DEMONOLOGY

Islam

Demons in Islam

In Islam, the devil Iblis or Shaytan was a Jinn (humans are created from Earth, Angels from light, and jinn from 'smokeless fire'). The jinn, though, are not necessarily evil; they could be good-doers or sinners just like humans. Since the jinn and humans are the only kinds of creation who have the will to choose, the followers of Iblis could be jinn or human. The angels, on the other hand, are sinless and only obey the will of God. In the Qur'an, when God Ordered those witnessing the creation of Adam to prostrate before him (Adam), Iblis refused to do so and was therefore damned for refusal to obey God's Will.