Authored by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (Hafizahullah)
“[Allah] 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.’”
(Surah Al-A'raf: 12)
قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَكَ هَٰذَا الَّذِي كَرَّمْتَ عَلَيَّ لَئِنْ أَخَّرْتَنِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَأَحْتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
“[Satan] said, ‘Do You see this one whom You have honored above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few.’”
(Surah Al-Isra: 62)
Iblis vowed to mislead Adam’s descendants, driven by his jealousy of the honor Allah bestowed upon humanity. This incident highlights how envy became the root of the first act of disobedience against Allah and serves as a warning for humanity to guard against this destructive trait.
Question:
Who was the first being to show envy?Response:
The first being to harbor envy was Satan (Iblis). The foundation of the first disobedience in the universe was rooted in envy when Iblis envied the elevated status that Allah had granted to Adam (AS).Evidence from the Quran:
قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ“[Allah] 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.’”
(Surah Al-A'raf: 12)
قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَكَ هَٰذَا الَّذِي كَرَّمْتَ عَلَيَّ لَئِنْ أَخَّرْتَنِ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَأَحْتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا
“[Satan] said, ‘Do You see this one whom You have honored above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few.’”
(Surah Al-Isra: 62)
Explanation:
The refusal of Iblis to prostrate before Adam (AS) was driven by envy and arrogance. Iblis believed that his creation from fire was superior to Adam’s creation from clay, leading him to question Allah’s wisdom and decision. His envy not only caused his own downfall but also set the foundation for his enmity towards Adam’s progeny.Iblis vowed to mislead Adam’s descendants, driven by his jealousy of the honor Allah bestowed upon humanity. This incident highlights how envy became the root of the first act of disobedience against Allah and serves as a warning for humanity to guard against this destructive trait.