Functions of the Holy Spirit and Satan — Essence of Islam Vol. 2

14 Sep, 2026 Essence of Islam 0

Essence of Islam Book Cover by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS)

Introduction

In this discourse from Essence of Islam (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, expounds upon Functions of the Holy Spirit and Satan, presenting profound spiritual insights and scriptural verities.

Book Series: Essence of Islam (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (AS)
Section: Part 4: Angels
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mysteries should become obvious and visible to the eyes of the world for if they had been obvious there would have been no merit in believing in them.
[A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 5, pp. 185-188, footnote]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 182]

One of the questions raised is: If the Holy Spirit is appointed to restrain a person from evil conduct, then why does he commit sin and why is he involved in disbelief and disobedience and vice? The answer is that God Almighty has for the purpose of testing man appointed two spiritual callers; one caller to good whose name is the Holy Spirit and the other caller to vice, whose name is Iblis and Satan. These two callers only call to good or evil but do not exercise any compulsion as is indicated in the verse:

فَأَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقۡوَىٰهَا

“And He revealed to it what is wrong for it and what is right for it —” (Surah Al-Shams, 91:9)

This means that God reveals the wrong and the right…. The means of revealing the wrong is Satan, who makes evil suggestions, and the means of revealing the right is the Holy Spirit, who puts pure thoughts in the heart. As God Almighty is the Cause of causes He has attributed both these types of revelation to Himself because all this system is instituted by Him. Otherwise, what power would Satan have to make evil suggestions to anyone’s heart and what power would the Holy Spirit have to guide anyone along the paths of righteousness?
Our opponents the Aryas, the Brahmus and the Christians, out of their short-sightedness, raise an objection to the teaching of the Holy Qur’an that according to it God

should be such that he cannot commit any vice, he cannot deserve any merit either. For instance, our systems do not secrete, like scorpions and snakes, a kind of poison through which we could hurt anyone like scorpions and snakes. We cannot, therefore, deserve any merit in the estimation of Allah by refraining from causing such harm.
This shows that opposing emotions which pull a person towards vice are the cause of merit for him, for when out of fear of God he discards such emotions, then he becomes worthy of praise in the estimation of God and wins His pleasure. He who arrives at the extreme point of virtue and is rid of all opposing motions as if his Satan had become a Muslim, would still deserve merit for he has traversed the stages of trial with great courage. A righteous person who in his youth has accomplished many great works receives merit for them even in his old age.
[A’ina-e-Kamalat-e-Islam, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 5, pp. 80-85, footnote]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 182]

Some foolish people object to the existence of Satan, as if God Himself desired to lead people astray. This is not so. Every intelligent person can understand that everyone has two faculties, one is called the touch of Satan and the other is called the touch of angels. That is to say, human nature displays that sometimes through unknown means a good idea is generated in a person’s mind and his heart inclines towards good works, and then sometimes an evil idea rises in his mind and he is inclined towards vice and wickedness and wrong and evil. The power that is the source of evil thoughts, according to the Qur’anic teaching, is Satan, and the power that is the source of good ideas is an angel.
[Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 23, p. 435]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 184]

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but those who have a satanic character are outside this rule.
[Haqiqat-ul-Wahi, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 22, p. 122, footnote]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 184]

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