Do we need Satan?

Question

In Sahih Muslim 6621 and 6622 we see Muhammad giving the consequences of us if we were not to sin.

Abu Ayyub Ansari reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: If you were not to commit sins, Allah would have swept you out of existence and would have replaced you by another people who have committed sin, and then asked forgiveness from Allah, and He would have granted them pardon. حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عِيَاضٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْفِهْرِيُّ - حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ رِفَاعَةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي صِرْمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ ‏ "‏ لَوْ أَنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَكُنْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبٌ يَغْفِرُهَا اللَّهُ لَكُمْ لَجَاءَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ لَهُمْ ذُنُوبٌ يَغْفِرُهَا لَهُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) having said: By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if you were not to commit sin, Allah would sweep you out of existence and He would replace (you by) those people who would commit sin and seek forgiveness from Allah, and He would have pardoned them. حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ الْجَزَرِيِّ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ لَمْ تُذْنِبُوا لَذَهَبَ اللَّهُ بِكُمْ وَلَجَاءَ بِقَوْمٍ يُذْنِبُونَ فَيَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللَّهَ فَيَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ ‏"‏ ‏

In the Quran we see Satan telling Allah what he will do to us humans.

He said: My Lord! Because Thou hast sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and shall mislead them every one, قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ - 15:39

By Satan making it easier for us to sin mean that he is discouraging us from not being swept out of existence by not sinning?

If so, should we be happy for his work? If not, how should these 3 texts be interpreted?

Answer 1

Shaytan's goal is not to keep us from being swept of the surface of earth. His aim is make people disobey as he did!

If you'd reconsider the quoted hadeeth you presented as :

You are not expected to be sinless... you are expected to sin and repent. If you were sinless, sinners who recognise the mercy of Allah and seek it in their repentence will replace you.

Reason behind existence

We are created to worship Allah. Although a sinless man is indeed in a worship, weird enough, it will be like a robot life that has no challenge to continue, or its taste will fade out due to getting used to the norm.

51:56 And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

Contraries

If never tasted sadness you'll never know happiness, and examples are countless.. bitterness - sweetness, illness - health, light - darkness.. as well as Evil/Goodness!

Is it really bad to be good?

No! The point is not talking the superficial assumption of being (good)sinless! yet, it's all about a full awareness of the mercy of Allah!

You're not expected to be perfect, you need to work on that, as you have the choice, you are expected to be weak [1], desiring[2], rushy[3]...etc, Allah wants to give you ease[1],help you achieve a higher degree, and to, so remember that is by His mercy, patience, and indeed, Love.

[1]

4:28 And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak.

[2]

41:49 Man never tires of asking for good, but if evil touches him he loses all hope and becomes despondent

[3]

21:37 Man was created hasty..

And Allah knows best.