SATAN WAS THE FIRST SYLLOGIST

      To compare one thing with another by surmise and conjecture, without having enough reasons, is stritcly forbidden in Islam. By SYLLOGIST we mean; the comparison of a matter or thing with another matter or thing, that are similar in some aspects, and then decreeing an order for both of them through guessing. As an example; we may reason that perspiration, and passing urine, are both of the same nature in man, and are all the superfluities of our body. Therefore, when we take urine as something unclean, we must also consider our sweat unclean. If we avoid this, we should avoid the other one too! Then we may come to know how difficult it will be to avoid touching and getting contact with man and woman's sweat! This is not special for religious presumptions and deductions; Even a doctor strictly forbids his prescription for one of his patients to be used by others with the same disease.

      Therefore Satan's fall was due to his surmise when he compared his own constructive material with that of Adam. He therefore fell down from his rank and position to a state degraded and banished:

      ``Allah said to him: `Away with you! Get you down from here. You have no right to be proud in it. Then get away that you are of the abased ones.''

      What a bad misfortune his pride brought him! It is cited in an Islamic narration that, the main source, and principal cause of blasphemy is three; 1) Pride. 2) Avarice. 3) Jealousy.

      Pride and selfishness caused Satan to rebel and disobey his Gracious God.

      Avarice and avidity encouraged Adam to approach the forbidden tree and leave Paradise.

      Jealousy raised the son of Adam to kill his own brother.