Satan's machinations and prevention

By sheikh Al huzayfi

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May peace and blessing be upon His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), his family and his companions.

Dear Muslims! Fear Allah in public and private, seek for the pleasure of the Last Day and do not follow the path of the mischief-makers. Know that every thing has its beginning and end. Be also aware that you are now in the abode of trails and that your final destination is either Paradise of Hell.

The Almighty Allah, has made Islam the only way that leads to Paradise and He says, “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." (Aal-’Imraan: 85).

Allah ordains under the shade of Islam, good deeds than can save man from destruction and protect him from evils. He, the Almighty, created inhabitants for Paradise who will do righteous deeds, and those who call unto it such as the Prophets (peace and blessing of Allah be upon them) and their followers. They are those that Allah has favoured, given the highest ranks and made them successful in the race towards good deeds. Allah says, “And whosoever obey Allah and His Messenger, then they will being in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace, of the Prophets, the Siddiqoon (those followers of the Prophets, who were first and foremost to believe in them, like Aboo Bakr As-Siddeeq) the martyrs and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are! Such is the Bounty from Allah and Allah is Sufficient as All-Knower." (An-Nisaa: 69-70).

Their conduct is excellent, their private is clean and their deeds are pure. Their reward then was happiness in this world and the next, crowned with everlasting dwelling in Paradise.

Equally, Allah Created inhabitants for the Hell-Fire and destined that they shall not do but deeds that will lead them there. Allah explains the way that leads to Hell and warns against treading that path. He says, “And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then verily, for him is the Hell-Fire, he shall dwell therein forever." (Al-Jinn: 23).

Further, this abode in which Allah created different kinds of everlasting torment has those who call unto it. Allah says, “And we made them leader inviting to the Fire; and to the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped. And We make a curse to follow them in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be among those who are prevented from receiving Allah’s Mercy or any good; despised or destroyed." (Al-Qasas: 41-42).

Brothers in Eemaan! Callers to Hell encourage man to disobey Allah and call him to commit destructive sins. The most wicked and vicious one in this respect evil is Satan, the accursed. Allah has put people to test by him that He might know the obedient and disobedient ones among His slaves and give the reward or punishment accordingly. He says, “And indeed Satan did prove his thought about them; and they followed him all except a group of true believers. 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 Watchful over everything." (Saba’: 20-21).

This extremely malicious creature who calls to every abominable act has been given only a limited power which he can never exceed. Also, Allah has given the true believer a weapon by which he can drive away his evil. He gave Satan an ability to cause devilish insinuations in human mind, so that man may think of committing sin, then have the intention to commit it and finally commit of that sin. Allah also gave him an ability to present a sin to man in a favourable light. Allah says, “And Satan made fair-seeming to them, that which they used to do." (Al-An’aam: 43).

However, Allah did not give Satan an ability to create the love of something in man’s mind, for that exclusively belongs to Allah. He says: “And know that there is the Messenger of Allah among you. If he were to obey you (i.e. follow your opinions and desires) in much of the matter, you would surely be in trouble. But Allah has endeared the faith to you and has beautified it in your hearts, and has made disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger) hateful to you. Such are they who are the rightly guided." (Al-Hujuraat: 7).

Also, Allah gave this vicious Satan an ability to instigate the disbelievers to commit sins as He gave him ability to drive man into rage and cause him to have devilish thoughts. Allah says, “See you not that We have sent the devils against the disbelievers to push them to do evil." (Mariam: 83).

All these devilish tricks of Satan that Allah informed us about are but weak tricks that get weakened and eliminated by Eemaan and seeking the protection of Allah. He says, “Ever feeble indeed is the plan of Satan." (An-Nisaa’: 76).

Allah also says of him, “Verily! He has no power over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord (Allah). His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan) and those who join partner with Him (Allah)" (An-Nahl: 99-100).

He indeed has no power over the believers who put their trust in Allah. This enemy, whom we believe in his existence, whose impacts we feel and the result of whose evil deeds we know has laid in wait for men in ways that lead to good deeds in order to prevent them from doing it. Allah says, “(Satan) said: Because you have sent me astray, surely. I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from their front and rear, their right and left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones." (Al-A’raaf: 16-17).

Brothers in faith! We cannot prevent the evils of Satan, or render his plans ineffective or escape from his traps except by seeking Allah’s protection. Allah says, “And whoever holds firm to Allah (i.e. follows Allah’s religion and obeys all that Allah has ordered practically), then He is indeed guided to the right path." (Aal-’Imraan: 101).

Brothers in Islam! Allah has explained to us that this avowed enemy leads man to sin and destructive acts and then abandon him. He has made Shirk (associating partners to Allah in acts of worship) fair seeming to the peoples of Noah, ‘Aad, Thamood; made sodomy fair seeming to the people of Prophet Loot and made different kinds of sins fair-seeming to many others, but when the repercussions of their evil deeds came upon them, he disowned and abandoned them.

Allah says, “(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to man: ‘Disbelieve in Allah!’ But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Satan says: ‘I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of all the worlds’. So the end of both will be that, they will be in the Fire abiding therein. Such is the recompense of the wrong-doers" (Al-Hashr: 16-17).

As for the Day of the Resurrection, Satan will stand on a mountain of fire and deliver a speech to his followers as Allah informs: “Verily, Allah promised you a truth. And I 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 yourselves. I cannot help you nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me as a partner with Allah( by obeying me in the life of the world).’ Verily, there is a painful torment to the wrong-doers." (Ibraheem: 22).

After this speech, nothing more will be heard except sighing in a high and low tone, regret, crying and wailing. Then Allah will say: “Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me." (Al-Mu’minoon: 108).

Dear brothers! Evil of Satan can also be averted by seeking refuge with Allah from him. Allah says, “And if an evil whisper from Satan tries to turn you away (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower." (Fussilat: 36).

In the Hadeeth, it is reported that two men abused each other in the presence of the Messenger of Allah and the face of one of them turned red (out of severe rage). The Messenger of Allah said: ‘I know a word that if this man says it, his anger will go away. It is, ‘A’oodhu Billaahi Minash-Shaytaanir-Rajeem." (I seek refuge with Allah from Satan, the accursed".

One can also prevent the evil plan of Satan by observing the prayers in congregation. Allah says, “Verily, As-Salaah (prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha (i.e. great sins and every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and every kind of evil wicked deed)" (Al-Ankaboot: 45).

The Prophet also said: “whoever observes Fajr prayer in congregation shall remain under Allah’s protection until evening, so, do not let Allah found you wanting in fulfilling His rights upon you".

Evils of Satan can also be prevented by reading Aayatul-Kursiy (Qur’an 2:255), Sooratul-Ikhlaas (Chapter 112) Al-Mu’awwidhatayn (Chapters 113 and 114) and Sooratul-Ghaafir (Chapter 40) at the end of each prayer. One should also be reciting the Qur’aan frequently, for, the more he recites; the more he protects himself from Satan.

Likewise is paying Zakaat, making voluntary charity and spending in the good cause. The Prophet said: “Charity erases sins as water blows out fire." When a Muslim is cleansed of all his sins, he is then saves from a great evil.

One can also drive away evil plans of Satan by constantly remembering Allah by saying “SubhaanAllah" (glory be to Allah), “Alhamdulillaah" (praise be to Allah) “Allahu Akbar" ( Allah is the Greatest) “Laa Ilaaha Illa Allah" (None has the right to be worshipped except Allah) etc. The Prophet e said: “Whoever says, “La Ilaaha Illa Allah Wahdahu Laa Shareeka Lahoo, Lahul-Mulk, Walahul-Hamdu Wa Huwa Alaa Kulli Shay’in Qadeer," ( meaning: There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. He is One without any partner. To Him belongs sovereignty and praise and He has power over all things) hundred times a day, that will be enough for him as a protection from Satan for the whole day. it is also as if he has freed a slave and one hundred good deeds will be recorded for him."

Making Jihaad in the way of Allah, attending gatherings of knowledge and where good deeds are done, keeping away from gatherings of play which Satan attends and in which he causes enmity, hatred and misery also protect from the evil plans of Satan.

Further, foremost of the things that protect one from the devilish plans of Satan is Tawheed (belief in Islamic monotheism), putting one’s trust in Allah and being sincere in worshipping Him. Allah says, “Certainly, you (Satan) shall have no authority over My slaves except those who follow you and those who go astray (the criminals, polytheisms and evil-doers)." (Al-Hijr: 42).

Therefore, dear Muslims, beware of Satan’s footsteps and evil plans. Allah says, “O you who believe! Enter perfectly in Islam and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Verily, he is to you a plain enemy. Then if you slide back after the clear signs have come to you, then know that Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise." (Al-Baqarah: 208-209).

Brothers in faith! Fear Allah as He should be feared and know that Satan calls man to all evil things and prevents him from doing any good deed. The first thing that Satan calls to is disbelief in Allah. If one responds to him, he has surrendered his affairs to him; Satan will then lead him to all evil and destructive things in this world and the Hereafter. But if man does not respond to him when he invites him to disbelief, he calls him to Bid’ah (innovations in matters of religion), for a person who indulges in Bid’ah does not generally repent from it, because he regards that as part of his religion, and this gladdens Satan. If Satan is unable to make him indulge in Bid’ah, he invites him to committing major sins, then to minor ones. If he does not succeed in doing that, he distracts him from doing recommendable deeds with indulgence in lawful things and engages him with matters that are of no concern to him.

Satan by his nature, searches man’s mind and looks for his preferences in order to approach him through that and make him commit sins through what he has inclinations to. Allah says, “O mankind! Verily! The promise of Allah is true. So let not this present life deceive you and let not the chief deceiver [Satan] deceive you about Allah. Surely, Satan is an enemy to you, so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his followers that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire." (Faatir: 6-7).

Furthermore, Satan is pleased by sins that man regards as insignificant, therefore beware of him. The Prophet said: “Satan has lost hope that people would worship him in the Arabian Peninsula, but he is pleased to sow discard among you."