When Walid Jumblat supported the Bush doctrine and wars, neo-conservatives and Zionists in the US were keen on quoting Jumblat and referring to him as the wisest and most astute political observers in the Middle East. But when Jumblat started to attack the US and Israel--and blaming for all the ills of the region--the neo-conservatives and Zionists stopped quoting Jumblat and praising him. What gives? Yesterday, Walid Jumblat commented on the fainting of Shimon Peres, and said (my translation): "And lastly, even Iblis* refused to receive Shimon Peres, after summoning him for a few moments for a coma. If providence were to make it final, the world would have gotten rid of the historical lie that was represented by this man throughout the decades of the Arab-Israeli conflict. And he has played roles around all the axis of the conflict. And we wish that Iblis not miscalculate this time, and to invite him once and for all, perhaps benefiting humanity in some form."*Iblis is a word used 11 times in the Qur'an for Satan. It is not clear if it is of Arabic or Persian origin although classical Arab lexicographers say that it is from the Arabic root of "balasa" (to deceive) while others believe it is from the Greek Diabolos. Another lexicographer believes that the word is from "Ablasa" or to despair of "God's mercy". And the word is mamnu` min as-Sarf, which could confirm the Persian etymology. Iblis is specifically referred to in Surat Al-Baqarah (34) when God ordered all angels to prostrate but Iblis refused:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
There is also a reference to the army of Iblis as in:
وَجُنُودُ إِبْلِيسَ أَجْمَعُونَ
By the way, Hasan Al-Basri rejected the notion that Iblis is a former angel. OK, enough on Iblis already.
