Shaytan الشيطان

In review — pending scholar verification

Satan; a created being of jinn who refused to bow to Adam and was cast out, and who whispers temptation to humans.

Overview

Shaytan (الشَّيْطَان) is the adversary of humanity who whispers temptation and beautifies sin. The Quran applies the term both to Iblis himself and to any rebellious jinn or human who turns others from Allah. He is the lifelong enemy of every descendant of Adam.

Etymology

The Arabic شَيْطَان derives either from شَطَنَ ("to be remote"), since he is distanced from divine mercy, or from شَاطَ ("to burn"), consistent with his fiery origin. The term is broader than the proper name Iblis: Surah Al-An'am 6:112 speaks of 'shayatin (devils) from mankind and jinn.'

Quranic references

Surah Fatir 35:6 — 'Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.' Surah An-Nas 114:4-6 — 'From the evil of the retreating whisperer — who whispers [evil] into the breasts of mankind — from among the jinn and mankind.'

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:268 — 'Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty.' Surah Al-Isra 17:53 — 'Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.'

Hadith and tradition

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Indeed, Satan flows through the son of Adam like the flowing of blood."— Sahih al-Bukhari 3281

The Prophet ﷺ said: "When the call to prayer is announced, Satan takes to his heels and passes wind so as not to hear the call."— Sahih al-Bukhari 608

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Yawning is from Satan, so if any of you yawns let him restrain it as much as he can."— Sahih al-Bukhari 3289

Significance

Shaytan's only weapon is whispering (waswasa); he has no authority to compel. The believer's defenses are the Quran, daily dua, the morning and evening adhkar, seeking refuge (أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ), guarding the conscience, and cultivating tranquility. The Sunnah teaches concrete protections such as reciting the last two surahs after each prayer, recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud 1523 (graded Sahih by al-Albani).

References

Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Quran al-Azim, exegesis of Surah An-Nas and Surah Fatir 35:6.
Ibn al-Qayyim, Ighathat al-Lahfan min Masayid ash-Shaytan.
al-Nawawi, al-Adhkar, daily formulas of remembrance and protection.
Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmu al-Fatawa, on the jinn, devils, and their whisperings.