The disbelief of Iblis was refusal and arrogance, not merely a sin

The questioner:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. This questioner says: Is there a difference between a sin and the disbelief of refusal and arrogance?

The Shaykh:
A sin occurs in this way and that way; sins have causes. Yes.

The questioner:
Then he says, may Allah preserve you: How do we respond to the statement of the Khawarij who say that Iblis became a disbeliever by committing a major sin against Allah by refusing to prostrate? So is he like the one who drinks intoxicants? Do we declare the one who drinks intoxicants a disbeliever?

The Shaykh:
Iblis refused to submit to Allah, refused to repent to Allah, and refused to prostrate with the angels when Allah commanded the angels to do so. He refused and was arrogant, and he was among the disbelievers. So Iblis, meaning, he opposed the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, because of his envy of Adam . He claimed that fire was better than clay because he was created from fire, but this is false. Fire does not produce anything; it only burns. As for clay, it produces; it grows fruits, it grows crops, it grows herbs and grasses, it grows good things. There is good in clay. Yes.