# Is the devil a real creature or a symbol of bad impulses?

*Shaytan and the supernatural: a literal creature or a personification?*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/s/13/
- Date: 2021-02-16 · Kind: question · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Monday Nights with Mufti #202| Q&A Unscripted & Unrestricted! 😉 | Mufti Abu Layth (42:20–44:58)
- Status: a view quoted in order to be discussed, not a position held
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--PntsaR8ck&t=2540s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/

**Topics:** Jinn, angels and the devil

**Question as asked:** What about the shaytan and the supernatural?

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Mufti Abu Layth presents two readings of Shaytan, a literal creature or a personification of negative impulses, and refers viewers to his detailed video.

## Longer summary

After finishing the point about the narrator's explanation, Mufti Abu Layth takes a question about Shaytan and the supernatural and refers to his detailed video on how to understand the devil in Islam. He describes two takes: one camp holds that the devil is a literal creature that zooms around the globe whispering to people, adding that the picture of a body with a tail and horns is obviously silly though people believe it; the other holds that the devil is the personification of the negative insinuations and impulses people receive. He frames the question as whether the Quran addresses such a creature or a personification, and closes with a joke about talking to himself.

## Sources and names cited

- Shaytan

## Transcript (machine tier, 42:20–44:58)

[42:20] now the person assumes he's saying the prophet said this part as well but this was his explanation of the event oh right somebody's asking about the shaitaan and supernatural i've got a video explaining all of that uh do watch it because you know i go into in much detail how do you understand the concept of the devil in islam and i explained that there's

[43:00] different uh takes on this you know there's some people who take this to mean a literal you know there's this creature called the devil and he's this kind of creature with a body and you know with us a tail and horns or obviously that stuff's stupid but i mean people believe it so and this person kind of zooms around the globe and he whispers to people and does stuff so you have that camp of people and then you have the other camp that will speak to these things are more so personifications

[43:39] of um of uh really what were insinuations negative insinuations so we get receive negative insinuations negative impulses these the devil is the personification of that or is that but personified as a person so that's um you know so you'll have different takes on this that what is the quran addressing is it is it this creature that runs around and does this or is that simply a personification

[44:18] of these negative um impulses and insinuations that we have so yeah but i've got a detailed video on that was he talking to himself right i don't know am i talking to myself all the time a story of my life i'm just always talking to myself

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment --PntsaR8ck/s/13. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/--pntsar8ck/s/13/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.