The word “Iblees” (إِبْلِيس) comes from the Arabic root b-l-s (بَلَسَ), which literally means to despair or to be despondent. This reflects the etymological sense of balasa, describing someone who has “given up hope” or despairs of God’s mercy. In Islamic theology, he is called Iblees because he despaired of Allah’s mercy after committing disobedience.