In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim [may Allah have mercy upon him] said:

It has been said that Iblis’s exclusion (from Allah’s Mercy) resulted from false interpretation, for indeed, he drew a comparison with the divine text and prioritised the analogy over the text. He made an analogy about himself and that analogical reasoning takes precedence over the command to prostrate. [Iblees stated, as Allah informed us]:

“أنا خير منه – I am better than him (i.e. Adam)”, and that a virtuous one cannot humble himself to someone who has been given superior virtue to him; hence, he promptly responded: ” خلقتني من نار وخلقته من طين – You created me from fire, and him you created from clay”. He, therefore, reasoned that this analogical reasoning that resembles the truth, despite being false, will benefit him in his false interpretation. As a result of what occurred to him, he became the leader of everyone – up until the day of Judgement – who employs false interpretation of the divine text. There are many followers of this cursed leader in this world!

You will notice that it is similar to Iblis’s doubts, which he strives to present as true if you contemplate the vast majority of those doubts that are asserted as being genuine by those who use false interpretations of the divine texts and work to nullify them. So, someone says, “If the intellect and the text disagree, give the intellect the advantage.” This is where this principle originates, and the proponent of this affair uses it as a guiding principle to reject those divine texts that he asserts are at odds with the intellect, much like his leader who Iblis asserted that rational proof was at odds with the command to prostrate. He held this doubt as a result of his arrogance, which prevented him from submitting to the clear texts of divine revelation. Similar to this, you will discover that every false disputer who challenges the texts of the revelation does so out of pride. Allâh said:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي آيَاتِ اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَانٍ أَتَاهُمْ ۙ إِن فِي صُدُورِهِمْ إِلَّا كِبْرٌ مَّا هُم بِبَالِغِيهِ ۚ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

Verily, those who dispute about the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, without any authority having come to them, there is nothing else in their breasts except pride [to accept you (Muhammad ) as a Messenger of Allah and to obey you]. They will never have it (i.e. Prophethood which Allah has bestowed upon you). So seek refuge in Allah (O Muhammad from the arrogant). Verily, it is He Who is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer]. [Surah Ghaafir. Aayah 56] [An Excerpt from ‘As-Sawaa’iq Al-Mursalah 1/371-372 (slightly paraphrased)]