Guest Author - Serkan Tufan

In this article, we will answer Question 2: “Why did God create a terrible creature like Satan? Creation of Satan is a bad thing. Is not God above all deficiencies and bad things?"

Answer: Creation of things is not bad in nature. What is bad is to commit, gain and apply bad things. God's creation aims whole results and ends but people's individual applications are only related to specific results for themselves. In other words, God creates for the good of whole humanity and there is wisdom and good coming out of everything He created. For instance, when rain comes to the earth, this has thousands of benefits and results for humankind and all of it is good. Yet, if a person was harmed because of his not taking precautions (he did not take his umbrella in a rainy day or he built a house right next to a river), he has no right to say : " Oh, there is no mercy in creation of rain" or "the creation of rain is evil". Indeed, with his exploition and his earning, rain became harmful for his sake.

Another example, there are many benefits and good in the creation of fire. When someone get harmed because of his negligence and exploitation, he cannot argue: "the creation of fire is evil" since fire was not created only to burn his hand, but, perhaps, he misused it by putting his hands in flame.

In conclusion, to have a greater good, it is acceptable to have little bad things and sufferings. For instance, when your country is invaded and you have to prepare an army to fight back, it is obvious you will have some financial loss, live loss, and health losses. Yet, there is a great good in this war, because of this war, your country will be yours and you will be free again. If we avoid making those relatively little harms to ourselves, then we must face vast losses, we will lose our country, our lives, and our freedom. This is total injustice and a huge harm. This is just like to cut a finger that have gangrene in order to save the rest of the body. Thus, in this case, cutting off this finger is good, altough theoretically it is a horrible thing. If the doctors do not cut the finger, a few days later, they will have to cut off the whole hand, which is the great disaster.

Thus, like satan, creation of bad things, disasters and harms in the universe is not bad at all, because they have important and great missions, and great results for humankind. For instance, we had examples of how a person can gain greater levels of humanity and servanthood by fighting and coping with satan in previous article. In Islam, the negative sides in your life can become super-speeded elevators for your spiritual growth. For example, let's take a person who has incredibly high concupiscence (feelings and hormones for opposite gender). Satan uses this side of humanity most often. However, when this person fight and struggle against satan in this case and keeps his dignity and stay away from sin (which is very hard), he might deserve a high sainthood by protecting himself for the sake of God and by saving his chastity. Perhaps, he could not have reached this level of spiritual growth and this much of God's love even if he performed thousands of prayers every day.

We know that diamond and coal are from the exact same material, but they become so different because of chemical process. Just like humans; we are also from the same material, flesh and bones, however, some of us have a diamond soul, whereas others have coal characters compared to others. World is a place where God gives us a chance/ our life, opportunities we have, our free will, our strengths and great potential to become a diamond or become a piece of coal. And if there had not been such things like disasters, satan, evil and all bad things, every human would have stayed in the same level, as passive, low beings and we would never have had a chance to meet people like Ebu Bakr, who is one of the most beloved servant of Allah and we could not have differentiated him from those like Ebu Cahl, who has been one of the most evil ones in the world.

Folowing are some verses from Quran (Chapter El-Nisa (the women) that explain satan's mission and what people whould do in order to get protection from satan:

4:116 Allah forgiveth not (The sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than this: one who joins other gods with Allah, Hath strayed far, far away (from the right).

4:117 They do not call besides Him on anything but idols, and they do not call on anything but a rebellious Shaitan (Satan).

4:118 Allah has cursed him and he(Satan) said: Most certainly I will take of Thy servants an appointed portion:

4:119 "And most certainly I will lead them astray and excite in them vain desires, and bid them so that they shall slit the ears of the cattle, and most certainly I will bid them so that they shall alter Allah's creation; and whoever takes the Shaitan for a guardian rather than Allah he indeed shall suffer a manifest loss.

4:120 Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but satan's promises are nothing but deception.

4:121 They (his dupes) will have their dwelling in Hell, and from it they will find no way of escape.

4:122 And (as for) those who believe and do good, We will make them enter into gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein for ever; (it is) a promise of Allah, true (indeed), and who is truer of word than Allah?

4:123 (This) shall not be in accordance with your vain desires nor in accordance with the vain desires of the followers of the Book; whoever does evil, he shall be requited with it, and besides Allah he will find for himself neither a guardian nor a helper.

4:124 If any do deeds of righteousness,- be they male or female - and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them.

4:125 Who can be better in religion than one who submits his whole self to Allah, does good, and follows the way of Abraham the true in Faith? For Allah did take Abraham for a friend.

4:126 And whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is Allah's; and Allah encompasses all things.

Sources: Quran translation from Shakir and Yusuf Ali
Quran commentary by Risale-i Nur by Bediuzzaman