.............................. 


Exposing 

Shaytan 


Tricks, Deceit and Means used by Shaytan 


in misguiding the children of Adam 


and Ways of protecting ourselves and our Homes 


from the accursed 



Compiled by Shawana A. Aziz 

Published by Quran Sunnah Educational Programs 
www.qsep.com 


About the Book................................................................01 
Who is Shaytan?..................................................................05 
Wisdom behind the creation of Shaytan...........................06 
Kibr and Kufr of Shaytan.....................................................09 
Why was Iblees granted his request to stay alive until the Day 
of Judgment?.....................................................................11 
Why is Iblees eager to mislead mankind?..........................17 
Shaytan has no power to force mankind into committing 
sins.....................................................................................18 
You can defeat Shaytan.......................................................20 
Strategy of Shaytan.............................................................21 
Shaytan never tires..............................................................24 
Shaytan gradually leads man to the greatest of disobedience of 
Allah............................................................................26 
Shaytan enters a person’s heart through his weaknesses........28 
3 sources of Waswaas..........................................................31 
Shaytan and the story of his disgraceful failure...................03 
Tricks and Plots of Shaytan.........................................15 
Iblees deserved to be led astray..................................13

Differentiating between Waswaas........................................31 
Will one be punished for the Waswaas?................................32 
What would Shaytan do with a ruined house?......................33 
Shaytan beautifies falsehood and he makes sins appear 
attractive by calling forbidden things with beautiful 
names.................................................................................34 
Shaytan corrupts people’s hearts and souls through 
singing and music...............................................................39 
Shaytan attempts to either make people negligent or to 
exaggerate in the religion....................................................40 
Shaytan commands mankind to argue and make statements 
about Allah without knowledge.......................................... ..43 
Shaytan makes false promises and arouses high hopes........45 
Shaytan causes people to the Commands of Allah.................47 
Fate of Shaytan and those who follow him.............................47 

Means prescribed in the Qur'aan and the Sunnah to dispel 
Shaytan ..............................................................................49 

1. Adhering to the Straight Path..................................50 
2. Seeking Refuge with Allah.......................................51 
3. Keeping busy with Dhikr.........................................68 
4. Adhering to the main body of the Muslims (i.e., 
the Jama'ah)............................................................70 
5. Opposing the Shaytan.............................................71 
6. Knowing the tricks of Shaytna and the means 
of defeating him........................................................72 
7. Repentance and seeking Allah's forgiveness.............73 

It is due to the seriousness of Shaytan’s fitnah 
(temptation, tribulation, trial) that Allah has distinctly exposed his 
goals and plots in the Qur’aan. The Prophet repeatedly warned 
against Shaytan’s power to tempt mankind into disobeying Allah. 
He would relentlessly reveal Shaytan’s trickery and deceit and 
inform about ways of defense against the accursed. 
So, what are the deceptions, tricks and strategies of 
Shaytan? How does Shaytan enter the human soul and drive it 
towards sin and transgression? How does he corrupt people’s 
hearts and souls by making false promises and arousing high 
hopes? Does Shaytan posses the power to force us into 
committing sins? To what extent will Shaytan succeed in 
achieving his goal? Can we defeat Shaytan? 
This booklet will Insha’Allah, comprehensively answer 
these baffling questions and dispel many doubts on the subject 
like why Allah created Shaytan and why Shaytan was granted his 
r 
r 
- 01 - 
. ... 
“Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, 
so take (treat) him as an enemy.” 
[Soorah al-Fatir (35): 6] 
the

request to remain alive until the Day of Judgement. 

This booklet will also elaborate upon Aqeedah points that 
are learnt from the disgraceful story of Shaytan’s failure and from 
the grievous stories of those who fell into his traps from the 
nations past. 

The last part of this booklet focuses on the means 
prescribed in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah to dispel Shaytan and 
protect ourselves and our homes from him. 

A number of original Arabic works were referred to in the 
compilation of this booklet, most importantly; Shaytan: 
Khutuwatihi wa-Gayatihi by Wail Umar Ali Basheer, Adawatush-
Shaytan lil-Insan, Alam al-Jinn, Tafseer al-Kabeer by Abdul-Aziz 
ibn Abdullah al-Rajhi, Aqeedah at-Tawheed by Shaikh Salih al-
Fawzan, Tafseer Ibn Katheer and others. 

I hope this booklet will serve as a handy weapon in 
combating Shaytan and all success lies with Allah. 

Shawana A. Aziz 


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Literally, Shaytan means, 
‘rebellious’, and it describes 
anyone who is disrespectful and 
seeks to divert people away from the 
obedience of Allah, whether he be from the Jinn or humans. 
Qatadah commented on Allah’s statement, “Shayateen (pl. of 
Shaytan) among mankind and Jinn...” “There are Shayateen among 
the Jinn and Shayateen among mankind, who inspire each other.” 
In general, this term refers to Iblees, who is from the Jinn 
and created from fire. Jinn are a creation of Allah, and are subject to 
His Commands and Prohibitions and like humans they will be held 
accountable for their deeds on the Day of Judgment. 
In the beginning, Iblees used to worship Allah alongside 
Angels. In His Glorious Book, Allah, the Exalted, has informed us - 
the children of Adam, about the enmity between Shaytan and 
mankind that has continued since the day Adam was created. 
After having breathed soul into Adam, Allah commanded 
the Angels to prostrate before Adam as a sign of honor. Although 
Iblees was not an angel, he was included in the command to 
prostrate because he was striving to imitate the Angels in their 
behavior and deeds. However, Iblees thought too highly of himself 
and was arrogant. Ibn Abbas said, “Before he undertook the path 
of sin, Iblees was with the Angels and was called Azazil. He was 
among the residents of the earth and was one of the most active 
worshipers and knowledgeable persons amidst the Angels. This fact 
caused him to be arrogant...” 
[See, Tafseer Ibn Katheer for the verse, (6): 112] 
[See, Tafseer Ibn Katheer for (2): 34] 
u 
t
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So Iblees refused to prostrate before Adam and said, “I am 
better than him [Adam], You created me from fire, and him You 
created from clay.” [Soorah al-A'raf (7): 12] This rebelliousness 
caused him to be expelled from the heavens and to be cursed by 
Allah. Thereupon, Iblees avowed to lead mankind astray and, ever 
since, he seeks to take each one of us into Hellfire with him. He is 
thus, mankind's greatest enemy. 
Imam Ibnill-Qayyim brings together some of the great wisdom 
behind the creation of Shaytan in his book, Shifaa al-Ghaleel, p.322, 
he writes, “In the creation of Iblees and his cohorts, there is wisdom, 
the details of which cannot be encompassed by anyone except 
Allah.” A few of many reasons he mentioned are briefly stated below; 
by 
struggling against Shaytan and thus reaching lofty ranks of piety 
that could not have been achieved without Shaytan’s existence. 
(i.e., fearing the 
consequences of belittling the Commandments and Prohibitions of 
Allah) after having witnessed Shaytan’s fall from being amidst the 
Angels to being Shaytan - the rejected 
a) The slaves of Allah perfect their servitude to Allah 
b) The slaves of Allah increase in their Taqwa 
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c) A lesson. The fathers of both humankind and jinn were tested. 
One father - Iblees was too proud and refused to follow Allah’s 
Commands. He was made to face humiliation and disgrace and 
expelled from Paradise anddoomed to be amongst thepeople of Hell. 
He thus, became a lesson for those who show arrogance and persist 
in their sins. Conversely, the other father, Adam . 
became an 
example for those who repent and return back to Allah after having 
committed sins. 

d) Shaytan is atrialand testforAllah's slaves 

e) Manifestation of Allah's complete Ability and Authority to 
create opposites such as; heavens and earth, light and darkness, 
Paradise and Hell, water and fire, heat and cold, good and evil, 
Jibreel and Angelsasopposedto Ibleesand the Shayateen. 

f) Thegoodnessof athingcanonly bedemonstratedby meansof 
its opposite. It if were not for the ugly, we would not appreciate the 
virtueof beauty; if itwerenot for poverty, wewouldnot valuewealth. 

g) Allah's Forbearance and Patience. Allah loves to manifest His 
Forbearance, Patience and Deliberation (lack of haste), immense 
Mercy and Generosity. Thisnecessitates that Heshould createthose 
who will anger Him. Allah’s Messenger rinformed us, “If you did not 
err, Allah would cause you to vanish and would bring people who 
would err and then seek His forgiveness, so that He could forgive 
them.” [Saheeh Muslim] 

Yet, despite their transgressions, Allah bestows upon them 
all kinds of blessings; He sends provision, gives good health and 
allows them to enjoy all kinds of luxuries. He answers their prayers 
and removes harm from them. He treats them with kindness and 
care, unlike the manner in which they treat him. According to a 
hasan report, Allah says, “O son of Adam, you have not been fair to 


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Me. My goodness comes down to you, and your evil deeds ascend to 
Me. I try to win your love by sending you blessings when I have no 
need of you and how you try to earn My hatred by disobeying Me, 
while you are in great need of Me, and the noble angels are 
continuously bringing your evil actions to Me.” 
And when the slave returns back to Allah and seeks his 
forgiveness Allah accepts their repentance and thus the slaves 
witness His Attribute of Mercy and Forgiveness. 
Although evil and sins that occur due to the existence of 
Shaytan and his cohorts Anger Allah; the acts of obedience that 
result are dearer to Allah and more pleasing to Him; such as the 
believer’s going against his desires that are insinuated by Shaytan, 
and the believer’s patience upon the hardships that Shaytan creates 
in the path of those who seek to earn Allah’s love and pleasure. 
Similarly, although sins and disobedience that are caused 
by Iblees anger Allah, “Allah is more pleased with the repentance of a 
servant as he turns to Him in repentance than the one amongst you, 
who is upon the camel in a waterless desert and there is upon (that 
camel) his provision of food and drink, then it is lost by him. Having 
lost all hope (to get it back), he lies down in the shade and is 
disappointed about his camel and then he finds that camel standing 
before him. He takes hold of its nosestring 
and then out of boundless joy 
says, “O Lord, You are my servant 
and I am Your Lord.” He commits 
this mistake out of extreme delight.” 
[Saheeh Muslim (6618)] 
h) Things beloved to Allah occur due to the existence of 
Shaytan. 
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Kibr (pride/arrogance) and Kufr (disbelief) are ‘ ,’ i.e., the 
former necessarily leads to the latter. Such was the case of Shaytan, 
“And (remember) when We said to the Angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves 
before Adam.’ And they prostrated except Iblees, he refused and was 
and was one of the (Kuffar).” [Soorah al-Baqarah 
(2): 34] 
The Prophet described Kibr saying, “Kibr is dissatisfaction 
with the truth, and belittling the people.” [Saheeh Muslim] 
Iblees openly expressed his Kibr (pride) when he did not 
contend himself with obeying the Command of Allah. He showed 
dissatisfaction with His Wisdom and belittled Adam . Allah 
questioned Iblees, “What prevented you that you did not prostrate, 
when I commanded you?” Iblees said, “I am better than him (Adam), 
You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.” [(7): 12] So, 
Allah dismissed Iblees, He said, “(O Iblees) get down from this 
(Paradise),” and He, the Most High, cited the reason for dispelling him 
from Paradise, He said, “It is not for you to be here.” 
Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said while explaining the categories of 
Kufr, “The major Kufr is of five kinds*, Kufr of denial, Kufr of 
Mutalaziman 
proud disbelievers 
arrogant 
r 
u 
* Learn more about the components of Eeman and categories of Kufr in our booklet, 
“Eeman and its Components, and the misguidance of the Khawarij and the Murjiyah 
on the issue.” 
- 09-

arrogance and pride, Kufr of aversion, Kufr of doubt, and Kufr of 
hypocrisy… 

The Kufr of arrogance and pride was the Kufr of Shaytan 
because he did not deny the Command of Allah, or reject it but he 
metitwith prideandarrogance. 

From this (type of Kufr) was the Kufr of those who knew and 
believed that Allah’s Messenger rhad come with the truth from Allah 
but did not acknowledge it out of pride and arrogance. …It was the 
Kufr of the Jews**, “then when there came to them that which they 
had recognized, they disbelieved in it.” [Madaarijus-Salikeen, 1/364367] 


So, the reason behind the expulsion of Iblees from Paradise 
was pride. A proud person considers himself self-sufficient and in no 
need of Allah, the Exalted. Each additional thing that one becomes 
proud of, builds his ego which is detestable to Allah, Who says in a 
Qudsi Hadeeth, “Pride is My Cloak, and Glory is My wrap, so he who 
competes Me in either of these, I will cast him into the Fire.” [Musnad 
Ahmadand AbuDawood] 

Every action hasa time and a placein which it occurs and we 
neither posses the time nor the place. None possesses the power to 
maintain his life even for a moment! So how can any man or any 
creation take pride in anything? Verily, Allah Alone is, “the 
Irresistible, theProud…” [Soorah Hashr (59): 23] 

So, pride, which is in fact self-praise, is forbidden for the 
servants of Allah. The Messenger of Allah . 
said, “Indeed, Allah 
revealed to me, humble yourselves until none is proud over another 
and noneisoppressiveover another.” [Saheeh Muslim] 

**‘The Jews used to invoke Allah to send Prophet Muhammad rso that they would 
gain victory over the Arab disbelievers. But when Allah sent Muhammad rand they 
saw that he was not one of them, they rejected him and envied the Arabs, even though 
they knew that he was the Messenger of Allah. Hence, Allah said, ‘Then when there 
came to them that which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it. So let the curse of 
Allah be on the disbelievers.’ [Tafseer Ibn Katheer for (2):89] 


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“When you read a verse of 
prostration then prostrate, 
Shaytan departs crying and says, 
‘Woe be to him. He was ordered with 
prostration and he prostrated - so for 
him is Paradise. I was ordered with 
prostration and I refused - so for me 
is the Fire.’” [Saheeh Muslim] 
Although Iblees was expelled from Paradise due to his arrogant 
behavior, Allah postponed his death until the Day of Judgement 
when, “(Iblees) said, ‘Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up 
(i.e. the Day of Resurrection).’ (Allah) said, ‘You are of those allowed 
respite.’” [Soorah al-A’raf (7): 14-15] 
Imam Ibn Katheer writes, “Allah gave Shaytan what he 
asked for out of His wisdom, being His decision and decree that is 
never prevented or resisted.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer] So, what is the 
wisdom behind Shaytan, who is banished from Allah’s Mercy, being 
granted his request? Discussing the wisdom why Iblees will remain 
- 11-

alive until the end of the world, Imam Ibnul-Qayyim cited the 
following reasons (mentionedin brief); 

A) Allah’s Wisdom decreed that the father of mankind should be 
tested, and that his children after him should be tested as well. 
Those who fight against Shaytan will achieve salvation and those 
who go along with him will share his fate. So Shaytan should 
remain alivein order to fulfill theaim for which he wascreated. 

B) Allah is All-Just and He compensates every good deed. In case of 
the believer, He rewards him in this world and the Hereafter, 
while the disbelievers are allotted their rewards in this world 
withoutany recompensewaiting for them in theHereafter. 

Abu Dawood At-Tayalisi recorded in his Musnad that Anas 
tsaid that the Messenger of Allah rsaid, “Allah does not wrong 
the faithful even concerning one good action, for he will be 
rewarded for it by provision in this life and awarded for it in the 
Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, he will be given provision in this 
life for hisgood action, andon the Day of Resurrection, he will not 
have any good deed.” [Quotedfrom Tafseer Ibn Katheer] 

So, Iblees was given respite as a reward for some of the good 
deedsthathe hadperformed in thepast. 

C) The sin of Iblees was extremely serious; he questioned Allah’s 
Wisdom and persisted in disobeying Him. Moreover, he is the 
leader and origin of evil and disbelief. He should thus be 
punished accordingly for all the evils that follow his foremost 
transgression. So, Iblees was given respite in order to increase in 
sin. Respite until the Day of Resurrection is not an honor for him. 
In hiscase, death would have been better; it would reducehisevil 
and punishment. 


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Iblees deserved to be led astray because of what his hands earned 
for him. He took pride in himself and was not considerate of the fact 
that Allah is the One, Who created him and taught him everything 
he knew. So, Allah left him alone with his pride and he was 
misguided as a result. 
The initiation was thus, from Shaytan (i.e., pride, rebellion 
and disobedience), and so he deserved to be left alone and as a 
result, he was misguided and fell in Kufr. Allah tells us in the 
Qur’aan that, “Allah guides not the people who are al-Fasiqoon (the 
rebellious and disobedient).” [Soorah al-Maidah (5): 108] 
Allah is not unjust to anyone, injustice comes from the soul, 
when the creation does injustice to himself and takes the path of 
Kufr, Allah leaves him to the way he chooses - even if he chooses 
Kufr because Allah is in no need of His creation if they turn away. 
- 13 - 
D) Allah knew that there would be among Adam’s offspring those 
who will not be fit to dwell in Paradise. He left those people to be 
misguided by Iblees, so he may lie in wait for them and every time 
one of them passes by, he does what he likes with them. 

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Allah has given Shaytan the ability to flow in the 
body of man in a way which we do not understand. 
Allah’s Messenger said, “Shaytan flows through 
the sons of Adam like blood.” [Mishkaat al- 
Masaabih] 
Shaytan may reach a man’s heart and 
mind, and whisper or tempt him to listen to or look 
at haraam things or commit immoral actions. This 
is called waswaas. 
Shaytan, however, does not directly 
approach humans and ask them to abandon their 
religion. No sane person would willingly disobey 
Allah while choosing to follow Shaytan instead and 
share his dreadful fate! Shaytan has his own ways of 
distracting mankind from the religion of Allah and 
deceiving them into 
committing evil deeds. 
What follows is a brief 
look into the tricks 
a n d p l o t s o f 
Shaytan. 
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Pride returned to Iblees after Allah Willed for him to stay alive until 
the Day of Resurrection. He sensed that this was an ideal way to 
take revenge on Adam. 
He hates mankind, who are the children of Adam . He is 
hostile towards them because he is cursed and has been banished 
from the Mercy of Allah due to his refusal to prostrate to their father, 
Adam. So, “he (Iblees) said to Allah, ‘I will take an appointed portion 
of your slaves; Verily, I will mislead them…” [Soorah an-Nisa (4): 
118-9] 
Iblees knows that his destination is the Fire and he is eager 
to mislead and corrupt mankind, so as to increase the number of his 
followers to share in his fate. He hopes to take everyone with him to 
Hell, out of envy, hatred, Kufr and stubbornness. “Surely, Shaytan 
is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites 
his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing 
Fire.” [Soorah al-Fatir (35): 6] 
u 
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After being cursed, expelled from Paradise and being given respite 
until the appointed day, Iblees avowed, “Surely I will sit 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 (i.e. they will not be dutiful to You).” [Soorah al-A’raf (7): 16-17] 
Ibn Abbas explained, “When Shaytan said this, it was a 
guess and an assumption on his part. Yet, the truth turned out to be 
the same because Allah says in Soorah Saba, “And indeed Iblees did 
prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except 
a group of true believers. And he 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…” 
[Soorah Saba (34): 20-21] 
So, although Shaytan has no power over the believers, he is 
able to gain control over those who accept his ideas and follow him 
willingly. Allah said to Iblees when he avowed to mislead the children 
of Adam, “Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, 
except those who follow you of the Ghaawoon (those who go astray; 
criminals, polytheist and evildoers).” [Soorah al-Hijr (15): 39-42] and 
it is mentioned in Soorah an-Nahl (16): 99-100, “Verily! He (Shaytan) 
t 
- 18 -

has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their 
Lord (Allah). His power is only over those who obey and follow him 
(Shaytan), and those who join partners with Him (Allah).” 
Shaytan can thus, do no more than call people to 
misguidance and make it look attractive to them. He has no power 
over them to force them into doing what he wants. People who 
respond to his call do so because it suits their whims and desires. So 
blame is attached only to those who respond to him. 
On the Day of Judgement, the Qareen (jinn companion who 
encourages evil deeds) will testify against man and disown the 
actions of man saying he was misguided in himself, receptive to 
falsehood and resistant to the truth as Allah says, “his Qareen will 
say, ‘Our Lord! I did not push him to transgression, (in disbelief, 
oppression, and evil deeds), but he was himself in error far astray.’ 
Allah will say, ‘Dispute not in front of Me, I had already in advance 
sent you the threat. The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be 
changed, and I am not unjust to the slaves.” [Soorah al-Qaaf (50): 
27-29] 
Shaytan is given power over the 
believers because of their sins for 
example Allah's Messenger said 
about a Qadhi (judge), “Allah is with 
the Qadhi so long as he is not unfair. 
If he judges unfairly, then He 
forsakes him and lets the Shaytan be 
with him.” [(hasan) al-Hakim and 
Bayhaqee] 
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If a person is strong in his faith and observes the limits of Allah, he 
can defeat Shaytan. Allah’s Messenger said, “The believer can 
seize the forelock of his Shaytan as one of you seizes the forelock of 
his camel whilst traveling.” [Musnad Ahmad] 
Imam Ibn Katheer explained, “What is meant by seizing his 
forelock is defeating him and overwhelming him, as one does with a 
camel when it runs away, then you seize it and overpower it.” [al- 
Bidayah wan-Nihayah (1/73)] 
Moreover, Shaytan is afraid of and flees from the strong 
believers. For example, the Prophet said about Umar Ibn Khattab 
, “the Shaytan is certainly afraid of you, O Umar.” He also said, “I 
can see the Shayateen among the jinn and mankind running away 
from Umar.” Allah’s Messenger also said to Umar once, “By the 
One in Whose Hand is my soul, no Shaytan sees you walking along a 
path but he takes a different path.” 
r 
r 
t 
r 
- 20 -

To achieve his goal of dragging mankind with him into Hell, Shaytan 
first lures mankind into committing Shirk and Kufr through 
invoking the dead, practicing magic, etc., because Shirk (associating 
partners with Allah) is the greatest sin. Anyone who dies upon Shirk 
will not be forgiven, nor will he ever be taken out of Hell-fire. 
So, if Shaytan overwhelms the son of Adam by causing him 
to commit Shirk, then he is satisfied and pleased. “Like when 
Shaytan says to man, ‘Disbelieve in Allah.’ But when (man) 
disbelieves in Allah, Shaytan says, ‘I am free of you, I fear Allah...” 
[Soorah al-Hashr (59): 16] 
If he cannot manage to deceive people into committing Shirk 
and Kufr, he does not give up. He causes people to follow bidah 
(innovations in the religion) like innovative celebrations such as 
Mawlid, celebrating the night of Isra wal-Miraj, celebrating 15th 
Shabaan, etc. and other actions that have no basis in the religion. 
Sufyan ath-Thawri said, “Bidah is dearer to Shaytan than 
sin, for, one may repent from sin, but not from bidah.” 
One who sins, knows that he is disobeying Allah and some 
time, he may turn to Allah and seek forgiveness and be pardoned. 
But he, who practices Bidah, deems his action to be a form of 
worship to Allah and thus, never even thinks of repentance! “Say (O 
Muhammad), ‘Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect to 
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(their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while 
they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds!’” [Soorah 
al-Kahf (18): 104] meaning, they performed deeds that were not in 
accordance with the prescribed way andthusnot acceptable. 

If Shaytan fails at causing people to follow innovations, he 
will move on to calling them to major sins like abandoning prayers -
particularly, if the person is a respected personality, because huge 
number of people will followhisexample. 

If the believer keeps steadfast, Shaytan is still not 
discouraged, he calls them to minor sins. It is recorded in Sunan 
Tirmidhee (2/230 (no. 1753), “Shaytan has despaired of ever being 
worshiped in this land of yours, but he will be obeyed in matters that 
you think of asinsignificant, and hewill be content with that.” 

“The Shaytan will be content with that,” because even minor 
sins can have devastating effect on one’s Hereafter. Allah’s 
Messenger rwarned us concerning minor sins by giving an example 
of how a great fire can be kindled by means of small wooden sticks 
collected in a place. Similarly, minor sins if allowed to accumulate, 
might destroy the sinner. He rsaid, “Beware of the insignificant 
sins, like a people who stayed (abode) in a valley, then this one 
brought a stick, that one brought a stick and others brought sticks 
too, until they cooked their bread (meal). Verily, the person who 
commits these (minor) sins will be seized by these sins and be 
destroyed.” [MusnadAhmad] 

If the believer still emerges safe from his traps, Shaytan 
seeks to keep him occupied with permissible matters, like sleeping, 
eating, pursuing worldly affairs, etc. Spending time and effort in 
these will neither earn him reward nor bring punishment. He will, 
however, miss the rewards he would have gained if he had spent his 
time in performing good deeds. 

If the believing slave is still not deceived and manages his 
time well, Shaytan keeps him busy with less virtuous deeds instead 
of what ismore preferableandrewarding in order for him to missthe 


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reward of the best and most virtuous deed. 
If after employing all kinds of temptations and deceptive 
arguments, Shaytan still does not succeed in diverting the son of 
Adam from his religious commitments, he resorts to corrupt his acts 
of worship and deprive him from the rewards. He stirs up doubts 
and makes the person anxious and uncertain. In Saheeh al- 
Bukharee, it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of 
Allah said, “When the call to prayer is pronounced, the Shaytan 
runs away breaking wind loudly, so that he will not hear the adhaan. 
When the call to prayer ends, he comes back, but when the iqaamah 
starts, he runs away. And when the prayer begins, he comes back 
until he whispers into the heart of the person, and says to him, 
‘Remember such and such, remember such and such - things that 
he did not remember before the prayer until he does not know how 
many raka’ahs he has prayed.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (608)] 
Such whisperings of Shaytan are the weakest of his tricks. 
The Sahabah once complained that they experienced waswaas 
which they disliked and would never want to speak of. The Prophet 
commented, “Praise be to Allah, Who has reduced his tricks to 
whispers.” [Saheeh Abu Dawood] 
If the person still remains undefeated, Shaytan’s next step is 
to harm the person, for example, by causing him to be persecuted, or 
by distorting his reputation. By this trick Shaytan intends to 
discourage the person from his religious 
commitment. How many scholars 
have been tortured or killed in prison 
because of their commitment to 
Islam! 
t 
r 
r 
- 23 -

A Humiliation for the Shaytan 
“When one of you doubts about his prayer 
and does not know whether he prayed 
three or four, let him resolve his doubt 
and act upon what he is more certain of. 
Then prostrate two prostrations of 
forgetfulness before tasleem. If he prayed 
an odd number, then it will complete it 
evenly for him; and if he prayed four, then 
they are a humiliation for the Shaytan” 
[Muslim] 
The above discussion shows the 
persistence of Shaytan in 
achieving his goal! If he fails at one 
stage, he does not give up and keeps 
trying, and lies in wait along the path of goodness as he had avowed, 
“…surely I will sit in wait against them 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.” [Soorah al-A’raf (7): 16-17] 
Ibn Abbas commented, “Then I will come to them from 
before them,” (means) raising doubts in them concerning their 
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.” This is meant to 
cover all paths of good and evil. Shaytan discourages the people from 
t 
- 24 -

the path of good and lures them to the path of evil. [See, Tafseer Ibn 
Katheer] Al-Hakam ibn Abban said that Ikrimah narrated from Ibn 
Abbas concerning the above verse (7): 16-17, “He did not say that he 
will come from above them, because the Mercy descends from 
above.” [ibid] Ibn Abbas also explained that the word thankful in the 
verse, “You will not find most of them to be thankful,” refers to 
Tawheed, “(it)means, thosewho single Himout (inworship).” 

The Prophet rsaid, “Shaytan lies waiting for a person in all 
his paths. In the path of Islam, he will tell him, ‘Will you become a 
Muslim and leave the religion of your fathers and grandfathers?’ If 
theperson disobeyshim, andbecomesa Muslim, hewill meet himon 
the path of Hijrah. He will tell him, ‘Will you leave your land and your 
sky? It is not wise.’ If the person does not submit and continues on 
his way, Shaytan will wait for him on the road to striving in the path 
of Allah, saying, ‘Will you go to struggle putting yourself and your 
wealth at risk? You will fight and be killed. Your wife will find another 
partner, your money will be divided,’ (and in another version, ‘and 
your children willbeorphans’). Iftheperson disobeysShaytan,andis 
killed, Allah will owe him the right to enter Paradise.’ [Musnad 
Ahmad] 

Even at the verge of death, Shaytan does not leave the 
believer alone without making one last attempt to ruin his life’s 
worship. Allah’s Messenger . 
used to seek refuge in Allah from 
Shaytan’s enticement at the point of death, he rwould say, “...I seek 
refuge with You (O Allah) from being disturbed by Shaytan at the 
vergeofdeath...” [Sunanan-Nasaee] 

Shaytan thus never despairs from diverting people away 
from the path of Allah. For this reason, he has appointed one devil for 
each person, the Prophet . 
said, “Every single person has a 
companion from the jinn, and a companion from the angels.” They 
said, “Even you, O Messenger of Allah r?” He replied, “Even me. But 
Allah has supported me, and my jinn companion has become a 
Muslim. Heonly encouragesmetodogood.” [Saheeh Muslim] 


-25 



In order to ease the path of Shirk for the people, Shaytan tempts 
mankind little by little; beginning with a few steps and eventually 
leading them to the final downfall. Allah warned us in the Qur’aan, 
“follow not the of Shaytan. Verily! He is to you a plain 
enemy.” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 208] 
While speaking about the idols that were worshiped by the 
Arab Pagans in the days of Jahiliyah, Ibn Abbas explained that 
these idols were first worshiped by the people of Nuh, before whom 
there was no Shirk in the world. Ibn Abbas further elaborated how 
Shaytan persuaded the people of Nuh into worshiping these idols in 
stages, he said, “Indeed these five names of righteous men (that 
have been given to those five idols) are from the people of Nuh. When 
they died, Shaytan whispered to the people to make statues of them 
and to place these statues in their places of gathering as a reminder 
of the people, so they did this. However, none from amongst them 
worshiped these statues, until when they died and the purpose of the 
statues was forgotten. Then (the next generation) began to worship 
them.” [Agreed upon] Abu Ja’far said, “Those from the later 
generation saw what the (previous generation) had done and 
considered that... to the extent that they took him (i.e., the righteous 
man) as an ilah (deity) to be worshiped besides Allah.” He then said, 
footsteps 
t 
t 
t 
- 26 -

“This was the first idol worshiped other than Allah, and they called 
this idol, Wadd.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (8/534)] 

Similarly, in a gradual manner, Shaytan had persuaded 
AdamandHawa intoeating theforbidden fruit. 

Allah commanded, “O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in 
Paradise andeat both ofyou freely with pleasureanddelightof things 
therein as wherever you will, but come not near this tree or you both 
will beofthe Dhalimoon(wrong-doers).” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 35] 

It is worth pondering that Allah did not say, ‘Do not eat the 
fruit of this tree,’ rather He commanded them to stay away from the 
treeitself saying “butcomenotnear thistree.” If they strollednear the 
tree or sat in its shade there was a greater possibility of them being 
tempted into eating its fruit. So Allah commanded them to keep away 
from thetreeabsolutely! 

This is the Sunnah of Allah in all matters. He closes all doors 
that lead to evil by forbidding the means that can lead His slaves into 
committing greater sin or evil. For instance, it is forbidden to build 
mosques, domes or any structureon graves, it isprohibitedto pray in 
the graveyards, or light lamps on graves; all this in order to prevent 
the people from falling into Shirk with regard to the deceased as what 
tookplaceamongstthepeopleof Nooh. 

Knowing that Allah prohibited Adam and Hawa from 
approaching the forbidden tree; Shaytan first enticed them to come 
near the tree. He then beautified for them its fruits, their color and 
fragrance, and finally caused Adam and Hawa to eat from it. So, 
Shaytan enticedtheminto disobeying Allah in agradual way. 

Shaytan uses the same ploy with the children of Adam and 
this necessitates extra precaution on our part. We not only have to 
refrain from committing sins but it is also necessary to keep away 
from every path that may lead to disobeying Allah, including visiting 
places and gatherings where the limits of Allah are not respected, 
keeping badcompany or participating in innovated celebrationsetc. 


-27 



We know that Shaytan gradually misguides mankind through 
waswaas (whisperings to commit acts of disobedience to Allah) but he 
does not use the same approach for everyone. People differ in their 
nature, personality and ways of thinking; what appeals to one, may 
not appeal to another. So Shaytan may seek to conquer someone by 
exploiting his love for money, while he may subdue another by his 
lust for fame, or might delude another by emotion. Shaytan has 
different ways to enter a man’s soul and misguide it; these doorways 
to a person’s heart are referred to as, ‘weakness.’ 
Ibn Jareer mentioned that Yazid bin Qusayt said, “The 
Prophets used to have Masjids outside their cities, and if a Prophet 
wanted to consult with his Lord about something, he would go out to 
his place of worship and pray as Allah decreed. Then he would ask 
Him about whatever was concerning him. Once while a Prophet was 
in his place of worship, the enemy of Allah - meaning Iblees - came 
and sat between him and the Qiblah (direction of prayer). 
The Prophet said, ‘I seek refuge with Allah from the accursed 
Shaytan.’ The enemy of Allah said, ‘Do you know the one you are 
seeking refuge from here he is!’ The Prophet said, ‘I seek refuge with 
Allah from the accursed Shaytan’ and he repeated that three times. 
Then the enemy of Allah said, ‘Tell me about anything by which you 
- 28 -

will be saved from me.’ The Prophet said twice, ‘No, you tell me about 
something in which you can overpower the son of Adam.’ Each of 
them insisted that the other answered first. Then the Prophet said, 
‘Allah says, ‘Certainly, you shall have no authority over My servants, 
except those of the astray who follow you.’ The enemy of Allah said, ‘I 
heard this before you were even born.’ The Prophet said, ‘And Allah 
says, ‘And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytan then seek 
refuge with Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.’ [Soorah al- 
A’raaf (7): 200] By Allah, I never sense that you are near but I seek 
refuge with Allah from you.’ The enemy of Allah said, ‘You have 
spoken the truth. Inthis way youwill be savedfrom me.’ 

The Prophet said, ‘Tell me in what ways you overpower the 
son of Adam.’ He said, ‘I seize him at times of anger and times of 
desire.’” [See, Tafseer Ibn Katheer ] 

Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said in Igaathat al-Lahfaam (1/32), 
“The Shaytan flowsthrough theson of Adam like blood, until it isasif 
he becomes part of him, so he finds out what he likes and prefers; 
once he knows that, he uses it against a person and enters into him 
through this door. He also passes this information on to his brothers 
and allies among mankind, so that when they want to achieve their 
nefarious aims against one another they do so through means of that 
which people love and desire. Whoever tries to enter through this 
door will gain entry, andwhoever triesto enter through any other way 
will find that the door is barred to him and he will not get what he 
wants.” 

Imam Ibnul-Qayyim further explained how Shaytan used 
this trick to mislead our father Adam u. “The enemy of Allah sensed 
what our parentsliked, andfeltthatthey wantedtoliveforeverin that 
abode of joy. He knew that he could not reach them in any other way 
so he swore to them by Allah that he was one of the sincere ones and 
said, ‘Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become 
angels or become of the immortals.’ And he (Shaytan) swore by Allah 
to them both (saying), ‘Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for 


-29 



you both.’ So he misled them with deception. Then when they tasted 
of the tree, that which was hidden from them of their shame (private 
parts) became manifest to them and they began to cover themselves 
with the leaves of Paradise. Andtheir Lord called out to them (saying), 
“Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you, ‘Verily, Shaytan is an open 
enemy unto you.” [Soorah al-A’raf (7):21] 

It is thus not the way of Shaytan to openly call one to 
disobedience. He will encourage negligence in prayers by whispering 
to the person to complete his worldly work before he leaves for 
prayers. After he has completed hiswork, Shaytan will remind him of 
food, and after that he will remind him of something else until the 
timeof prayerhasperished. 

Similarly, if a person runs a business, Shaytan whispers to 
him that if he goes for prayer, he might miss some customers. 
However, if Shaytan finds man to be zealous in performing Salaat, he 
comes to him through different means in which he is weak. He 
whispers to him concerning his wealth and encourages him to 
unlawfully usurp the wealth of others and forbids him from paying 
Zakaat while telling him that this will bring him poverty. Whereas, 
Allah’s Messenger rsaid, “By spending in Zakaat, wealth does not 
decrease…” [Saheeh Muslim] 

Furthermore, if hefinds thebeliever to be strong in hisSalaat 
and Zakaat, he will beautify women for him, until he causes him to 
commitadultery. Also, if he is strong in all theseShaytan lureshim to 
intoxicantsandso on: 

Ignorance, Ingratitude, Argumentativeness, Overstepping 
the limits, Carelessness, Pride, Doubt, Suspicion, Despair, 
Hopelessness, Recklessness, Haste, Inappropriate joy, Self-
admiration, Wrong-doings, Oppression, Negligence, 
Miserliness, Covetousness, Extreme hostility in cases of 
dispute, Panic, Fear, Rebellion, Tyranny, Love of wealth are 

doorwaysofShaytanintoaman'sheart. 

-30 




a) One's own self which is inclined 
to evil. “And indeed We have 
created man, and We know 
what his own self whispers to 
him.” [(50): 16] 
b) The Shaytan among the jinn. “Then Shaytan whispered to him, 
saying, ‘O Adam! Shall I lead you to the tree of eternity and to a 
kingdom that will never waste away.’” [Soorah Ta-Ha (20): 120] 
c) The Shaytan among mankind. “Say, I seek refuge with the Lord of 
mankind, the King of mankind - the Ilah (God) of mankind, from 
the evil of the whisperer who withdraws. Who whispers in the 
breasts of mankind. Among jinn and among men.” [(114): 1-6] 
Recurring urge to commit a 
specific sin is a waswaas that comes 
from one’s own self. Whereas the 
waswaas that come from Shaytan are limitless, because Shaytan is 
not concerned about causing man to commit one particular sin, but 
what matters to him is that man becomes guilty of disobeying his 
Lord and it is all the same to him whether the person commits a 
prohibition or omits an obligation. All of it is sin and disobedience. 
- 31 -

The difference between the waswaas that come from the 
Shaytan and the waswaas that come from the nafs is subtle, as was 
quoted by Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) from 
some of the scholars. He said, “Abu Hazim made a comparison 
between the waswasa caused by the nafs and that caused by the 
Shaytan, and said, ‘Whatever your nafs hates for your nafs is from 
the Shaytan, so seek refuge with Allah from it. And whatever your 
nafs likes for your nafs is from your nafs so forbid it to it.’” [Majmoo 
al-Fatawa] i.e., the nafs usually whispers concerning things which 
are connected to its whims and desires, which people usually like. 
Imam Ibn Katheer writes concerning 
the verse, “and whether you disclose what is in your own selves or 
conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it.” [(2): 284] 
“(it) means that even if He brings you to account and 
questions you, He will not punish you except for that which a person 
is able to ward off. 
As for that which he cannot ward off, such as the waswaas of 
the nafs, no one is accountable for that, and hating evil waswasa is 
part of faith.” and he quoted the Hadeeth, “Allah has pardoned my 
Ummah for what they say to themselves, as long as they do not utter 
it or act upon it.” 
So, one will not be punished for the waswaas, whether it be 
from Shaytan or one’s own nafs, as long as he does not speak of it or 
act upon it. However, we are commanded to resist these waswaas. 
- 32 -

Shaikhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) said, 
“Waswaas is something that happens to everyone who 
turns to Allah in Dhikr. It will inevitably happen to him. So 
he should be steadfast and remain patient, and persist in 
his Dhikr and prayer, and not give up, for, by persisting in it 
he will foil the plot of the Shaytan and, ‘ever feeble indeed is 
the plot of Shaytan.’ [Soorah an-Nisa (4): 76] 
Every time a person wants to turn his heart to Allah, 
whispers of other matters come to him. The Shaytan is like a 
bandit; every time a person wants to travel towards Allah, he 
wants to intercept him. 
Hence, it was said to one of the salaf, ‘The Jews and the 
Christians say, we don’t experience waswaas. He replied, 
‘They are right! What would Shaytan do with a ruined 
house?’ [Majmoo al-Fatawa (22/608)] 
- 33 -

“And whosoever turns away from the remembrance of the 
Most Beneficent, We appoint for him Shaytan to be a Qareen (an 
intimate companion) to him. And verily, they (Shayateen) hinder 
them from the Path (of Allah), but they think that they are guided 
aright!” [(43): 36-37] This verse determines the task of Qareen; 
a) hindering from the path of Allah. 
b) confusing the person into believing that he is upon the truth. 
Hindrance from the true path of Allah cannot be done except 
by beautifying falsehood and making it look good in one’s eyes; and 
not letting one realize that the Sharee’ah of Allah is being opposed. 
Man spends his whole life with the assumption that his 
actions are correct until it is too late when he realizes the truth!! On 
that day, “he says (to his Qareen), ‘Would that between me and you 
were the distance of the two easts.’ A worst (type of) companion 
(indeed)!” [Soorah az-Zukhruf (43): 36-37] 
Imam Ibnul-Qayyim said in this context, “One of his 
(Shaytan) plots is that he always bewitches people’s mind until they 
- 34 -

are deceived. No one is saved from his sorcery except those whom 
Allah Wills. He (Shaytan) makes attractive to themind thatwhich will 
harm it until a person thinks of something as most beneficial, and he 
(Shaytan) discourages him from that which is the most beneficial, 
until he thinks that it will harm him. La ilaaha illAllah, how may 
people have been tempted by this sorcery!” [Quoted from, ‘Aalam al- 
Jinn was-Shayateen’] 

Shaytan made the idea of eating from the forbidden tree 
appear attractive to Adam by giving it a beautiful and attractive 
name. He kept claiming to Adam that the forbidden tree was ‘the tree 
of eternal life,’ and that eating from it would make him live forever in 
Paradise, or would make him one of the angels, “Shaytan whispered 
to him, saying, ‘O Adam! Shall I lead you to the tree of eternity and to 
a kingdom that will never waste away.’” [Soorah Ta-Ha (20): 120] and 
“Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become 
angels or become of the immortals.” [Soorah al-A’raf (7):20] until 
Adam obeyed Shaytan, and was subsequently expelled from 
Paradise. 

The Qur’aan relates a number of examples of how Shaytan 
beautifies falsehood for his enemies and they go along what he 
intends for them, like Bilqis bint Sharahil, the queen of Saba and her 
kingdom. 

The hoopee bird informed Sulaiman uabout her in the 
following words, “...I have come to you from Saba with true news. I 
found a woman ruling over them, she has been given all things, and 
she has a great throne. I found her and her people worshiping the 
sun instead of Allah, and Shaytan has made their deeds fair seeming 
to them to prevent them from the way, so they have no guidance. So 
they do not prostrate themselves before Allah...” [Soorah an-Naml 
(27): 22-25] 

This trick of Shaytan is very dangerous, because if falsehood 
is made to appear attractive to a person, how would he strive towards 
achieving thegoodandrepelling theevil? 


-35 



Another example of how Shaytan makes evil seem fair is in 
the story of Thamud, the people of Salih u, Allah said, “And We have 
assigned them (Shayateen) intimate companions (in this world), who 
have made fair-seeming to them what was before them (i.e., Shaytan 
beautified for them the false notion concerning the future that there 
is no Resurrection, Paradise or Hell) and what was behind them (i.e., 
Shaytan beautified for them the false notion concerning the past that 
the world was very old, and there was no Creator except nature).” 
[SoorahFussilat(41): 25] [See, Tafseeral-Kabeer of Rajhi 27/103] 

This beautification of the world by convincing the people that 
there is no Creator of the world and that there is no Resurrection 
leads to turning away from the Deen. SubhanAllah, is this not what 
wewitnesstoday fromtheDarwinists? 

The people of Thamud were very famous for their 
intelligence, and Shaytan approached them through the door of 
giving precedence to one’s thoughts and opinions over Divine 
Revelation, so they became stubborn and argued and were 
destroyed, “And Ad and Thamud (people)! And indeed (their 
destruction) is clearly apparent to you from their (ruined) dwellings. 
Shaytan made their deeds fair-seeming to them, and turned them 
away from the (Right) Path, though they were intelligent.” [Soorah al-
Ankabut (29): 38] 

How many intelligent people have been fooled by Shaytan 
today, and from their false thoughts are communism and 
secularism. This is because Shaytan has beautified the falsehood for 
them. This has been the way of Shaytan with every nation as Allah 
says, “By Allah, We indeed sent (Messengers) to the nations before 
you (O Muhammad), but Shaytan made their deeds fair-seeming to 
them. So he (Shaytan) is their Wali (helper) today (i.e. in this world), 
and theirswill bea painful torment.” [ Soorah an-Nahl (16): 63] 

Imam Ibn Katheer writes in the Tafseer of this verse, “So he 
(Shaytan) is their Wali (helper) today,” meaning they will be suffering 
punishment while Shaytan is their only helper, and he cannot save 


-36 



them, so they have no one to answer their calls for help, “and theirs is 
a painful punishment.” [end quote] 
With this trick, Shaytan befools mankind into deceiving their 
own selves and making the prohibitions of Allah lawful for 
themselves. An interesting story is mentioned in the Qur’aan about 
the people of Sabbath among the Jews, whom Allah forbade to fish on 
Saturday (Sabbath) as a trial. “And ask them (O Muhammad) about 
the town that was by the sea, when they transgressed in the matter of 
the Sabbath: when their fish came to them openly on the Sabbath 
day, and did not come to them on the day they had no Sabbath. Thus 
We made a trial of them for they used to rebel.” [Soorah al-A’raf (7): 
163] 
So, “they began using deceitful means to avoid honoring the 
Sabbath by placing nets, ropes and artificial pools of water for the 
purpose of fishing before the Sabbath (i.e., on Friday). When the fish 
came in abundance on Saturday as usual, they were caught in the 
ropes and nets for the rest of Saturday and the Jews collected the fish 
after the Sabbath ended, during the night. When they did that, Allah 
changed them from humans into monkeys, the animals having the 
form closest to humans. Their evil deeds and deceit appeared lawful 
on the surface, but they were in reality wicked. This is why their 
punishment was compatible with their crime…Imam Abu Abdullah 
bin Battah reported that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of 
Allah said, “Do not commit what the 
Jews committed, breaching what Allah 
has forbidden, by resorting to the 
lowest types of deceit.’” [See, Tafseer 
Ibn Katheer] 
Imam Ibnul-Qayyim writes, 
“From him (Shaytan), his followers 
learned the method of calling haraam 
things by names which people find 
attractive. So they called wine - the 
t 
r 
- 37 -

mother of joy, and they called intoxicants - morsels of delight, and 
they called Riba (usury) business dealing…” (end quote from Wabil 
as-Sayyib) 
The Messenger of Allah said, “A group of my Ummah will 
make intoxicants lawful, giving it a name from themselves.” 
In another narration it says, “they will name it by other than its 
proper name.” [See, Ibn Majah (3385) and Musnad Ahmad (4/237, 
5/318)] Today singing, dancing, acting, making statues are all called, 
‘art’ but with such devious behavior man can only fool himself and 
none can deceive Allah, the All-Wise. 
The Messenger of Allah said, “Men are not tempted by 
anything more than women.” [Agreed upon] For this reason, 
women are commanded to cover their bodies and men are 
commanded to lower their gaze. He forbade being alone 
with a non-mahram woman and said that no man is ever 
alone with a non-mahram woman but Shaytan is the third 
one. This is because Shaytan may beautify a sinful action for 
them and thus, we must try to subdue Shaytan and drive 
away his deception and act in accordance with the guidelines 
of Allah’s Messenger , who said, “The woman comes in the 
form of a Shaytan and goes in the 
form of the Shaytan. So if one of 
you sees a woman that pleases 
him, he should go to his family 
and that will get rid of what is in 
him.” [Saheeh Muslim] 
r 
r 
r 
r 
Shaytan may beautify a sinful action 
between a man and woman. 
- 38 -

Imam Ibnul-Qayyim (rahimahullah) writes in Igaathat al-Lahfaan 
(1/242), “Among the plots and traps of the enemy of Allah, with 
which he seeks to trap those who posses little knowledge, reasoning 
and religious commitment and trap the ignorant is the listening to 
whistling and clapping of hands and singing accompanied by 
forbidden musical instruments, which closes people’s hearts to the 
Qur’aan and makes them devoted to immorality and sin. This is the 
‘qur’an’ of the Shaytan, an impenetrable barrier which blocks them 
from the Most Merciful. This is the means that leads to sodomy and 
fornication, by means of which the Shaytan ensnares the hearts of 
those who follow falsehood and makes it appear attractive to them 
by way of deceit and trickery. He inspires them by means of specious 
arguments to regard it as something good, so they accept this idea, 
and for the sake of singing they forsake the Qur’aan…” 
- 39 -

Imam Ibnul-Qayyim writes, “There is nothing that Allah has 
enjoined except that Shaytan has ways of dealing with it, either by 
inclining (people) towards falling short and being negligent or being 
excessive and to exaggerate. He does not care which of these two 
mistakes a person makes. He may come to a person’s heart and if he 
finds that he is lazy, negligent and looking for concessions, then he 
goes along with that. He holds him back and stops him from doing 
things. He makes him lazy, indifferent and negligent, and 
encourages him to seek alternative interpretations and hope for 
forgiveness (from Allah for his shortcomings) etc., until a person may 
give up doing all things that have been enjoined.” 
One of the ways in which Shaytan does this is mentioned in 
the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh al-Bukharee from Abu Hurayrah , 
who said that the Messenger of Allah said, “Shaytan puts three 
knots at the back of the head of any of you if he is asleep. On every 
knot he reads and exhales the following words, ‘The night is long, so 
stay asleep.’ When one wakes up and remembers Allah, one knot is 
t 
r 
- 40 -

undone; and when one performs ablution, the second knot is 
undone, and when one prays the third knot is undone and one gets 
up energetic with a good heart in the morning; otherwise one gets up 
lazy andwith a mischievousheart.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee (21/243)] 

Narrated Abu Hurayrah tthat the Prophet rsaid, 
“If anyone of you rouses from sleep 
and performs the ablution, 
he should wash his nose by putting water in it 
and then blowing it out thrice, 
because the Shaytan has stayed 
in the upper part of his nose all the night.” 
[Saheeh al-Bukharee] 


Ibn Jawzi (rahimahullah) explains how Shaytan makes one 
procrastinate and how one can put off his whispers, “…he makes a 
sinner put off repenting and he keeps him indulging in his desires, 
telling him that one day he can repent… Perhaps, a faqeeh intends 
to revise some topic but he says, ‘Rest for a while,’ or he sees a 
worshiper waking up at night to pray, and he tells him, ‘You have 
plenty of time.’ He keeps on making people lazy or delaying good 
deeds, and he deceives them by telling them that they have plenty of 
time anda lot of hope. 

The one who wants to do good deeds should carry out his 
actions with determination and resolve. Resolve means not wasting 
time and not delaying things. He should forget about the idea of 
having plenty of time because the one who has been warned should 
not be assured. Whatyou miss, you cannotmake upfor. 

The reason for every shortcoming or inclination to evil 
is the belief that there is plenty of time and a lot of hope, 
because man keeps thinking of giving up evil and turning towards 
good but delays. No doubt, whoever thinks that he has the whole 


-41 



day ahead of him will take his time and whoever has the hope that 
he will still be there in the morning will do very little during the night, 
but the one who thinks of death as imminent will strive harder.” 
[Talbees Iblees, p.458] 
Ibnul-Qayyim further explained how Shaytan causes one to 
exaggerate in his religious affairs, “...if he finds that a person is 
cautious and serious, and that he is enthusiastic and capable, he 
despairs of succeeding with him on that front. So he urges him to 
strive to excess, and makes him think that this is not sufficient and 
that he has higher ambitions than that, and that he has to do more 
than others do. 
So he tells them do not go to sleep when they go to sleep; do 
not break your fast when they break their fast and do not tire when 
they tire. If one of them washes his hands and face three times, 
Shaytan tells him that he should wash seven times. If he performs 
Wudhu for every prayer the Shaytan tells him that he should 
perform ghusl for it, and other kinds of exaggeration and excess. He 
makes him go to extremes and go beyond the straight path, just like 
he makes the first person fall short and not come anywhere near it. 
Shaytan’s aim in both cases is to steer both of them away from the 
straight path, one by not letting him approach it or come anywhere 
near it, and the other by making him go too far and overstep the 
mark. 
In this way, most people have 
been tempted and nothing can save a 
person from that except deeply 
rooted knowledge, faith and power to 
resist him (Shaytan) and adherence 
to the middle course. And Allah is the 
One Whose Help we seek.” [al-Wabil 
as-Sayyib, p.19.] 
- 42 -

Arguing and making statements about Allah without knowledge is 
the primary reason behind the degradation and misery of Shaytan 
himself. He argued and dissented Allah’s Absolute Wisdom saying, 
“I am better than him [Adam], You created me from fire, and him You 
created from clay.” [Soorah al-A'raf (7): 12] 
Imam Ibn Katheer writes, “and this excuse (of Shaytan for 
disobeying Allah) is worse than the crime itself. Shaytan said that he 
did not obey Allah because he, who is better cannot prostrate to the 
one, who is less. Shaytan, may Allah curse him, meant that he is 
better than Adam, ‘So how can You order me to prostrate before 
him?’ 
Shaytan said that he is better than Adam because he was 
created from fire while, “You created him from clay, and fire is 
better.” 
The cursed one looked at the origin of creation not at the 
honor bestowed, i.e., Allah’s creating Adam with His Hands and 
- 43 -

blowing life into him. Shaytan made a false comparison when 
confronted by Allah’s command…He, thus, became ‘Ablasa’ from the 
Mercy, meaning, ‘lost hope in acquiring Allah’s Mercy.’ He committed 
this error due to his false comparison. 

His claim that fire is more honored than mud was also false, 
because mud has the qualities of wisdom, forbearance, patience and 
assurance; mud is where plants grow, flourish, increase and provide 
food. To the contrary, fire has the qualities of burning, recklessness 
and hastiness. Therefore, the origin of creation directed Shaytan to 
failure, while the origin of Adam led him to return to Allah with 
repentance, humbleness, obedience and submission to His 
command, admitting his error and seeking Allah's forgiveness and 
pardonfor it.” [end quote] 

Just as Shaytan argued and made statements about Allah 
without knowledge, “He (Shaytan) commands you only what is evil 
and Fahsha (sinful), and that you should say against Allah what you 
know not.” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 169] “And among mankind is he 
who disputes concerning Allah, without knowledge, and follows 
every rebellious (disobedient to Allah) Shaytan. For him (Shaytan) it 
is decreed that whosoever follows him, he will mislead him, and will 
drivehimtothe tormentoftheFire.” [Soorah al-Hajj (22):3-4] 

Shaytan argued and opposed Allah’s Wisdom out of pride. 
Allah says, “He was proud and he was of the disbelievers.” [Soorah 
Saad (38): 74] and Allah says in Soorah Ghafir, “Verily, those who 
dispute about the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, 
revelations, etc.) of Allah, without any authority having come to 
them,” meaning they try to refute the truth with falsehood, sound 
evidence with dubious arguments, having no proof or evidence from 
Allah. “There is nothing else in their breasts except pride…So seek 
refuge in Allah.” from being like these people.” [See Tafseer Ibn 
Katheer (40): 56] because Allah’s Messenger rsaid, “He will not enter 
Paradise who has even a speck of pride in his heart.” [Saheeh 
Muslim] 


-44 



“He (Shaytan) makes promises to them (i.e., mankind), and arouses 
in them false desires; and Shaytan's promises are nothing but 
deceptions. The dwelling of such (people) is Hell, and they will find 
no way of escape from it” [Soorah an-Nisa (4): 120] 
On the Day of the battle of Badr, Shaytan came to the 
disbelievers in the form of Suraqah ibn Malik and promised them 
victory, power, glory and dominion. He started with planting pride in 
their hearts by telling them that they were the most powerful and 
they will be victorious over the Muslims, who were less in number. 
He beautified their strength for them and gave them the hope of 
victory and promised to fight the Muslims alongside them, “And 
(remember) when Shaytan made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them 
and said, ‘No one of mankind can overcome you this day (of the 
battle of Badr)’ [Soorah al-Anfal (8): 48] 
The Mushrikeen thus, set out to fight the Muslims with 
pride in their hearts and reliance upon Shaytan. “But when the two 
forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said, ‘Verily, I 
have nothing to do with you. Verily! I see what you see not. Verily! I 
fear Allah for Allah is Severe in punishment.” [Soorah Anfal (8): 48] 
Another story of Shaytan's false promises and his deceit is 
narrated from the People of the Book and is reported by Ibn Jareer in 
the Tafseer of Soorah al-Hashr. We quote it here to learn some 
lessons from it. 
- 45 -

There was a worshiper among the Children of Israel, who 
worshiped Allah for sixty years. Shaytan tried his best to mislead this 
man but he could not. He tried his trick on one woman and made her 
mad. He then advised her brothers to take her to the priest for a 
possible cure. The brothers agreed and by Allah’s Permission, the 
priestwas able to cure thewoman’smadness. 

One day while the priest was with her, Shaytan beautified 
and adorned this woman in his eyes, and prompted evil thoughts in 
the mind of the priest, which lead to his committing adultery with 
her. The woman became pregnant, and out of fear, he killed her (this 
again wasduetoShaytan’sadvice). 

When the brothers came to know this, they decided to kill 
him. At that moment Shaytan appeared to the priest and told him 
that he was the one, who had plotted against him, and nobody could 
rescue him from it except him. He told him that if the priest 
prostrated to him just once, he would rescue him. Then when the 
priest prostrated, Shaytan freed himself from him and ran away. The 
priest was killed and died in a state of disbelief due to prostrating to 
other than Allah. This is just as we have been informed about 
Shaytan in Soorah al-Hashr (59): 16, “Like Shaytan, when he says to 
man, ‘Disbelieve in Allah.’ But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, 
Shaytan says, ‘I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the Alameen 
(mankind, jinn andall that exists)!’” 

On the Day of Judgment, after Shaytan will have betrayed 
his promises, he will drag his followers to Hell and reveal unto them 
the truth that the Qur’aan had warned them against. He will address 
them and declare his deceptive promises, “And Shaytan 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 hadno 
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).” [Soorah Ibraheem(14): 22] 

-46 




“Shaytan has overtaken them. So he has made them forget the 
remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Shaytan…” [Soorah al- 
Mujadilah (58): 19] But as soon as we remember, we should abandon 
that which distracted us, as the Qur’aan commands us, “If Shaytan 
causes you to forget, then do not sit after the remembrance in the 
company of the wrong-doers.’ [Soorah al-An'am (6): 68] 
Fate of Shaytan and those who follow him 
will be the worst and most horrible. 
Allah tells us that His Curse is upon 
Shaytan until the Day of Resurrection, 
and that He will fill Hell with him and 
his followers. Allah said, “(to Iblees), 
‘Get out from this (Paradise), disgraced 
and expelled. Whoever of them 
(mankind) will follow you, then surely, I 
will fill Hell with you all.” [(7): 18]
- 47 -

-48 



- 49 -

Adhering to the Straight Path means adhering to the Qur’aan and 
the Sunnah in words and deeds is the greatest means of protection 
against Shaytan. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal recorded that Abdullah 
bin Mas’ood said, “The Messenger of Allah drew a line with his 
hand (in the sand) and said, ‘This is Allah’s Path, leading straight.’ 
He then drew lines to the right and left of that line and said, ‘These 
are the other paths, on each path there is a Shaytan who calls to it.’ 
He then recited, ‘And verily, this is My straight path, so follow it, and 
follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His 
path.’” [Soorah al-An’am (6): 153] 
A man asked Ibn Mas’ood, ‘What is as-Sirat al-Mustaqim 
(the straight path).’ Ibn Mas'ood replied, ‘Muhammad left us at its 
lower end and its other end is in Paradise. To the right of this Path 
are other paths, and to the left of it are other paths, and there are 
men (on these paths) calling those who pass by them. Whoever goes 
on the other paths will end up in the Fire. Whoever takes the 
Straight Path, will end up in Paradise.’ Ibn Mas’ood then recited the 
(above mentioned) verse (6):153.’ [Musnad Ahmad] 
Imam Ahmad also recorded that An-Nawwas ibn Sam’an 
said that the Messenger of Allah said, ‘Allah has given a parable of 
the Straight Path, and on the two sides of this Path, there are two 
walls containing door ways. On these doorways, there are curtains 
that are lowered down. On the gate of this path, there is a caller 
r 
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1 
- 50 -

Allah has instructed us to seek refuge 
with Allah from the Shaytan and his 
evils in the Qur’aan, “And if an evil whisper comes to you from 
Shaytan, then seek refuge with Allah.” [Soorah al-A’raf (7): 200] “And 
say, ‘My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings 
(suggestions) of the Shayateen. And I seek refuge with You, My Lord! 
lest they may attend (or come near) me.” [Soorah al-Mu’minun (23): 
97-98] 
Imam Ibn Katheer writes, ‘Isti’adhah (seeking refuge) 
means, ‘I seek refuge with Allah from the cursed Shaytan so that he 
is prevented from affecting my religious or worldly affairs, or 
hindering me from adhering to what I was commanded, or luring me 
into what I was prohibited from.’ 
Indeed, only Allah is able to prevent the evil of Shaytan from 
touching the son of Adam. This is why Allah allowed us to be lenient 
heralding, ‘O people! come and enter the straight path all together 
and do not divide.’ There is also another caller that heralds from 
above the path, who says when a person wants to remove the 
curtain on any of these doors, ‘Woe to you! Do not open this door, for 
if you open it, you will enter it. The (straight) path is Islam, the two 
walls are Allah’s set limits, the open doors lead to Allah’s 
prohibitions, the caller on the gate of the path is Allah’s Book (the 
Qur’aan), while the caller from above the path is Allah’s admonition 
in the heart of every Muslim.’” [At-Tirmidhee said, ‘hasan gharib’] 
2 
- 51 -

and kind with the human devil (i.e., an evil doer), so that his soft 
nature might cause him to refrain from the evil he is indulging in. 
However, Allah required us to seek refuge with Him from the evil of 
Shaytan because he neither accepts bribe nor does kindness affect 
him because he is pure evil. Thus, only He, Who created Shaytan, is 
able to stop his evil.” [See, Tafseer Ibn Katheer] 
Islam teachesus to seek refuge with Allah in certain situations, such 
as thosementioned in the following fewpages: 


The Messenger of Allah rsaid, “Whoever says in the morning, 


“None has the right to be worshiped except Allah alone. He has no 
partners. To Him belongs the Dominion, to Him belongs all praise 
and He is over all things Omnipotent.” 
...has indeed gained the reward of freeing ten slaves from the 
children of Isma’eel and ten of his sins are wiped away and he is 
raised ten degrees and he has found a safe retreat from the 
Shaytan until evening. Similarly, if he says in the evening, he will 
be protected until the morning.” [Saheeh Ibn Majah] 


-52 



Abu Hurayrah reports that Allah’s Messenger said, “Do not 
turn your houses into graves. Indeed, Shaytan flees from a house 
in which Soorah al-Baqarah is recited.” [Saheeh Muslim] 
t r 
Sulayman ibn Sard said, “I was sitting with Allah’s Messenger 
and two men were abusing each other. The face of one of them 
became red (out of anger) and his veins had became inflated. 
Allah’s Messenger said, “I know a word which, if he was to say, 
his anger would leave him. If he said, 
“I seek refuge in Allah from Shaytan - 
the Accursed,” his anger would leave 
him.” [Agreed upon]
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- 53 -

Jabir said, “I heard the Prophet say, “When a man enters his 
house and remembers Allah, the Exalted, upon entering and before 
eating, Shaytan says, ‘There is no place for you to spend the night 
and there is no supper for you.’ 
When he enters the house and does not remember Allah, 
Shaytan says, ‘You have found a place to spend the night’ and when 
he does not remember Allah upon eating his food, Shaytan says, ‘You 
have found a place to stay and some supper.’” [Saheeh Muslim] 
The Messenger of Allah has commanded us to protect our 
wealth by mentioning the name of Allah while locking doors and 
covering vessels. In Saheeh Muslim, it is narrated that Jabir ibn 
Abdullah (radhi allahu anhuma) said that the 
Messenger of Allah said, “Lock your doors 
and mention the name of Allah, for the 
Shaytan cannot open a locked door. 
Seal your water skins and mention the 
name of Allah. Cover your vessels and 
mention the name of Allah, even if you 
lay something across the top of it, and 
extinguish your lamps.”[Saheeh Muslim 
(3/1594, no. 2012)] 
Also, one should drink whilst 
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- 54 -

sitting because Shaytan drinks with a person, who drinks standing 
up. It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet saw a man 
drinking standing up. He said to him, “Hah!” The man asked, “What’s 
the matter?” He said, “Would you like it if a cat drank with you?” He 
said, “No.” He said, “Someone worse than that was drinking with you, 
the Shaytan.” [As-Saheehah (1/175)] 
“When you are about to eat, you should say, 
‘In the Name of Allah (I begin)’ …and if you forget to say it before 
starting, Then you should say (when you remember): 
‘In the Name of Allah in it’s beginning and the end.’ [See, Saheeh at- 
Tirmidhee (2/167)] 
r 
Jabir said, “I heard 
the Prophet say, 
“The Shaytan is present 
with one of you 
in everything that he does, 
even when he is eating. So if he drops a piece of food, 
let him remove any dirt that may be on it, then eat it, 
and not leave it for the Shaytan. And when he has 
finished eating, let him lick his fingers, for he does not 
know in which part of his food the blessing is.” 
[Saheeh Muslim] 
t 
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- 55 -

The Messenger of Allah informed us, “Dreams are of three kinds; 
glad tidings from the Most Merciful, those 
which come from ones own self, and 
frightening (dreams) from Shaytan.” 
[Saheeh ibn Majah (1/340, no.3154)] 
r 
So, “If anyone of you has a 
dream that he likes, then it is from 
Allah, so let him praise Allah for it and 
tell others about it. 
If he has something other than 
that, which he dislikes, that is from 
The Prophet said, “When you are about to sleep recite ayat alkursi 
(Soorah 2: 255) till the end of the verse for there will remain 
over you a protection from Allah and no Shaytan will draw near to 
you until morning.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee] 
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- 56 -

Shaytan, so let him seek refuge with Allah from its evil and not 
mention it to anyone, for it will not harm him.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee] 

Abu Salamah said, “I used to see in my dream which would 
make me concerned until I heard Abu Qatadah say, “I used to have 
dreams which would make me ill until I heard Allah’s Messenger . 
say, “The righteous dream is from Allah. If one of you sees what he 
loves then let him not inform anyone about it except one whom he 
loves. 

And if he sees what he dislikes, let him not inform anyone 
about it. Let him spit (drily) on his left three times and let him seek 
refuge in Allah from Shaytan, the accursed from the evil of what he 
sawand itwill not harm him.” [See, Saheeh Muslim (4/1772)] 


Ibn Abbas treports that the Prophet rsaid, “If one of you says, 
whenapproachinghiswife (for intercourse), 


“In the Name of Allah. O Allah! Make us distant from Shaytan 
and make Shaytan distant from what you bestow upon us.” 
…then if it is decreed that they should have a child as a result of 
that, the Shaytan will never be able to harm it (i.e. the offspring).” 
[Agreed upon] 


-57 



Zayd ibn Arqam tnarrated that the Messenger of Allah rsaid, 
“These places are inhabited by devils, so when any one of you enters 
thewashroom, lethimsay, 


“O Allah I see refuge with you from the male and female devils.” 
[Saheeh Sunan Abu Dawood (1/4, no.4)] 


Abdullah ibn Umar tsaid, “When the Prophet rused to enter the 
mosquehewould say, 


“I seek refuge with Allah the Mighty, with His Noble Face and with 
His Eternal Authority from Shaytan, the Accursed.” He then said, 
“When (a man) says this, Shaytan says, ‘He has been protected from 
mefor thewholeday.’” [Saheeh Abu Dawood] 


-58 



Uthman ibn Abil-Aas came to the Prophetr and said, “The Shaytan 
comes between me and my prayer and recitation of the Qur’aan, and 
he is confusing me.” The Messenger rsaid, “that is a devil called 
Khinzab. If you noticethat, then seek refugewith Allah from him, and 
spit drily to your left three times.” (Uthman ibn abil-Aas) said, “I did 
that, andAllah tookhim away fromme.” [Saheeh Muslim] 


Shaytan enters into the gaps in the rows and creates enmity 
between Muslims. The Prophet . 
said, “Stand close together, 
close the gaps and line up your shoulders, because, by Him who 
has my soul in His Hands, I see the Shaytan coming into the gaps 
betweentherows, likeamissile.” [AbuDawood] 

Know, that straightening of the rows in done by joining 
shoulder to shoulder and ankle to ankle as is known from 
Nu’man bin Basheer twho said, “The Prophet rturned around 
to the people and said, ‘Straighten you rows (3 times) and Allah 
will bring together your ranks or (else) Allah will put differences 
into your hearts.’ He said, ‘I then saw a man putting his shoulder 
next to the shoulder of his companion, his knee to the knee of his 
companion andhisankleto hisankle.” [Abu Dawood] 


-59 



It is narrated that Abu Salih as-Samman said, “I saw Abu 
Sa’eed al-Khudree on a Friday, praying towards something 
that screened him from the people. A young man from Bani 
Abi Mu’eet wanted to pass directly in front of him, and Abu 
Sa’eed pushed him in the chest. 
The young man looked but he did not find any way 
through except directly in front of Abu Sa’eed, so he tried 
again, and Abu Sa’eed again pushed him. Then Marwan came 
in and (the young man) complained about the treatment he 
had received from Abu Sa’eed. Abu Sa’eed met Marwan behind 
him and Marwan said, ‘What is going on between you and your 
brother’s son, O Abu Sa’eed?’ 
He said, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say, ‘If anyone of 
you prays towards something that screens him from the 
people, and someone wants to pass directly in front of him, let 
him push him back. If he insists then fight him, for he is 
nothing but a devil.’ [Saheeh al-Bukharee (1/582, no.509)] 
Ibn Hajr said explained, “For he 
is nothing but a devil” “It may be 
that the meaning is that the one 
who is making him do that is a 
devil.” Something similar is 
narrated by Muslim from the Hadeeth of 
Ibn Umar where it says, “…for he has qareen 
(jinn-companion) with him.” [Fath al-Baree (1/584)] 
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- 60 -

“So when you want to recite the Qur’aan, seek refuge with Allah from 
Shaytan, the outcast (the cursed one).” [Soorah an-Nahl (16): 98] 
Imam Ibnul-Qayyim (rahimahullah) explained the reason for 
seeking refuge with Allah from Shaytan before recitation in Igaathat 
al-Lahfaan (1/109). 
Among the reasons he mentioned are: 
“1. The Qur’aan is a healing for what is in the heart; it takes away the 
insinuating whispers, desires and corrupt wishes that the 
Shaytan instills in them. 
It is the antidote to what Shaytan enjoins, therefore we are 
instructed to expel the cause of the disease from the heart and 
cleanse the heart of it so that the heart will be prepared to 
accept the remedy and thus the 
remedy will be more effective. 
So this healing remedy comes 
to a heart which has been 
cleansed of the harmful things 
that were crowding it, and thus it 
is effective. 
2. The Qur’aan is essential to the 
guidance, knowledge and goodness of 
- 61 -

the heart, just as water is essential to the growth of plants. The 
Shaytan is fire which burns the plants, one after another. The 
more he feels that the seeds of goodness are growing in the 
heart, the more he strives to corrupt it and burn it. So we are 
commanded to seek refuge with Allah from Shaytan lest he 
destroys that which has been achieved through reading the 
Qur’aan. 

The difference between this reason and the previous one is that in 
the first case refuge is sought in order to gain the benefits of reading 
theQur’aan andin the secondcaseit isso that thesebenefits may be 
maintained andprotected…” 


Anas treports that Allah’s Messenger rsaid, “Whoever says (when 
he leaveshishouse), 


“In the Nameof Allah, I placemy trust upon Allah, Thereisno power, 
nor movement except by Allah.” It is said to him, “You have been 
sufficed, you have been protected and you have been guided.” Then 
one of the devils turns to another and says, “How can you get to a 
man who has been sufficed, protected and guided.” [Abu Dawood, 
at-Tirmidhee (hasan saheeh). 


-62 



TheProphetsaid, “If any oneof you stopsto reston a journey, and he 

says, 
‘I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of what He 
has created.’ Then nothing in that place will harm him, until he 
moveson from there.’” [Saheeh Sunan Ibn Majah] 


Abu Hurayrah treports that Allah’s Messenger rsaid, “The strong 
believer is more loved by Allah than the weak believer, but in both 
there is good. Be zealous for what will benefit you. Seek help from 
Allah, the Mighty and Majestic and do not become incapacitated. If 
something afflicts you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such and such,’ 

butsay, 


‘Allah has decreed (this) and Hedoeswhatever Hewills.’ 
Indeed saying ‘if’ opens up the doorway of Shaytan's handiwork.” 
[Saheeh Muslim] 



-63 



A) Place your children under Allah's protection 
B) Keep your children inside when nightfalls 
for the Shayateen spread out at that 
time 
with these words, 
Ibn Abbas related that the Messenger of Allah used to commend al- 
Hasan and al-Hussain to Allah’s protection, saying, 
“I commend you two to the protection of Allah’s Perfect Words from 
every devil, vermin and every evil eye.” And he said, “Your father used 
to place Isma’eel and Ishaaq under Allah’'s protection by using these 
words.” [See, Saheeh al-Bukharee (4/119) and Mishkaat al- 
Masaabih (1/488, no. 1535)] 
Jabir ibn Abdullah said, “The 
Messenger of Allah said, “When 
night falls (or when the evening comes) 
keep your children inside, for the 
Shayateen spread out at this time. Then 
when one hour of the night has passed, 
allow them to go out again...” [Agreed upon] 
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- 64 -

Abu Sa’eed said, “Allah’s 
Messenger used to seek 
refuge from the jinn and from 
the effects of the (evil) of men 
until the M’uwwadhdhatayn 
were revealed. When they were 
revealed, he clung to them and 
abandoned what was besides 
them.” [(saheeh) an-Nisaee and 
Ibn Majah] 
It was narrated from Uqbah ibn Aamir that the Prophet 
said, “Do you not see the verses that were revealed to me tonight, the 
like of which have never been seen? Qul ‘aoodhu bi rabb il-falaq and 
Qul ‘aoodhu bi rabb il-naas.” [Saheeh Muslim] 
According to one report, the Messenger of Allah said to Ibn 
Abbas al-Juhani, “the best words with which one can seek refuge 
with Allah are M’uwwadhdhatayn.” And according to some versions 
of the hadeeth of Uqbah, the Messenger said, “No one can ask 
Allah by means of anything like them, or seek refuge by means of 
anything like them.” [See Saheeh an-Nisaee] 
Narrated Aisha (radhi allahu anha), “When the Prophet 
went to bed every night, he would cup his palms together and blow 
in them after reciting the last three chapters of the Qur’aan (Soorah 
al-Ikhlas, Soorah al-Falaq and Soorah al-Nas) and then wipe over 
t 
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- 65 -

his entire body as much as possible with his hands, beginning with 
his head and face and front part of his body. He used to do this three 
times.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee] and he also advised Uqbah ibn Amir to 
recite these after each obligatory prayer.” [An-Nisaee] 
Abdullah ibn Khubaib said, “The Messenger of Allah 
said to me, ‘Recite,’ I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what shall I 
recite?’ He replied, ‘Recite Soorah al-Ikhlas, Soorah al-Falaq and 
Soorah al-Nas in the evening and the morning three times, for it will 
suffice you of all else.’ [At-Tirmidhee] 
t r 
The Messenger of Allah went out one night and passed by Abu Bakr 
who was praying with a soft voice. Then he passed by Umar ibn al- 
Khattab who was praying with a raised voice. When they came 
together with the Prophet , he said, “O Abu Bakr! I passed by you 
while you were praying with a soft voice.” Abu Bakr said, “I made 
the one with whom I was conversing with (i.e. Allah) hear it, O 
Messenger of Allah.” He then said to Umar , “I passed by you while 
you were praying with a raised voice.” Umar said, “O Messenger of 
Allah! I was inciting those who were asleep and driving away the 
Shaytan.” The Prophet then said, “O Abu Bakr! Raise your voice 
somewhat,” and he said to Umar, “lower your voice somewhat.” [Abu 
Dawood, al-Hakim, who declared it saheeh as did adh-Dhahabi] 
r 
t 
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“Seeking refuge is like a sword in the hand of a warrior; if the hand is 
strong then the sword will be able to deal the fatal blow to the enemy, 
otherwise the sword will not harm the enemy at all, even if it is made of 
burnished iron. 
Similarly, if seeking refuge is done by one who is pious and 
fears Allah then it is like fire, which burns the Shaytan, but if it is done 
by one who is confused and weak in faith then it will not have a strong 
impact on the enemy. 
Abul-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi (rahimahullah) said, “Know that the 
likeness of Iblees with one who is pious is like a man who is sitting with 
food and meat in front of him, and a dog comes near him. He tells it, 
‘Get away!’ and it goes. 
Then it comes to another man who is weak in faith and every 
time he tries to shoo the dog away, it does not go. The former is like a 
pious man whom the Shaytan approaches, and his dhikr is enough to 
banish him; the latter is like the one who is weak in faith; the Shaytan 
does not leave him because of his weakness of faith. We seek refuge 
with Allah from the Shaytan.” [Talbees Iblees, p.48] 
Thus, a Muslim who wants to save himself from the Shaytan 
and his tricks has to work on strengthening his faith and seek the 
protection of Allah, his Lord and turn to him, as there is no power and 
no strength except with Allah.” [See, Aalam al-Jinn wash-Shaytan] 
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It is narrated in a hadeeth that Allah commanded Yahya to enjoin 
five things upon the Children of Israel, one of which was, ‘I command 
you to remember Allah, for this is like a man who is being pursued 
by the enemy, then he comes to a strong fortress and saves himself 
from them. Similarly, a man cannot save himself from his enemy 
except by means of dhikr.” 
The Qareen of a believer, who keeps his tongue wet with the 
remembrance of Allah, is very lean, weak and hungry because the 
more the believer remembers his Lord, the more Shaytan suffers 
and is tormented. 
Whereas the Shaytan accompanying an evil doer who does 
not remember his Lord, rests in peace and is therefore strong and 
powerful and thus more capable of overcoming him. 
Narrated Abu Hurayrah , “the Shaytan of a believer met 
the Shaytan of a disbeliever. The latter was fat and well clothed, 
while the former was weak, lean, disheveled, dust colored (covered 
with dust), hungry and naked. 
The Shaytan of the disbelievers asked the Shaytan of the 
believer, ‘Why are you so lean?’ The Shaytan replied, ‘I am 
accompanying a man who, when he eats, mentions Allah’s Name, so 
u 
t 
[Narrated by al-Hafiz Abu Moosa al-Madani in al- 
Targheeb fi'l-Khisaal al-Hameedah wa'l-Tarheeb min al-Khilaal al-Murdiyyah. Ibnil- 
Qayyim said: Shaikhul-Islam used to highly regard this hadeeth' (al-Waabil al- 
Sayyib, 60)] 
3 
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I remain hungry. When he drinks, he mentions Allah, so I remain 
thirsty. When he wears his clothes, he mentions Allah’s Name, so I 
remain naked. When he puts oil in his hair, he mentions Allah’s 
Name and I remain disheveled.’ Then the Shaytan of the disbeliever 
said, ‘But I am accompanying a man who never does any of the 
deeds which you mentioned and I share with him his food, his drink, 
his clothing, etc.” [Ihya] 
Abul-Maleeh reports that a man said, “I was behind the 
Messenger and his riding animal stumbled. I said, ‘May 
Shaytan perish,’ and he said, ‘Do not say, ‘May Shaytan 
perish.’ If you say that he will grow in size until he becomes 
the size of a house and says, ‘By my strength.’ Instead say, 
‘In the Name of Allah.’ When you say that, he reduces in size 
until he is like a fly.’” [(Saheeh) Abu Dawood] 
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Adhering to the main body of the Muslims (i.e., the Jama’ah) by 
living amongst believers and choosing righteous friends who will 
help him to do good. The Prophet said, “Whoever among you wants 
to attain the best part of Paradise, let him adhere to the main body of 
the Muslims, for the Shaytan is with the one who is alone but he is 
farther away from two.” [at-Tirmidhee (2254)] 
It should be noted that the Jama'ah counts for nothing if it 
does not adhere to the truth, i.e., the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. The 
Messenger of Allah is reported to have said, “The People of the 
Book who came before you split into seventy-two sects, and this 
nation will split into seventy-three sects, seventy two will be in Hell, 
and one will be in Paradise - that is the Jama’ah.” [Saheeh Sunan 
Abu Dawood (3/869, no.3842)] 
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If Shaytan comes to you whilst you are praying and says, “You are 
showing off (so cut your prayer short),” then make your prayer 
lengthy. If he says, “You have invalidated your Wudhu, say, “You are 
lying.” If he says to you that the dead can hear you and benefit you or 
harm you, tell him, “You are lying.” 
Also, when we know that doing something or doing it in a 
specific way is from the characteristics of the Shaytan, we should 
oppose him by doing it differently and follow the Sunnah. For 
example, the Prophet said, “When any one of you eats, let him eat 
with his right hand and when he drinks, let him drink with his right 
hand, for Shaytan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left 
hand.” [Saheeh Muslim] and, “Take a midday nap because the 
Shayateen do not take a nap.” [Saheeh al-Jamee (4/147)] 
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This is to know the plots of Shaytan mentioned in the Qur’aan and 
the Sunnah and Shaytan’s conspiracies against the believers. 
For example, how he tempts people into committing sins, 
distracts one in his prayer and from good deeds, how he tries to 
make one think that his Wudhu is invalidated and how he plants 
discord between husband and wife, and how he instills doubts in a 
man’s heart by whispering to him, “Who created such and such? 
Who created such and such?” until he says, “Who created your 
Lord?” 
One, who recognizes these plots of Shaytan and their 
remedies, can effectively dismiss him and his whispers by 
implementing the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger r. 
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When, “Shaytan said to the Lord of Glory, ‘By Your Glory, O Lord, I 
will keep trying to misguide Your slaves so long as their souls are in 
their bodies.’ The Lord said, ‘By My Glory and Majesty, I will 
continue to forgive them so long as they ask My forgiveness.’” 
[Saheeh al-Jamee (2/32)] 
Thus, prompt repentance and turning to Allah whenever 
one falls into one of Shaytan’s enticements is sure to destroy the 
plan of Shaytan. 
Adam disobeyed Allah and so did Iblees, but the former 
repented and sought Allah’s forgiveness and Allah pardoned him; 
while He cursed the latter and destined him to the eternal Fire. The 
difference between the two crimes is clearly apparent. 
After violating the Command of Allah, the Exalted, Adam 
and Hawa did not insist on their sin. Rather, after realizing that they 
had committed a sin by eating from the forbidden tree in Paradise; 
Adam and Hawa admitted to their sin without delay. They sought 
forgiveness and Mercy of Allah saying, “Our Lord! We have wronged 
ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, 
we shall certainly be of the losers.” [Soorah al-A’raf (7): 23] “Then 
Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him 
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(accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives 
(accepts repentance), the Most Merciful.” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 37] 
Iblees, however, did not confess his sin; he insisted on it, 
protested and argued with Allah trying to justify his sinful act. This 
is the crux of the matter that when one transgresses a limit set by 
Allah, he should admit it to be a sin and wrongdoing on his part, and 
not try to justify his fault like for example those who deal in Riba. 
They use arguments like the world has changed, everybody deals 
with interest nowadays or fixed interest is a universal scheme these 
days and as such there is nothing wrong in dealing with Riba. 
We say to them, “Do not be arrogant and try to justify your 
wrongdoing. Do not say Riba is not haraam (forbidden), but humble 
yourself to Allah and seek forgiveness for your sin and confess your 
weakness and negligence in complying with His Commands - For, 
this will keep you within the boundaries of Eeman but if you reject 
the Command of Allah and argue that Riba is not a crime… you may 
exit the pale of Islam and commit Kufr (disbelief). We seek Allah's 
Protection from this. 
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Abu Umama narrated that 
the Prophet said, 
“When Iblees had 
descended to the earth. 
He said, ‘O Lord! You 
made me descend to the 
earth and You made me 
an outcast, appoint for me 
a home.’ 
Allah said, ‘It is the bathrooms.’ 
He said, ‘Make me an assembly (gatherings).’ 
Allah said, ‘Markets and shopping places.’ 
Shaytan asked again, ‘Assign for me food.’ 
And Allah said, ‘Every food on which the Name of Allah has 
not been mentioned (pronounced).’ 
He said, ‘Decide for me a drink.’ 
Allah said, ‘Wine (intoxicants).’ 
He said, ‘Appoint me a caller (an announcer).’ 
Allah said, ‘It is musical instruments.’ 
He said, ‘Make for me a quran.’ 
Allah said, ‘Poetry.’ 
He said, ‘Decide for me a writing.’ 
Allah said, ‘Tattooing.’ 
Shaytan said, ‘Assign me a discourse (talk/chat).’ 
Allah said, ‘Lying.’ 
Then he said, ‘Appoint for me messenger.’ 
Allah said, ‘The fortunetellers and soothsayers.’ 
Shaytan said, ‘Decide for me a hunting means with which I 
can hunt (trap).’ 
Allah said, ‘Women.’ 
[See, Mu'jam al-Kabeer] 
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