So… I’ve received a number of messages like this in the last few days since releasing my Fallen Angel video. I understand why my Muslim fans may have been puzzled when I presented the origin of Iblis (Islam’s Devil) as an angel, as opposed to a jinn.
Today, the most accepted belief is that Iblis was originally a jinn. Iblis’s own words in the Quran strongly suggest this:
“… thou hast created me out of fire…” (Ayah al-A`raf 7:12)
The Quran states that jinn are created from fire:
“And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.” End Quote. (Ayah al-Hijr 15:27)
Despite this, there have been many strong arguments for an alternative theory of Iblis’s origin as an angel. These come from some of Islam’s most prolific, influential, and respected mufassir (Quranic interpreters), beginning in the same century the Quran was written, and continuing for well over a thousand years.
Ibn Abbas was likely the first to plant the seeds for this theory. Ibn Abbas was not only the Prophet Mohammed’s cousin, but he’s considered by many to be the greatest mufassir in Islam’s history.
Ibn Abbas argued that Iblis’s association with the term ‘jinn’ and his jinn-like qualities (such as fire) can and should be interpreted/translated in a very different manner, due to his very different context in the Quran. While jinn are created from ‘smokeless’ fire, and Iblis was created from fire too, Iblis’s fire is never described as smokeless, which can be seen as an encrypted hint toward his real origin.
In Islam, angels are believed to have been created from light. This is not found in the Quran, but rather a hadith (statement) from Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Mohammed.
In Abrahamic tradition far predating Islam, angels were strongly associated with fire. This is how they were portrayed in the Hebrew Bible. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that many mufassir went on to argue that there might exist two types of angels – angels of mercy, created from light, and guardian angels, created from fire. And from this, many mufassir found it important to argue for (or at least consider) the possibility that Iblis was originally an angel, not a jinn.
These mufassir include Al-Tabari, Al-Tha’labi, Al-Baydawi, Mahmud al-Alusi, and al-Ash’ari.
As for the specific source I used during the making of Fallen Angel Demonology, I relied on an academic paper, as cited in Picture #3.
-
I care deeply about the quality of my research and have a personal preference to give special attention to lesser-known perspectives and interpretations. This will inevitably result in people labeling me as a liar because these ideas don’t reflect the religious dogma or what they were taught to believe, and most people have never heard such information due to its sheer obscurity.
I will never claim to be an academic or authority on the subject. I am a seeker. I started my channel with the motto “Truth or Lore” because I am not here to tell you what to believe. My only intent is to encourage open-minded thinking and broaden my audience’s perspective because there are many possibilities. It’s my hope to inspire you to perform your own deep and open-minded research if these subjects are important to you.
Your journey is your own… your beliefs should be fortified by your own hand. If there’s one thing I’d advise though, is to actively avoid limiting yourself to singular conclusions, but instead leave room for the known and unknown possibilities.
Thank you to all my Muslim fans who approached this issue with kindness and respect – much love to you all and know that I appreciated your thoughtful words. I hope this helps clear things up. Thank you all so much.
Mr. Mythos
So… I’ve received a number of messages like this in the last few days since releasing my Fallen Angel video. I understand why my Muslim fans may have been puzzled when I presented the origin of Iblis (Islam’s Devil) as an angel, as opposed to a jinn.
Today, the most accepted belief is that Iblis was originally a jinn. Iblis’s own words in the Quran strongly suggest this:
“… thou hast created me out of fire…” (Ayah al-A`raf 7:12)
The Quran states that jinn are created from fire:
“And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.” End Quote. (Ayah al-Hijr 15:27)
Despite this, there have been many strong arguments for an alternative theory of Iblis’s origin as an angel. These come from some of Islam’s most prolific, influential, and respected mufassir (Quranic interpreters), beginning in the same century the Quran was written, and continuing for well over a thousand years.
Ibn Abbas was likely the first to plant the seeds for this theory. Ibn Abbas was not only the Prophet Mohammed’s cousin, but he’s considered by many to be the greatest mufassir in Islam’s history.
Ibn Abbas argued that Iblis’s association with the term ‘jinn’ and his jinn-like qualities (such as fire) can and should be interpreted/translated in a very different manner, due to his very different context in the Quran. While jinn are created from ‘smokeless’ fire, and Iblis was created from fire too, Iblis’s fire is never described as smokeless, which can be seen as an encrypted hint toward his real origin.
In Islam, angels are believed to have been created from light. This is not found in the Quran, but rather a hadith (statement) from Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Mohammed.
In Abrahamic tradition far predating Islam, angels were strongly associated with fire. This is how they were portrayed in the Hebrew Bible. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that many mufassir went on to argue that there might exist two types of angels – angels of mercy, created from light, and guardian angels, created from fire. And from this, many mufassir found it important to argue for (or at least consider) the possibility that Iblis was originally an angel, not a jinn.
These mufassir include Al-Tabari, Al-Tha’labi, Al-Baydawi, Mahmud al-Alusi, and al-Ash’ari.
As for the specific source I used during the making of Fallen Angel Demonology, I relied on an academic paper, as cited in Picture #3.
-
I care deeply about the quality of my research and have a personal preference to give special attention to lesser-known perspectives and interpretations. This will inevitably result in people labeling me as a liar because these ideas don’t reflect the religious dogma or what they were taught to believe, and most people have never heard such information due to its sheer obscurity.
I will never claim to be an academic or authority on the subject. I am a seeker. I started my channel with the motto “Truth or Lore” because I am not here to tell you what to believe. My only intent is to encourage open-minded thinking and broaden my audience’s perspective because there are many possibilities. It’s my hope to inspire you to perform your own deep and open-minded research if these subjects are important to you.
Your journey is your own… your beliefs should be fortified by your own hand. If there’s one thing I’d advise though, is to actively avoid limiting yourself to singular conclusions, but instead leave room for the known and unknown possibilities.
Thank you to all my Muslim fans who approached this issue with kindness and respect – much love to you all and know that I appreciated your thoughtful words. I hope this helps clear things up. Thank you all so much.
- MM
1 year ago | [YT] | 3,073