"A composite sketch of these myths as they appear whole or in part in various chapters of [both Islamic and Christian variants] would comprise the following elements."
The First Rift: Iblis refuses fealty to humanity
"God forms Adam from clay and breathes into him a portion of His own spirit; thereupon, He orders the angels to bow before this unique creation. All obey except Iblis who is convinced that his fiery essence raises him far above man, a creature of mere clay."
The Second Rift: Iblis is cursed and exiled
"For his refusal Iblis is cursed by God and driven from the heavens. Henceforth, he will be an object of fear and derision, a "Stoned-Satan." Yet Iblis is not to be dismissed so easily. He begs God for a respite from his punishment so that he can become the seducer of men, testing them to discover who are truly God's faithful ones. Iblis' request is granted, with the understanding, however, that he cannot force the upright man or woman to sin; over them he has the power to invite but not to coerce."
The Third Rift: Iblis struggles against humanity
"Adam and Eve are first to fall victim to Iblis' wiles. After their creation God places them in Paradise where He provides for them abundantly. He denies them the produce of only one particular tree. But Iblis comes with his satanic "whispers"... When they eat from the forbidden tree ... they hurry to stitch together tree leaves as clothing... Adam and Eve are driven to earth, carrying with them the seeds of human aggression. Men will be enemies one to another, and Iblis will be a manifest enemy to all."
