Variety Of Ideas on Satan among Islamic Mystics and Interpreters
Subject Areas : Islamic MysticismSeyyed Nader Mohammadzadeh 1 , Seyyedeh Zahra Hosseini 2
1 - دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، واحد زنجان، استادیار گروه ادیان و عرفان، زنجان، ایران
2 - دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، واحد زنجان، کارشناسی ارشد گروه ادیان و عرفان، زنجان، ایران
Keywords: Satan, demon, Pantheism, mystics, interpreters,
Abstract :
As a stubborn entity misleading human being in Abraham related religions, Satan is a significant and questionable subject matter among philosophers, theologians, and mystics. The interpreters have three view points towards Satan. First, it is a genie. Second, it was an angel at first but became a genie. And third, it was an angel. The followers of every one of these standpoints have resorted to a lot of verses and traditions but a closer look reveals that Satan was a genie at first and because of a lot of worshipping had a position among the angels. From mystics point of view there are various standpoints available. Most mystics assume Satan as a symbol of wickedness and a source of seducing human being. However, some of them including Hallaj, Eynolghozat-e- Hamedani, Ahmad Ghazali, etc. defend Satan and believe it as a pure lover of God and a real theist. Hallaj believed that Satan is even more theist than God Himself and proudly wears the clothes of damnation. Despite the defense made against Satan, mystics find fault with its disobedience, pride, spiritual blind, and inability to see behind the surface meaning. In the school of pantheism, Satan and demons and wicked ones are manifestation of the glory characters of the Almighty that are not detached from the will of God. In the end, it is concluded that the purpose of deniers and supporters and worshipers of Satan all refer to monotheistic standpoint of Islam. This paper is prepared in a descriptive and analytical method.
