Devil

{{Short description|Personification of evil}}
{{redirect|Devilish|other uses|Devil (disambiguation)}}
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[[File:022 devil representation.JPG|thumb|upright|Statue of the devil in the [[Žmuidzinavičius Museum]] or Devil's Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania]]
[[File:La tenture de lApocalypse (Angers) (2).jpg|thumb|[[Satan]] (the dragon; on the left) gives to the beast of the sea (on the right) power represented by a [[sceptre]] in a detail of panel III.40 of the medieval French [[Apocalypse Tapestry]], produced between 1377 and 1382.]]
[[File:Devils-from-Rila-monastery.jpg|thumb|upright|A fresco detail from the [[Rila Monastery]], in which demons are depicted as having grotesque faces and bodies]]

A '''devil''' is the [[personification]] of [[evil]] as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, pp. 11 and 34</ref> It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 34</ref> [[Jeffrey Burton Russell]] states that the different conceptions of the devil can be summed up as 1) a principle of evil independent from [[God]], 2) an aspect of God, 3) a created being turning evil (a ''fallen angel''), and 4) a symbol of human evil.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Russell |first1=Jeffrey Burton |title=Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World |date=1990 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-0-8014-9718-6}}</ref>{{rp|p=23}}

Each tradition, culture, and religion with a devil in its mythos offers a different lens on manifestations of evil.<ref name="ReferenceC">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, pp. 41–75</ref> The history of these perspectives intertwines with theology, mythology, psychiatry, art, and literature developing independently within each of the traditions.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, pp. 44 and 51</ref> It occurs historically in many contexts and cultures, and is given many different names—[[Satan]], [[Lucifer]], [[Beelzebub]], [[Mephistopheles]], [[Iblis]]—and attributes: it is portrayed as blue, black, or red; it is portrayed as having horns on its head, and without horns, and so on.<ref name="Arp, Robert 2014">Arp, Robert. ''The Devil and Philosophy: The Nature of His Game''. Open Court, 2014. {{ISBN|978-0-8126-9880-0}}. pp. 30–50</ref><ref name="ReferenceD">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press. 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}. p. 66.</ref> While depictions of the devil are usually taken seriously, there are times when it is treated less seriously; when, for example, devil figures are used in advertising and on candy wrappers.<ref name="ReferenceC"/><ref>Russell, Jeffrey Burton, ''The Prince of Darkness: Radical Evil and the Power of Good in History'', Cornell University Press (1992) {{ISBN|978-0-8014-8056-0}}, p. 2</ref>

== Etymology ==
The Modern English word ''[[:wikt:devil|devil]]'' derives from the [[Middle English]] ''[[wikt:devel|devel]]'', from the [[Old English]] ''[[wikt:deofol|dēofol]]'', that in turn represents an early Germanic borrowing of the [[Latin]] ''[[:wikt:diabolus|diabolus]]''. This in turn was borrowed from the [[Greek language|Greek]] {{lang|grc|[[:wikt:διάβολος|διάβολος]]}} ''diábolos'', "slanderer",<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Ddia%2Fbolos διάβολος], Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, ''A Greek-English Lexicon'', on Perseus</ref> from {{lang|el|διαβάλλειν}} ''diabállein'', "to slander" from [[wikt:διά|διά]] ''diá'', "across, through" and βάλλειν ''bállein'', "to hurl", probably akin to the [[Sanskrit]] ''gurate'', "he lifts up".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devil|title=Definition of DEVIL|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=23 April 2016}}</ref>

== Definitions ==
In his book ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', [[Jeffrey Burton Russell]] discusses various meanings and difficulties that are encountered when using the term ''devil''.  He does not claim to define the word in a general sense, but he describes the limited use that he intends for the word in his book—limited in order to "minimize this difficulty" and "for the sake of clarity". In this book Russell uses the word ''devil'' as "the [[personification]] of [[evil]] found in a variety of cultures", as opposed to the word ''[[Satan]]'', which he reserves specifically for the figure in the [[Abrahamic religions]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Jeffrey Burton Russell|title=The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D2-Na937xRYC|year=1987|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=0-8014-9409-5|pages=11, 34}}</ref>

In the Introduction to his book ''Satan: A Biography'', Henry Ansgar Kelly discusses various considerations and meanings that he has encountered in using terms such as ''devil'' and ''Satan'', etc. While not offering a general definition, he describes that in his book "whenever ''diabolos'' is used as the proper name of Satan", he signals it by using "small caps".<ref>{{cite book|last=Kelly|first=Henry Ansgar|date=2006|title=Satan: A Biography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gPIpQg0lRbMC&pg=PA12|location=Cambridge, England|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-60402-4|pages=3–4}}</ref>

The ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'' has a variety of definitions for the meaning of "devil", supported by a range of citations: "Devil" may refer to Satan, the supreme spirit of evil, or one of Satan's emissaries or demons that populate Hell, or to one of the spirits that possess a demonic person; "devil" may refer to one of the "malignant deities" feared and worshiped by "heathen people", a demon, a malignant being of superhuman powers; figuratively "devil" may be applied to a wicked person, or playfully to a rogue or rascal, or in empathy often accompanied by the word "poor" to a person—"poor devil".<ref>Craige, W. A.; Onions, C. T. A. "Devil". ''A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles: Introduction, Supplement, and Bibliography''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. (1933) pp. 283–284</ref>

== Baháʼí Faith ==
In the [[Baháʼí Faith]], a malevolent, superhuman entity such as a ''devil'' or ''satan'' is not believed to exist.<ref name="smith">{{cite encyclopedia |last= Smith |first= Peter |encyclopedia= A concise encyclopedia of the Bahá'í Faith |title= satan |year= 2000 |publisher= Oneworld Publications |location= Oxford |isbn= 1-85168-184-1 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000smit/page/304 304] |url= https://archive.org/details/conciseencyclope0000smit/page/304 }}</ref> These terms do, however, appear in the Baháʼí writings, where they are used as metaphors for the lower nature of man. Human beings are seen to have [[free will]], and are thus able to turn towards God and develop spiritual qualities or turn away from God and become immersed in their self-centered desires. Individuals who follow the temptations of the self and do not develop spiritual virtues are often described in the Baháʼí writings with the word ''satanic''.<ref name="smith" /> The Baháʼí writings also state that the devil is a metaphor for the "insistent self" or "lower self" which is a self-serving inclination within each individual. Those who follow their lower nature are also described as followers of "the Evil One".<ref>{{cite book| author = Bahá'u'lláh|author2=Baháʼuʼlláh| author-link = Bahá'u'lláh| title = Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh Revealed After the Kitáb-i-Aqdas| url = http://reference.bahai.org/en/t/b/TB/tb-8.html#pg87| orig-year = 1873–92| year = 1994| publisher = Baháʼí Publishing Trust| location = Wilmette, Illinois, US| isbn = 0-87743-174-4| page = 87| chapter = Tablet of the World }}</ref><ref>Shoghi Effendi quoted in {{cite book| last = Hornby| first = Helen| title = Lights of Guidance: A Baháʼí Reference File| url = http://bahai-library.com/hornby_lights_guidance_2&chapter=4#n1738| year = 1983| publisher = Baháʼí Publishing Trust, New Delhi, India| isbn = 81-85091-46-3| page = 513| editor = Hornby, Helen}}</ref>

== Christianity ==
{{Main|Devil in Christianity}}
{{See also|Satan#Christianity|War in Heaven}}
[[File:Alexandre_Cabanel_-_Fallen_Angel.jpg|thumb|''The Fallen Angel'' (1847) by [[Alexandre Cabanel]] ([[Musée Fabre]], [[Montpellier]])]]
In [[Christianity]], evil is incarnate in the devil or [[Satan]], a fallen angel who is the primary opponent of [[God in Christianity|God]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordcompaniont0000leem|url-access=registration|title=The Oxford Companion to World Mythology|last=Leeming|first=David|year= 2005|publisher=Oxford University Press (US)|isbn=978-0-19-515669-0|language=en}}</ref><ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 174</ref> Some Christians also considered the [[List of Roman deities|Roman]] and [[Greek primordial deities|Greek deities]] as devils.<ref name="Arp, Robert 2014" /><ref name="ReferenceD" />

Christianity describes Satan as a [[fallen angel]] who terrorizes the world through evil,<ref name=":0" /> is the [[antithesis]] of [[truth]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devil|title=Definition of DEVIL|website=www.merriam-webster.com|access-date=12 June 2016}}</ref> and shall be condemned, together with the fallen angels who follow him, to eternal fire at the [[Last Judgment]].<ref name=":0" />

In mainstream [[Christianity]], the devil is usually referred to as [[Satan]]. This is because Christian beliefs in Satan are inspired directly by the dominant view of [[Second Temple Judaism]] (recorded in the [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enochian books]]), as expressed/practiced by [[Jesus]], and with some minor variations. Some modern Christians {{Who|date=April 2016}} consider the devil to be an [[angel]] who, along with one-third of the angelic host (the demons), rebelled against God and has consequently been condemned to the [[Lake of Fire]]. He is described {{Attribution needed|date=April 2016}} as hating all humanity (or more accurately creation), opposing God, spreading lies and wreaking havoc on their souls.

[[File:Backer Judgment (detail).JPG|thumb|Horns of a [[goat]] and a [[Sheep|ram]], goat's fur and ears, nose and canines of a [[pig]]; a typical depiction of the devil in [[Christian art]]. The goat, ram and pig are consistently associated with the devil.<ref>{{cite book| last = Fritscher| first = Jack| title = Popular Witchcraft: Straight from the Witch's Mouth| year = 2004| publisher = Popular Press| isbn = 0-299-20304-2| page = 23| quote = The pig, goat, ram—all of these creatures are consistently associated with the Devil. }}</ref> Detail of a 16th-century painting by [[Jacob de Backer]] in the [[National Museum, Warsaw|National Museum]] in [[Warsaw]].]]

Satan is traditionally identified as the [[Serpent (Bible)|serpent]] who convinced [[Eve]] to eat the [[forbidden fruit]]; thus, Satan has often been depicted as a serpent. In the [[Bible]], the devil is identified with "the dragon" and "the old serpent" seen in the Book of Revelation,<ref>12:9, 20:2</ref> as has "the prince of this world" in the [[Gospel of John]];<ref>12:31, 14:30</ref> and "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" in the [[Epistle to the Ephesians]];<ref>2:2</ref> and "the god of this world" in [[Second Epistle to the Corinthians|2 Corinthians]] 4:4.<ref>{{bibleverse|2|Corinthians|2:2}}</ref> He is also identified as the dragon in the Book of Revelation<ref>e.g. [[s:Bible (American Standard)/Revelation#Chapter 12|Rev. 12:9]]</ref> and the tempter of the [[Gospels]].<ref>e.g. [[Matthew 4]]:1</ref>

[[Beelzebub]] is originally the name of a [[Philistines|Philistine]] god (more specifically a certain type of [[Baal]], from ''Ba‘al Zebûb'', lit. "Lord of Flies") but is also used in the New Testament as a synonym for the devil.{{cn|date=January 2024}} A corrupted version, "Belzeboub", appears in ''[[Divine Comedy|The Divine Comedy]]'' (''Inferno'' XXXIV).

In other, non-mainstream, Christian beliefs (e.g. the beliefs of the [[Devil in Christianity#Unitarians and Christadelphians|Christadelphians]]) the word "satan" in the Bible is not regarded as referring to a supernatural, personal being but to any 'adversary' and figuratively refers to human sin and temptation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.christadelphia.org/pamphlet/devil.htm |title=Do you Believe in a Devil? Bible Teaching on Temptation. |access-date=29 May 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220529141551/http://www.christadelphia.org/pamphlet/devil.htm|archive-date=2022-05-29|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Apocrypha/Deuterocanon ===
{{See also|Apocrypha|Biblical apocrypha|Deuterocanonical books}}
In the [[Book of Wisdom]], the devil is represented as the one who brought death into the world.<ref>"But by the envy of the devil, death came into the world" – Book of Wisdom II. 24</ref> The [[Second Book of Enoch]] contains references to a [[Watcher (angel)|Watcher]] called Satanael,<ref>[[2 Enoch]] 18:3</ref> describing him as the prince of the ''[[Watcher (angel)|Grigori]]'' who was cast out of heaven<ref>"And I threw him out from the height with his angels, and he was flying in the air continuously above the bottomless" – [[2 Enoch]] 29:4</ref> and an [[evil spirit]] who knew the difference between what was "righteous" and "sinful".<ref>"The devil is the evil spirit of the lower places, as a fugitive he made Sotona from the heavens as his name was Satanail, thus he became different from the angels, but his nature did not change his intelligence as far as his understanding of righteous and sinful things" – [[2 Enoch]] 31:4</ref>

In the [[Book of Jubilees]], Satan rules over a host of angels.<ref>''[[Martyrdom of Isaiah]]'', 2:2; ''[[Vita Adæ et Evæ]]'', 16)</ref> [[Mastema]], who induced God to test [[Abraham]] through the [[Binding of Isaac|sacrifice of Isaac]], is identical with Satan in both name and nature.<ref>[[Book of Jubilees]], xvii. 18</ref> The [[Book of Enoch]] contains references to [[Sathariel]], thought also {{By whom|date=April 2016}} to be Sataniel and [[Satanel|Satan'el]]. The similar spellings mirror that of his angelic brethren [[Michael (archangel)|Michael]], [[Raphael (angel)|Raphael]], [[Uriel]], and [[Gabriel]], previous to his expulsion from Heaven.{{Citation needed|date=April 2016}}

== Gnostic religions ==
{{See also|Demiurge#Gnosticism}}
[[File:Lion-faced deity.jpg|thumb|right|150px|A lion-faced deity found on a Gnostic gem in [[Bernard de Montfaucon]]'s ''L'antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures'' may be a depiction of the Demiurge.]]
Gnostic and Gnostic-influenced religions postulate the idea that the material world is inherently evil. The ''One true God'' is remote, beyond the material universe, therefore this universe must be governed by an inferior imposter deity. This deity was identified with the deity of the Old Testament by some sects, such as the [[Sethianism|Sethians]] and the [[Marcionism|Marcions]].  [[Tertullian]] accuses [[Marcion of Sinope]], that he {{Blockquote|
[held that] the Old Testament was a scandal to the faithful … and … accounted for it by postulating [that Jehovah was] a secondary deity, a [[Demiurge|demiurgus]], who was god, in a sense, but not the supreme God; he was just, rigidly just, he had his good qualities, but he was not the good god, who was Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.<ref name="Marcion">{{CathEncy|wstitle=Marcionites}}</ref>}} [[John Arendzen]] (1909) in the ''[[Catholic Encyclopedia]]'' (1913) mentions that [[Eusebius]] accused [[Apelles (gnostic)|Apelles]], the 2nd-century AD Gnostic, of considering the Inspirer of Old Testament prophecies to be not a god, but an evil angel.<ref name="Apelles">{{CathEncy|wstitle=Gnosticism}}</ref> These writings commonly refer to the Creator of the material world as "a [[Demiurge|demiurgus]]"<ref name="Marcion" /> to distinguish him from the ''One true God''. Some texts, such as the [[Apocryphon of John]] and [[On the Origin of the World]], not only demonized the Creator God but also called him by the name of the devil in some Jewish writings, ''[[Samael]]''.<ref>Birger A. Pearson ''Gnosticism Judaism Egyptian'' Fortress Press {{ISBN|978-1-4514-0434-0}} p. 100</ref>

=== Catharism ===
In the 12th century in Europe the [[Catharism|Cathars]], who were rooted in [[Gnosticism]], dealt with the problem of evil, and developed ideas of dualism and demonology. The Cathars were seen as a serious potential challenge to the Catholic church of the time. The Cathars split into two camps. The first is ''absolute'' dualism, which held that evil was completely separate from the good God, and that God and the devil each had power. The second camp is ''mitigated'' dualism, which considers [[Lucifer]] to be a son of God, and a brother to Christ. To explain this they used the parable of the prodigal son, with Christ as the good son, and Lucifer as the son that strayed into evilness. The Catholic Church responded to dualism in AD 1215 in the [[Fourth Council of the Lateran|Fourth Lateran Council]], saying that God created everything from nothing, and the devil was good when he was created, but he made himself bad by his own free will.<ref>Rouner, Leroy (1983). ''The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology''. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 166. {{ISBN|978-0-664-22748-7}}.</ref><ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages'', Cornell University Press 1986 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49429-1}}, pp. 187–188</ref> In the ''[[Gospel of the Secret Supper]]'', Lucifer, just as in prior Gnostic systems, appears as a demiurge, who created the material world.<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} p. 764</ref>

== Islam ==
{{main|Azazil|Iblis}}
{{see also|Satan#Islam}}
[[File:Adam honored.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Iblis]] (top right on the picture) refuses to prostrate before the newly created [[Adam]] from a [[Persian miniature]].]]
In Islam, the principle of evil is expressed by two terms referring to the same entity:<ref>Jane Dammen McAuliffe ''Encyclopaedia of the Qurʼān'' Brill 2001 {{ISBN|978-90-04-14764-5}} p. 526</ref><ref name="ReferenceE">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''Lucifer: The Devil in the Middle Ages'', Cornell University Press 1986 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49429-1}}, p. 57</ref><ref>Benjamin W. McCraw, Robert Arp ''Philosophical Approaches to the Devil'' Routledge 2015 {{ISBN|978-1-317-39221-7}}</ref> ''[[Shaitan]]'' (meaning ''astray'', ''distant'' or ''devil'') and ''[[Iblis]]''. Iblis is the proper name of the devil representing the characteristics of evil.<ref name="ReferenceF">Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|978-90-420-2231-7}} p. 250</ref> Iblis is mentioned in the [[Quran]]ic narrative about the creation of humanity. When [[God in Islam|God]] created [[Adam in Islam|Adam]], he ordered the angels to prostrate themselves before him. All did, but Iblis refused and claimed to be superior to Adam out of pride.{{Cite-quran ayah|7|12|s=y|b=yl}} Therefore, pride but also envy became a sign of "unbelief" in Islam.<ref name="ReferenceF"/> Thereafter Iblis was condemned to Hell, but God granted him a request to lead humanity astray,<ref>{{qref|17|62|b=y}}</ref> knowing the righteous would resist Iblis' attempts to misguide them. In Islam, both good and evil are ultimately created by God. But since God's will is good, the evil in the world must be part of God's plan.<ref name="ReferenceG">Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|978-90-420-2231-7}} p. 249</ref> Actually, God allowed the devil to seduce humanity. Evil and suffering are regarded as a test or a chance to proof confidence in God.<ref name="ReferenceG"/> Some philosophers and mystics emphasized Iblis himself as a role model of confidence in God, because God ordered the angels to prostrate themselves, Iblis was forced to choose between God's command and God's will (not to praise someone else than God). He successfully passed the test, yet his disobedience caused his punishment and therefore suffering. However, he stays patient and is rewarded in the end.<ref>Jerald D. Gort, Henry Jansen, Hendrik M. Vroom ''Probing the Depths of Evil and Good: Multireligious Views and Case Studies'' Rodopi 2007 {{ISBN|978-90-420-2231-7}} pp. 254–255</ref>

Muslims hold that the [[Pre-Islamic Arabia|pre-Islamic]] [[jinn]], [[Tutelary deity|tutelary deities]], became subject under [[Islam]] to the judgment of God, and that those who did not submit to the law of God are [[Shaitan|devils]].<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 58</ref>

Although Iblis is often compared to the devil in [[Christian theology]], Islam rejects the idea that [[Satan]] is an opponent of God and the implied struggle between God and [[the devil]].{{clarify|date=June 2021}} Iblis might either be regarded as ''the most monotheistic'' or ''the greatest sinner'', but remains only a creature of God. Iblis did not become an [[unbeliever]] due to his disobedience, but because of attributing injustice to God; that is, by asserting that the command to prostrate himself before [[Adam]] was inappropriate.<ref>Sharpe, Elizabeth Marie ''Into the realm of smokeless fire: (Qur'an 55:14): A critical translation of al-Damiri's article on the jinn from "Hayat al-Hayawan al-Kubra'' 1953 The University of Arizona download date: 15/03/2020</ref>  There is no sign of angelic revolt in the [[Quran]] and no mention of Iblis trying to take God's throne<ref>{{cite book|first=Amira|last=El-Zein|title=Islam, Arabs, and Intelligent World of the Jinn|publisher=[[Syracuse University Press]]|date=2009|isbn=978-0815650706|page=46}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=Stephen J.|last=Vicchio|title=Biblical Figures in the Islamic Faith|publisher=[[Wipf and Stock]]|location=Eugene, Oregon|date=2008|isbn=978-1556353048|pages=175–185}}</ref> and Iblis's [[sin]] could be forgiven at anytime by God.<ref>{{cite book|first1=Nader|last1=Ahmadi|first2=Fereshtah|last2=Ahmadi|title=Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual|publisher=[[Axel Springer]]|location=Berlin, Germany|date=1998|isbn=978-0-230-37349-5|page=80}}</ref> According to the Quran, Iblis's disobedience was due to his disdain for [[human|humanity]], a narrative already occurring in early [[New Testament apocrypha]].<ref>{{cite book|first1=Alberdina|last1=Houtman|first2=Tamar|last2=Kadari|first3=Marcel|last3=Poorthuis|first4=Vered|last4=Tohar|title=Religious Stories in Transformation: Conflict, Revision and Reception|publisher=[[Brill Publishers]]|location=Leiden, Germany|date=2016|isbn=978-9-004-33481-6|page=66}}</ref> 

As in Christianity, Iblis was once a pious creature of God but later cast out of Heaven due to his pride. However, to maintain God's absolute sovereignty,<ref>Amira El-Zein ''Islam, Arabs, and Intelligent World of the Jinn'' Syracuse University Press 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-8156-5070-6}} p. 45</ref> Islam matches the line taken by Irenaeus instead of the later Christian consensus that the devil did not rebel against God but against humanity.<ref name="ReferenceB">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press, 1987, {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 56</ref><ref name="ReferenceE"/> Further, although Iblis is generally regarded as a real bodily entity,<ref name="ReferenceH">Cenap Çakmak ''Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia [4 volumes]'' ABC-CLIO 2017 {{ISBN|978-1-610-69217-5}} p. 1399</ref> he plays a less significant role as the personification of evil than in Christianity. Iblis is merely a tempter, notable for inciting humans into sin by ''whispering'' into humans minds (waswās), akin to the Jewish idea of the devil as ''[[yetzer hara]]''.<ref name="ReferenceI">Fereshteh Ahmadi, Nader Ahmadi ''Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual'' Springer 1998 {{ISBN|978-0-230-37349-5}} p. 79</ref><ref>Nils G. Holm ''The Human Symbolic Construction of Reality: A Psycho-Phenomenological Study'' LIT Verlag Münster 2014 {{ISBN|978-3-643-90526-0}} p. 54</ref>

On the other hand, ''Shaitan'' refers unilaterally to forces of evil, including the devil Iblis, then he causes mischief.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/shaitan "Shaitan, Islamic Mythology."]  ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'' (Britannica.com).  Retrieved 23 June 2019.</ref> Shaitan is also linked to humans psychological nature, appearing in dreams, causing anger or interrupting the mental preparation for prayer.<ref name="ReferenceH"/> Furthermore, the term ''Shaitan'' also refers to beings, who follow the evil suggestions of Iblis. Furthermore, the principle of ''shaitan'' is in many ways a symbol of spiritual impurity, representing humans' own deficits, in contrast to a "[[Mumin|true Muslim]]", who is free from anger, lust and other devilish desires.<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}} p. 74</ref>

In Muslim culture, devils are believed to be hermaphrodite creatures created from hell-fire, with one male and one female thigh. By that, they procreate without another mate. It is generally believed that devils can harm the souls of humans through their whisperings. While whisperings tempt humans to sin, the devils might enter the [[Qalb|hearth]] (''qalb'') of an individual. If the devils take over the soul of a person, this would render them aggressive or insane.<ref>Bullard, A. (2022). Spiritual and Mental Health Crisis in Globalizing Senegal: A History of Transcultural Psychiatry. US: Taylor & Francis.</ref> In extreme cases, the alterings of the soul are believed to have effect on the body, matching its spiritual qualities.<ref>Woodward, Mark. Java, Indonesia and Islam. Deutschland, Springer Netherlands, 2010. p. 88</ref>

=== In Sufism and mysticism ===
{{See also|Nafs}}
In contrast to Occidental philosophy, the Sufi idea of seeing "Many as One", and considering the creation in its essence as the Absolute, leads to the idea of the dissolution of any dualism between the ego substance and the "external" substantial objects. The rebellion against God, mentioned in the Quran, takes place on the level of the [[Nafs|psyche]], that must be trained and disciplined for its union with the [[Ruh|spirit]] that is pure. Since psyche drives the body, ''flesh'' is not the obstacle to humans but rather an unawareness that allows the impulsive forces to cause rebellion against God on the level of the psyche. Yet it is not a dualism between body, psyche and spirit, since the spirit embraces both psyche and corporeal aspects of humanity.<ref>Fereshteh Ahmadi, Nader Ahmadi ''Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual'' Springer 1998 {{ISBN|978-0-230-37349-5}} p. 81-82</ref> Since the world is held to be the mirror in which God's attributes are reflected, participation in worldly affairs is not necessarily seen as opposed to God.<ref name="ReferenceI"/> The devil activates the selfish desires of the psyche, leading the human astray from the Divine.<ref>John O'Kane, Bernd Radtke ''The Concept of Sainthood in Early Islamic Mysticism: Two Works by Al-Hakim Al-Tirmidhi – An Annotated Translation with Introduction'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|978-1-136-79309-7}} p. 48</ref> Thus it is the  ''[[I (pronoun)|I]]'' that is regarded as evil, and both Iblis and [[Pharaohs in the Bible|''Pharao'']] are present as symbols for uttering "I" in ones own behavior. Therefore it is recommended to use the term ''I'' as little as possible. It is only God who has the right to say "I", since it is only God who is self-subsistent. Uttering "I" is therefore a way to compare oneself to God, regarded as ''[[Shirk (Islam)|shirk]]''.<ref>Peter J. Awn Satan's Tragedy and Redemption: Iblis in Sufi Psychology BRILL 1983 {{ISBN|978-90-04-06906-0}} p. 93</ref>

=== In Salafism ===
{{See also|Taghut}}
[[Salafism|Salafi]] strands of Islam commonly emphasize a [[Dualistic cosmology|dualistic]] worldview contrasting believers and unbelievers,<ref>Thorsten Gerald Schneiders ''Salafismus in Deutschland: Ursprünge und Gefahren einer islamisch-fundamentalistischen Bewegung'' transcript Verlag 2014 {{ISBN|978-3-8394-2711-8}}  p. 392 (German)</ref> and featuring the devil as the enemy of the faithful who tries to lead them astray from God's path. Even though the devil will eventually be defeated by God, he remains a serious and dangerous opponent of humans.<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}} p. 67</ref> While in classical [[hadith]]s, the demons (''Shayateen'') and the [[jinn]] are responsible for impurity and capable of endangering human souls, in Salafi thought, it is the devil himself, who lies in wait for believers,<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}} p. 68</ref> always striving to lure them away from God. The devil is regarded as an omnipresent entity, permanently inciting humans into sin, but can be ''pushed away'' by remembering the name God.<ref>Richard Gauvain ''Salafi Ritual Purity: In the Presence of God'' Routledge 2013 {{ISBN|978-0-7103-1356-0}} p. 69</ref> The devil is regarded as an external entity, threatening the everyday life of the believer, even in social aspects of life.<ref>Michael Kiefer, Jörg Hüttermann, Bacem Dziri, Rauf Ceylan, Viktoria Roth, Fabian Srowig, Andreas Zick ''"Lasset uns in shaʼa Allah ein Plan machen": Fallgestützte Analyse der Radikalisierung einer WhatsApp-Gruppe'' Springer-Verlag 2017 {{ISBN|978-3-658-17950-2}} p. 111</ref> Thus for example, it is the devil who is responsible for [[Western world|Western]] [[emancipation]].<ref>Janusz Biene, Christopher Daase, Julian Junk, Harald Müller ''Salafismus und Dschihadismus in Deutschland: Ursachen, Dynamiken, Handlungsempfehlungen'' Campus Verlag 2016 9783593506371 p. 177 (German)</ref>

== Judaism ==
{{Further|Satan#Judaism}}
[[Yahweh]], the god in pre-exilic [[Judaism]], created both good and evil, as stated in [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 45:7: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." The devil does not exist in Jewish scriptures. However, the influence of [[Zoroastrianism]] during the [[Achaemenid Empire]] introduced evil as a separate principle into the Jewish belief system, which gradually externalized the opposition until the Hebrew term ''satan'' developed into a specific type of supernatural entity, changing the monistic view of Judaism into a dualistic one.<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN| 978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 58</ref> Later, [[Rabbinic Judaism]] rejected{{when|date=October 2018}} the [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enochian books]] (written during the [[Second Temple period]] under [[Persians|Persian]] influence), which depicted the devil as an independent force of evil besides God.<ref>Jackson, David R. (2004). ''Enochic Judaism. London: T&T Clark International.'' pp. 2–4. {{ISBN|0-8264-7089-0}}</ref> After the [[Apocalyptic literature|apocalyptic period]], references to [[Satan#Judaism|Satan]] in the [[Tanakh]] are thought{{by whom|date=October 2018}} to be [[allegorical]].<ref>Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 29</ref>

== Mandaeism ==
{{Main|World of Darkness (Mandaeism)}}
{{See also|Mandaeism|Ruha}}
In [[Mandaean mythology]], [[Ruha]] fell apart from the [[World of Light]] and became the queen of the [[World of Darkness (Mandaeism)|World of Darkness]], also referred to as [[Sheol]].<ref name="GR Saadi">{{cite book |url=https://www.amazon.de/Ginza-Rabba-English-Translation-Drabsha/dp/B00A3GO458|last1=Al-Saadi |first1=Qais Mughashghash |last2=Al-Saadi |first2=Hamed Mughashghash |chapter=Glossary |title=Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book |year=2019 |edition=2 |publisher=Drabsha}}</ref><ref name="Aldihisi 2008">{{cite thesis|url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1444088/|last=Aldihisi|first=Sabah|year=2008|title=The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba|type=PhD|publisher=University College London}}</ref><ref name="Buckley 2002">{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people|publisher=Oxford University Press|publication-place=New York|year=2002|isbn=0-19-515385-5|oclc=65198443}}</ref> She is considered evil and a liar, sorcerer and seductress.<ref name = GB>Deutsch, Nathniel (2003). Mandaean Literature. In {{cite book|last1=Barnstone|first1=Willis|last2=Meyer|first2=Marvin|title=The Gnostic Bible|year=2003|publisher=Shambhala|location=Boston & London}}</ref>{{rp|541}}She gives birth to [[Ur (Mandaeism)|Ur]], also referred to as [[Leviathan]]. He is portrayed as a large, ferocious dragon or snake and is considered the king of the World of Darkness.<ref name="Aldihisi 2008"/> Together they rule the [[underworld]] and create the [[Classical planet|seven planets]] and [[Zodiac|twelve zodiac constellations]].<ref name="Aldihisi 2008"/> Also found in the underworld is [[Krun]], the greatest of the five Mandaean Lords of the underworld. He dwells in the lowest depths of creation and his epithet is the 'mountain of flesh'.<ref name="Drower">{{cite book |last = Drower|first = E.S.|title = The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran|publisher = Oxford University Press|date = 1937|location = Oxford}}</ref>{{rp|251}} Prominent infernal beings found in the World of Darkness include ''[[lilith]]'', ''nalai'' ([[vampire]]), ''niuli'' ([[hobgoblin]]), ''latabi'' (devil), ''gadalta'' ([[ghost]]), ''satani'' ([[Satan]]) and various other demons and evil spirits.<ref name="Aldihisi 2008"/><ref name="GR Saadi"/>

== Manichaeism ==
{{Main|Prince of darkness (Manichaeism)}}
In [[Manichaeism]], God and the devil are two unrelated principles. God created ''good'' and inhabits the realm of light, while the devil (also called the ''prince of darkness''<ref name="Mani2" /><ref name="Mani3" />) created evil and inhabits the kingdom of darkness. The contemporary world came into existence, when the kingdom of darkness assaulted the kingdom of light and mingled with the spiritual world.<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} p. 596</ref> At the end, the devil and his followers will be sealed forever and the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness will continue to co-exist eternally, never to commingle again.<ref>Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer ''The Gnostic Bible: Revised and Expanded Edition'' Shambhala Publications 2009 {{ISBN|978-0-834-82414-0}} p. 598</ref>

[[Hegemonius]] (4th century CE) accuses that the Persian prophet [[Mani (prophet)|Mani]], founder of the Manichaean sect in the 3rd century CE, identified Jehovah as "the devil god which created the world"<ref name="Mani1">[http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/m/manichaenism.html ''Manichaeism''] by Alan G. Hefner in ''The Mystica'', undated</ref> and said that "he who spoke with Moses, the Jews, and the priests … is the [Prince] of Darkness, … not the god of truth."<ref name="Mani2">''Acta Archelai'' of Hegemonius, Chapter XII, c. AD 350, quoted in [http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Eiranian/Manicheism/Manicheism_II_Texts.pdf ''Translated Texts''] of Manicheism, compiled by Prods Oktor Skjærvø, p. 68.</ref><ref name="Mani3">History of the ''Acta Archelai'' explained in the [http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Eiranian/Manicheism/Manicheism_I_Intro.pdf ''Introduction''], p. 11</ref>

== Tengrism ==
Among the [[Tengrism|Tengristic]] myths of central Asia, ''[[Erlik]]'' refers to a devil-like figure as the ruler of [[Tamag]] (Hell), who was also the first human. According to one narrative, Erlik and God swam together over the primordial waters. When God was about to create the Earth, he sent Erlik to dive into the waters and collect some mud. Erlik hid some inside his mouth to later create his own world. But when God commanded the Earth to expand, Erlik got troubled by the mud in his mouth. God aided Erlik to spit it out. The mud carried by Erlik gave place to the unpleasant areas of the world. Because of his sin, he was assigned to evil. In another variant, the creator-god is identified with [[Ulgen]]. Again, Erlik appears to be the first human. He desired to create a human just as Ulgen did, thereupon Ulgen reacted by punishing Erlik, casting him into the Underworld where he becomes its ruler.<ref>Mircea Eliade ''History of Religious Ideas, Volume 3: From Muhammad to the Age of Reforms'' University of Chicago Press, 31 December 2013 {{ISBN|978-0-226-14772-7}} p. 9</ref><ref>David Adams Leeming ''A Dictionary of Creation Myths'' Oxford University Press 2014 {{ISBN|978-0-19-510275-8}} p. 7</ref>

According to Tengrism, there is no death, meaning that, when life comes to an end, it is merely a transition into the invisible world. As the ruler of Hell, Erlik enslaves the souls, who are damned to Hell. Further, he lurks on the souls of those humans living on Earth by causing death, disease and illnesses. At the time of birth, Erlik sends a [[Kormos]] to seize the soul of the newborn, following him for the rest of his life in an attempt to seize his soul by hampering, misguiding, and injuring him. When Erlik succeeds in destroying a human's body, the Kormos sent by Erlik will try take him down into the Underworld. However a good soul will be brought to Paradise by a ''Yayutshi'' sent by Ulgen.<ref>Plantagenet Publishing ''The Cambridge Medieval History Series volumes 1–5''</ref> Some shamans also made sacrifices to Erlik, for gaining a higher rank in the Underworld, if they should be damned to Hell.

== Yazidism ==
According to [[Yazidism]] there is no entity that represents evil in opposition to God; such [[Dualistic cosmology|dualism]] is rejected by Yazidis,<ref>Birgül Açikyildiz ''The Yezidis: The History of a Community, Culture and Religion'' I.B. Tauris 2014 {{ISBN|978-0-857-72061-0}} p. 74</ref> and evil is regarded as nonexistent.<ref>Wadie Jwaideh ''The Kurdish National Movement: Its Origins and Development'' Syracuse University Press 2006 {{ISBN|978-0-815-63093-7}} p. 20</ref> Yazidis adhere to strict monism and are prohibited from uttering the word "devil" and from speaking of anything related to [[Hell]].<ref>Florin Curta, Andrew Holt ''Great Events in Religion: An Encyclopedia of Pivotal Events in Religious History [3 volumes]'' ABC-CLIO 2016 {{ISBN|978-1-610-69566-4}} p. 513</ref>

== Zoroastrianism ==
{{Main|Angra Mainyu|Dualistic cosmology}}
[[File:Shah Namah, the Persian Epic of the Kings Wellcome L0035183.jpg|thumb|Ahriman Div being slain during a scene from the [[Shahnameh]]]] 
[[Zoroastrianism]] probably introduced the first idea of the devil; a principle of evil independently existing apart from God.<ref name="Russell99">Jeffrey Burton Russell, ''The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity'', Cornell University Press 1987 {{ISBN|978-0-801-49409-3}}, p. 99</ref> In Zoroastrianism, good and evil derive from two ultimately opposed forces.<ref>John R. Hinnells ''The Zoroastrian Diaspora: Religion and Migration'' OUP Oxford 2005 {{ISBN|978-0-191-51350-3}} p. 108</ref> The force of good is called [[Ahura Mazda]] and the "destructive spirit" in the [[Avestan language]] is called [[Angra Mainyu]]. The [[Middle Persian]] equivalent is [[Ahriman]]. They are in eternal struggle and neither is all-powerful, especially Angra Mainyu is limited to space and time: in the end of time, he will be finally defeated. While Ahura Mazda creates what is good, Angra Mainyu is responsible for every evil and suffering in the world, such as toads and scorpions.<ref name="Russell99"/>
Iranian Zoroastrians also considered the [[Daeva]] as devil creature, because of this in the [[Shahnameh]], it is mentioned as both Ahriman [[Div_(mythology)|Div]] ({{lang-fa|اهریمن دیو|Ahriman Div}}) as a devil.

== Devil in moral philosophy ==
=== Spinoza ===
A non-published manuscript of [[Spinoza]]'s ''[[Ethics (Spinoza book)|Ethics]]'' contained a chapter (Chapter XXI) on the devil, where Spinoza examined whether the devil may exist or not. He defines the devil as an entity which is contrary to God.<ref name="Spinoza-1985">, B. d., Spinoza, B. (1985). ''The Collected Works of Spinoza, Volume I.'' Vereinigtes Königreich: Princeton University Press.</ref>{{rp|p=46}}<ref name="Spinoza-2007">Jarrett, C. (2007). Spinoza: A Guide for the Perplexed. Vereinigtes Königreich: Bloomsbury Publishing.</ref>{{rp|p=150}} However, if the devil is the opposite of God, the devil would consist of Nothingness, which does not exist.<ref name="Spinoza-1985"/>{{rp|p=145}}

In a paper called ''On Devils'', he writes that we can a priori find out that such a thing cannot exist. Because the duration of a thing results in its degree of perfection, and the more essence a thing possess the more lasting it is, and since the devil has no perfection at all, it is impossible for the devil to be an existing thing.<ref>Guthrie, S. L. (2018). Gods of this World: A Philosophical Discussion and Defense of Christian Demonology. US: Pickwick Publications.</ref>{{rp|p=72}} Evil or immoral behaviour in humans, such as anger, hate, envy, and all things for which the devil is blamed for could be explained without the proposal of a devil.<ref name="Spinoza-1985"/>{{rp|p=145}} Thus, the devil does not have any [[explanatory power]] and should be dismissed ([[Occam's razor]]). 

Regarding evil through free choice, Spinoza asks how it can be that Adam would have chosen sin over his own well-being. Theology traditionally responds to this by asserting it is the devil who tempts humans into sin, but who would have tempted the devil? According to Spinoza, a rational being, such as the devil must have been, could not choose his own damnation.<ref>Polka, B. (2007). Between Philosophy and Religion, Vol. II: Spinoza, the Bible, and Modernity. Ukraine: Lexington Books.</ref> The devil must have known his sin would lead to doom, thus the devil was not knowing, or the devil did not know his sin will lead to doom, thus the devil would not have been a rational being. Spinoza deducts a strict [[determinism]] in which [[moral agency]] as a free choice, cannot exist.<ref name="Spinoza-1985"/>{{rp|p=150}}

=== Kant ===
In ''[[Religion Within the Limits of Reason Alone]]'', [[Immanuel Kant]] uses the devil as the personification of maximum moral reprehensibility. Deviating from the common Christian idea, Kant does not locate the morally reprehensible in sensual urges. Since evil has to be [[Intelligibility (philosophy)|intelligible]], only when the sensual is consciously placed above the moral obligation can something be regarded as morally evil. Thus, to be evil, the devil must be able to comprehend morality but consciously reject it, and, as a ''spiritual being'' ([[Geist|Geistwesen]]), having no relation to any form of sensual pleasure. It is necessarily required for the devil to be a spiritual being because if the devil were also a sensual being, it would be possible that the devil does evil to satisfy lower sensual desires, and does not act from the mind alone. The devil acts against morals, not to satisfy sensual lust, but solely for the sake of evil. As such, the devil is unselfish, for he does not benefit from his evil deeds. 

However, Kant denies that a human being could ever be completely devilish. Kant admits that there are devilish vices (ingratitude, envy, and malicious joy), i.e., vices that do not bring any personal advantage, but a person can never be completely a devil. In his ''Lecture on Moral Philosophy'' (1774/75) Kant gives an example of a tulip seller who was in possession of a rare tulip, but when he learned that another seller had the same tulip, he bought it from him and then destroyed it instead of keeping it for himself. If he had acted according to his sensual urges, the seller would have kept the tulip for himself to make a profit, but not have destroyed it. Nevertheless, the destruction of the tulip cannot be completely absolved from sensual impulses, since a sensual joy or relief still accompanies the destruction of the tulip and therefore cannot be thought of solely as a violation of morality.<ref>Hendrik Klinge: Die moralische Stufenleiter: Kant über Teufel, Menschen, Engel und Gott. Walter de Gruyter, 2018, ISBN 978-3-11-057620-7</ref>{{rp|p=156-173}}

Kant further argues that a (spiritual) devil would be a contradiction. If the devil would be defined by doing evil, the devil had no free choice in the first place. But if the devil had no free-choice, the devil could not have been held accountable for his actions, since he had no free will but was only following his nature.<ref>Formosa, Paul. "Kant on the limits of human evil." ''Journal of Philosophical Research'' 34 (2009): 189–214.</ref>

==Titles==
Honorifics or styles of address used to indicate devil-figures.
{{Div col}}
* Ash-[[Shaytan]] "Satan", the attributive Arabic term referring to the devil
* [[Angra Mainyu]], Ahriman: "malign spirit", "unholy spirit"
* [[Dark lord]]
* ''Der Leibhaftige [Teufel]'' (German): "[the devil] in the flesh, corporeal"<ref>Grimm, ''[[Deutsches Wörterbuch]]'' s.v. "leibhaftig":
"gern in bezug auf den teufel: ''dasz er kein mensch möchte sein, sondern ein leibhaftiger teufel.'' volksbuch von dr. [[Faust]] […] ''der auch blosz der leibhaftige heiszt, so in Tirol.'' Fromm. 6, 445; ''wenn ich dén sehe, wäre es mir immer, der leibhaftige wäre da und wolle mich nehmen''. [[Jeremias Gotthelf|J. Gotthelf]] Uli d. pächter (1870) 345 ''</ref>
* ''Diabolus, Diabolos'' (Greek: Διάβολος)
* The Evil One
* The Father of Lies (John 8:44), in contrast to Jesus ("I am the truth").
* [[Iblis]], name of the devil in Islam
* The [[Underworld|Lord of the Underworld]] / Lord of [[Hell]] / Lord of this world
* [[Lucifer]] / the Morning Star (Greek and Roman): the bringer of light, illuminator; the planet [[Venus]], often portrayed as Satan's name in Christianity
* Kölski (Iceland)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://visindavefur.hi.is/svar.asp?id=4793 |title=Vísindavefurinn: How many words are there in Icelandic for the devil? |publisher=Visindavefur.hi.is |access-date=5 April 2012 |archive-date=7 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207014220/http://www.visindavefur.hi.is/svar.asp?id=4793 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Mephistopheles]]
* [[Old Scratch]], the Stranger, [[Christian teaching about the Devil|Old Nick]]: a colloquialism for the devil, as indicated by the name of the character in the short story "[[The Devil and Tom Walker]]"
* [[Prince of darkness (Manichaeism)|Prince of darkness]], the devil in Manichaeism
* Ruprecht (German form of [[Robert]]), a common name for the Devil in Germany (see [[Knecht Ruprecht|Knecht Ruprecht (Knight Robert)]])
* [[Satan]] / the Adversary, Accuser, Prosecutor; in Christianity, the devil
* (The ancient/old/crooked/coiling) [[Serpent (Bible)|Serpent]]
* [[Voland]] (fictional character in ''[[The Master and Margarita]]'')
{{Div col end}}

==Contemporary belief==
Opinion polls show that belief in the devil in Western countries is more common in the United States ... 
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Belief in the devil in 1982<ref name=devil-oldridge-2012-90>{{cite book|title=The Devil, a Very Short Introduction| last1=Oldridge| first1=Darren| publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=90–91 |year=2012}}</ref>
|-
! Country !! U.S. !! U.K. !!France
|-
| Percentage || ~60 || 21 || 17
|-
|}
where it is more common among the religious, regular church goers, political conservatives, and the older and less well educated,<ref name="BRENAN-Gallup-belief">{{cite web |last1=BRENAN |first1=MEGAN |title=Belief in Five Spiritual Entities Edges Down to New Lows |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/508886/belief-five-spiritual-entities-edges-down-new-lows.aspx |website=Gallup |access-date=19 February 2024 |date=20 July 2023}}</ref>
... but has declined in recent decades.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Belief in the devil in the U.S.{{#tag:ref| all polling done in May or that year<ref name="Gallup.religion">{{cite web |title=Religion |url=https://news.gallup.com/poll/1690/religion.aspx |website=Gallup |access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>|group=Note}}
|-
!  Year surveyed !!  2001!!  2004!!  200!!  2016!!  2023
|-
| Percentage believing||68 || 70 || 70 || 61 ||58
|}

== See also ==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order. -->
* [[Deal with the Devil]]
* [[Devil in popular culture]]
* [[Hades]], [[Underworld]]
* [[Krampus]],<ref>[https://derstandard.at/2000068141869/Krampus-Gezaehmter-Teufel-mit-grotesker-Maennlichkeit Krampus: Gezähmter Teufel mit grotesker Männlichkeit], in [[Der Standard]] from 5 December 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.kleinezeitung.at/steiermark/5327375/KrampusLaeufe_Wo-heut-der-Teufel-los-ist Wo heut der Teufel los ist], in [[Kleine Zeitung]] from 25 November 2017</ref> in the Tyrolean area also ''Tuifl''<ref>[https://religion.orf.at/stories/2811496/ Krampusläufe: Tradition trifft Tourismus], in [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]] from 4 December 2016</ref><ref>[https://derstandard.at/2000069058111/Ein-schiacher-Krampen-hat-immer-Saison Ein schiacher Krampen hat immer Saison], in [[Der Standard]] from 5 December 2017</ref>
* [[Non-physical entity]]
* [[Theistic Satanism]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist | group=Note}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Wiktionary-inline|Devil}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Devils}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{cite CE1913|wstitle= Devil |volume= 4 |last= Kent |first= William Henry |short=1}}
* {{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Devil |volume= 8 |last= Garvie|first= Alfred Ernest |author-link= |pages=121–123 |short=1}}
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04764a.htm Entry] from the New Advent [[Catholic Encyclopedia]]
* [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1093498/jewish/Can-You-Sell-Your-Soul-to-the-Devil.htm Can you sell your soul to the Devil?] A Jewish view on the Devil

{{Satan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Devils| ]]
[[Category:Book of Jubilees]]
[[Category:Fallen angels]]
[[Category:Religious philosophical concepts]]