Question Summary:
If Allah warns us against Satān, then why doesn’t he destroy him?

Question Detail:

I am a strong muslim and I don’t tolerate any disobedience to Islam. I also don’t tolerate anyone who makes fun of Islam either. I am clear in all things but if a non-Muslim asks me that if Allah warns us about Satān and his evil doings then why doesn’t he destroy Satān himself?
I am not sure what to answer. Please pray that Allah Almighty gives me the opportunity to say the Kalimah at the time of death.

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Everyone and everything has a creator, and our Creator is Allah. There is a purpose behind why he has created us. Everything in life is a test.
Allah Subhānahu Wa Ta’alā has created Satan from amongst the jinns. Humans and jinns were created by Allah Subhānahu Wa Ta’alā for the sole purpose of worshiping Allah. In the first test, when Allah ordered Iblīs to prostrate before Ādam Alaihis Salām, Iblīs rejected the orders. He demanded a term of respite from Allah Subhānahu Wa Ta’alā. As a result of Allah’s Wisdom, Allah granted him a term of respite until the Day of Judgement.
Since Iblīs did not prostrate before Adam Alaihis Salām, he was dismissed from the mercy of Allah. Upon his demand and as a result of Divine Wisdom, he was given the authority to misguide and deviate human beings until the Day of Judgement.
قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنْظِرْنِي إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ (79) قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنْظَرِينَ (80) إِلَى يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ (81) قَالَ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (82) إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ  [ص: 79 - 83]
He said, "My Lord, then respite me until the Day they are resurrected."[ Allah ] said, "So indeed, you are of those who have been respited until the Day of the time well-known."[Iblees] said, "By your might, I will surely mislead them all except, among them, your chosen servants." (38:79-83)

Only the righteous slaves of Allah will be the ones who will not obey Satān and his whispers. There are many reasons and wisdoms why this authority was given. This life is a test through which Allah reward the righteous and punishes the wrong doers.
One of the wisdoms of Allah is that he is testing man through his nafs (inner self). If the nafs had no evil commanding quality and Satān did not misguide humans, then we would not progress spiritually and our levels would remain static like the angels. With the help of Satan’s attacks, people’s degrees will be revealed and the believers and the unbelievers will be distinguished. As Satan does not attack angels, there will never be a denier amongst them.
 Nevertheless, as they are not tested, there will never be different degrees amongst them. Their positions are fixed. On the other hand, there are always rises and falls in the world of mankind. While some of them rise to the highest position, some of them fall to the lowest. If Satan did not exist, human beings would be like angels and there would not be any differences of degrees between them. However, while some people give themselves in with the delusions of Satān, some people do not listen to his whispers and do not fall into his trap which elevates them in their degree. Eventually, all prophets are created free from sins and the whispers of Satān which is why they are known as Ma’soom (innocent).
Furthermore, many of the wisdoms of Allah are beyond human comprehension. One cannot understand the wisdoms of Allah and neither are we required to. Going into such details can be detrimental to ones Imān as Rasullullah has said that the people go to the extent of asking who created Allah? If any one of you reaches this stage, then he must say I believe in Allah.[i]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mawlana Abdul Hannan Nizami,
Student Darul Iftaa
USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Husain Kadodia.
www.daruliftaa.net