from my point, a religious person is a follower of shaytan. It can be proven.
Either way, I still wish you the best in this life and your afterlife.
But since I don't know whether I can believe in god or shaytan, it doesn't matter to me anyway.
The stepping stone of guidance and the route to eternal prosperity begins with being alert to enemies that threaten our chances of admission to paradise.
Satan is the most dangerous of these enemies. He is always vigilant and never ceases attempts to mislead us from the straight path. Thus, the Qur’an and the Sunnah warned against Satan repeatedly, detailing his plots and explaining his ways to influence the ego (nafs). For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Satan is present by any one of you in all of his affairs, even at the time he eats” (Muslim)
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim expounded that Satan is even a greater threat than our own egos (nafs): “One who reflects on the Qur’an and Sunnah will discover that they mentioned Satan, his plotting and enmity more than they mentioned the ego (nafs). That is because the wickedness and corruption of the ego result from his whispers.
Hence, Allah commanded that we seek refuge in Him from Satan at the time of recitation and other acts, although he has never once commanded that we seek refuge from the ego (nafs). [1]
Imam Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali advised: “Be keen, my brother, to struggle against Satan and to subdue him because of two reasons:
Firstly, he is an evident enemy set on distracting you, and there is no hope in achieving a settlement with him or in him leaving you alone; rather, he will be satisfied only by your destruction. Hence, there is no room to be heedless of such an enemy.
Secondly, he is your innate enemy and is forever persistent in his struggle against you. He casts you with his arrows throughout the day and night while you are heedless.”[2]
Hence, the battle with Satan is never-ending. Satan has taken an oath that he shall take a portion of Allah’s servants with him to hell.
That being said, nothing occurs in the kingdom of Allah except by His Will. Hence, Satan is effectively powerless over those privileged with Allah’s protection. Allah Almighty says: “Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak.” (Qur’an, 4: 76)
On the other hand, the human being is also a weak being plagued by his desires and deficiencies. Allah says: “And Allah wants to lighten for you (your difficulties); and mankind was created weak.” (Qur’an, 4:28)
There is no strength for any of us except by Allah, and we can only subdue Satan with His support. Allah says: “Indeed, there is for him (Satan) no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord. His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah.” (Qur’an, 16: 99-100)
This is why Allah directs us to seek refuge in Him from Satan, the accursed.
Thus, the primary weapon is to strengthen our relationship with Allah and to humble ourselves in servitude to Him. The believer takes advantage of special times, such as Ramadan and the last hours of the night, and special places like mosques, especially the precincts of Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque, to build his faith and his immunity to Satan’s plots.
One who actualizes his servitude to Allah will find Allah facilitating the means to his spiritual wellbeing, whereas one who depends on his own strength will be left to his own flimsy tools
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “The sinner is forever shackled by his devil; he is confined to the prison of his desires and chained by his whims.
There is no prisoner in a worse condition than a prisoner that has been captured by his greatest enemy, and there is no prison more confining than one’s whims, and there are no shackles more difficult to handle than one’s desires.
How can a heart that is such shackled and imprisoned seek Allah and the hereafter? In fact, how can it even progress one step forward?[3]
He also mentioned: “One of the punishments of sinfulness is that it gives creatures the audacity to harm the sinner. The devils gain the courage to harm and distract him and to overcome him with whispers, fear and sorrow”[4].
Being aware of this hidden enemy and of his methods is fundamental to avoid falling into his traps.
Imam Izz Ad-Deen ibn Abd As-Salam said: “Being cautious of Satan is more critical than being cautious of disbelievers because if you are afflicted by the plotting of Satan you will be from the losers, whereas if you are afflicted by disbelievers’ harm, the trial will serve as a form of expiation for your sins and elevation of your rank.”[5]
However, fending off the whispers of Satan and guarding against his plots poses as a difficult task, indeed. Allah mentions that many have lost this battle: “But he did lead astray a great multitude of you. Did you not, then, understand?” (Qur’an, 36: 62)
Imam ibn Al-Jawzi said: “Most hearts have been conquered by Satan, and thus, besieged by whispers of preferring this life and neglecting the hereafter.”[6]
Allah says: “[Satan] said, “Because You (Allah) have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You].” (Qur’an, 7:16-17)
Qatadah explained: “He has come to you – O son of Adam- from every direction except from above; he was unable to partition between you and Allah’s mercy.”[7]
Hence, the heart is like a fort, and Satan wants to conquer this fort. The only way to secure it is by guarding its doors and points of weakness. One who is unaware of these doors and weak points will remain defenseless.[8]
Imam Al-Ghazali has mentioned three basic means to fend off and subdue Satan:
“Fighting Satan and subduing him, as our scholars said, is by three means:
1. Learning of his plots and methods so he would not have the boldness to attack you; 2. Realizing the insignificance of his musings so that you would not feel a sense of attachment and follow; and 3. To consistently remember Allah with your tongue and heart.”
The books of tazkiyah (purification of the soul) have gone to great lengths to address the ailments of the heart, the descriptions of the ego (nafs) and the entry points of Satan.
Our struggle against Satan is fundamental to our existence in this life; Satan’s deception is the cause of the descent of our father Adam from paradise. Allah has not ordered Adam’s descent from paradise to make him deficient; rather, He has done so to complete him, as Imam Ibn Ataillah As-Sakandari mentioned.[9]
Similarly, our struggle against the accursed enemy of Allah is a journey to human excellence and perfection; a journey characterized by self-discovery and self-reform. Hence, the scholars have mentioned: Whosoever knows himself knows his Lord.
[1] Ighathat Al-Lahfan by Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (Al-Maktabah Al-Qayyimah) Vol. 1, 72-73.
[2] Minhaj Al-Abideen by Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (Dar Al-Minhaj), 85.
[3] Al-Jawab Al-Kafi by Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah (Dar Ibn Hazm), 61.
[4] Ibid. page 68
[5] Maqasid Ar-Riayah by Izz ad-Deen ibn Abd As-Salam (Dar Al-Fikr), 72.
[6] Minhaj Al-Qasideen By Imam Ibn Al-Jawzi (Dar At-Tawfeeq), vol.2, 586.
[7] Ma’alim At-Tanzil by Imam Al-Baghawi surah Al-Araf verses 16-17.
[8] Minhaj Al-Qasideen by Imam ibn Al-Jawzi (Dar at-Tawfeeq), vol. 2, 58.
[9] At-Tanweer fi Isqat at-Tadbeer (Dar Al-Bayrooti), 66.
