Comparative Study of Satan in the Holy Quran and Ahriman in the Avesta

To follow Šaytān as the symbol of immorality is reproached and contrasted to adhering to God, and accepting his friendship and guardianship is the opposite of monotheism. As the reality of Šaytān, he is independent of the human beings and their desires, belongs to jinns and is made of fire. His major work is temptation of human beings: to give false promises to them and to embellish their shameful works before their eyes. He cannot anything against man, unless through his desires, without which has no independence. Ahriman in Avesta ,however, is inherently evil. He, in contrast with Šaytān, do not take plural from, but he has his own agents. Yet acts sometimes directly , without these intermediates. According to earlier tradition, he is Spanta Manyu’s twin and a creature of Mazda, who had his own territory right from the outset. But according to some accounts, he is a son of Zurvan and according to some others, acts from the beginning as the opponent of Mazda. Ahriman is both effectual in macrocosm and microcosm and has influence on many or all creatures of Ahura Mazda. His goal is to dominate Ahura Mazda and His creatures and especially trying deviate man from right path. In Avesta, even disease, insects and mischievous animals can be attributed to Ahriman or his agents. Ahriman, according to the dominant interpretation, has the autonomy in his doing and typically is the competitor of Ahura Mazda, But ultimately He will surrender to the latter. He has been referred by different names , sometimes with semantic development through centuries. It is true that Šaytān in Quran and Ahriman in Avesta are alike in some attributes and functions, but there is some serious differences between them, and they cannot be compare easily: differences such as Šaytān is not a pure evil but Ahriman is; Šaytan has no offspring (except figuratively),but Ahriman has; Šaytan is always subject to God, ahriman is not so, etc.