What led Satan to rebel originally?

Question

People often say that "I did this sin because Satan led me to do it" or "Satan is responsible for our bad things and sins" etc...

My question is:

When Satan rejected to do Sajjdah to Adam (A.S.), who led him to do this? Who was responsible for it?

Answer 1

وَ قالَ الشَّيْطانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَ وَعَدْتُكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَ ما كانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ سُلْطانٍ إِلاَّ أَنْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لي‏ فَلا تَلُومُوني‏ وَ لُومُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ ما أَنَا بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَ ما أَنْتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِما أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِنْ قَبْلُ إِنَّ الظَّالِمينَ لَهُمْ عَذابٌ أَليمٌ

When the matter is all over, Satan will say," Indeed Allah made you a promise that was true and I too made you a promise, but I failed you. I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I cannot respond to your distress calls, neither can you respond to my distress calls. Indeed I disavow your taking me for Allah's partner aforetime. There is indeed a painful punishment for the wrongdoers." (14:22)

I guess that your question has been answered with this verse specially the parts written in bold. Satan would try every trick in the book to persuade us into taking the wrong path. However, he is one of the most knowledgeable scholars who is fully aware of the manipulative tricks. Nevertheless, philosophically speaking, human being cannot be compelled. You might even put a gun to somebody's head and force him to do what you want him to do but he has still freedom of choice whether to obey your order or not. Although a sane person never hesitates to satisfy your desire, he is always the one who makes the final decision.

Although, the creation of Satan and Human is physically different, since Satan is a jinn so it has been created from fire while human has been originally created from clay, they both have al-nafs al-ammarah (the lower soul) whose permanent mission is to invite human and jinn to committing sins or any kind of wrongdoings. The reason why Satan disobeyed his Lord's order was that he succumbed to his lower soul's temptation and accepted its invitation. In Quran it has been clearly stated the invitation he received when being ordered to prostrate before Adam.

قالَ يا إِبْليسُ ما مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ لِما خَلَقْتُ بِيَدَيَّ أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْعالينَ

He said," O Iblis! What keeps you from prostrating before that which I have created with My own two hands? Are you arrogant, or are you one of the exalted ones?" (38:75)

قالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِنْهُ خَلَقْتَني‏ مِنْ نارٍ وَ خَلَقْتَهُ مِنْ طينٍ

" I am better than him," he said." You created me from fire and You created him from clay." (38:76)

For further information, you can visit the following links: (1) and (2) and (3)

Answer 2

Shitan rejected the sujjud for 'Adam (Alyh salem)' because of his (The Shitan) Pride, arrogance and vanity...

Al-baqarah 2:34

when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.

And In Surat Al-Araaf (11-12):

And We have certainly created you, [O Mankind], and given you [human] form. Then We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated.

[ Allah ] said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" [Satan] said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay."