The Root of Sin
One of the differences between Judeo-Christianity and Islam is that the Bible claims that Lucifer’s sin that caused his fall was pride. The Quran says that his sin was envy.
Envy is probably the most dangerous emotion of all. It is so elusive because the one who experiences envy almost never directly expresses their envy. They disguise it for a variety of reasons and in a variety of ways. Inevitably the anger leaks out and some nonverbal behavior.
Yet there is another more subtle elusiveness going on. When we envy others for what they have and what we want, we are actually admitting hurting ourselves - and at the same time refusing to admit to ourselves - our admission that we are inferior to another person and something that we value.
Then we disguise our feelings from ourselves behind the side of resentment at unfairness of the distribution of things or qualities.
The story in the Quran tells how Allah announced to the angels into the djinns how He was going to create humanity as a representative of Himself on earth, and that the angels and the djinns were to submit to this new creation. Iblis / Lucifer refused under the pretext that he felt himself to be superior to us.
There are other examples in the Abrahamic traditions of envy manifesting as great evil. When Cain murdered Abel, it was out of envy. When Joseph’s brothers threw him down well in the desert to die because their father favored him, this was nothing but envy. In the Bible, King Saul tried to kill the prophet David for the same reason.
It’s a mistake to think that these are just ancient stories that do not apply to - or describe - us.