Friday, June 13, 2025

The Theology of Satan’s Procreation in Islam: A Critical Scholarly Challenge

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

Among the more curious features of classical Islamic exegesis is the tradition concerning the procreation of Satan (Iblis) and the divine orchestration behind it. This narrative, found in works such as Tafsir Al-Qurtubi on Q18:50, presents Satan as a being created by Allah with both male and female sexual organs, capable of self-propagation and the continual spawning of demonic offspring. This article undertakes a critical, theological, and scholarly examination of this tradition, interrogating its sources, logic, and implications for Islamic theodicy and divine purpose.

The Narrative in Question: Source and Content

According to Tafsir al-Qurtubi on Qur’an 18:50:

Mujahid said: “Satan inserted his male private part into his female private part and laid five eggs, this is the origin of his offspring.”
Another report states: “Allah created for him a male private part in his right thigh and a female private part in his left thigh. Satan has sexual intercourse (using these organs), lays 10 eggs every day, and from each egg 70 devils are born.”

Such narrations are echoed by other classical scholars (e.g., Al-Tabari, Al-Kalbi, Ibn Kathir) and find resonance in various hadith and folkloric traditions, despite not being mentioned explicitly in the Qur’an itself.

The Theological Problem: Why Did Allah Create Satan’s Procreative Power?

1. Purpose and Divine Wisdom

The first and most fundamental question is:
Why would Allah, described as All-Wise (Al-Hakim), All-Knowing (Al-‘Alim), and the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahman), purposefully create within Satan the biological capacity for self-propagation?

If Satan’s sole role is to mislead humanity and rebel against the divine, does the provision of a sexual apparatus and the subsequent multiplication of devils serve any redemptive, just, or wise end?

a. Theodicy and the Problem of Evil

Islamic theodicy argues that all things Allah creates are ultimately for good, even if their immediate effects appear evil. But the creation of thousands of new devils daily, whose existence serves to increase evil, temptation, and suffering, seems contrary to the divine attributes of mercy and justice.

b. Comparison with Christian Theology

In Christian theology, Satan is not depicted as self-propagating or laying eggs. The demonic realm consists of fallen angels—unique creations—without the concept of sexual reproduction or endless demonic multiplication. This avoids the implication that God is continuously manufacturing evil entities.

2. Textual Authenticity and Intellectual Coherence

a. Scriptural Silence

The Qur’an itself never states that Satan self-propagates by laying eggs or through sexual intercourse. This doctrine emerges from extraneous tafsir and weak or fabricated hadiths, raising questions about its canonical status.

b. Anthropomorphism and Mythology

The description of Satan’s anatomy and procreation borrows heavily from ancient Near Eastern mythologies and anthropomorphic imaginations. It brings the divine creative act to the level of fable, blurring the lines between theology and folklore.

3. Quantifying Satan’s Offspring: How Many?

If, as claimed, Satan lays 10 eggs per day and from each egg 70 devils are born, then:

10 eggs × 70 devils = 700 devils/day
In one year: 700 × 365 = 255,500 devils
Over 1,400 years (since Islam’s advent): 255,500 × 1,400 ≈ 357,700,000 devils

These numbers become absurd when extended to the scale of world history, raising further theological and rational dilemmas.

4. The Challenge to Islamic Thought: What is the Benefit?

a. Divine Intention vs. Satanic Autonomy

If Allah intentionally created Satan’s procreative ability, then the proliferation of devils is a direct result of divine will, not merely the outcome of Satan’s rebellion. Does this implicate Allah in the proliferation of evil? What possible divine benefit or wisdom could justify the ongoing creation of more and more devils?

b. Human Accountability and Justice

If humans are held responsible for succumbing to satanic temptation, while Allah simultaneously increases the number of tempters, can divine justice be maintained? Does this not create an imbalance where the test of faith is perpetually stacked against humanity?

5. A Call for Re-examination

Islamic theologians must grapple with the narrative’s origins and implications. A doctrine that places the multiplication of evil within the creative prerogative of Allah calls into question divine justice, mercy, and wisdom. Unless this narrative is rejected as folkloric, Islam faces a profound theological challenge:
What conceivable benefit or higher wisdom is served by the exponential, daily increase of Satan’s offspring?

Conclusion

The account of Satan’s sexual self-propagation, as recorded in Tafsir al-Qurtubi and echoed in other classical sources, exposes a significant theological tension within Islam. The lack of clear Qur’anic basis, the problematic implications for theodicy and justice, and the anthropomorphic absurdity of the narrative together demand a critical scholarly response.

Islamic scholars are challenged to either provide a coherent, divinely beneficial explanation for this doctrine or, alternatively, to repudiate it as a mythological accretion unworthy of divine revelation.
Such re-examination is essential not only for the internal coherence of Islamic theology but also for its credibility in dialogue with other world religions and rational inquiry.

Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute

References:

Al-Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi, commentary on Q18:50.
Al-Tabari, Tafsir al-Tabari.
Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Ibn Kathir.
Watt, W. Montgomery. Islamic Philosophy and Theology (Edinburgh University Press, 1985).
Smith, Jane I. An Historical and Theological Inquiry into Islamic Theodicy (Oxford, 2001).