Was Iblis an angel?

Question:

Are there reports in which Iblis is counted among the angels?

Answer:

Muhammad Ibn Al-Husain reported that Imam Ali (a.) said: “Think about what God did to the devil (Iblis) when He destroyed his long lasting work and effort for a moment of arrogance, while having worshipped God for 6,000 years and not knowing whether it was because of the glory of this world or the other. So who, after the devil, is safe from similar disobedience with God? In no way, God does not make someone enter paradise on the account of a matter, for which he banished an angel from there.” [Nahj-ul-Balaghah of Ar-Radi, Volume 2 Page 138 – 139]

عن محمد بن الحسين عن الإمام علي عليه السلام قال: فاعتبروا بما كان من فعل الله بإبليس إذا أحبط عمله الطويل وجهده الجهيد، وكان قد عبد الله ستة آلاف سنة لا يدرى أمن سني الدنيا أم سني الآخرة عن كبر ساعة واحدة فمن ذا بعد إبليس يسلم على الله بمثل معصية؟ كلا، ما كان الله سبحانه ليدخل الجنة بشرا بأمر أخرج به منها ملكا

Abu Umair reported that Jamil Ad-Darraj said: “At-Tayyar used to tell me that the devil (Iblis) was not one of the angels, but only the angels were ordered to prostrate before Adam (a.). So the devil said: “I will not prostrate!” So why should the devil have been disobedient when he refused to prostrate if he was not one of the angels?” I came in with him to Ja’far As-Sadiq (a.). He said: “By God, he has made good progress.” The man said: “May my life be sacrificed to you, have you seen what God said to the believers: “O you who believe?” Are the hypocrites included therein with them (believers)?” He said: “Yes, and also those who are misguided. Anyone who externally (Zahir) accepted the invitation and the devil was one of those who together with them externally (Zahir) accepted the invitation.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, volume 60 page 262 Hadith 142]

ومنه: عن علي بن إبراهيم عن أبيه عن ابن أبي عمير عن جميل قال: كان الطيار يقول لي إبليس ليس من الملائكة وإنما أمرت الملائكة بالسجود لآدم عليه السلام فقال إبليس لا أسجد فما لإبليس يعصي حين لم يسجد وليس هو من الملائكة؟ قال: فدخلت أنا وهو على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: فأحسن والله في المسألة، فقال: جعلت فداك أرأيت ما ندب الله إليه المؤمنين من قوله: يا أيها الذين آمنوا أدخل في ذلك المنافقون معهم؟ قال: نعم والضلال كل من أقر بالدعوة الظاهرة، وكان إبليس ممن أقر بالدعوة الظاهرة معهم

Jamil reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) was asked: “What is it about that which God entrusted to the creation? Is this where the error is included? He said: “Yes, even the disbelievers will be included, because God commanded the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam (a.) and His command included the angels and also the devil (Iblis), because the devil was of the angels in heaven and worshipped God. It seemed to the angels that he was one of them, but he was not one of them. When God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam (a.), He made jealousy emerge from the devils heart so that the angels would know that the devil was never like them.” They said to him: “How was the devil (Iblis) given the order when God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam (a.)?” He said: “The devil was one of them with regards to closeness (to God), but he was not from the kind of the angels and that is so, because God created Adam (a.) and the devil was a judge of them on the earthly world. They did wrong, and they did mischief and shed blood, after which God sent the angels who killed them. They arrested the devil and lifted him up to heaven and he used to worship God with the angels until God created Adam (a.).” [Tafsir-ul-Qummi, Volume 1 Pages 35 – 36]

حدثني أبي عن ابن أبي عمير عن جميل عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال سئل عما ندب الله الخلق إليه ادخل فيه الضلالة؟ قال نعم والكافرون دخلوا فيه لان الله تبارك وتعالى امر الملائكة بالسجود لآدم فدخل في امره الملائكة وإبليس فان إبليس كان من الملائكة في السماء يعبد الله وكانت الملائكة تظن انه منهم ولم يكن منهم فلما امر الله الملائكة بالسجود لآدم عليه السلام اخرج ما كان في قلب إبليس من الحسد فعلم الملائكة عند ذلك ان إبليس لم يكن مثلهم فقيل له عليه السلام فكيف وقع الامر على إبليس وإنما امر الله الملائكة بالسجود لآدم؟ فقال كان إبليس منهم بالولاء ولم يكن من جنس الملائكة وذلك أن الله خلق خلقا قبل آدم وكان إبليس منهم حاكما في الأرض فعتوا وأفسدوا وسفكوا الدماء فبعث الله الملائكة فقتلوهم وأسروا إبليس ورفعوه إلى السماء وكان مع الملائكة يعبد الله إلى أن خلق الله تبارك وتعالى آدم عليه السلام

Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.) reported that Imam Al-Husain (a.) said: “Gabriel (a.) came to the messenger (s.) when he was in the house of Umm Salamah and said: “O Muhammad, a group of angels of the fourth heaven are disputing about one thing and the dispute took on to a great extent and they are of the hidden (Jinn) of the people of the devil (Iblis), about whom God said in His book: “Except for the devil, he belonged to the hidden (Jinn), therefore he rebelled against his Lord.” (18:50) Then God revealed to the angels: “Your dispute has become great, so be pleased with the judgment of one of the children of men, who judges between you.” They said: ” We have been satisfied with the judgment from the community of Muhammad (s.).” Then God revealed to them: “With whom are you satisfied from the community of Muhammad?” They were saying: “We were satisfied with the judgment of Ali, the son of Abu Talib (a.)” and God made one of the angels of the worldly sky come down with a carpet and two seats. So he came down to the Prophet (s.) and informed him of what he had brought of it. Then the Prophet (s.) called Ali, the son of Abu Talib (a.) and let him sit on the carpet and clothed the seats with pillows.Then he spat in his mouth. Then he said: “O Ali, may God strengthen your heart and present your proof on your forehead!” Then he took him up into heaven and when he came down: he said: “O Muhammad, God sends you the greeting of peace and says to you: “We lift up the ranks of that which We would like and above everyone who possesses knowledge there is a knowing one.” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, volume 60 page 96 Hadith 56]

تفسير الفرات عن عبد الله بن محمد بن هاشم، معنعنا عن محمد بن علي عن آبائه عليهم السلام قال: هبط جبرئيل عليه السلام على النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وهو في منزل أم سلمة فقال: يا محمد ملا ملائكة السماء الرابعة يجادلون في شئ حتى كثر بينهم الجدال فيه وهم من الجن من قوم إبليس الذين قال الله في كتابه: إلا إبليس كان من الجن ففسق عن أمر ربه فأوحى الله تعالى إلى الملائكة قد كثر جدالكم، فتراضوا بحكم من الآدميين يحكم بينكم، قالوا: قد رضينا بحكم من أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وآله، فأوحى الله إليهم بمن ترضون من أمة محمد صلى الله عليه وآله: قالوا: رضينا بعلي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام، فأهبط الله ملكا من ملائكة السماء الدنيا ببساط وأريكتين فهبط إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فأخبره بالذي جاء فيه. فدعا النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم بعلي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام، وأقعده على البساط ووسده بالأريكتين ثم تفل في فيه، ثم قال: يا علي ثبت الله قلبك وجعل حجتك بين عينيك ثم عرج به إلى السماء، فإذا نزل قال: يا محمد الله يقرأك السلام ويقول لك: نرفع درجات من نشاء وفوق كل ذي علم عليم