Sin death and beyond

SIN, DEATH AND BEYOND: M.M.NINAN
In Mohammedan Literature we find:
"When thy Lord said to the angels, 'Verily, I am about to create a mortal out of clay; and when I
have fashioned him, and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall ye down before him adoring.'
And the angels adored, all of them save Iblis, who was too big with pride, and was of the
misbelievers.
Said He, 'O Iblis! what prevents thee from adoring what I have created with My two hands? Art
thou too big with pride? or art thou amongst the exalted?'
Said he, 'I am better than he; Thou hast created me from fire, and him Thou hast created from
clay.' (sura xxxviii. 70-82).
At a later period Mohammed developed the personal character of the first man and his direct
relationship to God, whose vicegerent (khalifah, calif) he is to be on earth. At the same time
Satan is represented as being the one who drove Adam from paradise:
Adam as Vicegerent of God.
"And when thy Lord said unto the angels, 'I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth,' they
said, 'Wilt Thou place therein one who will do evil therein and shed blood? We celebrate Thy
praise and hallow Thee.'
Said [the Lord], 'I know what ye know not.' ....
And when He said to the angels, 'Adore Adam,' they adored him save only Iblis, who refused
and was too proud, and became one of the misbelievers.
"And He said, 'O Adam, dwell, thou and thy wife, in paradise, and eat there from amply as you
wish; but do not draw near this tree or ye will be of the transgressors.'
And Satan made them backslide there from, and drove them out from what they were in, and
He said, 'Go down, one of you the enemy of the other; and in the earth there are an abode and
a provision for a time.'
And Adam caught certain words from his Lord, and He turned toward him; for He is the
Compassionate One easily turned. He said, 'Go down there from altogether, and haply there
may come from Me a guidance, and whoso follows My guidance no fear is theirs, nor shall
they grieve'" (sura ii. 29-36).
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