سورة الحجر

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Allah granted Satan a respite so that he would deserve divine wrath, so that the trial would be completed, and so that the promises would be fulfilled, and He said: فَإِنَّکَ مِنَ الْمُنْظَرِینَ إِلی یَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ [So indeed you are of those granted respite, until the day of the appointed time].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Hasan ibn Atiyyah who said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "Inform me how Allah the Mighty and Majestic said to Iblis: فَإِنَّکَ مِنَ الْمنْظَرِینَ إِلی یَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ المَعْلُومِ [So you are of those who are granted respite until the day of the appointed time]?" The Imam said: "In return for a deed which Iblis had done in the past, Allah showed gratitude to him." I said: "What deed?" He said: "Two rak'ats of prayer which Iblis performed in the heavens over a period of two or four thousand years."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Hasan ibn Atiyyah who said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) saying: "Iblis worshipped Allah in the fourth heaven with two rak'ats of prayer for six thousand years, and the respite that Allah granted him until the appointed day was in return for that worship."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): And whoever entrusts affairs to their true Owner (Allah) does not show arrogance against His command — as Iblis showed arrogance against [the command of] prostrating to Adam (peace be upon him), and most of the nations showed arrogance against obeying their prophets (peace be upon them), and for this reason monotheism did not benefit them; just as that long prostration did not benefit Iblis, for he performed a single prostration for four thousand years and had no intention from this act other than [attaining] the gold and glitter of the world and self-display. Therefore prayer and charity do not benefit except with finding the clear path of salvation and the true ways. And Allah, by explaining His signs and sending His messengers, left no room for any excuse or pretext for His servants, so that after [the coming of] these prophets no argument would remain for the people against Allah [and the proof be complete for all] (Nisa/165). And He has not left His earth empty of a scholar who is aware of the [various] needs of creation, and of a learner on the path of salvation — [although] such persons are very few in number.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Aban said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: When Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) came to al-Multazam (the wall opposite the door of the House of the Ka'bah), he said: "O Allah! I have many sins and many faults, and You have abundant mercy and abundant forgiveness. O One who answered the request of the most hated of His creation when he said: فَأَنْظِرْنِی إِلَی یَوْمِ یُبْعَثُونَ [Grant me respite until the day when they are raised]; answer my request and do such and such with me."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): I was sitting beside the Kaaba when suddenly an old man with a bent back entered, whose eyebrows had fallen over his eyes from extreme old age, holding a staff in his hand, wearing a tall red cap on his head, and clothed in a woollen garment. He approached the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), who was resting his back against the Kaaba, and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! Pray for my forgiveness!" The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "O old man! Your effort is fruitless and your deeds have gone astray." When the old man turned away, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said to me: "O Abu al-Hasan (peace be upon him)! Do you know him?" I said: "No!" He said: "That was the accursed Iblis himself." Imam Ali (peace be upon him) says: I ran after him until I reached him, threw him to the ground, sat on his chest and placed my hand on his throat to strangle him. He said to me: "O Abu al-Hasan (peace be upon him)! Do not do this! For I am [of those granted respite until the day of the appointed time]. O Ali (peace be upon him)! By Allah, I love you very much, and no one bears enmity toward you except that I share his father [at the time of intercourse] with his mother, so the child born is a bastard." I [on hearing this] laughed and released him.