Question:

Muslims often deny that the devil, who is called “Iblis” in Arabic, was an angel, but what do At-Tabari and Al-Ash’ari say about this?

Response:

Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Al-Qurtubi writes: “As for the statement: “Except the devil (Iblis).” (2:34) So it is in the accusative by the conjoined exception because according to the majority such as Ibn Abbas, Ibn Mas’ud, Ibn Juraij, Ibn Al-Musayyib, Qatadah and others he was one of the angels and this is the viewpoint of Al-Ash’ari and At-Tabari also advocated it and this is the obvious meaning of the verse. Abdullah ibn Abbas said: “The name of the devil was Asasel and he was one of the most honored angels and he possessed four wings. He then fell into disgrace.” Simak Ibn Harb reported from Ikrimah that Abdullah Ibn Abbas said: “The devil was one of the angels, but when he rebelled against God, He became angry with him and cursed him and he became a Satan.” Al-Mawardi reported Qatadah as saying: “He was of the best kind of the angels, called the hidden ones (Jinn).” Sa’id Ibn Jubair said: “The Hidden Ones (Jinn) are a tribe of angels created from fire and the devil (Iblis) is among them, but the other angels were created from light.” [Jami’-ul-Ahkam, Volume 1 page 438]

قال محمد بن أحمد القرطبي: قوله إلا إبليس نصب على الاستثناء المتصل لأنه كان من الملائكة على قول الجمهور ٱبن عباس وٱبن مسعود وٱبن جريج وٱبن المسيب وقتادة وغيرهم وهو ٱختيار الشيخ أبي الحسن, ورجحه الطبري; وهو ظاهر الآية. قال ٱبن عباس: وكان ٱسمه عزازيل وكان من أشراف الملائكة وكان من الأجنحة الأربعة ثم أبلس بعد. روى سماك بن حرب عن عكرمة عن ٱبن عباس قال: كان إبليس من الملائكة فلما عصى الله غضب عليه فلعنه فصار شيطانا. وحكى الماوردي عن قتادة: أنه كان من أفضل صنف من الملائكة يقال لهم الجنة. وقال سعيد بن جبير: إن الجن سبط من الملائكة خلقوا من نار وإبليس منهم, وخلق سائر الملائكة من نور