Who Is The Devil?

Iblis, however, is a proper noun and refers to the satan who tempted Adam (AS) in paradise and caused him to be banished to earth.

The word Shaytan (satan) comes from the root Shatn. Shatin, which is from the same root, means wicked and mean. Shaytan is the name of rebellious and disobedient beings- whether they are human, jinn, or other beings. It is also used to mean evil spirit.

So the word satan is a common noun whereas Iblis is a proper noun for a jinn.

A look at the word satan used in different verses of the Quran shows that it refers to insidious and harmful beings that is far from the right path, seeks to harm and bother others, and tries to foment discord and rifts and create corruption and disunity.

The Holy Quran says in Verse 91 of Surah Al-Ma’idah:

“Satan wants to induce hostility and hatred among you through wine and gambling and to prevent you from remembering God and prayer. Will you then avoid such things?”

In the Quran, satan does refer to any specific being. It is even used to refer to evil humans.

We read in Verse 112 of Surah Al-An’am: “As such We have assigned for every Prophet an enemy; the satans of humans and jinn, revealing varnished speech to each other, all as a delusion. But had your Lord willed, they would not have done so. Therefore leave them and what they invent.”

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That Iblis has also been referred to as a satan is because of the evil and wickedness that exists in him.

So satan has different meanings and one of its examples is Iblis and his aides. Another example of satan is corrupt and deviating people.