Advanced search
Visit
23998
Last Updated: 2007/01/01
Summary of question
Did Satan have children, and if so, are they cursed as well?
question
Did Satan have children, and if so, are they cursed as well?
Concise answer

            Satan has a number of children which help him and almost all of his children have chosen the same path as he has and thus have been cursed and rejected as well, except for a few of them; like one who lived during the time of the Grand Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and through him embraced Islam.

Detailed Answer

            Just like human beings Satan also has offspring. This has been pointed out in the Quran and in narrations from the Ahlul-Bait (P.B.U.T.). "When We said to the angels, 'Prostrate before Adam,' they prostrated, but not Iblis. He was one of the jinn, so he transgressed against his Lord's command. Will you then take him and his offspring for guardians in My stead, though they are your enemies? How evil is a substitute for the wrongdoers!"[1]

In Allameh Majlisi's book, "The Heavens and the Earth", which is one of the volumes of Baharul Anwar, he states: There is a hadith where Allah says to Iblis "I will give no child to Adam unless I give one like him to you, and every human has a 'twin' satan like itself."[2] Goal of Satan's children in this world, is just like Satan's own goal to misguide mankind, so surely cursing Satan also means cursing his offspring as well. Of course, nearly all of Satan's offspring are such, with the exception of a select few which have become Muslim. In this same book from Allameh Majlisi it states: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) was asked, "Do you have offspring of Satan from amongst you?" He replied, "Yes, yet God has helped me to make him Muslim"[3]

 

            In closing there are a couple of noteworthy points to keep in mind:

 

  1. From the Holy Quran it is gathered that Satan's offspring[4] and tribe's[5] guardianship (or authority) that is mentioned in the Quran is of little significance. For example; perhaps one of them may have [some] influence and or authority upon certain persons but not others, or upon certain actions and not others, or they have no actual authority at all rather their authority is delimited to helping and assisting the main Satan (Iblis) and he is the root of all evil deeds that mankind may do.[6]

  2. The main Satan (Iblis) was from the jinn[7], and since in one place in the Quran it has been mentioned that Satan has offspring[8] and in another place it has attributed death and demise to them,[9] then it becomes obvious that jinns also have reproduction, because the precondition of every living organism which has offspring and death is that it can reproduce. Of course the question which will remain unanswered (as it has not been mentioned in the Quran) is whether or not the reproduction of jinns is like that of other creatures via intercourse or by another means?[10]



[1]Sura Kahf – Ayah 50: …Will you then take him and his offspring for guardians in My stead…

[2]Translation of "The Heavens and the Earth" – Pg.243

[3]Translation of "The Heavens and the Earth" – Pg.254

[4]Sura Kahf – Ayah 50

[5] Sura A'araf – Ayah 27: …Indeed he sees you – he and his hosts – whence you do not see them. We have indeed made the devils friends of those who have no faith.

[6] Translation of Al-Mizan – Vol.12, Pg.63

[7] Sura Kahf – Ayah 50: … they prostrated, but not Iblis. He was one of the jinn…

[8] Sura Kahf – Ayah 50

[9]Sura Ahqaf – Ayah 18: …that have passed away before them of jinn and humans.

[10]Translation of Al-Mizan – Vol.12, Pg.226

Question translations in other languages
Comments
Number of comments 0
Please enter the value
Example : Yourname@YourDomane.ext
Please enter the value
Please enter the value

Random questions

  • How should one go about identifying the most learned Mujtahid, if the testimonies of the witnesses contradict each other?
    6611 Laws and Jurisprudence 2011/01/15
    All grand jurists have said in their edicts that there are three ways of identifying a Mujtahid, and the A'alam:First: when a person is certain that a particular person is a Mujtahid, or the most learned one. For this, he should be a ...
  • Are Mormons considered “People of the Book”?
    6847 Traditional 2009/08/29
    1- Christianity consists of many denominations. One of them which has made a lot of noise in the United States is the sect known as the Mormons, founded by Joseph Smith circa 1820, where they began their activity and propagation as saviors. In his book that he wrote ...
  • How is it possible to differentiate between someone who falsely claims to be a prophet and one who is a true prophet?
    5583 وحی 2017/05/22
    1. In Arabic, the term ‘wahy’ literally means giving a message quickly and secretly. In Islamic terminology, ‘wahy’ is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with Allah, with or without an intermediary. 2. Not only ‘wahy’ in its literal meaning ...
  • what is dignity? How can it be achieved? And what status do dignified people posses before God?
    5450 انسان شناسی 2019/06/10
    Dignity can be defined as the act of avoiding the degradation of oneself and baseness and a magnanimous man is the one who is free from all the indecencies. Indecency (antonym for dignity) equals degradation and humiliation and one has to equip oneself with the weapon ...
  • How can one cleanse himself from sin?
    12577 Practical 2007/03/15
                There are many ways to receive forgiveness and pardon. We will mention a few of them here:
  • What are the political thoughts of Imam Khomeini?
    10395 Philosophy of Politics 2012/05/12
    The political thoughts of Imam Khomeini (blessed be his soul) are a part of his macro ideas being influenced by different aspects of his thought. Given the fact that Imam Khomeini is a multi-dimensional personality who authored numerous works in mysticism, jurisprudence, philosophy, theology and politics and ...
  • Please explain the concept of Hurul ‘In and if they relate to women as well.
    21469 Exegesis 2009/11/24
    One of the blessings that Allah (swt) grants to people who do good deeds and have faith in Him is paradise and the bliss and blessings therein. For entering into heaven there isn’t any difference between men ...
  • What is religion?
    10548 Philosophy of Religion 2008/10/12
    Many different viewpoints and details have been presented regarding the explanation of religion by Westerners. In the holy Quran, the word “din” (religion) has been used for two meanings: 1- Any type of belief in an unseen power, regardless of whether such a belief is right or not: ...
  • Is pretending considered to be a kind of lying?
    6717 Laws and Jurisprudence 2011/10/30
    Office of Grand Ayatollah Sistani (may Allah grant him long life): Lying is a deliberate act of expressing an untruth as truth. If your action is not as such, it is not haram. An answer given to the question by Ayatollah ...
  • Is it true that every human being has a twin or an associate?
    10556 Contextual study 2015/06/09
    As for whether human beings have twins or not, there are a few narrations. It has been reported that God, the Exalted, told Iblis: I will not give Adam a child except that I will give the like of it to you. Every human being has a ...

Popular