In Islam, the Devil is known as ʾIblīs (Arabic: إبليس‎, plural: ابالسة ʾAbālisa) or Shayṭān (Arabic: شيطان‎, plural: شياطين Shayāṭīn). According to the Quran, God created Iblis out of “smokeless fire or from the pure flame of fire” (along with all of the other jinn) and created man out of clay. The primary characteristic of the Devil, is that he has the power to cast evil suggestions into the heart of men, women, and jinn.

Iblis was proud and arrogant and considered himself superior to Adam, since Adam was made from clay and Iblis from smokeless fire. For this act of disobedience, God cursed him to Hell for eternity, but gave him respite until the Day of Judgment (Qiyāmah), after Iblis requested it. Iblis obtained permission from God and vowed that he would use this time to lead all human men and women astray to Hell as a way of revenge against them. By refusing to obey God’s order he was thrown out of Paradise and thereafter he was called “Shaytan”.