Short answer
No. In Islam, Satan rules nothing. Allah (﷾) alone runs the world. Satan can only whisper and tempt, and even that only as far as Allah (﷾) allows. The Qur'an says he "cannot harm them in the least, except as Allah permits" (58:10). On the Last Day Satan himself will say: "I had no authority over you except to call you" (14:22). The Bible agrees. Satan could not touch Job until God (﷾) allowed it (Job 1:12). And Jesus said "the prince of this world is judged" (John 16:11).
Full explanation
Satan has no authority
The Qur'an never calls Satan a ruler. Allah (﷾) told him: "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee" (15:42). Again: "As for My servants, no authority shalt thou have over them" (17:65). Satan's power reaches only those who choose him: "His authority is over those only, who take him as patron" (16:100). On the Last Day he will admit it himself: "I had no authority over you except to call you" (14:22).
“(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong,- "Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)." (Allah) said: "This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me. "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."”
“"As for My servants, no authority shalt thou have over them:" Enough is thy Lord for a Disposer of affairs.”
“No authority has he over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is over those only, who take him as patron and who join partners with Allah.”
“And Satan will say when the matter is decided: "It was Allah Who gave you a promise of Truth: I too promised, but I failed in my promise to you. I had no authority over you except to call you but ye listened to me: then reproach not me, but reproach your own souls. I cannot listen to your cries, nor can ye listen to mine. I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrong-doers there must be a grievous penalty."”
His only weapon is the whisper
The last chapter of the Qur'an calls Allah (﷾) "The King (or Ruler) of Mankind" (114:2). It calls Satan only "the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper)" (114:4). The Prophet (ﷺ) said Satan runs through a person as blood does, and can cast an evil thought into the heart (Bukhari 3281). So Satan works on the mind, by suggestion. He can make wrong look good (15:39), but he cannot make anyone do it.
“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, The King (or Ruler) of Mankind, The god (or judge) of Mankind,- From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),- (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,- Among Jinns and among men.”
Safiyya bint Huyayy reports that she visited the Prophet (ﷺ) one night while he was in i'tikaf in the mosque, and he walked her back towards her home. Two men of the Ansar passed and hurried on. He told them that she was his wife Safiyya. When they said they would never suspect him, he said that Satan circulates in a person as blood circulates, and he feared Satan might cast an evil thought into their hearts.
“(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth, and I will put them all in the wrong,- "Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)." (Allah) said: "This (way of My sincere servants) is indeed a way that leads straight to Me. "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have, except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."”
Even that only by Allah's (﷾) leave
Satan cannot hurt a believer on his own. The Qur'an says he "cannot harm them in the least, except as Allah permits" (58:10). It calls his schemes weak: "feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan" (4:76). So the whisper, too, is a test that Allah (﷾) allows, and He is always the stronger.
“Secret counsels are only (inspired) by the Evil One, in order that he may cause grief to the Believers; but he cannot harm them in the least, except as Allah permits; and on Allah let the Believers put their trust.”
“Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject Faith Fight in the cause of Evil: So fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.”
Who gives power and kingdoms?
The Qur'an teaches this prayer: "O Allah! Lord of Power (And Rule), Thou givest power to whom Thou pleasest, and Thou strippest off power from whom Thou pleasest" (3:26). No ruler rises or falls except by Allah's (﷾) will. Satan gives nothing, and takes nothing away.
“Say: "O Allah! Lord of Power (And Rule), Thou givest power to whom Thou pleasest, and Thou strippest off power from whom Thou pleasest: Thou enduest with honour whom Thou pleasest, and Thou bringest low whom Thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all good. Verily, over all things Thou hast power.”
In the Bible, Satan asks permission
In the Book of Job, Satan cannot touch Job until God (﷾) allows it. God (﷾) says: "Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand" (Job 1:12). Later God (﷾) sets a second limit: "Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life" (Job 2:6). Satan goes no further than he is allowed. That is the same picture as the Qur'an's (58:10).
“And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.”
“And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.”
“Secret counsels are only (inspired) by the Evil One, in order that he may cause grief to the Believers; but he cannot harm them in the least, except as Allah permits; and on Allah let the Believers put their trust.”
In the Bible, God (﷾) gives the kingdoms
When Satan tempted Jesus, he showed him "all the kingdoms of the world". He said: "for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it" (Luke 4:6). But the Book of Daniel says the opposite: "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will" (Daniel 4:17). Jesus called Satan "a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). And Jesus turned the offer down: "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Luke 4:8).
“And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.”
“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”
“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
“And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
“Say: "O Allah! Lord of Power (And Rule), Thou givest power to whom Thou pleasest, and Thou strippest off power from whom Thou pleasest: Thou enduest with honour whom Thou pleasest, and Thou bringest low whom Thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all good. Verily, over all things Thou hast power.”
"The prince of this world is judged"
Jesus did call Satan "the prince of this world" (John 12:31). But in the same verse he said this prince shall "be cast out". Elsewhere he said "the prince of this world is judged" (John 16:11), and "hath nothing in me" (John 14:30). A prince who is judged and cast out is not the one who rules.
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”
“Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”
“Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.”
| Question | The Bible | The Qur'an |
|---|---|---|
| Can Satan harm anyone without leave? | No: he needed God's (﷾) leave to touch Job (Job 1:12) | No: only as Allah (﷾) permits (58:10) |
| Who gives the kingdoms? | The Most High, to whom He will (Daniel 4:17) | Allah (﷾), to whom He pleases (3:26) |
| What can Satan do? | Blind the minds of those who do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:4) | Whisper, and lead those who follow him (114:4; 16:100) |
| How should a believer answer him? | Resist him, and he will flee (James 4:7) | Seek refuge with Allah (﷾) from him (7:200) |
| What becomes of him? | He is judged and cast out (John 16:11; 12:31) | He will disown his followers on the Last Day (14:22) |
Do not fear him: turn to Allah (﷾)
Satan rules nothing, so a believer does not live in fear of him. The Qur'an says: "It is only the Evil One that suggests to you the fear of his votaries: Be ye not afraid of them, but fear Me" (3:175). When a whisper comes, a Muslim turns to Allah (﷾): "If a suggestion from Satan assail thy (mind), seek refuge with Allah" (7:200). The Bible says the same: "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7).
“It is only the Evil One that suggests to you the fear of his votaries: Be ye not afraid of them, but fear Me, if ye have Faith.”
“If a suggestion from Satan assail thy (mind), seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things).”
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
“Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind, The King (or Ruler) of Mankind, The god (or judge) of Mankind,- From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil), who withdraws (after his whisper),- (The same) who whispers into the hearts of Mankind,- Among Jinns and among men.”
Perspectives
Satan rules this world for now
Some Christians teach that Satan rules this present world until the end. They point to Jesus, who called him "the prince of this world" (John 12:31). Paul called him "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4). And Satan told Jesus the kingdoms of the world were "delivered unto" him (Luke 4:6).
Jesus called Satan "the prince of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30).
Rebuttal
Jesus said this prince shall "be cast out" (John 12:31), and that he "is judged" (John 16:11). He also said the prince "hath nothing in me" (John 14:30). These verses limit Satan; they do not crown him.
Paul calls Satan "the god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Rebuttal
Paul says Satan blinds "the minds of them which believe not" (2 Corinthians 4:4). That is the power to mislead, which the Qur'an also gives him over those who follow him (16:100). It is not the power to run the world. The Psalms say of God (﷾), "his kingdom ruleth over all" (Psalm 103:19).
Satan said the kingdoms of the world were "delivered unto" him, to give to whomever he wished (Luke 4:6).
Rebuttal
Those are Satan's own words, and Jesus called him "a liar, and the father of it" (John 8:44). Daniel says "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will" (Daniel 4:17). Jesus did not accept the offer. He answered that God (﷾) alone is to be worshipped and served (Luke 4:8).
The Islamic perspective
Satan rules nothing. He can only whisper and tempt, as far as Allah (﷾) allows, and he has power only over those who follow him. Allah (﷾) alone gives and takes away all power.
The Qur'an says Satan has no authority over Allah's (﷾) servants, only over those who follow him.
The Qur'an says Satan cannot harm the believers except as Allah (﷾) permits.
The Qur'an says Satan will admit on the Last Day that he only called people.
The Qur'an calls Allah (﷾) the King of mankind, and Satan the Whisperer who withdraws.
The Qur'an says Allah (﷾) gives power to whom He pleases, and takes it away from whom He pleases.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said Satan runs through a person like blood, and can cast an evil thought into the heart.