Sultan al-hujja and sultan al-qahr (authority of argument and of compulsion)

سلطان الحجة وسلطان القهر

Sha'rawi separates two kinds of authority in the context of Satan's whispering: the authority of compulsion, forcing a person to act against his will, and the authority of argument, persuading him. He holds that Satan has neither; he finds a desire in the self and follows it. Obedience with no test shows no strength of faith. Iblis came from the four sides and not from above or below. Iblis's disobedience answered the command with refusal, while Adam's admitted weakness ¹ ² ³ ⁴. This is Sha'rawi's reading and is attributed to him.

Summary

Sha'rawi separates the authority of compulsion, forcing a person to do what he does not want, from the authority of argument, persuading him. He holds that Satan has neither; he finds a desire in the self and follows it. ³

Obedience and testing

Sha'rawi holds that obedience with no temptation offered does not show the strength of faith, as an honest employee's integrity is not tested unless he is offered a bribe. ⁴

The directions of misguidance

Sha'rawi says that Iblis came from the four directions and not from above or below, because divine height and human submission in prostration are beyond his reach. ¹

Iblis's disobedience and Adam's

Sha'rawi separates Iblis's disobedience, which answered the command with refusal, from Adam's, which admitted weakness and asked for forgiveness. ²

Author's view

This is Sha'rawi's reading and is attributed to him. The scan gives no kalam or exegetical view on Satan's authority, and none has been checked. The edition is unverified.

Opinions on the question

The question: By what authority does Satan whisper to a person, and can he compel him?

First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference

Satan has whispering but not compulsion; the human will is where choice lies

Sha'rawi holds that a person is not compelled into sin and that whispering finds a desire in the self and follows it {cite:tafsir-sharawi-khawatir-scan p.36}.

Held by: Muhammad Mutawalli al-Sha'rawi

More opinions (2)

Academic viewSecondary opinion

Not checked in this batch

The pages give no kalam or exegetical views on Satan's authority; these must be checked before citing.

Other viewOther opinion

No other view presented

The view given in these pages is Sha'rawi's.

Sources

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.33

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.35

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.36

Sha'rawi's Khawatir around the Holy Quran, volume one (scan copy) , p.37