The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described an extraordinary scene involving Iblis, his throne and the devils operating under his command.
According to an authentic narration in Sahih Muslim, Iblis places his throne upon water and dispatches groups of devils to spread corruption among human beings. These devils subsequently return to report what they have accomplished.
Not all their achievements receive equal recognition.
One devil reports the mischief he has caused, only to have his efforts dismissed. Another announces that he succeeded in separating a man from his wife.
Iblis responds by bringing that devil close to him and praising his actions.
The narration reveals something particularly significant about the objectives of Shaytan: destroying relationships, especially marriage, is among the forms of corruption that Iblis particularly values.
The Authentic Hadith About Iblis’s Throne
Jabir ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّ إِبْلِيسَ يَضَعُ عَرْشَهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ سَرَايَاهُ
Meaning:
“Iblis places his throne upon water, then sends out his detachments.”
The Prophet ﷺ continued by explaining that the devils closest to Iblis in rank are those who cause the greatest fitnah, or corruption and discord.
The account is recorded in Sahih Muslim 2813b.
Another authentic version, Sahih Muslim 2813a, uses the word al-bahr, meaning the sea or ocean, when describing the location of his throne.
These narrations establish that Iblis has a throne associated with water and that he sends groups of devils to mislead human beings.
However, they do not identify a particular ocean, island or geographical location.
Claims that his throne is located in a specific modern sea or region cannot be established from these narrations.
What Did Imam al-Nawawi Say About the Throne?
The renowned Sunni hadith scholar Imam al-Nawawi discussed the narration in his commentary on Sahih Muslim.
He explained that the Arabic word arsh refers to a royal throne or seat of authority.
Regarding the Prophet’s ﷺ statement that Iblis’s throne is upon the sea, al-Nawawi wrote that this indicates his centre of operations, from which he dispatches his forces throughout the earth.
This explanation appears in Sharh Sahih Muslim, Book of the Characteristics of the Day of Judgement.
The commentary clarifies the significance of the throne within the narration.
It represents Iblis’s authority over the devils he commands.
The hadith does not provide a detailed description of the throne’s appearance, dimensions or construction.
Those details remain outside what the authentic report establishes.
Iblis Sends His Devils to Corrupt Human Beings
The narration uses the Arabic word سَرَايَاهُ (sarāyāhu), referring to his detachments or dispatched groups.
This military terminology is noteworthy.
The Prophet ﷺ did not merely describe isolated acts of temptation. He described Iblis sending out groups that return to report their activities.
According to the hadith, the devils are distinguished by the extent of the discord they cause.
The greater their success in spreading corruption, the closer they become to Iblis.
This provides an unusual insight into the hierarchy described in the narration.
Their status is not measured by devotion or righteousness, but by their effectiveness in leading human beings towards wrongdoing and conflict.
The Devil Who Separated a Husband From His Wife
The most striking part of the narration concerns the reports delivered to Iblis.
One devil approaches him and announces that he has committed certain acts of corruption.
Iblis dismisses the report:
مَا صَنَعْتَ شَيْئًا
“You have done nothing.”
Another devil then approaches and declares:
مَا تَرَكْتُهُ حَتَّى فَرَّقْتُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ امْرَأَتِهِ
Meaning:
“I did not leave him until I separated him from his wife.”
Iblis responds by bringing the devil close and praising him.
نِعْمَ أَنْتَ
“How excellent you are!”
The narration also contains an additional detail: the transmitter al-A’mash indicated that he believed the wording included Iblis embracing the devil.
This final detail is reported with the transmitter’s qualification, rather than as an entirely unqualified addition.
Imam al-Nawawi explains in his commentary that Iblis praises the devil because his actions achieved an objective that particularly pleased him.
The scene demonstrates the importance Iblis attaches to breaking the bond between spouses.
Why Does Shaytan Target Marriage?
The Qur’an describes marriage as a relationship intended to provide tranquillity, affection and mercy.
In Surah Ar-Rum 30:21, Allah identifies love and mercy between spouses among His signs.
Marriage also creates responsibilities, family relationships and obligations extending beyond the couple themselves.
The destruction of a marriage can therefore produce consequences affecting children, relatives and entire families.
This helps explain the seriousness of the discord described in Sahih Muslim.
However, the hadith does not mean that every marital disagreement is caused by a devil or that every divorce represents a victory for Iblis.
Islam recognises divorce as a lawful option under appropriate circumstances, as established in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:229.
The blameworthy conduct described in the hadith concerns the deliberate creation of discord and harmful separation, not every lawful ending of a marriage.
The Qur’an Also Mentions Separating Husband and Wife Through Magic
Another important reference appears in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:102.
The verse describes people learning forms of magic through which separation could be caused between a husband and wife.
However, Allah makes an essential qualification:
وَمَا هُم بِضَارِّينَ بِهِ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ
Meaning:
“They could not harm anyone through it except by Allah’s permission.”
This establishes two principles.
First, the Qur’an recognises that unlawful magical practices may be directed towards destroying marital relationships.
Second, no such harm occurs independently of Allah’s decree.
The verse and the hadith in Sahih Muslim address related aspects of satanic corruption, but they should not be treated as identical descriptions.
The hadith about Iblis’s throne does not state that the devil separated the couple through magic.
Nor does it establish that marital breakdown is evidence of sorcery or jinn interference.
Such claims require evidence rather than suspicion.
Another Hadith Reveals How Shaytan Seeks to Divide Muslims
A related narration appears immediately before the account of Iblis’s throne in Sahih Muslim.
Jabir reported that the Prophet ﷺ said Shaytan had despaired of being worshipped by those who prayed in the Arabian Peninsula, but still sought to provoke discord among them.
The Arabic expression used is التَّحْرِيش (al-tahrish), referring to stirring up hostility, provoking people against one another and encouraging conflict.
This is particularly significant because the narration concerns people who perform prayer.
It demonstrates that religious observance does not automatically remove the possibility of interpersonal hostility and satanic temptation.
The Qur’an addresses this danger directly in Surah Al-Isra 17:53, where Allah instructs His servants to speak in the best manner because Shaytan seeks to sow discord between them.
The connection between speech and conflict is explicit.
Arguments, insults and hostility can become means through which relationships deteriorate.
Does Iblis Have the Power to Force People to Separate?
The narration establishes Iblis’s desire to create discord.
It does not establish that he possesses absolute control over human decisions.
The Qur’an makes this distinction clear in Surah Ibrahim 14:22.
Describing what Shaytan will say after judgement has been decided, Allah reveals that Shaytan will acknowledge that he had no authority to compel people.
He invited them towards wrongdoing, and they responded.
This limits the conclusions that can be drawn from the hadith.
Satanic temptation is real in Islamic belief, but individuals remain accountable for their choices.
Someone who mistreats a spouse, lies, commits injustice or deliberately destroys a family relationship cannot remove personal responsibility by blaming Shaytan.
Likewise, the presence of a marital dispute does not prove that unseen forces caused it.
The hadith describes Iblis’s objectives, not a method for diagnosing the cause of every family problem.
What the Narration Does Not Reveal
Although the account of Iblis’s throne is authentic, several frequently repeated claims remain unsupported by its wording.
It does not identify the precise geographical location of his throne.
It does not describe the throne’s appearance.
It does not establish how frequently the devils return to report their actions.
It does not claim that every divorce is the result of a specific devil’s intervention.
And it does not establish that every argument between husband and wife is caused by magic or possession.
The narration is already extraordinary without adding details that the Prophet ﷺ did not mention.
