Islamic Center for Research And Academics (ICRAA)By Waqar Akbar Cheema
In Hadith Research, The Prophet: Life and Actions, September 6, 2018
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and the devil named al-Abyad


* Al-Abyad does not seem ever to have become a major figure in Islamic literature – which is in any case oddly
impoverished as regards demonology …[1]

 

* The odd narratives mentioning al-Abyad come under three verses: Qur’an 22:52, 59:16, and 81:25;
In connection with verse 22:52 though al-Sam‘ani (d. 489/1096) [2] also made a passing remark about reports
suggesting al-Abyad coming to the Prophet (ﷺ) and telling him the infamous ‘Satanic Verses’, the first to give
a detailed account of al-Abyad in this context was al-Razi (d. 606/1210) who records that:

 

It is reported from ‘Ata’ that Ibn ‘Abbas said: A devil called al-Abyad came to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the form of Jibril
(Gabriel) and cast these words (i.e. the Satanic verses) upon him, and the Prophet recited them. When the pagans
heard that it pleased them. Thereupon, Jibril came and asked him to rehears the revelation to him. When he
reached those words Jibril said: I did not bring you these words. Someone came to me in your form and cast
these words on my tongue.[3],

 

* As for Qur’an 59:16 it is related as a parenthetic line in an unusually long story of an Israelite ascetic named
Barsisa lured by al-Abyad as a special assignment from the chief devil Iblis. Al-Qurtubi (d. 671/1273) writes:

 

Al-Abyad; he was the companion of the prophets and the one who intended to reach to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the
form of Jibril to whisper to him in the garb of revelation, however, Jibril intervened and pushed al-Abyad with his
hand throwing him to the farthest corner of India.[4]

 

* In commentary to verse 81:25 Muqatil b. Sulayman (d. 150/767) notes:

When the Prophet was sent, Iblis said, “Who is for this Prophet who has emerged from the land of Tihamah? And a
shaytan called al-Abyad, who was the Companion of the Prophets [sahib al-anbiya’], said: “I and for him.” So he came
to the Prophet, and found him in the house of al-Safa. When he (the Prophet) turned, al-Abyad stood up in the form
of Jibril (fi surat Jibril) to communicate to him (li-yuhiya ilay-hi). So Jibril came down and put his hand between him
and the Prophet and pushed him (al-Abyad) gently. By this, he was thrust away from Mecca and landed in the
furthest parts of India.[5]

 

* Famous biographer of the Prophet (ﷺ), ‘Ali b. Ibrahim al-Halabi (d. 1044/1635) writes:

Some of the commentators have mentioned that the Prophet (ﷺ) had an enemy from among the demons of the jinn
whose name was al-Abyad. And he use to appear to him in the image of Jibril. One may object that it entails distrust
in the veracity of revelation. My response to him is that Allah had bestowed on the Prophet (ﷺ) the necessary
knowledge by which he would discern between Jibril and this devil who was other than the devil attaché (qarîn) that
had submitted (to the Prophet ﷺ and become a Muslim). Ibn al-‘Imad said: The devil who chased the prophets was
known as al-Abyad. The prophets, however, were protected from him, and this was the devil who lured the monk Barsisa.[6]
SOURCE: https://icraa.org/prophet-muhammad-%EF%B7%BA-and-the-devil-named-al-abyad/
[1] Ahmed, Shahab, Before Orthodoxy: The Satanic Verses in Early Islam, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2017) p217
[2] Al-Sam‘ani, Abu al-Muzaffar, Tafsir al-Qur’an, (Riyadh: Dar al-Watan, 1998) Vol.3, 449
[3] Al-Razi, Fakhar al-Din, Mafatih al-Ghaib, (Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath al-‘Arabi, 1420 AH) Vol.23, 240;
Al-Qurtubi, Shams al-Din, al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an, (Cairo: Dar al-Kutab al-Misriyya, 1964) Vol.12, 84
[4] Al-Qurtubi, al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an, Vol.18, 37
[5] Muqatil b. Suleman, al-Tafsir, (Beirut: Dar Ihya’ al-Turath, 1423 AH) Vol.4, 602-603 as translated in Ahmed, Shahab,
Before Orthodoxy: The Satanic Verses in Early Islam, p218;
See also, Al-Qurtubi, al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur’an, Vol.19, p 242
[6] Al-Halabi, Abu al-Faraj, Insan al-‘Uyun fi Sirat al-Amin al-Ma’mun, (Beirut: DKI, 1427 AH) Vol.1, 361; for the jinn
attaché (qarîn) see, Muslim b. Hajjaj, al-Sahih, Hadith 2814