Syed Sharfuddin
A man woke up early in order to offer his morning prayer in the neighbourhood mosque. He got dressed, set on his way to Allah’s house. On his way to the mosque, the man accidentally set foot on a loose stone and fell down. His clothes got dirty. He got up, brushed himself and headed home to change his clothes. He changed his dress and walked to the mosque again. On his way, he again stumbled on a slippery surface and fell down. He got up, went home, changed his clothes and went out to offer prayer in Allah’s house. On his way to the mosque he met an old man holding a lamp. He asked the man of his identity and the man replied ‘I saw you fall twice on your way to the mosque, so I brought a lamp in order to light your way’. The first man thanked him profusely and the two went on their way to the mosque.
Once they reached the mosque, the first man asked the man with the lamp to come in and offer prayer with him. The old man who had brought the lamp refused. The first man asked him a couple of times to come in but the old man’s answer was the same.
The first man asked him why he did not wish to come in and pray. The old man replied, ‘I am Satan’. The man was shocked at this reply. Satan went on to explain, ‘I saw you on your way to the mosque and it was I who made you fall. When you went home, changed yourself and went back on your way to the mosque, Allah forgave all of your sins’.
‘I made you fall a second time, and even that did not encourage you to stay home, but rather, you went out again to offer your prayer in the mosque. Because of that, Allah forgave all the sins of the people of your household’.
‘I was afraid if I made you fall one more time, Allah will forgive the sins of the whole neighbourhood so I made sure that you reached the mosque safely,’ said the Shaitan.
Shaitan is keen to prevent man from doing good deeds to go to heaven. Instead, he wants to take man to hell because he holds Adam responsible for his downfall. He is viciously committed to taking revenge from mankind for his expulsion from heaven. After he was condemned for not prostrating before Adam, He told Allah Subhanuhu wa Taala: “I will approach them (Adam, Eve and their progeny) from their front, their back, their right, their left, and You (Allah) will find most of them ungrateful.” [Surah Al-Araaf 7:17]. In reply to his boasting, Allah said: “I will surely fill up hell with you and whoever follows you from among them, all together.” [Surah Saad 38:85]. Shaitan also knows what hell is like and has probably been there already. He does not want to go there alone. He wants company. He wants to take revenge from mankind for his condemnation and also have company of mankind in hell. His most effective weapon to attack us is through nudity and sex. Allah warns us in the Quran about it: “O children of Adam! Do not let Satan deceive you as he tempted your parents out of Paradise and caused their cover to be removed in order to expose their nakedness. Surely he and his tribe watch you from where you cannot see them. We have made the devils allies of those who disbelieve. [Surah Al-Araaf 7:27].
Now that we know Shaitan’s evil plan and his methodology to implement it, we should watch out for the things that help him achieve his objective. One of the best defences against his attack is to say I seek refuge in Allah from the evil design of Shaitan. Allah says in the Quran: “And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is all hearing and knowing.” [Surah Al-Araaf 7:200]. Quran also advises us to pray to Allah to keep us away from the whispers of Shaitan. “And say: “My Lord! I seek refuge in You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the Shayatin (devils).” [Surah Al-Muminoon 23:97]
If you get a direct encounter with Shaitan like the man who met Shaitan on his way to the mosque you should say to him: “Mate, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. I shall neither be beguiled by you, nor give you company. So, get lost. To hell with you and your caboodle.”
Do not put off the good you intended to do as you never know how much reward you might receive from the hardships you encounter while trying to achieve that good.
February 25, 2018
Also See Related Essay:Instruments of Shaitan
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