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Quran 17:64 – Cavalry And Foot Soldiers Of Satan
“And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses/cavalry and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them.” But Satan does not promise them except delusion.”
This is a very weird question but in this verse, Allah describes Iblees’s refusal to bow down before Adam, him asking for respite and then being adamant on misguiding Adam and his progeny, to which Allah says that you are allowed all you and your followers will be giving an ample punishment in Hell after which this verse comes. As I understood from the translations, and from the general flow and content of these verses, Allah is speaking to Iblees, but if it is his literal address why are cavalry and foot soldiers being mentioned as humans had just been created at that time so how would the concept of such armies and helpers in the form of cavalry/horse and foot soldiers exist at that time? Are we not supposed to take it as the literal mukalimah between Iblees and Allah? And if not then what about all the other times when direct statements and dialogues are mentioned in the Quran, are we supposed to take them in a metaphorical sense? Because I always believed that those were literal statements, e.g the statements in the stories of previous civilizations and prophets, statements in the future i-e what people will say on the Day of Judgement etc and also Allah’s addresses to prophets, angels, Iblees etc? Would someone shed some light?
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Quran 17:64 – Cavalry And Foot Soldiers Of Satan
updated 2 months ago
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The Quran is a literary masterpiece, employing powerful tools like figurative language, metaphors, and allegories. For instance, when describing Iblis’s ability to deceive humans, the Quran uses vivid imagery, comparing his tactics to armies and cavalry charges, which were in practice for centuries.
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So Allah is not directly talking to Iblees here as in the preceding verse? Thank you
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@Irfan76 Sir could you clarify the context of the verses more? I understand all that you mentioned but form the flow of the preceding verses and the context it seems as if Allah is addressing Iblees directly after his arrogance in front of his command and his refusal to bow to Adam and his wish to mislead Adam and his progeny, so in that context how are cavalry and foot soldiers mentioned? If this is imagery then this is not the literal kalam of Allah with Iblees? And what about all the other places when dialogues are mentioned? Are they supposed to be taken in in a metaphorical sense or an actual recapitulation of what happened and what was spoken before? @UmerQureshi Sir if you could understand my confusion.
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It is a direct address to iblees.
The expression God used here is to tell a thing to the audience using their metaphors of their language.
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Moreover, we are told that jinns are another community just like us. So in their battles with each other they too might have used their foot soldiers and cavalry which the verse refers too. And therefore His used whole addressing Iblees.
Secondly, it can be a retelling to the audience of the Qur’an and God used the metaphors of their language while narrating the past event.
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