In the previous article, we saw that the Quran references Satan as Iblees before his fall. The Quran also informs us that Iblees was an angel that became a jinn after he disobeyed God. The most comprehensive verse depicting this is the following:
18:50 We said to the angels, “Fall prostrate before Adam.” They fell prostrate, except Iblees (Satan). He became a jinn, for he disobeyed the order of His Lord. Will you choose him and his descendants as lords instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a miserable substitute!
The first thing to notice is that the command to fall prostrate was given to the angels. Then it states that “they” (the angels) fulfilled it, “except” ( illā / إِلَّآ) Iblees (Satan). This indicates that Iblees was an angel when the command was first issued; otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense why he would be expected to fall prostrate. This wording is repeated again in the following verse.
17:61 When we said to the angels, “Fall prostrate before Adam,” they fell prostrate, except Iblees (Satan). He said, “Shall I prostrate to one You created from mud?”
One of the characteristics of the angels described in the Quran is that they do not disobey God’s commands.
66:6 O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from the Hellfire whose fuel is people and rocks. Guarding it are stern and powerful angels who never disobey GOD; they do whatever they are commanded to do.
So, since Iblees was an angel who disobeyed God’s command, he became a jinn, and this is exactly what is stated in the verse.
18:50 We said to the angels, “Fall prostrate before Adam.” They fell prostrate, except Iblees (Satan). He became a jinn, for he disobeyed the order of His Lord. Will you choose him and his descendants as lords instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a miserable substitute!
The word translated as “ became” ( kāna / كَانَ). This word comes from the root “ kaf-waw-nun” ( ك و ن) and can be understood in one of two ways, either as “was” or “became,” but as we have seen in the context, it makes more sense that he became a jinn because he disobeyed his Lord.
Kana as Became
Further evidence of this can be seen in the following verse, where we see that it was Satan’s arrogance that caused him to become a disbeliever. This is because it would not make sense that Iblees would be allowed in God’s kingdom if he was a disbeliever before his exposure. Nor did God create Satan as a disbeliever; instead, this was something that he became.
2:34 When we said to the angels, “Fall prostrate before Adam,” they fell prostrate, except Satan (Iblees); he refused, was too arrogant, and he became disbeliever.
This is further supported by the fact that it states in the next verse, after stating that Satan became a jinn (18:50), that God would not permit Satan and his descendants to be His helpers. So if Satan was always a disbeliever, even before this event, then he wouldn’t have been permitted to be in God’s kingdom to start, let alone asked to fall prostrate before Adam as an angel.
18:51 I never permitted them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves. Nor do I permit the wicked to work in My kingdom.
Additional verses that show that the word “ kāna” ( كَانَ) can also mean “became” can be seen in the following examples.
In this first example, we see that the person became a strayer only after disregarding the proofs and being pursued by the devil.
7:175 Recite for them the news of one who was given our proofs, but chose to disregard them. Consequently, the devil pursued him, until he became a strayer.
In the next example, we see that the devil became man’s most ardent enemy, which occurred after Satan’s fall.
17:53 Tell My servants to treat each other in the best possible manner, for the devil will always try to drive a wedge among them. Surely, the devil is man’s most ardent enemy.
In this third example, we see that the human being becomes unappreciative after being in a state of turmoil and being rescued by God.
17:67 If you are afflicted in the middle of the sea, you forget your idols and sincerely implore Him alone. But as soon as He saves you to the shore, you revert. Indeed, the human being is unappreciative.