Satan (Shaitan)

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُواْ مِمَّا فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ حَلَٰلٗا طَيِّبٗا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوّٞ مُّبِينٌ ١٦٨ إِنَّمَا يَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ ١٦٩

O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy. He commands you only what is evil and Fahsha (sinful), and that you should say against Allah what you know not.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verses 168-169

• …footsteps of Shaitan… - Qatadah and As-Suddi commented on this: Every act of disobedience to Allah is among the footsteps of Satan. Abd bin Humayd reported that Ibn Abbas said: “Any vow or oath that one makes while angry, is among the footsteps of Shaytan and its expiation is that of the vow”.

ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلۡفَقۡرَ وَيَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغۡفِرَةٗ مِّنۡهُ وَفَضۡلٗاۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٞ ٢٦٨

Shaitan (Satan) threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha (evil deeds, illegal sexual intercourse, sins); whereas Allah promises you Forgiveness from Himself and Bounty, and Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All-Knower.

Surah 2 Al-Baqarah Verse 268

• Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abdullah bin Masud said that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Shaitan has an effect on the son of Adam, and the angel also has an effect. As for the effect of Shaitan, it is by his threatening with evil repercussions and rejecting the truth. As for the effect of the angel, it is by his promise of a good end and believing in the truth. Whoever finds the latter, let him know that it is coming from Allah and let him thank Allah for it. Whoever finds the former, let him seek refuge - with Allah - from Shaitan’. The Prophet then recited this Ayah.

إِنَّمَا ذَٰلِكُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوۡلِيَآءَهُۥ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمۡ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ ١٧٥

It is only Shaitan (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliya (supporters and friends) so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers.

Surah 3 Al-Imran Verse 175

أَلَمۡ تَرَ إِلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَزۡعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمۡ ءَامَنُواْ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ مِن قَبۡلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يَتَحَاكَمُوٓاْ إِلَى ٱلطَّٰغُوتِ وَقَدۡ أُمِرُوٓاْ أَن يَكۡفُرُواْ بِهِۦۖ وَيُرِيدُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَن يُضِلَّهُمۡ ضَلَٰلَۢا بَعِيدٗا ٦٠

Have you seen those (hyprocrites) who claim that they believe in that which has been sent down to you, and that which was sent down before you, and they wish to go for judgement (in their disputes) to the Taghut (false judges) while they have been ordered to reject them. But Shaitan (Satan) wishes to lead them far astray.

Surah 4 An-Nisa Verse 60

لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُۘ وَقَالَ لَأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنۡ عِبَادِكَ نَصِيبٗا مَّفۡرُوضٗا ١١٨ وَلَأُضِلَّنَّهُمۡ وَلَأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمۡ وَلَأٓمُرَنَّهُمۡ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ ءَاذَانَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ وَلَأٓمُرَنَّهُمۡ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلۡقَ ٱللَّهِۚ وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ وَلِيّٗا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ فَقَدۡ خَسِرَ خُسۡرَانٗا مُّبِينٗا ١١٩

Allah cursed him (Shaitan). And he said: ‘I will take an appointed portion of your slaves. Verily, I will arouse in them false desires; and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of the cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah’. And whoever takes Shaitan as a Wali, instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss.

Surah 4 An-Nisa Verses 118-119

• ‘appointed portion’ refers that Shaitan is determined to lay his claim to a portion of men’s time, to their effort and labour, to their energies and capacities, to their material belongings, and to their off springs, and would somehow trick them into devoting a sizeable portion of all these in his cause. It also refers to “From every one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine will go to Fire” (Muqatil-bin-Hayyan)
• The alteration of Allah’s creation, which is characterized as Satanic, consists in using a thing not for the purpose for which it was created by Allah. In other words, all acts performed in violation either of one’s true nature or of the intrinsic nature of things are the result of the misleading promptings of Shaitan. These include, for instance, sodomy, monasticism, celibacy, turning male into eunuchs, diverting females from functions entrusted to them by nature and driving them to perform the functions for which men were created.
• Ibn Masud said “May Allah curse those who have tattoos and those who do it, who pluck their (facial) hairs and the one who does it for them, and those who make spaces between their teeth for the purpose of beauty, changing what Allah has created”. He then said, “Why should I not curse whom the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) has cursed, when the Book of Allah commands it”
• Manifest loss is one which cannot be compensated or restored

يَعِدُهُمۡ وَيُمَنِّيهِمۡۖ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا ١٢٠ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ مَأۡوَىٰهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ عَنۡهَا مَحِيصٗا ١٢١

He (Shaitan) makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaitan’s (Satan’s) promises are nothing but deceptions. The dwelling of such (people) is Hell, and they will find no way of escape from it.

Surah 4 An-Nisa Verses 120-121

• Satanic operations are based on making attractive promises and rising high hopes. Whenever Satan wants to mislead man, whether individually or collectively, he tries to inspire them with utopian expectations, as in

1. In some he inspires expectations of ecstatic pleasure and outstanding success in their individual lives
2. He inspires others with prospects for achieving societal glory
3. To still others he promises the well-being of mankind
4. He makes people feel confident that they can arrive at the ultimate truth without the aid of revealed knowledge
5. He deludes others into believing that Allah neither exists nor is there any life after death
6. He comforts others with the belief that even if there is an After-Life, they will be able to escape punishment through the intercession of certain persons.

In short, Satan extends to different group of people different promises and expectations with a view to seducing them

وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ ٤٢ فَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ جَآءَهُم بَأۡسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ وَلَٰكِن قَسَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ ٤٣

Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad, pbuh). And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health with calamities so that they might believe with humility. When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaitan (Satan) made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do.

Surah 6 Al-Anam Verses 42-43

قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأَقۡعُدَنَّ لَهُمۡ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ ١٦ ثُمَّ لَأٓتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيۡنِ أَيۡدِيهِمۡ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِمۡ وَعَنۡ أَيۡمَٰنِهِمۡ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمۡۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكۡثَرَهُمۡ شَٰكِرِينَ ١٧

(Iblis) said: ‘Because You have sent me astray, surely, I will lie in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones’.

Surah 7 Al-A’raf Verses 16-17

• This was the challenge thrown down by Satan to Allah. What it meant is that Satan would make use of the respite granted to him until the Last Day, and he would do so in order to prove that man did not deserve a position superior to his. The respite includes not only the time but also the opportunity to mislead man and to prove his point by appealing to man’s weaknesses. At the same time, it has also been made quite clear that Satan was not granted the power to lead man into error against their will (V 17:65). Thus, all that Satan can do is to cause misunderstanding, to make people cherish false illusions, to make evil and error seem attractive, and to invite people to evil ways by holding out to them the promise of immense pleasure and material benefits. Accordingly, the Quran makes it quite plain that on the Day of Judgement, Satan would address men who had followed him in the words (V 14:22)
• Ibn Abbas commented on the meanings:

• ‘I will come to them from before them’ – raising doubts in them concerning the Hereafter
• ‘and (from) behind them’ – making them more eager for this life
• ‘from their right’ – causing them confusion in the religion
• ‘and from their left’ – luring them to commit sins

The Satan did not say that he will come from above them because the mercy descends from above

• ‘You will not find most of them as thankful ones’ – means, those who single Him out (in worship); Also, that they will not be dutiful to you. When Shaitan said this, it was a guess and assumption on his part. Yet, the truth turned out to be the same, for Allah said in the Quran:

وَلَقَدۡ صَدَّقَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ إِبۡلِيسُ ظَنَّهُۥ فَٱتَّبَعُوهُ إِلَّا فَرِيقٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ ٢٠ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ عَلَيۡهِم مِّن سُلۡطَٰنٍ إِلَّا لِنَعۡلَمَ مَن يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ مِنۡهَا فِي شَكّٖۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ حَفِيظٞ ٢١

‘And indeed Iblis (Satan) did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers (in the Oneness of Allah). And he (Satan) had no authority over them except that We might test him who believes in the Hereafter, from him who is in doubt about it. And your Lord is a Hafiz (Watchful) over everything’.

Surah 34 Saba Verses 20-21

Iblis did not have the power to have forcibly misled these people to the way of God’s disobedience although they had wanted to adopt His obedience. Allah had only given him the power that he may seduce and mislead them and make all such people his followers, who may like to follow him of their own accord. And Iblis was provided these opportunities for seduction so that the believers of the Hereafter were distinguished from those who entertained doubts about its coming. In other words, this divine statement makes the truth explicit that nothing in this world other than belief in the Hereafter can ensure man’s adherence to the right way. If a man disbelieves that he is to be raised back to life after death and has to render an account of his deeds before his God, he will certainly be misled and go astray, for he will never be able to develop in himself the sense of responsibility which alone can make him adhere to the right way. That is why the artifice of Satan by which he ensnares man is that he makes him heedless of the Hereafter. The one who escapes this satanic enticement can never agree that he should sacrifice the interests of his real everlasting life to the interests of the transient life of the world. On the contrary, the one who disbelieves in the Hereafter under the evil influence of Satan, or at least entertains doubts about it, can never be induced to withdraw from the cash bargain being made in this world only due to the apprehension that it might cause loss in some later life. Whoever has gone astray in the world, has gone astray only due to the denial of the Hereafter, or some suspicion about it; and whoever has adopted righteousness has done so because his righteous deeds have issued from his belief in the Hereafter.

يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ لَا يَفۡتِنَنَّكُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ كَمَآ أَخۡرَجَ أَبَوَيۡكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنۡهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوۡءَٰتِهِمَآۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَرَىٰكُمۡ هُوَ وَقَبِيلُهُۥ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَا تَرَوۡنَهُمۡۗ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ أَوۡلِيَآءَ لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ ٢٧

O Children of Adam! Let not Shaitan (Satan) deceive you, as he got your parents [Adam and Hawwa (Eve)] out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiments, to show them their private parts. Verily, he and Qabiluhu (his soldiers from the jinns or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see them. Verily, We made the Shayatin (devils) Auliya (protectors and helpers) for those who believe not.

Surah 7 Al-Araf Verse 27

فَرِيقًا هَدَىٰ وَفَرِيقًا حَقَّ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلضَّلَٰلَةُۚ إِنَّهُمُ ٱتَّخَذُواْ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ ٣٠

A group He has guided and a group deserved to be in error; (because) surely, they took the Shayatin as Auliya instead of Allah, and think that they are guided.

Surah 7 Al-A’raf Verse 30

• Allah has originally created all of His servants able to recognise Him, to single Him out in worship and know that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him. He also took their covenant to fulfil the implications of this knowledge, which He placed in their consciousness and souls. Then those who follow Shaitan are misguided and go astray
• Narrated Iyad bin Himar that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘Allah said: “I created my servants Hunafa (monotheists), but the devils came to them and deviated them from their religion”’

وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ نَزۡغٞ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ٢٠٠ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوۡاْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمۡ طَٰٓئِفٞ مِّنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبۡصِرُونَ ٢٠١

And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaitan (Satan), then seek refuge with Allah. Verily He is All-Hearer, All-Knower. Verily, those who are Al-Muttaqun, when an evil thought come to them from Shaitan, they remember (Allah) and (indeed) they then see (aright).

Surah 7 Al-A’raf Verses 200-201

• ‘remember’ – Allah’s punishment, as well as, His tremendous reward. They remember Allah’s promises and threats, then repent, go back to Him, seek refuge with Him and ask for forgiveness before death.

وَقَالَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ ٱلۡأَمۡرُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمۡ وَعۡدَ ٱلۡحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمۡ فَأَخۡلَفۡتُكُمۡۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّن سُلۡطَٰنٍ إِلَّآ أَن دَعَوۡتُكُمۡ فَٱسۡتَجَبۡتُمۡ لِيۖ فَلَا تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۖ مَّآ أَنَا۠ بِمُصۡرِخِكُمۡ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُصۡرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرۡتُ بِمَآ أَشۡرَكۡتُمُونِ مِن قَبۡلُۗ إِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ٢٢

And Shaitan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: ‘Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So, blame me not, but blame yourself. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah. Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zalimun (polytheists and wrongdoers)’.

Surah 14 Ibrahim Verse 22

• Satan shall point out to men that all he did was present a false doctrine in opposition to the true one, and invite them to falsehood instead of truth and to evil instead of good. They always had the option to heed his call or to disregard it. Satan’s guilt (of calling people to evil ways) will not exonerate those who made the wrong choice, and thus misused the opportunity to choose between the right and wrong which Allah bestowed upon them. They will certainly be held responsible for their actions
• ‘associating me as a partner with Allah’ – This provides instance of polytheism at the level of human actions as distinct from polytheism at the level of doctrine and belief. For obviously, no one professes, at the doctrinal level, that Satan is a partner of Allah in His Divinity
• In addition to the present verse, at several places elsewhere in the Quran certain types of actions have been dubbed as tantamount to associating others with Allah, as in:

ٱتَّخَذُوٓاْ أَحۡبَارَهُمۡ وَرُهۡبَٰنَهُمۡ أَرۡبَابٗا مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلۡمَسِيحَ ٱبۡنَ مَرۡيَمَ وَمَآ أُمِرُوٓاْ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَٰهٗا وَٰحِدٗاۖ لَّآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۚ سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ عَمَّا يُشۡرِكُونَ ٣١

‘They took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah…’ Surah 9 At-Tawbah Verse 31

وَكَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ قَتۡلَ أَوۡلَٰدِهِمۡ شُرَكَآؤُهُمۡ لِيُرۡدُوهُمۡ وَلِيَلۡبِسُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ دِينَهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُۖ فَذَرۡهُمۡ وَمَا يَفۡتَرُونَ ١٣٧

‘And so to many of the Mushrikun their (Allah’s so called) partners have made fair seeming the killing of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction and cause confusion in their religion…’ Surah 6 Al-An’am Verse 137

أَرَءَيۡتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ أَفَأَنتَ تَكُونُ عَلَيۡهِ وَكِيلًا ٤٣

‘Have you seen him who has taken as his ilah (god) his own vain desire?…’ Surah 25 Al-Furqan Verse 43

أَمۡ لَهُمۡ شُرَكَٰٓؤُاْ شَرَعُواْ لَهُم مِّنَ ٱلدِّينِ مَا لَمۡ يَأۡذَنۢ بِهِ ٱللَّهُۚ وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةُ ٱلۡفَصۡلِ لَقُضِيَ بَيۡنَهُمۡۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ٢١

‘Or have they partners (with Allah- false gods) who have instituted for them a religion which Allah has not ordained?...’ Surah 42 Ash-Shura Verse 21

All these examples illustrate that polytheism does not merely assume one form viz associating others with Allah in matters of belief. There is also another form which consists of exalting someone to a position where it becomes imperative to follow him without any sanction for it from Allah, or even in opposition to Allah’s command. Such an act, according to the Quran, is tantamount to setting up a partner to Allah in His godhead

قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَأُغۡوِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٣٩ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ٤٠ قَالَ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ عَلَيَّ مُسۡتَقِيمٌ ٤١ إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيۡسَ لَكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٌ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاوِينَ ٤٢ وَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ لَمَوۡعِدُهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٤٣

[Iblis (Satan)] said: ‘O my Lord! Because You misled me, I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on earth, and I shall mislead them all. Except your chosen (guided) slaves among them’ (Allah) said: ‘This is a way which will lead straight to Me. Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves except those who follow you of the Ghawun. And surely, Hell is the promised place for them all’.

Surah 15 Al-Hijr Verses 39-43

• Satan said that he would make the ephemeral benefits and advantages of worldly life so attractive to man that he would forget all about his vicegerency of Allah and His accountability to Him in the Hereafter. Men will thus either altogether forget Allah or if they do remember Him, they will violate His command
• Ghawun – those who go astray
• The basic idea of the verse (V 15:42) is that worshipping Allah constitutes the true way that leads man to Allah. Satan is unable to exercise any dominating influence over the people who chose to follow this way. Allah shall choose such people for Himself. Satan also acknowledges that he is unable to lead such people astray. However, those who disobey Allah will lose the road to their felicity and success. They will fall prey to Satan, will follow him blindly, and will be vulnerable to all his contriving

تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٞ ٦٣

By Allah, We indeed sent (Messengers) to the nations before you (O Muhammad, pbuh), but Shaitan (Satan) made their deeds fair-seeming to them. So, he (Satan) is their Wali (supporter, helper) today (i.e., in this world), and theirs will be a painful torment.

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verse 63

• Certainly, Satan is so advert in his own whimsical acts that he makes the worst and the most abominable acts as nice; so much so, that even one imagines such acts as a source of pride for himself, just in the same way that the ‘pre-Islamic Arabia’ was proud of burying alive his own daughters and praised that as protecting his chastity and saving the prestige of his own tribe. He would proudly say: “I buried my daughter with my own hands so as not to let the enemy capture her in a battle later.” While the most shameful behavior is made possible under the guise of the most favored masks owing to the Satan’s temptations. We nowadays witness such seemingly good-looking acts in many cases of theft, robberies, and crimes which are provided with proper justifications and under enticing pretexts. Then the Quran adds that the present-day pagans follow the same deviant programs of the previous nations to whom the Satan presented their acts as nice, and the present-day Satan is their guardian, and they are being inspired by him.

فَإِذَا قَرَأۡتَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ ٩٨ إِنَّهُۥ لَيۡسَ لَهُۥ سُلۡطَٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ٩٩ إِنَّمَا سُلۡطَٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوۡنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشۡرِكُونَ ١٠٠

So, when you recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one). Verily, he has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord. His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and those who join partners with Him (Allah).

Surah 16 An-Nahl Verses 98-100

• ‘seek refuge with Allah from Shaitan’ – This does not simply mean that before starting to recite the Quran one should simply utter the words ‘I seek refuge with Allah from Satan’. Seeking refuge should not merely involve a man’s tongue but also his heart. Also, practical efforts to keep oneself secure against uncalled-for doubts and suspicions need be taken. One should never forget that Satan’s greatest wish is that man should always remain deprived of obtaining guidance from the Quran. Hence, whenever a person turns to the Quran, Satan leaves no stone unturned to prevent him from deriving guidance from it and to directing his thoughts instead along erroneous paths. One should, therefore, be highly vigilant while studying the Quran and should constantly invoke Allah’s help lest one fail to be directed to the guidance it embodies owing to Satan’s machinations. If someone fails to obtain guidance from the Quran, he will obtain guidance from nowhere

وَءَاتِ ذَا ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ حَقَّهُۥ وَٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ وَٱبۡنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَلَا تُبَذِّرۡ تَبۡذِيرًا ٢٦ إِنَّ ٱلۡمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوٓاْ إِخۡوَٰنَ ٱلشَّيَٰطِينِۖ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِرَبِّهِۦ كَفُورٗا ٢٧

And give to the kindred his due and to the Miskin (poor) and to the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily, spendthrifts are brothers of the Shayatin (devils), and the Shaitan (Devil Satan) is ever ungrateful to his Lord.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verses 26-27

• …spendthrift… - Concerning the issue of immoderation and extravagance and concentration on this matter is so highly recommended that we read in quotations: The Prophet (pbuh) was once walking on a road. One of his companions Sa‘d was engaged in performing the ritual ablution for praying, and he was using a lot of water. He (pbuh) asked: “Why is it that you are wasting so much water, O Sa‘d?” He said: “Is there any immoderation in the water of ablution?” He replied: “Yes. Even once you find yourself by a flowing stream.”
• The act of wasting is mostly used in the sphere of financial matters. However, it might also refer to other blessings such as ‘wasting of one’s youth’, or of his ‘life-time’ or utilizing of one’s thinking, eyes, ears and tongue in incorrect ways, assigning of responsibilities to indecent people, acceptance of responsibilities without having the proper qualifications and over and above one’s capacities and limitations, instructing and learning of unessential and useless matters also. And Allah knows best.
• Those who engage in over consumption are accomplices to the Satan, for they tend to spoil Allah’s blessings, and ‘the Satan’ was most ungrateful to Allah, for Allah had bestowed upon him an exceptional intelligence, as well as extraordinary capability, which he utilized for objectives other than what all of them were designed for, that is, he employed all towards seduction of the people.

وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُواْ ٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ يَنزَغُ بَيۡنَهُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ كَانَ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ عَدُوّٗا مُّبِينٗا ٥٣

And say to My slaves (i.e., the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best. (Because) Shaitan (Satan), verily, sows a state of conflict and disagreements among them. Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is to man a plain enemy.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verse 53

• ‘best’ - The best, in here, signifies what is most appropriate from the view point of content, eloquence, and that which is best in terms of ethical virtues and humanitarian methods, for, if one distances himself from what is best speech, and tends to rudeness and quarrelsomeness in his words, it recalls the Satan’s interference and inciting corruption amongst them. The Quran instructs the manner of conducting a dialogue and disputation with the dissidents, especially the pagans, for, no matter how elevated in rank the school might be, the powerful logic will also be rendered useless, but if it is not coupled with correct methods, discussion and disputations, and instead of affection and favour harshness and rudeness prevail, it will be fruitless.

قَالَ ٱذۡهَبۡ فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمۡ جَزَآءٗ مَّوۡفُورٗا ٦٣ وَٱسۡتَفۡزِزۡ مَنِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡتَ مِنۡهُم بِصَوۡتِكَ وَأَجۡلِبۡ عَلَيۡهِم بِخَيۡلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ وَشَارِكۡهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَمۡوَٰلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَٰدِ وَعِدۡهُمۡۚ وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ إِلَّا غُرُورًا ٦٤ إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيۡسَ لَكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ سُلۡطَٰنٞۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ وَكِيلٗا ٦٥

(Allah) said (to Satan): ‘Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely Hell will be the recompense of you (all), an ample recompense. And befool them (mankind) gradually those whom you can among them with your voice, make assaults on them with your cavalry and your infantry, share with them wealth and children and make promises to them’ But Satan promises nothing but deceit. ‘Verily My slaves (believers) – you have no authority over them. And All-sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian’.

Surah 17 Al-Isra Verses 63-65

• ‘voice’ – refers to ‘idle entertainment and singing’ and also includes any other call for Allah’s disobedience.
• ‘cavalry and infantry’ – refers to the men and jinn who are engaged in promoting Satan’s mission by a variety of ways and means.
• Sharing of wealth and children – anybody who follows Satan in matters relating to the earning and spending of their wealth make Satan their partner. This is true even though Satan neither contributes to man’s effort by sharing in his labour nor shares in the tragic consequences which ensue from the sins that are committed. Likewise, a man’s children are his own and it is he who toils in bringing them up. However, people who lack a correct perspective lead their children towards wrong beliefs and practices almost as if Satan had a share in their parenthood. The fact that only wealth and children are mentioned in this Ayah does not mean that it is limited only to these things. Everything in which a person disobeys Allah or obeys Satan means that he is sharing with Satan.
• ‘no authority over them’ – has two meanings:

1. That Satan has no authority over Allah’s servants in so far as he is not able to compulsively drive them along his way – he can only try to mislead, to coax him towards evil, to furnish him with false evidence, and to hold out false promises. (the decision as to or not to listen is man’s)
2. That Satan has no power in respect of Allah’s chosen men – the righteous. It is only men of weak resolve who may be deceived by the false promises held out by Satan. As for men who are firm in their devotion to Allah, Satan cannot possibly sway them.

۞يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِعۡ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنكَرِۚ وَلَوۡلَا فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَرَحۡمَتُهُۥ مَا زَكَىٰ مِنكُم مِّنۡ أَحَدٍ أَبَدٗا وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّي مَن يَشَآءُۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٞ ٢١

O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). And whosoever follows the footsteps of Shaitan, then, verily, he commands Al-Fahisha and Al-Munkar. And had it not been for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure from sins. But Allah purifies whom He wills, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.

Surah 24 An-Nur Verse 21

• ‘footsteps of Shaitan’ – means:

• His deeds
• His evil whispers
• Every sin
• Vowing to commit sin

• ‘Grace of Allah’ – Had Allah not made what is good distinct from what is evil and had He not shown man the Right Way and enabled him to reform himself accordingly, no one would have been able to purify his own life merely on the basis of his naïve endowments

وَيَوۡمَ يَعَضُّ ٱلظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيۡهِ يَقُولُ يَٰلَيۡتَنِي ٱتَّخَذۡتُ مَعَ ٱلرَّسُولِ سَبِيلٗا ٢٧ يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰ لَيۡتَنِي لَمۡ أَتَّخِذۡ فُلَانًا خَلِيلٗا ٢٨ لَّقَدۡ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ ٱلذِّكۡرِ بَعۡدَ إِذۡ جَآءَنِيۗ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ خَذُولٗا ٢٩ وَقَالَ ٱلرَّسُولُ يَٰرَبِّ إِنَّ قَوۡمِي ٱتَّخَذُواْ هَٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ مَهۡجُورٗا ٣٠

And (remember) the Day when the Zalim (wrong doer, oppressor, polytheist) will bite at his hands, he will say: ‘Oh! Would that I had taken a path with the Messenger (Muhammad, pbuh) Ah! Woe to me! Would that I have never taken so-and-so as a khalil! He indeed let me astray from the Reminder (the Quran) after it had come to me. And Shaitan is to man ever a deserter in the hour of need’. And the Messenger (Muhammad, pbuh) will say: ‘O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Quran’.

Surah 25 Al-Furqan Verses 27-30

• ‘my people deserted this Quran’ – the Arabic word mahjur has more than one meaning. Taken as a derivative of hajr, it means that which is ignored. There are various forms of ignoring (deserting or forsaking) the Quran, as:

1. Rejecting it and not believing in it
2. Not pondering over its meaning nor trying to understand it
3. Not acting upon it i.e. neither following its commandments nor heeding its prohibitions
4. Turning away from it in favour of poetry or songs or idle talk or some other way

وَعَادٗا وَثَمُودَاْ وَقَد تَّبَيَّنَ لَكُم مِّن مَّسَٰكِنِهِمۡۖ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَصَدَّهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَكَانُواْ مُسۡتَبۡصِرِينَ ٣٨

And Ad and Thamood (people)! And indeed (their destruction) is clearly apparent to you from their (ruined) dwellings. Shaitan (Satan) made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and turned them away from the (Right) Path, though they were intelligent.

Surah 29 Al-Ankabut Verse 38

• …though they were intelligent - That is, “They were not ignorant and foolish people, but were the most civilized people of their own times. They performed and carried out their worldly duties and chores very carefully and intelligently. Therefore, it cannot be said that Satan deluded them and pulled them on to his way by artifice and deception. Nay, they adopted the way shown by Satan with open eyes and with full understanding because it promised great pleasures and advantages; and they abandoned the way presented by the prophets because it appeared to be colorless, tasteless and troublesome due to moral restrictions.”

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ وَٱخۡشَوۡاْ يَوۡمٗا لَّا يَجۡزِي وَالِدٌ عَن وَلَدِهِۦ وَلَا مَوۡلُودٌ هُوَ جَازٍ عَن وَالِدِهِۦ شَيۡ‍ًٔاۚ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡغَرُورُ ٣٣

O mankind! Be afraid of your Lord and fear a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the Promise of Allah is true, let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver deceive you about Allah.

Surah 31 Luqman Verse 33

• One’s relations with one’s friends, leaders, spiritual guides and other such people are not always very close. The closest mutual relation in the world is that found between parents and their offspring. But so horrendous will be the Day of Reckoning that no father will step forward and offer to redeem his son. Nor will any son come to his father’s rescue and suffer chastisement on his behalf. It would be stupid if anyone were to follow the course of sin and error under the illusion that someone else will come to his aid in the Next Life.
• Allah’s Promise signifies the promise that resurrection will necessarily occur, that the Day of Resurrection is bound to come, that someday Allah’s Court of Justice will inevitably come to order and everyone will be called to account.
• The life of this world deceives and beguiles the superficially minded filling their minds with a variety of misconceptions, as in:

• Everything is confined to just this world, and that there will be no Afterlife
• Luxuriant living, power or authority will endure
• Worldly prosperity is the right standard by which to judge what is true and what is false
• Material prosperity is an indicator of being blessed with Allah’s approval

• ‘chief deceiver’ could be Satan himself, a single person, a group of people, one’s own base self or any other object that deceives man. Every person’s deceiver is that which leads him astray, that which causes his life to take a turn in the wrong direction. The deception embraces a whole range of befooling, leading men to believe false notions, as in:

• Allah does not exist
• Some people are so dear to Allah that anyone who curries favour with them feel assured that Allah will necessarily forgive them
• Since Allah is Forgiving and Merciful, they can go about sinning to their hearts’ fill for Allah will continue to pardon them
• Determinism – if they commit evil they are helpless for it is Allah who makes them do so. Similarly, it is Allah who does not enable them to do good works.

It is only when they fall prey to such deceptions that he becomes enmeshed in erroneous beliefs

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقّٞۖ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ ٱلۡحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡغَرُورُ ٥ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ لَكُمۡ عَدُوّٞ فَٱتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّاۚ إِنَّمَا يَدۡعُواْ حِزۡبَهُۥ لِيَكُونُواْ مِنۡ أَصۡحَٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ٦

O mankind! Verily, the Promise of Allah is true. So, let not this present life deceive you, and let not the chief deceiver deceive you about Allah. Surely, Shaitan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.

Surah 35 Fatir Verse 5-6

• ‘take him as an enemy’ – means since he has declared his enmity towards you, so be even more hostile towards him, oppose him, and do not believe the things with which he tries to tempt you

وَٱمۡتَٰزُواْ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ أَيُّهَا ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُونَ ٥٩ ۞أَلَمۡ أَعۡهَدۡ إِلَيۡكُمۡ يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ أَن لَّا تَعۡبُدُواْ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوّٞ مُّبِينٞ ٦٠ وَأَنِ ٱعۡبُدُونِيۚ هَٰذَا صِرَٰطٞ مُّسۡتَقِيمٞ ٦١ وَلَقَدۡ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمۡ جِبِلّٗا كَثِيرًاۖ أَفَلَمۡ تَكُونُواْ تَعۡقِلُونَ ٦٢ هَٰذِهِۦ جَهَنَّمُ ٱلَّتِي كُنتُمۡ تُوعَدُونَ ٦٣ ٱصۡلَوۡهَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَكۡفُرُونَ ٦٤

(It will be said on the Day of Judgement): “And O you Al-Mujrimun (criminals, polytheists, sinners, disbelievers in the Islamic Monotheism)! Get you apart this Day (from the believers). Did I not ordain for you, O Children of Adam, that you should not worship Shaitan (Satan)? Verily, he is a plain enemy to you. And that you should worship Me (Alone). That is a Straight Path. And indeed he (Satan) did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did you not, then, understand? This is Hell which you were promised! Burn therein this Day, for that you used to disbelieve”.

Surah 36 Ya-Sin Verse 59-64

قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنظِرۡنِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ ٧٩ قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنظَرِينَ ٨٠ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡوَقۡتِ ٱلۡمَعۡلُومِ ٨١ قَالَ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغۡوِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٨٢ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ٨٣ قَالَ فَٱلۡحَقُّ وَٱلۡحَقَّ أَقُولُ ٨٤ لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكَ وَمِمَّن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٨٥

[Iblees (Satan)] said: “My Lord! Give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are resurrected”. (Allah) said: “Verily! You are of those allowed respite; Till the Day of the time appointed”. [Iblees (Satan)] said: “By Your Might, then I will surely mislead them all; Except Your chosen slaves amongst them (true believers of Islamic Monotheism)”. (Allah) said: “The Truth is, and the Truth I say; That I will fill Hell with you and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together”.

Surah 38 Sad Verses 79-85

وَإِمَّا يَنزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ نَزۡغٞ فَٱسۡتَعِذۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٣٦

And if an evil whisper from Shaitan (Satan) tries to turn you away (from doing good) then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

Surah 41 Fussilat Verse 36

• Ibn Jarir mentions from Yazid bin Qusayt that once a Prophet asked Shaitan, “Tell me in what ways you overpower the son of Adam.” He said, “I seize him at times of anger and times of desire” [abridged version]
• Even in full consciousness, one is likely to entertain the illusion that one has such an extraordinary degree of self-control that even Satan has failed him to committing mistakes. Such illusion is another grave act of self-deception, one caused by the Satan, one that is highly dangerous. On such occasions, one should seek refuge with Allah, for it is thanks to His succour and protection alone that man can avoid falling prey to serious mistakes

وَمَن يَعۡشُ عَن ذِكۡرِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ نُقَيِّضۡ لَهُۥ شَيۡطَٰنٗا فَهُوَ لَهُۥ قَرِينٞ ٣٦ وَإِنَّهُمۡ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَيَحۡسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهۡتَدُونَ ٣٧ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَنَا قَالَ يَٰلَيۡتَ بَيۡنِي وَبَيۡنَكَ بُعۡدَ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقَيۡنِ فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡقَرِينُ ٣٨ وَلَن يَنفَعَكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ إِذ ظَّلَمۡتُمۡ أَنَّكُمۡ فِي ٱلۡعَذَابِ مُشۡتَرِكُونَ ٣٩

And whosoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allah) (i.e., this Quran and worship of Allah), We appoint for him Shaitan (Satan/devil) to be a Qarin (an intimate companion) to him. And verily, they (Satans/devils) hinder them from the Path (of Allah), but they think that they are guided aright! Till, when (such a one) comes to Us, he says (to his Qarin) “Would that between me and you were the distance of the two easts (or the east and west)” -- a worst (type of) companion (indeed)! It will profit you not this Day as you did wrong, (and) that you will be sharers (you and your Qarin) in the punishment.

Surah 43 Az-Zukhruf Verses 36-39

وَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوّٞ مُّبِينٞ ٦٢

And let not Shaitan (Satan) hinder you. Verily, he (Satan) to you is a plain enemy. Surah 43 Az-Zukhruf Verse 62

۞قَالَ قَرِينُهُۥ رَبَّنَا مَآ أَطۡغَيۡتُهُۥ وَلَٰكِن كَانَ فِي ضَلَٰلِۢ بَعِيدٖ ٢٧

His companion (Satan/devil) will say (on the Day of Judgement): “Our Lord! I did not push him to transgress, (in disbelief, oppression, and evil deeds) but he was himself in error far astray”.

Surah 50 Qaf Verse 27

كَمَثَلِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ إِذۡ قَالَ لِلۡإِنسَٰنِ ٱكۡفُرۡ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ قَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيٓءٞ مِّنكَ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ١٦

… like Shaitan (Satan), when he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allah”. But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shaitan (Satan) says: “I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!”

Surah 59 Al-Hashr Verse 16

قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ ١ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ ٢ إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ ٣ مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ ٤ ٱلَّذِي يُوَسۡوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ ٥ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ ٦

Say ‘I seek refuge with the Lord of the mankind. The King of the mankind. The God of the mankind. From the evil of the whisperer who withdraws. Who whispers in the breasts of mankind; Of jinn and men’.

Surah 114 An-Nas Verse 1-6

• These are three attributes from the attributes of the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic. They are Lordship, Sovereignty and Divinity. All things are created by Him, owned by Him and subservient to Him. Therefore, He commands whosoever is seeking protection to seek refuge with the One Who has these attributes from the evil of the whisperer who withdraws. This (the whisperer) is the devil that is assigned to man. For verily, there are not any of the children of Adam except that he has a companion that beautifies wicked deeds for him. This devil will go to any lengths to confuse and confound him. The only person who is safe is he whom Allah protects. It is confirmed in the Sahih that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘There is not a single one of you except that his companion (a devil) has been assigned to him’
• ‘the whisperer who withdraws’ – the devil who is squatting (perched) upon the heart of the son of Adam. So, when he becomes absent minded and heedless, he whispers. Then when he remembers Allah, he withdraws.
• Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: ‘Shaitan tries to destroy the son of Adam in one of seven phases. Some of them are more intense than others. Shaitan would not try to destroy him in the next phase until he fails to destroy him in a previous one’. These phases are:

1st Phase: The phase of disbelief in Allah, His Deen, His perfect attributes, and in what the Prophet informed us about, and the fact that we will be resurrected. If Shaitan is successful in misleading the slave in this phase, his enmity towards him would diminish and he would take rest. If the slave succeeds, and survives in this phase, Shaitan would try to destroy him in the next phase.

2nd Phase: The phase of Bid’ah (religious innovation); whether it pertains to believing in other than the truth which the Messenger was sent with or by worshipping other than Allah; such as worshipping idols, and the like. Shaitan enjoys that a person succumbs in this phase for Bid’ah conflicts with the nature of the Deen and compels one to reject it. Furthermore, the one who observes innovated religious practices would not repent from his actions; rather, he would invite people to his Bid’ah! Observing innovated religious practices would compel one to forge lies against Allah and speak without knowledge; thus it openly clashes with the Sunnah. Observing minor Bid’ah practices would lead one to observing major Bid’ah practices. In this manner, a person would eventually exit the folds of Islam. Scholars and people of knowledge alone know the real dangers of Bid’ah practices. If a person succeeds and survives in this phase by adhering to the Sunnah, and understanding its texts as the Pious Predecessors understood them, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

3rd Phase: The phase of major sins. If he is able to destroy the slave in this phase, he would beautify the deed that he is doing and probably compel him to say the following: 'No sin would harm the Tawheed (creedal belief) as no good deed would benefit a man who has fallen into Shirk (associating partners with Allah).' If the person is successful and survives this phase, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

4th Phase: The phase of minor sins. Shaitan would compel a person to belittle these sins, by whispering to him: 'There is no fear upon you as long as you keep away from major sins…do you not know that the minor sins would be expiated by staying away from major sins?' Shaitan would convince him that there is no harm in doing minor sins, until he regularly practices it. The person who has done a major sin, and has repented and is fearful of what he has done, would be better off than him; for regularly doing a minor sin would change it to a major sin! Constant repentance eliminates major sins; as no minor sin remains as such when a person regularly does it.The Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Beware of minor sins; its likeness is like a people who stopped over in a valley, and the people spread out each bringing a stick, until they made a fire and cooked their bread. Whenever a person practices a minor sin regularly it would destruct him.'

If the slave succeeds and survives in this phase, by being careful and repenting continuously to Allah, and observing righteous deeds, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

5th Phase: The phase of indulging in lawful things within which there is no sin upon its doer. Shaitan would busy a person by compelling him to indulge excessively in lawful things in order to keep him away from worshipping Allah; he would then lead him to abandoning the Sunnah practices, and later lead him to abandoning the obligatory practices. If the slave succeeds and survives in this phase by understanding the greatness of acts of worship, Shaitan would seek to destroy him in the next phase.

6th Phase: The phase of busying the slave with deeds which are lesser in reward. Shaitan would encourage the slave to observe certain acts of worship and beautify them to him, and show him the great reward of doing those acts of worship in order to busy him with it and to keep him away from deeds which are more beneficial. When Shaitan fails to mislead the slave and deprive him from receiving any reward he tries to deprive him from receiving the full reward. Therefore, he busies him with the lesser rewarding deeds and keeps him away from the greater rewarding deeds, and also keeps him away from the most beloved deeds to Allah and busies him with lesser beloved deeds to Allah.

7th Phase: If Shaitan fails in the above six phases, he would resort to harming the person in any way possible; by summoning his men and followers and riling them against this individual. The Prophets and Messengers were not left unharmed by this. One should bear patiently, for victory and success are tied with patience.

• ‘of jinn and men’ – It is evident that the whisperings for doing evil are carried out by devils from among both jinn and humans. Narrated Abu Dhar that the Prophet (pbuh) said: ‘O Abu Dhar! Seek Allah’s protection against the devils from among jinns and humans’ Abu Dhar asked him whether there are devils from among humans, to which the Prophet (pbuh) replied in the affirmative

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