Ali bin Ibrahim etc. have narrated that when Atba, Shaibah and Walid were killed, Abu Jahl said to Quraish: “Do not make haste, do not display terror and fear just as the sons of Rabia have done; that they did not like you to fight the people of Medina. You should kill the Ansar of Medina and don’t touch the Quraish.
You should take them as prisoners so that we may take them to Mecca and expose their deviation.” Some Meccan youths has embraced Islam but their fathers had forced them not to migrate to Medina. They were not of a strong faith. Like Qays bin Walid bin Mughira, Abu Qays bin Fakah, Harith bin Rabiah, Ali bin Umayyah and Aas bin Manba. The Quraish had brought them to Badr with them. When they saw the paucity of Muslims, they faltered in their faith and began to say: “Their religion has deceived them and very soon they will be killed.” At that juncture, the Almighty Allah revealed the following verse:
إِذْ يَقُولُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَالَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ غَرَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ دِينُهُمْ ۗ وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
“When the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was disease said: Their religion has deceived them; and whoever trusts in Allah, then surely Allah is Mighty, Wise.”8
At that moment, the accursed Iblis appeared in the form of Surakha bin Malik and came to Quraish and said: “I will help you with my clan, give me your standard.” Taking the standard, he showed them a large army of devils. All the members of Surakha’s clan became visible to the infidels and Muslims. Due to this the Quraish became bolder.
The Messenger of Allah (S) came to know about this and said to his companions: “Close your eyes and don’t look at the infidels till I allow you and neither should you draw your swords.” After that he supplicated the Almighty and said: “O Lord, these are the supporters of Your religion, if they are killed, no one will worship You on the earth.”
Meanwhile the Prophet seemed to lose consciousness and it was a sign of coming of revelation. When it was over, perspiration dripped from his forehead and he said: “O Muslims, Jibraeel is coming to help you with a huge army of angels.” A black cloud appeared with lightning and hovered over the Muslim army and sounds of weapons were audible from it. Someone was saying: “O Haizun, move on.” Haizun was the horse that Jibraeel rode that day.
When the accursed Iblis saw Jibraeel, he dropped the standard and fled from there. Manba bin Hajjaj caught him by the collar and said: “Where are you going, Surakha? You want to flee with your army?” Iblis slapped him on his chest and said: “Go away, you can’t see what I see. I am terrified from the Lord of the universe.” Thus the Almighty Allah has alluded to this incident in the following verse:
وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لَا غَالِبَ لَكُمُ الْيَوْمَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَإِنِّي جَارٌ لَكُمْ
“And when the Shaitan made their works fair seeming to them, and said: No one can overcome you this day, and surely I am your protector…”9
It is mentioned that since between Quraish and the tribe of Kanana there was perpetual enmity, when Quraish reached to that tribe their enmity was refreshed so they wanted to assure that Kanana should not attack them taking advantage of the situation. In that same condition, the accursed Iblis appeared in the form of Surakha bin Malik, a leader of that tribe, with a huge army of demons and he said: “I stand as a guarantee that no harm will reach you from Kanana tribe.
فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَتِ الْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ وَقَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِنْكُمْ إِنِّي أَرَىٰ مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ ۚ وَاللَّهُ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
“…but when the two parties came in sight of each other he turned upon his heels, and said: Surely I am clear of you, surely I see what you do not see, surely I fear Allah; and Allah is severe in requiting (evil).”10
It is narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that the accursed Satan was holding the hand of Harith bin Hisham when he noticed the angels and immediately he fled from there. Harith said: “Where are you going leaving us in a lurch.” Iblis said: “You cannot see what I can.”
Harith was thinking that it was Surakha, so he said: “You are a liar, you are seeing the degraded ones of Medina.” But Iblis slapped the chest of Harith and ran away from there and the infidels also fled with him and when they reached Mecca, they blamed Surakha for having misled them. When Surakha heard this, he came to Quraish and swore that he was not even aware of this confrontation. “I only came to know about your flight much later.”
After accepting Islam, they came to know that the accursed Iblis had impersonated him. And Ali bin Ibrahim has narrated that Jibraeel attacked Satan and he fled. Jibraeel pursued him and he dived into the sea and he used to say: “O Lord, you have given me respite till Judgment Day, so please honor your commitment.”