Was Satan a jinn from the beginning, or did he only become one later?

Surah al-Kahf (18:50)

Pickthall Yusuf Ali Shakir Sher Ali Rashad Khalifa
And (remember) when We said unto the angels: Fall prostrate before Adam, and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord's command. Will ye choose him and his seed for your protecting friends instead of Me, when they are an enemy unto you ? Calamitous is the exchange for evil-doers. Behold! We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam": They bowed down except Iblis. He was one of the Jinns, and he broke the Command of his Lord. Will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me? And they are enemies to you! Evil would be the exchange for the wrong-doers! And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam; they made obeisance but Iblis (did it not). He was of the jinn, so he transgressed the commandment of his Lord. What! would you then take him and his offspring for friends rather than Me, and they are your enemies? Evil is (this) change for the unjust. And call to mind the time when WE said to the angels, `Submit to Adam,' and they all submitted but Iblis did not. HE was one of the jinn; and he disobeyed the command of his Lord. Will you than take him and his offspring for friends instead of ME while they are your enemies ? Evil is the exchange for the wrongdoers. We said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Satan. He became a jinn, for he disobeyed the order of His Lord. Will you choose him and his descendants as lords instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a miserable substitute!

The relevance of this issue becomes clear in the discussion of this Qur'an contradiction.


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