"Satan in Modern Culture: How the Devil is Portrayed in Literature, Film, and Media"

The Mysterious Origin of Satan: A Comprehensive Analysis

The origin of Satan is a topic that has been shrouded in mystery for centuries. Satan, also known as the Devil, is one of the best-known characters in the Western traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

 However, the concept of Satan emerged over time and in phases. Satan, as a totally evil being, is nowhere to be found in the Jewish Bible. He evolved during the height of the Persian Achaemenid Empire and was adopted by Jews living under Persian rule at the time. His formal name, Satan, derives from the Hebrew 'ha-Satan', which means 'the opposer' or 'adversary'. The name described his eventual function as the opposer of God’s creation. Greek 'diabolos', English 'devil', meant 'accuser', 'slanderer', again describing his role.

The Devil first appears as an independent figure alongside God in the Hebrew Scriptures. Satan is a creature of God, who has his being and essence from God; he is the partner of God in the drama of the history of salvation, and he is the rival of God, who fights against God’s plan of salvation. Through the influence of the dualistic thinking of Zoroastrian religion during the Babylonian Exile in Persia, Satan took on features of a countergod in late Judaism.

In the Middle Ages, Satan played a minimal role in Christian theology and was used as a comic relief figure in mystery plays. During the early modern period, Satan's significance greatly increased as beliefs such as demonic possession and witchcraft became more prevalent. During the Age of Enlightenment, belief in the existence of Satan was harshly criticized by thinkers such as Voltaire. Nonetheless, belief in Satan has persisted, particularly in the Americas.

Satan's appearance is described as ugly in the Quran. The fruits of the tree of Zaqqum that grow at the root of hell are likened to the heads of devils, indicating the ugliness of their images and shapes. Medieval Christians portrayed Satan in the form of a black man with a pointed beard, raised eyebrows, a mouth spewing flames, horns, hooves, and a tail.

What are the different interpretations of Satan's origin in different religions

Different religions have varying interpretations of Satan's origin. Here are some of the different interpretations from various religions:

Judaism:

Satan, as a totally evil being, is nowhere to be found in the Jewish Bible.

Satan evolved during the height of the Persian Achaemenid Empire and was adopted by Jews living under Persian rule at the time.

His formal name, Satan, derives from the Hebrew 'ha-Satan', which means 'the opposer' or 'adversary'.

Satan took on features of a countergod in late Judaism through the influence of the dualistic thinking of Zoroastrian religion during the Babylonian Exile in Persia.

Christianity:

Satan (the Devil) comes to appear as the representative of evil in the Bible, especially the New Testament.

Satan is a creature of God, who has his being and essence from God; he is the partner of God in the drama of the history of salvation; and he is the rival of God, who fights against God’s plan of salvation.

Through the influence of the dualistic thinking of Zoroastrian religion during the Babylonian Exile in Persia, Satan took on features of a countergod in late Judaism.

Enlightenment thinkers endeavored to push the figure of the Devil out of Christian consciousness as being a product of the fantasy of the Middle Ages.

Islam:

Satan is from the jinn, as stated in the Quran.

The jinn are different from angels and humans, as stated by the Prophet Muhammad in Sahih Muslim.

The jinn were created from a smoldering fire, while the angels were created from light, and Adam was created from clay.

Satan's appearance is described as ugly in the Quran.

Other religions:

Judaism's mystical teachings, called the Kabbalah, mention a light side and a dark side, but the dark side is never given equal power to the light.

There are few demon-like figures in Hebrew scripture, but the most famous one appears in the Book of Job.

Christianity's devil goes by many names — Satan, the Prince of Darkness, Beelzebub, and Lucifer to name a few.

The devil is not a prominent figure in Judaism, but Satan did become a part of certain Jewish sects beginning around the time of the Common Era.

The origin of Satan

It has already been said that Satan is from the jinn, and some of the earlier and later scholars disputed this issue, and their argument in that is the Almighty’s saying: (And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” so they prostrated, except for Iblis, who refused and was arrogant, and was of the unbelievers) [Al-Baqara: 34]. In this verse and others like it, God excludes Iblis from among the angels, and the exception is only of the same gender as he is usually excluded from.

Books of interpretation and history have quoted to us the sayings of a number of scholars, who mention that Iblis was one of the angels, and that he was the custodian of heaven, or the lower heaven, and that he was one of the most honorable of angels, and the most honorable of their tribe.... to the end of those sayings.

Ibn Katheer said: “Many traces of this have been narrated on the authority of the predecessors, and most of them are Israeli women who are quoted for consideration.

And in the Qur’an there is no need for all other advanced news; Because it is almost devoid of alteration, addition and decrement, and many things have been put into it, and they do not have perfect memorizers who deny it the distortion of the dominant, and the plagiarism of falsehood, just as this nation has imams, scholars, gentlemen, the pious, the righteous, the nobles among the pundits, the critics, and the horses. Those who wrote down the hadith, edited and explained its authenticity, from its good, from its weak, from its disapproved, its fabricated, abandoned, and untruthful, and who knew the fabricators, the liars, the unknown, and other types of men.

All of this is to preserve the Prophet’s status, and the position of Muhammad, the Seal of the Messengers, and the Master of Mankind - may God bless him and grant him peace - without a lie being attributed to him, or something being said about him that is not in it” (1).

What they used as evidence that God excluded Iblis from among the angels... is not conclusive evidence, due to the possibility that the exception is definitive. Rather, it is truly so, due to the text that he is one of the jinn in the Almighty’s saying: (And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam,” so they prostrated, except Iblis. He was one of the jinn, so he committed wickedness. About the command of his Lord...) [Al-Kahf: 50].

It has been proven to us in the authentic text that the jinn are different from the angels and humans. The Chosen One, may God bless him and grant him peace, told us: (The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from a smoldering fire, and Adam was created from clay).

The hadith is in Sahih Muslim.

Al-Hassan Al-Basri said: “Iblis was not among the angels for the blink of an eye” (2). What Ibn Taymiyyah verified: “Satan was one of the angels in terms of his form, but he was not one of them in terms of his origin, nor in consideration of his likeness” (3).

Is Satan the origin of the jinn or one of them?

We do not have clear texts that indicate to us that Satan is the origin of the jinn, or one of them, although the latter is more apparent due to his saying: (Except Iblis, he was one of the jinn) [Al-Kahf: 50].

And Ibn Taymiyyah, may God have mercy on him, goes to the fact that Satan is the origin of the jinn, just as Adam is the origin of mankind (4).

The ugliness of the image of Satan

Satan is ugly in appearance, and this is well established in the minds, and God likened the fruits of the tree of Zaqqum that grows at the root of hell to the heads of devils, when He knew of the ugliness of their images and shapes (It is a tree that grows at the root of hell - its trunk looks like the heads of devils) [Al-Saffat: 64-65].

Medieval Christians portrayed Satan in the form of a black man with a pointed beard, raised eyebrows, a mouth spewing flames, horns, hooves and a tail (5).

Satan has two horns

In Sahih Muslim on the authority of Ibn Omar that the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: (Do not strive for your prayers when the sun rises or sets, for it rises with the horns of Satan) (6).

And on the authority of Ibn Omar that the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: (If the visor of the sun rises, delay the prayer until the sun appears, and if the visor of the sun sets, delay the prayer until it has set, and do not delay your prayers when the sun rises or sets, for it rises between the horns of Satan) (7) .

The meaning is that the sects of the polytheists used to worship the sun.

They prostrate to it when it rises and when it sets, and then Satan stands in the direction where the sun is, so that their worship is towards him.

In Sahih Muslim on the authority of Ibn Omar that the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: (Do not strive for your prayers when the sun rises or sets, for it rises with the horns of Satan) (6).

And on the authority of Ibn Omar that the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: (If the visor of the sun rises, delay the prayer until the sun appears, and if the visor of the sun sets, delay the prayer until it has set, and do not delay your prayers when the sun rises or sets, for it rises between the horns of Satan) (7) .

The meaning is that the sects of the polytheists used to worship the sun.

They prostrate to it when it rises and when it sets, and then Satan stands in the direction where the sun is, so that their worship is towards him.

This was stated explicitly in Sahih Muslim, where Amr ibn Absa al-Sulami asked the Messenger about prayer. He, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: (Pray the morning prayer, then shorten the prayer until the sun rises, until it rises, for it rises when it appears between the horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it, then pray, for prayer is witnessed and attended).

Then he forbade prayer after the afternoon prayer (until the sun sets, for it sets between the horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers prostrate to it) (8).

We have forbidden prayer at these two times, and the correct view is that prayer at these two times is permissible, if it has a reason, such as greeting the mosque, and it is not permissible without a reason, such as an absolute voluntary prayer. According to his saying, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him: (Do not meet the year); That is, do not be mean.

Among the things that mention the horn of Satan is the hadith of Al-Bukhari on the authority of Ibn Omar, may God be pleased with them both, who said: I saw the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, pointing to the east, and he said: (Behold, the temptation is here. The temptation is here from where the horn of Satan appears) (9). What is meant by his saying: (When Satan appears); Any east side.

The food, drink, and sexual intercourse of the jinn

Their food and drink

The jinn - and Satan among them - eat and drink. In Sahih Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurairah - may God be pleased with him - that the Prophet - may God bless him and grant him peace - ordered him to bring him stones to purify himself.

What is the significance of Satan in modern culture?

Satan, also known as the Devil, is a well-known character in the Western traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. However, the concept of Satan has evolved over time and in phases. Here are some of the significances of Satan in modern culture :

• Satan appears frequently as a character in literature and various other media. In Abrahamic religions, the figure of the Devil, Satan personifies evil. A devil (lower case) is an "evil spirit, demon, fiend" (OED).

• In horror and suspense films, Satan provides for a virtually all-powerful foe. Struggles with Satan have been used to symbolize human weaknesses and temptations.

• During the early modern period, Satan's significance greatly increased as beliefs such as demonic possession and witchcraft became more prevalent.

• During the Age of Enlightenment, belief in the existence of Satan was harshly criticized by thinkers such as Voltaire. Nonetheless, belief in Satan has persisted, particularly in the Americas.

• Satan is a symbol of Man living as his prideful, carnal nature dictates. The reality behind Satan is simply the dark evolutionary force of entropy that permeates all of nature and provides the drive for survival and propagation inherent in all living things.

• The Devil's pitchfork appears to have been adapted from the trident wielded by the Greek god Poseidon and Satan's horns from the Egyptian god of the underworld, Set.

• Satan is not a prominent figure in Judaism, but he did become a part of certain Jewish sects beginning around the time of the Common Era.

• In Christianity, Satan comes to appear as the representative of evil in the Bible, especially the New Testament. Satan is a creature of God, who has his being and essence from God; he is the partner of God in the drama of the history of salvation; and he is the rival of God, who fights against God’s plan of salvation.

• Enlightenment thinkers endeavored to push the figure of the Devil out of Christian consciousness as being a product of the fantasy of the Middle Ages. Nonetheless, Christian theologians who found the mythical pictures of Satan to be irrelevant, distorting, or confusing still exist.

In conclusion, the origin of Satan is a complex and multifaceted topic that has evolved over time. The concept of Satan emerged during the height of the Persian Achaemenid Empire and was adopted by Jews living under Persian rule at the time. Satan's appearance is described as ugly in the Quran, and he has been portrayed in various ways throughout history. Despite criticism from Enlightenment thinkers, belief in Satan has persisted, particularly in the Americas.