Divide And Conquer-Iblis

Divide and Conquer: The Divisiveness of Iblis and Its Legacy in Human History

The strategy of "divide and conquer" has been a cornerstone of power dynamics throughout human history. Rooted in the recognition that unity among adversaries poses a threat to dominance, this tactic involves fracturing cohesive groups into smaller, conflicting factions to weaken collective resistance. While the term is often associated with military and political machinations, its philosophical and even spiritual dimensions run far deeper. In Islamic theology, the figure of Iblis (often equated with Satan) epitomizes the archetype of division, embodying the primal force that seeks to fragment harmony through deception, pride, and manipulation. By exploring the interplay between this ancient archetype and historical examples—from empires of antiquity to modern geopolitics—we uncover a recurring pattern of division as a tool for control, destruction, and subjugation.

I. The Archetype of Iblis: Division as a Cosmic Principle

In Islamic tradition, Iblis is not merely a tempter but a symbol of eternal divisiveness. His story, recounted in the Quran, begins with his refusal to bow to Adam, the first human, out of arrogance. When God commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, Iblis—a jinn (a being of fire) elevated to the ranks of angels—rebelled, declaring:

"I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay" (Quran 7:12).

His defiance stemmed not from ignorance but from a conscious choice to prioritize his ego over divine unity. This act of rebellion marked the inception of division: between Creator and creation, humanity and jinn, and ultimately, between humans themselves.

Iblis's subsequent vow to "lie in wait for them on Your straight path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful" (Quran 7:16–17) reveals his strategy: exploiting human vulnerabilities from all angles to breed discord. His tools include envy, fear, and the amplification of differences—whether racial, religious, or ideological. This cosmic narrative mirrors the worldly tactics of divide and conquer, where rulers, empires, and institutions manipulate divisions to maintain authority.

II. Historical Case Studies: The Art of Division

1. The Roman Empire: Divide et Impera

The Roman Republic and later the Empire perfected the maxim divide et impera ("divide and rule"). By fostering rivalries among conquered peoples, Rome prevented unified rebellions. For example:

• Judea and Samaritan Rivalry: Rome exploited longstanding tensions between Jews and Samaritans, who disputed religious practices and temple legitimacy. By siding with one group intermittently, Roman governors like Pontius Pilate ensured neither faction could consolidate power.
• Gaulish Tribes: Julius Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico details how he leveraged inter-tribal conflicts (e.g., the Aedui vs. Sequani) to fragment resistance during his conquest of Gaul (58–50 BCE).

Rome’s collapse itself was hastened by internal division: the East-West split of 395 CE weakened centralized authority, paving the way for barbarian invasions.

2. Colonialism: Fracturing Cultures to Secure Dominion

European colonial powers institutionalized divide-and-conquer strategies to dominate vast territories:

• British India: The British amplified Hindu-Muslim tensions to undermine solidarity against colonial rule. Policies like the 1905 Partition of Bengal (reversed in 1911) and the promotion of separate electorates via the 1909 Morley-Minto Reforms sowed seeds of partition in 1947, leading to catastrophic violence.
• Rwanda under Belgian Rule: Belgian colonists institutionalized ethnic divisions between Hutus and Tutsis by issuing identity cards and favoring Tutsis for administrative roles. This artificial hierarchy culminated in the 1994 genocide.

3. The Cold War: Ideological Divides and Proxy Conflicts

The U.S.-Soviet rivalry (1947–1991) globalized divide-and-conquer tactics through proxy wars and ideological polarization:

• Vietnam War: The U.S. exploited North-South Vietnamese divisions, backing the anti-communist South, while the USSR and China supported the North.
• African Proxy Conflicts: In Angola, the MPLA (backed by the USSR) and UNITA (supported by the U.S. and South Africa) fought a devastating civil war, fragmenting the nation for decades.