DESCRIPTION:
Iblis was the "Fallen Angel".. For Gnostics, and followers of the school of thought of non-duality, this story is particularly interesting in dealing with questions of good and evil, liberation, the uniqueness of humans versus the universality of the divine, and the integration of the two natures into the third.

"Al-Hallaj said: 'There are various theories regarding the spiritual states of Azazyl (Iblis before his fall). One said that he was charged with a mission in heaven, and with a mission on earth. In heaven he preached to the Angels showing them good works, and on earth preaching to men and jinn showing them evil deeds.

Because one does not recognize things except by their opposites, as with fine white silk which can only be woven using black fabric behind it - so the Angel could show good actions and say symbolically "If you do these you will be rewarded." But he who did not know evil before cannot recognize good.'"

From The Ta-Sin of Before Endless-Time and Equivocation by Mansur Al-Hallaj
http://www.leapinglaughter.org/archive/tawasin/