Kibr and Kufr of Shaytan

Kibr (pride/arrogance) and Kufr (disbelief) are ‘Mutalaziman,’ i.e., the former necessarily leads to the latter. Such was the case of Shaytan, “And (remember) when We said to the Angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ And they prostrated except Iblees, he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (Kuffar).” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 34]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) described Kibr saying, “Kibr is dissatisfaction with the truth, and belittling the people.” [Reported by Saheeh Muslim]

Iblees openly expressed his Kibr (pride) when he did not contend himself with obeying the Command of Allah. He showed dissatisfaction with His Wisdom and belittled Adam (Peace be upon him). “Allah questioned Iblees, “What prevented you that you did not prostrate, when I commanded you?” Iblees said, “I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.” [Surah Al-A’raf (7): 12-13] So, Allah dismissed Iblees, He said, “(O Iblees) get down from this (Paradise),” and He, the Most High, cited the reason for dispelling him from Paradise, He said, “It is not for you to be arrogant here.” ”

Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said while explaining the categories of Kufr, “The major Kufr is of five kinds[1], Kufr of denial, Kufr of arrogance and pride, Kufr of aversion, Kufr of doubt, and Kufr of hypocrisy…

The Kufr of arrogance and pride was the Kufr of Shaytan because he did not deny the Command of Allah, or reject it but he met it with pride and arrogance.

From this (type of Kufr) was the Kufr of those who knew and believed that Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon him) had come with the truth from Allah but did not acknowledge it out of pride and arrogance. …It was the Kufr of the Jews[2], “then when there came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it.” [Madaarijus-Salikeen, 1/364­367]

So, the reason behind the expulsion of Iblees from Paradise was pride. A proud person considers himself self-sufficient and in no need of Allah, the Exalted. Each additional thing that one becomes proud of, builds his ego which is detestable to Allah, Who says in a Qudsi Hadeeth, “Pride is My Cloak, and Glory is My wrap, so he who competes Me in either of these, I will cast him into the Fire.” [Reported by Musnad Ahmad and Abu Dawood]

Every action has a time and a place in which it occurs and we neither possess the time nor the place. None possesses the power to maintain his life even for a moment! So how can any man or any creation take pride in anything? Verily, Allah Alone is, “the Irresistible, the Proud…” [Surah Hashr (59): 23]

So, pride, which is in fact self-praise, is forbidden for the servants of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said, “Indeed, Allah revealed to me, humble yourselves until none is proud over another and none is oppressive over another.” [Reported by Saheeh Muslim]

“When you read a verse of prostration then prostrate, Shaytan departs crying and says,

‘Woe be to him. He was ordered with prostration and he prostrated - so for him is Paradise. I was ordered with prostration and I refused - so for me is the Fire.’” [Reported by Saheeh Muslim]

Although Iblees was expelled from Paradise due to his arrogant behavior, Allah postponed his death until the Day of Judgement when, “(Iblees) said, ‘Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).’ (Allah) said, ‘You are of those allowed respite.’” [Surah al-A’raf (7): 14-15]

Imam Ibn Katheer writes, “Allah gave Shaytan what he asked for out of His wisdom, being His decision and decree that is never prevented or resisted.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer] So, what is the wisdom behind Shaytan, who is banished from Allah’s Mercy, being granted his request? Discussing the wisdom why Iblees will remain alive until the end of the world, Imam Ibnul-Qayyim cited the following reasons (mentioned in brief);

A) Allah’s Wisdom decreed that the father of mankind should be tested, and that his children after him should be tested as well. Those who fight against Shaytan will achieve salvation and those who go along with him will share his fate. So Shaytan should remain alive in order to fulfill the aim for which he was created.

B) Allah is All-Just and He compensates every good deed. In case of the believer, He rewards him in this world and the Hereafter, while the disbelievers are allotted their rewards in this world without any recompense waiting for them in the Hereafter.

Abu Dawood At-Tayalisi recorded in his Musnad that Anas said that the Messenger of Allah said,

“Allah does not wrong the faithful even concerning one good action, for he will be rewarded for it by provision in this life and awarded for it in the Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, he will be given provision in this life for his good action, and on the Day of Resurrection, he will not have any good deed.” [Quoted from Tafseer Ibn Katheer]

So, Iblees was given respite as a reward for some of the good deeds that he had performed in the past.

C) The sin of Iblees was extremely serious; he questioned Allah’s Wisdom and persisted in disobeying Him. Moreover, he is the leader and origin of evil and disbelief. He should thus be punished accordingly for all the evils that follow his foremost transgression. So, Iblees was given respite in order to increase in sin. Respite until the Day of Resurrection is not an honor for him. In his case, death would have been better; it would reduce his evil and punishment.

D) Allah knew that there would be among Adam’s offspring those who will not be fit to dwell in Paradise. He left those people to be misguided by Iblees, so he may lie in wait for them and every time one of them passes by, he does what he likes with them.

Iblees deserved to be led astray because of what his hands earned for him. He took pride in himself and was not considerate of the fact that Allah is the One, Who created him and taught him everything he knew. So, Allah left him alone with his pride and he was misguided as a result.

The initiation was thus, from Shaytan (i.e., pride, rebellion and disobedience), and so he deserved to be left alone and as a result, he was misguided and fell in Kufr. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that, “Allah guides not the people who are al-Fasiqoon (the rebellious and disobedient).” [Surah al-Ma’idah (5): 108]

Allah is not unjust to anyone, injustice comes from the soul, when the creation does injustice to himself and takes the path of Kufr, Allah leaves him to the way he chooses - even if he chooses Kufr because Allah is in no need of His creation if they turn away.