Him), so there are no considerations that can justify any creature disobeying His command. This is the first point.
- Secondly, he disregarded his misguided view, as the way he approached this matter makes no sense and has no justification whatsoever. In terms of comparison, Allah creates plants from the soil of this earth, and it also contains many precious and valuable minerals. Soil is not something lowly or trivial; thus, he has no justification for having such a view, which is fundamentally flawed.
- Allah (Glory be to Him) also breathed from His spirit into humans, a crucial element that Iblis completely ignored.
- He also overlooked the faculties, abilities, and potentials that Allah has bestowed upon humanity.
- He ignored the fact that Allah taught Adam all the names.
He ignored everything, which is a result of arrogance. Indeed, arrogance makes a creature (whether human or jinn) become blind to many truths, viewing things from only one perspective based on limited considerations, while forgetting or disregarding other important aspects.
Allah’s decree to expel Iblis from the heavens and curse him until the Day of Judgment!
{'Allah commanded, “Then get out of it, for you are truly an outcast"'}. He was expelled from among the ranks of the angels because the angels exist in a state of worship—a sacred position dedicated solely to worship and obedience to Allah (Glory be to Him). It is not a place for disobedience; thus, he was cast out in disgrace. This is the result of arrogance: humiliation and degradation. {'Then get out of it'}—he lost his position, his worship, and everything. {'For you are truly an outcast.'} He was expelled, and he is entirely forbidden from returning to the angels. {'And surely upon you is the curse until the Day of Judgment'}. He brought this upon himself through his disobedience to Allah, his arrogance, and his transgression, which was a grave one because this transgression—in terms of its motives, causes, essence, and nature—encompasses very grave aspects of disobedience to Allah. He accused Allah of lacking wisdom and knowledge, committing a grave offence against Him. This is a form of disbelief: accusing Him of injustice and questioning His wisdom, as well as objecting to His commands. He combined several elements in his transgression:
- the actual disobedience of refusing to prostrate;
- his objection to the command of Allah, the Almighty;
- accusing Allah (Glory be to Him) of injustice and lack of wisdom; and
- criticising the angels for their prostration, considering them wrong for bowing to Adam and believing they should have refused to do so, just as he did.
Therefore, his transgression encompassed many serious issues, so his sin was grave. However, all that stemmed from his arrogance, and such flaws often lead to numerous serious transgressions.
{'And surely upon you is the curse until the Day of Judgment.'} Allah (Glory be to Him) became angry with him and expelled him—not just from the ranks of the angels, but also from His mercy. Therefore, he will never receive any guidance or success from Allah again; he has become banished from divine mercy. This is the meaning of the curse: {'And surely upon you is the curse until the Day of Judgment.'}{'Allah commanded, “Then get out of it, for you are truly an outcast. And surely upon you is the curse until the Day of Judgment"'}. We seek refuge in Allah! In fact, he deserved this expulsion from Allah's mercy, for he was no longer worthy of that mercy, which would have granted him guidance, right understanding, strength, and forgiveness. As a result, his situation became extremely dire, fostering malice, evil, and criminality within him. He became even more corrupt and distanced himself from the realm of divine mercy, which is a very dangerous state. He fell into a curse that will last until the Day of Judgment, the Day of Recompense. When the reckoning comes, he will head to Jahannam (We seek refuge in Allah), the abode of Allah's curse. Just as Jannah is the abode of Allah's mercy, Jahannam is the abode of His curse.
{'He appealed, "My Lord, then give me respite until the day of their resurrection." He replied, "Indeed, you are of those who have respite until the day of the appointed time"'}. He requested to be granted respite; he wanted to remain alive on one hand and to delay the impending punishment on the other. He was terrified of receiving swift and destructive punishment after Allah cursed him, expelled him from His mercy, and became angry with him. This is a very serious situation. {'He appealed, "My Lord, then give me respite until the day of their resurrection."'} He believes in Allah and His lordship, believes in the Day of Judgment, accountability, Jannah, and the Fire. He knows all these truths, yet he failed to benefit from this knowledge in purifying his soul. He became dangerously self-centred, leading to the growth of selfishness, vanity, and conceit; thus, arrogance emerged within him (We seek refuge in Allah), which is a very perilous condition.
{'He replied, "Indeed, you are of those who have respite}—Allah revealed to him that, according to His divine plan and wisdom, he would be granted this respite, so he would not soon face death or destructive punishment—{until the day of the appointed time."'} So this respite will continue until the appointed time, according to Allah's plan and wisdom. Some say that the day of the appointed time refers to the first blast of the trumpet while others believe it will be prior to that. Allah knows best when that will be—whether it is at the first blast or before it. However, the blessed verse, {'Indeed, you are of those who have respite,'} indicates that he will stay alive without being caught off guard by death or destructive punishment until a late stage in human life.
Iblis vows to lead humanity astray from the path of truth!
{'He said, “My Lord, since You made me go astray, I swear that I will surely tempt them on the earth and mislead them all together"'}. Previously, we discussed what he meant by saying, {'My Lord, since You made me go astray.'} He is blaming Allah for his own deviation! Although he caused himself to go astray due to his sin and his arrogance, he wanted to shift the blame to Allah, arguing why He commanded him to prostrate to Adam as if it were an impossible task for him that would force him into disobedience and deviation from the path of truth. This added another sin to his accumulated sins and represented a grave transgression because he was the one who led himself astray and was the one who brought himself into that state where the flaw of arrogance grew and rooted inside him to that extent (We seek refuge in Allah).
He wants to convey that he will follow that path while motivated by hatred towards Allah (Glory be to Him) and towards humanity. He developed a deep-seated hatred towards Allah and His servants. It is a dangerous state that can arise from some serious sins and deep-seated issues when a creature (whether human or jinn) reaches a point where he harbours hatred for Allah and for people! He insists and swears that he will focus on tempting others. So his primary focus during the time Allah grants him respite will be to lead others astray: His main goal will be to divert and hinder people from the path of truth, the straight path of Allah, and to tempt them away. He wants to focus on this goal, considering that as the greatest and most important way to take revenge. He developed an obsession with vengeance, even though Adam had no fault in what happened to him, nor did the children of Adam have anything to do with that. The fault lies solely with him. Allah has revealed his plan to humanity, which he will pursue, and what he will focus on in his intense animosity. This animosity is beyond what we can imagine; he wants to remain in a state of revenge, targeting the children of Adam through temptation, generation after generation, nation after nation, in every corner of the world! He seeks to comprehensively target them, as indicated by the phrase {'all together.'} His targets all humanity.
Satan’s methods of tempting humans!
He relies—as Allah revealed—on methods of temptation and beautification: {'I will surely tempt them on the earth.'} This temptation is aimed at luring humans into sin. He beautifies for them the things of this world and those things related to their lives, which are connected to the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon them. This is aimed at making them interact with these blessings in a way that shows no gratitude and rather involves misusing these blessings and transgressing against Allah (Glory be to Him), Who has granted humanity immense and abundant blessings. Satan will try to beautify their misuse of these blessings and their poor handling of them. In fact, the blessings from Allah start with ourselves (the abilities, energies, senses, and faculties He has given us) and extend to the bounties He has provided on this earth. So Satan seeks to drive people towards misusing and mishandling Allah’s blessings—both those within themselves and those in the world around them—leading them to act in ways that represent disobedience to Allah (Glory be to Him) and transgression against Him.
He threatens that he will target them all and work to tempt them. As mentioned in Surah Al-A'raf, {'I will approach them from their front, their back, their right, their left'}, he will look for every possible way to influence people, depending on their different vulnerabilities, desires, and ambitions:
- Some people could be influenced by material desires related to food and drink or through sexual urges.
- For others, it could be ambitions related to power, authority, reputation, and so on.
- Some may seek fame, even if through their worship or through certain qualities they wish to be known for, using any means possible, even if it involves disobeying Allah, the Almighty.
- Others could be influenced through anger and emotional outbursts, which can lead to grudges and result in many sins and injustices, among other things.
When it comes to Allah's commands (Glory be to Him) and the shortcomings in fulfilling those commands or the disobedience to what He has instructed us, Satan also focuses on matters related to divine commands and prohibitions, and he uses methods of beautification to tempt and lure people into disobedience, either by violating a command from Allah or by ignoring a prohibition set by Him, the Almighty.
{'Except for Your sincere servants among them'}—despite his intense hatred for humanity and his keenness to tempt them all, from Adam to the last human being, he acknowledges that he cannot lead everyone astray. He knows this is not possible, fully aware of the fact that he cannot realise that devilish desire. Therefore, he makes an exception, saying, {'except for Your sincere servants among them'}. He understands that he has no power over the sincere servants of Allah and cannot influence or tempt them. Why? That is because they are sincere, as he describes them.
The sincere servants of Allah are those who have submitted themselves to Him and devoted themselves entirely to Him (Glory be to Him) and have oriented their lives around this foundation of servitude to Him, the Almighty. Sincerity towards Allah, which helps one get rid of the evil impurities that Satan can exploit as weaknesses, is part of a faith-based program that raises one to rid himself of the harmful impurities that Satan uses to influence him. There are extremely dangerous impurities from which sins stem. For instance, arrogance is a very serious impurity; if it exists within a person, it gives rise to many sins. Similarly, greed is a highly dangerous condition. If it takes root in a person, controls him, grows within him, and becomes deeply entrenched, it becomes a critical vulnerability through which he can be influenced. This is always the case when a person exceeds his balance and wisdom. These are exceedingly dangerous states. They represent a form of transgression that Satan exploits, attempting through them to lead the person into sin.
Allah has laid out a path that Satan cannot obstruct for those who follow it!
{'He said, "This is a right course incumbent upon Me: You have no authority over My servants, only over those who follow you of the deviators. And indeed, Jahannam is the promised place for them all"'}. Allah (the Almighty) clarifies that He will define for His servants the straight path—a path that ensures their salvation, prosperity, and ultimate success. He empowers them to walk this path, making it so that Satan cannot prevent them from following it. Satan lacks the power, authority, or influence to forcibly stop any of them or impede their progress on the straight path.
The problem lies within the person himself when he chooses to follow Satan and respond to him—for Satan only whispers. So if, after Satan's whispering, a person hastens to respond to Satan, follows him, and obeys him, then Satan's influence over him increases. The more one obeys Satan, the greater his influence becomes over him. This corrupts his soul, and the more corrupt his soul becomes, the more he inclines and gravitates more towards Satan and draws closer to him. Satan is malicious and impure, and his soul is corrupted to a very alarming degree. So when a person responds to Satan, his soul becomes corrupted, and he distances himself further and further from the mercy of Allah (Glory be to Him). Moreover, some transgressions are so grave that they carry a curse upon a person. We find in the Holy Quran a list of transgressions for which Allah (Glory be to Him) curses those who commit them because of their severity, evilness, and heinousness. When a person commits them, he is expelled from the mercy of Allah (the Almighty) and loses His guidance, as Allah leaves him to Satan and his influence, which keeps increasing.
{'You have no authority over My servants.'} So Satan has no authority or influence to force people to follow his path of error and divert them from the straight path. He cannot prevent anyone from following the straight path. {'Only over those who follow you of the deviators'}—Satan gains influence over them due to their disobedience to Allah (Glory be to Him), the corruption of their souls, and their distance from His mercy and guidance. In contrast, Allah increases in guidance those who seek it: {'And as for those who are guided, He increases them in guidance and gives them their piety'}. A person’s soul becomes corrupted through sin, and Satan’s influence over him grows stronger. He becomes accustomed to obeying Satan, aligning with the desires that swell within him. These inclinations keep increasing in his heart, and Satan takes advantage of that.
The inevitable and terrifying destiny of Satan’s followers!
{'And verily, Jahannam is the promised place for them all'}—all those who stray from the path of truth, abandon Allah's straight path, and follow Satan. Their ultimate destiny is Jahannam, and Allah is free of any need for them. The disobedience of the disobedient does not harm Him. {'And verily, Jahannam}—the abode of eternal torment, the terrifying punishment, the divine retribution—{is the promised place for them all.'} Though the causes of deviation vary among humanity, since the deviators themselves fall into numerous categories based on the causes of their deviation, all are destined for Jahannam (We seek refuge with Allah).
{'It has seven doors, and each door has its determined part'}. The inhabitants of Jahannam are divided into seven categories, corresponding to the types of their sins, the reasons for their deviation, and the severity of their deviation. The intensity of their torment aligns with their evil deeds, their rebellion, and their transgressions.
{'It has seven doors, and each door has its determined part.'} Therefore, loss is the ultimate outcome of following Satan and straying from the path of truth, the straight path of Allah. Satan himself is doomed to loss, and he seeks to drag others with him into horrific loss. Indeed, he wants to plunge humanity with him into a horrific loss and to make sure that they face severe torment like him. He considers this to be the best way to follow in his war against humanity and his efforts to take revenge on them and satisfy his hatred towards them: The best way in his eyes is the one that can enable him to lead humanity into Jahannam (Allah forbid). {'And each door has its determined part.'} (We seek refuge with Allah!) This is a very serious state.
The key lessons from this blessed story!
From these blessed verses, along with our prior reflections in Surah Al-A’raf and Surah Al-Baqarah, we derive profound lessons regarding this pivotal, sacred story, which emerged at the dawn of human existence. Had humanity truly heeded its wisdom, it would have spared them immense suffering and loss, serving as an important lesson that helps them remain on the right course in this life.
Allah (Glory be to Him) honoured humanity in creation, shaping them in the finest form and endowing them with unique energies, abilities, and potentials. Humans are noble beings, not merely another species of animal as promoted in the West. The Western perspective equates humans with mere animals and reduces human life’s purpose to needs like food, drink, shelter, and reproduction—just like other animals—stripping humans of their true role, responsibilities, and the esteemed position Allah prepared for them when He breathed His spirit into them. Divine guidance, in contrast, offers a balanced, holistic framework that fulfils both physical and spiritual needs, harmonising the demands of the body and that of the soul and what elevates them in this life.
We can clearly see how we stand in dire need of the guidance and teachings of Allah (Glory be to Him) and how one becomes more vulnerable to Satanic influence if he distances himself from divine teachings, ignores them, or turns his back on them. No matter how intelligent, knowledgeable, or capable one may be, severing ties with divine guidance leaves one vulnerable to corruption. No matter how intelligent or understanding someone is, no matter his knowledge or background, if he is not connected to the guidance of Allah, he becomes susceptible to temptation and Satanic influence at the level of thought and perception. Satan strives to mislead people in their thinking, their perceptions, and how they view things; he beautifies the ugly so they see it as good and presents them with a false understanding of matters, through which he encourages or entangles them into disobedience to Allah (the Almighty), making go against His commands and prohibitions.
Satan likewise preys upon human desires and impulses. Islam, through its divine guidance, purifies the human soul and fosters sound judgment and right understanding. The wise teachings of Allah (Glory be to Him) also come to, when adhered to, shield a person from falling prey to distorted perceptions. This is because such a person does not allow any room for ideas that differ from the guidance and teachings of Allah, the Almighty. He believes that divine teachings are the most valuable and wise and grant him wisdom, success, and salvation. Therefore, he does not open the door to other perceptions or ideas, nor does he allow Satan to disrupt his balance regarding his instincts, motives, and emotions. Instead, through the guidance of Allah (Glory be to Him), he gains purification of the soul, which guides, organises, and balances his instincts and emotions. It regulates them through divine guidance and teachings, thereby closing the gap that Satan exploits to mislead him (May Allah protect us from that).
That is enough for today.
We ask Allah (Glory be to Him) to grant us success in seeking what pleases Him. O Allah! Have mercy on our virtuous martyrs, heal the wounded among us, set free our captives, and grant us victory. You are the Hearer of Prayer!
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.