WAKE UP UMMAH

SHAITAN (THE DEVIL)

AND HIS BROTHERS OR FRIENDS

THEY HAVE NO POWER OVER US!

(By: M. Javed Naseem)

يٰأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَاتِ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ وَمَن يَتَّبِعْ

خُطُوَاتِ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ فَإِنَّهُ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنْكَرِ وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ

وَرَحْمَتُهُ مَا زَكَا مِنكُمْ مِّنْ أَحَدٍ أَبَداً وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُزَكِّى مَن يَشَآءُ

وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“O you who believe! Follow not the Devil’s footsteps!

If any will follow the footsteps of the Devil, he will (but)

command what is shameful and wrong. And were it not

for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, not one of you

would ever have been pure; but Allah does purify whom He

pleases. And Allah is One Who hears and knows (all things).”

(al-Quran 24:21).

We are passing through the last phase of ‘life on Earth’ which is also the beginning of the End. This phase is spread over many years and we have to observe carefully the signs appearing during this period – the End Time. The biggest signs, however, are the killings, bloodshed, wars started by evil humans to control the world; natural disasters like Tsunamis, earthquakes, floods in one part and the draught in the other; heavy rains here and wildfires there; diminishing number of true believers and followers of Islam; abundance of new religions; increasing number of hypocrites and the ‘friends of Shaitan (the Devil); etc., etc. But, as Allah says in the Holy Quran, only the ‘men of understanding’ will pay attention.

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوۤاْ آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُو ٱلأَلْبَابِ
“(Here is) a Book which We have sent down unto you,

full of blessings, that they may mediate on its Signs, and

that men of understanding may receive admonition.”

(al-Quran 38:29)

We human beings don’t really like to take the responsibility – responsibility of any kind. We even don’t take the responsibility of our own evil actions that hurt or damage others. We blame it on the Devil. Yes. “Shaitan (the Devil) is responsible for every evil deed of ours”, we say. This is our best excuse and the easiest way out. But how true is it?

On the Day of Judgment, the wrong-doer will regretfully accuse Shaitan and say:

لَّقَدْ أَضَلَّنِى عَنِ ٱلذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَآءَنِى وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَانُ لِلإِنْسَانِ خَذُولاً

"He did lead me astray from the Message (of Allah) after

it had come to me! Ah! The Devil is but a traitor to man!"

(al-Quran 25:29). 

There is no doubt that Shaitan is our open enemy, as is declared by Allah, the Almighty, at many places in the Holy Quran. But Allah also says that Shaitan has no power over us. We are responsible for our own actions – good or bad. We take the decisions and we make our own choices that lead us to good or evil actions. Shaitan makes suggestions; whispers in our ears; and puts evil thoughts in our minds. But we decide which course of action to take. We initiate the action with nobody visibly or physically forcing us. How can we blame the Devil then?

فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْآنَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ

إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَهُ سُلْطَانٌ عَلَىٰ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

إِنَّمَا سُلْطَانُهُ عَلَىٰ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِ مُشْرِكُونَ
“When you do read the Quran, seek Allah's protection

from the Devil, the rejected one. No power has he over

those who believe and put their trust in their Lord.
His power is over those only who take him as patron

(or friend) and who join partners with Allah.”

(al-Quran 16:98-100)

Therefore, the Devil becomes the friend of those who disobey Allah. He has power over them but he has no power over the true believers who put their trust in Allah.

The irony is that the Devil himself believes in Allah and His sovereignty. He fears Allah too, as he always did before he was cursed and barred from Paradise. As has been mentioned in the Quran, on the Day of Judgment, the Devil will plainly tell us the truth – the same truth Allah has been telling us again and again in the Holy Quran:

وَقَالَ ٱلشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِىَ ٱلأَمْرُ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ ٱلْحَقِّ

وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِىَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِّن سُلْطَانٍ

إِلاَّ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِى فَلاَ تَلُومُونِى وَلُومُوۤاْ أَنفُسَكُمْ

مَّآ أَنَاْ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَآ أَنتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِىَّ إِنِّى كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ

أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ إِنَّ ٱلظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
“And the Devil will say when the matter is decided:

"It was Allah Who gave you a promise of Truth. I too

promised, but I failed in my promise to you. I had

no authority over you except to call you but you listened

to me. So blame not me, but blame your own souls.

I cannot listen to your cries, nor can you listen to mine.

I reject your former act in associating me with Allah.

For wrong-doers there must be a grievous penalty."

(al-Quran 14:22).

Allah, the Almighty, has clearly warned us about the Devils’ attacks and has informed us about those who fall prey to the Devils. It’s the people who claim that they are believers but their Faith (Iman) on Allah is so weak that they cannot resist Shaitan. If we follow the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) in obeying the commands of Allah honestly and sincerely, we will not fall prey to Shaitan. We cannot go astray.

هَلْ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ عَلَىٰ مَن تَنَزَّلُ ٱلشَّيَاطِينُ

تَنَزَّلُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيم يُلْقُونَ ٱلسَّمْعَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ كَاذِبُونَ ٍ

وَٱلشُّعَرَآءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ ٱلْغَاوُون أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّهُمْ فِى كُلِّ وَادٍ يَهِيمُونَ

وَأَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ مَا لاَ يَفْعَلُون إِلاَّ ٱلَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّالِحَاتِ َ

وَذَكَرُواْ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيراً وَٱنتَصَرُواْ مِن بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُواْ

وَسَيَعْلَمُ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوۤاْ أَىَّ مُنقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ
“Shall I inform you, (O people!), on whom it is that the Devils

descend? They descend on every lying, wicked (sinful) person, 
(into whose ears) they pour hearsay vanities, and most of them

are liars. And the poets, it is those straying in evil, who follow them.

See you not that they wander distracted in every valley? 
And that they say what they practise not? Except those who believe,

work righteousness, engage much in the remembrance of Allah,

and defend themselves only after they are unjustly attacked.

And soon will the unjust assailants know by what a

(great) reverse they will be overturned!”

(al-Quran 26:221-227). 

Man is created weak and in front of Shaitan, we are hopelessly weak. We can resist the temptation (or the Devil’s trap) only with the guidance, help and protection of Allah. But only those of us can get this guidance, help and protection who obey Allah and follow His prophet on the straight path. Everybody else can be swept away in the mighty storm of temptation and greed. Why don’t we understand then? We understand very well but we are not sincere and honest in our claims. We only pretend to be Muslims and don’t act like Muslims. Still the Merciful Allah keeps showering His blessings on us without which we would be ruined.

وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

“Were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, and that

Allah is full of kindness and mercy, (you would be ruined indeed).”

(al-Quran 24:20).

We are not serious about discharging our obligations toward our Creator. We always find some excuse in the affairs of ‘Deen’ while the affairs of the material world take priority in our daily life. We will miss a prayer (Salaat) to go to the movie theatre or see a woman/man we like. We always forget Allah but when, in return, Allah forgets us, we complain. Allah forgets us because we have joined the Devil’s Party. That’s a clear defiance and merits punishment.

ٱسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلشَّيْطَانُ فَأَنسَاهُمْ ذِكْرَ ٱللَّهِ أُوْلَـٰئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ

أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الخَاسِرُونَ               
“The Devil has got the better of them; so he has made them

lose the remembrance of Allah. They are the Devil’s Party.

Truly, it is the Devil’s Party that will perish!”

(al-Quran 58:19).

The Devil has millions of followers of which some are very close to him. They are considered his brothers while there are those who feel good about being the friends of Devil. They all belong to the Devil’s circles or Devil’s party. The members of this party are having good time and enjoying the life of the earth without giving a thought to the Hereafter. There are the hypocrites, the unbelievers, the liars, the evil-doers, the aggressors, the ungrateful, the squanderers and all kinds of mischief makers.

إِنَّ ٱلْمُبَذِّرِينَ كَانُوۤاْ إِخْوَانَ ٱلشَّيَاطِينِ وَكَانَ ٱلشَّيْطَانُ لِرَبِّهِ كَفُوراً
“Verily the squanderers are brothers of the Devil;

                                          and the Devil is to his Lord (himself) ungrateful.”                             

(al-Quran 17:27)

Shaitan encourages his party members to defy the laws or the rules prescribed by Allah and enjoy life as if there were no tomorrow. He makes his friends forget about the Day of Judgment. He tells them: Enjoy while you can. You don’t live twice! Enjoy your freedom and liberty to do anything you want. I am with you, so fear not! Whatever you are doing is good and you can go even further!

وَإِذْ زَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَالَ لاَ غَالِبَ لَكُمُ ٱلْيَوْمَ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ

وَإِنِّى جَارٌ لَّكُمْ فَلَمَّا تَرَآءَتِ ٱلْفِئَتَانِ نَكَصَ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ

وَقَالَ إِنِّى بَرِيۤءٌ مِّنْكُمْ إِنِّيۤ أَرَىٰ مَا لاَ تَرَوْنَ إِنِّيۤ

أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ وَٱللَّهُ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ
"And when the Devil made their deeds seem fair to them and said:

No-one of mankind can conquer you this day, for I am your protector.

But when the armies came in sight of one another, he took flight,

saying: Lo! I am guiltless of you. Lo! I see that which you see not.

Lo! I fear Allah. And Allah is severe in punishment."

(al-Quran 8:48).

Now, the million-dollar question is: What is the remedy? How to ward off Shaitan? The answer has been given by Allah Himself in the Holy Quran. It’s the remembrance of Allah that becomes our protective shield against all attacks of evil.

وَقُل لِّعِبَادِى يَقُولُواْ ٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَانَ

يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلإِنْسَانِ عَدُوّاً مُّبِيناً
“Say to My servants that they should (only) say those things

that are best, for the Devil does sow dissensions among them.

Verily, the Devil is to man an avowed enemy.”

(al-Quran 17:53).

Remembrance of Allah works like the light in the darkness and guide us on the right path. With that light, we can see clearly. We should start by asking Allah for His forgiveness and guidance.

خُذِ ٱلْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِٱلْعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ ٱلْجَاهِلِينَ

وَإِماَّ يَنَزَغَنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ نَزْغٌ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ

تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ

“Hold to forgiveness; command what is right;

but turn away from the ignorant. If a suggestion from

Shaitan (Devil) assails your (mind), seek refuge with

Allah; for He hears and knows (all things).

Those who fear Allah, when a thought of evil from

Shaitan (Devil) assaults them, bring Allah to

remembrance, when lo! they see (aright)!”

(al-Quran 7:199-201).

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