Iblīs Was Not an Angel but a Jinn – Qur’ān and Ḥadīth Evidences

Initial Clarification:

الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!

In the Holy Quran, Surah Al-Kahf, verse number 50, Allah Almighty says:

﴿وَإِذ قُلنا لِلمَلـٰئِكَةِ اسجُدوا لِـٔادَمَ فَسَجَدوا إِلّا إِبليسَ كانَ مِنَ الجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَن أَمرِ‌ رَ‌بِّهِ﴾

“And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ they prostrated, except for Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he disobeyed the command of his Lord.”

Translations by Various Exegetes

• ◈ Shah Waliullah Dehlawi: “Remember when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ so they prostrated except for Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he disobeyed the command of his Lord.”
  Reference: (p.361)
• ◈ Shah Abdul Qadir Dehlawi: “And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ they all prostrated except Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he fled from the command of his Lord.”
  Reference: (p.361)
• ◈ Ashraf Ali Thanwi Deobandi: “And when We commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, all prostrated except Iblis. He was among the jinn, so he turned away from the command of his Lord.”
  Reference: (Bayan al-Quran vol.6 p.124)
• ◈ Ahmad Raza Khan Barelvi: “And remember when We told the angels to prostrate to Adam, all prostrated except Iblis. He was from the jinn, so he disobeyed the command of his Lord.”
  Reference: (p.479)
• ◈ Pir Muhammad Karam Shah Bheervi: “And remember when We commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, all prostrated except Iblis. He was from the jinn, so he disobeyed the command of his Lord.”
  Reference: (Zia al-Quran vol.3 p.34)

Clear Conclusion from This Verse

Peer Muhammad Karam Shah writes:
“These words make it clear that Iblis was not an angel but a jinn.”

Support from Hadith

It is narrated from Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«خلقت الملائکة من نور و خلق ابلیس من نار السموم و خلق آدم علیه السلام مما قد و صف لکم»

“Angels were created from light, and Iblis was created from a scorching fire with a dark, intense flame, and Adam (peace be upon him) was created from that (clay) whose condition has been explained to you.”

Statements of the Followers and Exegetes

• ◈ Hasan Basri (may Allah have mercy on him):

  ما کان إبلیس من الملائکة طرفة عین قط و إنه لأصل الجن کما أن آدم علیه السلام أتل الإنس

  “Iblis was never among the angels. Just as Adam (peace be upon him) is the origin of humans, similarly Iblis is the origin of the jinn.”

  Reference: (Tafsir al-Tabari 179/1, 170/15 and Sahih Ibn Kathir in his Tafsir 222/4, Al-Kahf: 50, Kitab al-Azmah by Abi al-Sheikh 1681/5 Hadith 1129, and its chain is authentic)

Statements of Those Who Consider Iblis an Angel

• ◈ Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him):

  کان إبلیس اسمه عزازیل و کان من أشرف الملائکة من ذوی الأربعة الإجنحة ثم ابلیس بعد

  “Iblis’ name was Azazil and he was among the high-ranking angels with four wings, then he became Iblis.”

  Reference: (Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim 84/1, Hadith 361 and its authentic chain)
• ◈ Qatadah Tabi’i:

  ابلیس فرشتوں کے اس قبیلے میں سے تھا جسے جن کہتے ہیں۔

  Reference: (Tafsir Abdul Razzaq: 1687, and its authentic chain, Tafsir Tabari 178/1, 179, 170/15, and its authentic chain)
• ◈ Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) and other Companions:

  جعل إبلیس علی ملک سماء الدنیا و کان من قبیلة من الملائکة یقال لهم الجن و إنما سموا الجن الأنهم خزان الجنة و کان إبلیس مع ملکة خازنا

  “Iblis was appointed over the kingdom of the heavens of the world, and he was among those angels who are called jinn. They were the treasurers of Paradise and Iblis was also a treasurer.”

  Reference: (Tafsir Ibn Jarir al-Tabari 178/1, and its good chain)

Preferred Opinion and Evidence

When the pious predecessors differ, the Quran and Hadith are given preference. The preferred view on this issue is that Iblis was a jinn, with the following evidence:

1. ➊ Clear Text of the Holy Quran

   ﴿كانَ مِنَ الجِنِّ﴾

   Reference: (Al-Kahf: 50)
2. ➋ Iblis was created from fire
   Reference: (Hadith Sahih Muslim: 2996)
3. ➌ Angels do not have offspring, Iblis has offspring
   Reference: (See Surah Al-Kahf: 50)
4. ➍ Angels do not disobey Allah, Iblis did
   Reference: (See Surah At-Tahrim: 6)
5. ➎ Those who call Iblis an angel base their statements on Isra’iliyat, not on Quran and Hadith

Explanation by Dr. Zakir Naik (Book: Rational and Textual Answers to 40 Objections on Islam, Maktabah Dar-us-Salam)

Iblis is called an angel in various places in the Quran, but in Surah Al-Kahf he is referred to as a jinn. Is this a contradiction?

• ◈ There is no contradiction in the Quran
  Mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah, Al-A’raf, Al-Hijr, Bani Isra’il, Taha, Sad:
  ﴿إِلّا إِبليسَ﴾ (Did not prostrate)
• ◈ Explanation in Surah Al-Kahf, verse 50:
  ﴿كانَ مِنَ الجِنِّ﴾
• ◈ Rule of majority (taghlib):
  According to the rules of Arabic grammar, if the address is to the majority group (angels) and a minority group (Iblis) is also present, then the mention of the minority group is included incidentally.
• ◈ Nowhere in the Quran is it stated that Iblis was an angel.
• ◈ Jinn were given free will, angels were not:
  Those who can disobey, are jinn, not angels.
  Therefore, Iblis’s disobedience is proof that he was a jinn, not an angel.

Summary:

Iblis, who is Satan, was not an angel but a jinn.
The clear text of the Quran, hadiths, sayings of the Tabi‘in, and rational arguments all confirm this fact.