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Fatwa CenterWhy satan refused to obey the Command of Allaah
Question
I have a doubt about Satan's refusal to obey the command of Allah. Human beings defy Allah as most of them are doubtful. But,how Satan, as he might have seen the hell,defy Allah's commandment? or is it that, as he has been created of fire,it won't hurt him? Kindly clear my doubt.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Allaah clarified to us in His Book that the pride and ignorance that Iblees (the devil) had, were the reasons which led him to disobey his Lord and Creator, because he thought that the fire was better than clay [i.e. the earth].
Allaah Says (what means): {[Allaah] said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?” [Satan] said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay [i.e. earth].”}[Quran 7:12] Allaah also Says (what means): {Except Iblees; he was arrogant and became among the disbelievers.}[Quran 38:74]
The reason of his disobedience was not because he believed that the fire will not affect him because he was created from it. He, the accursed, knew that Allaah was able to punish him. It is for this reason that he asked Allaah not to destroy him and delay his death to the Day of Judgment, because he knew that there is no death after the Day of Judgment.
Allaah did not answer his request but He delayed his appointed time to the Day of a well-known time which only Allaah knows and which Iblees does not know. At that time, Iblees will die and will be resurrected [like all other created being].
Allaah Knows best.
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