Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Table of Contents

Translator’s Note 13

Preface 14

The First Talk 15

The Importance of Isti’adha in the Qur’an and the Traditions 15

Isti’adha before commencing a Prayer 15

Absolute necessity of Isti’adha in permissible affairs 15

Satan at the Threshold of the Mosque 16

Reciting the Isti’adha before starting out of one’s House 16

The Prophet of Islam (S) exhorted by Allah (S.w.T.) to do Isti’adha 16

Worshipping Satan the whole Life 17

Isti’adha during the execution of Justice (Qadhawat), when in privacy with non-Mahram and while in a frenzy of anger 17

The Second Talk 19

Satan’s Trap or Bait 19

Don’t brag after giving charity 19

Satan sets his sight on the hearts of people 20

What is Satan? Why he has been Created? 20

What is the use of knowing about Satan 20

Satan has been created with fire and he is a rare creature 21

Satan can see us 21

The creation of Satan and the felicity of Man 22

The purpose to create Satan is to put Man to test 22

Allah (S.w.T.)’s promise and Satan’s promise 23

Allah (S.w.T.)’s call and the call of Satan 23

Satan never thrusts his will on people forcibly 23

The Third Talk 25

The jealous nature of Iblīs 25

Jealousy and pride have nothing to do with Heaven 25

The Wish of Iblis Fulfilled 26

Angels too have Power of Inspiration (Ilhām) 26

At the Cross-roads 26

The door for repentance is always open 26

Allah (S.w.T.)’s blessing is for men till the end 27

Hasan Basri asks a question and Imam Zayn al-Abidīn (a.s.) replies 27

Illness before death is a blessing 28

The Fourth Talk 29

The only way to safety from Satan is Isti’adha] 29

The King’s tent and the ferocious watch-dog 29

Isti’adha should emanate from the heart and not merely from the lips 30

The three types of Isti’adha 30

Seeking protection in Allah (S.w.T.)’s obedience 30

A satanic book to refute Satan 30

Politics of the imperialist forces 31

Isti’adha is for escape from sins 31

I seek refuge in the obedience to Allah (S.w.T.) from the obedience to Satan 31

A true dream and Satan’s treachery 32

Note 32

The Fifth Talk 33

The meaning should be manifested by the words 33

Satan runs away from the men of piety 33

Need for trust on Allah (S.w.T.) 34

Satan has nothing to do with the sincere people 34

Do we have the capability of Piety (Taqwa) and Remembrance (Tadhakkur) of Allah (S.w.T.)? 34

Illegitimate sustenance is the biggest impediment in the way of Isti’adha 35

Until the last vestiges of Haram are not removed Isti’adha is not possible 35

Abstain from doubtful food 36

The Sixth Talk 37

We are helpless and powerless 37

The purity or otherwise of food 38

Identify the Haram morsel of food 38

The baker’s oven and the satanic tune 38

The Seventh Talk 40

Be Satan’s antagonist 40

Does Satan sleep? 40

You must remain fortified 40

Mu’min’s arms: mustahabat (non mandatory) prayers and tark al-makruhat, or abstinence from undesiderable acts 40

Satan intensifies his attacks in stages 41

Wudhu or ablution, the sharp instrument of defence of a Mu’min 41

Fasting and charity break the backbone of Satan 41

I have seen Satan’s mother 42

Penitence: another weapon in the hands of a Mu’min 42

Two more powerful weapons to defeat Satan 43

Iblīs bites the foot of Imam as-Sajjad (a.s.) 43

Warn People against Satanic Deceptions 43

Thinner than the hair and sharper than a sword 44

The Hereafter depends on the worldly desires 44

A difference of three hundred thousands years 44

Notes 45

The Eighth Talk 46

Taqwa: the first aspect of Isti’adha 46

Abstinence from Reprehensible (makrūhāt) 46

Thorny jungle and the barefoot traveler 46

The bait and intrigue of Satan 46

Piety has the faculty of seeking through Satan’s baits 46

Some necessary examples: the Bazār is Satan’s trap 47

Isti’adha before entering the bazār 47

Satan’s trap in the Bazār 47

Fellow-travellers: a dangerous trap 48

Recognize yourself 48

Woman is the most formidable trap 48

The company of women is the preface to sinning 49

The tale of Barseesa 49

Note 50

The Ninth Talk 51

Isti’adha is Effective Only With Piety 51

A Heart Without Piety is The Abode Of Satan 51

Sumptuous Food & Hungry Dog 51

A Sick Heart is The Eating Place For Satan 51

The Majority are Entrapped 52

The Thief on the Look Out For Breaking into the House 52

Iblīs Around The Heart 52

Why the Suicide? 53

Why Isti’adha is not Effective? 53

Remember That Death is A Reality 54

Flies Buzz Around Honey 54

Satan, a Stumbling Block in the Way of Penitence 55

The Practice of Imam as-Sajjad (a.s.) 55

The Supplication of Ghareeq during the Absence of Imam al-Mahdi (a.j.) 55

The Tenth Talk 56

Why Isti’adha 56

Good Deeds or Guidance For Evil 56

Evil Through Good 56

To Make One Miss The Mandatory Prompting People To Busy in Optional Rites 57

Losing Interest in Prayers 57

O Allah! Give Us Vision in the Matters of Faith 57

Satan Praying Suspended in the Sky 57

Idha ra-aytu maulaya dhunubi faz’itu wa idha ra-aytu karamika tam’itu 59

The Eleventh Talk 60

Satan The Initiator Of Actions 60

Satan doesn’t even Spare the Prophets 60

Hadrat ‘Isa Converses With Satan 61

Satan Attempts to Create Fears in the Mind of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) 61

Iblīs Tests Faith 62

Satan Attempts to create Doubts in the Mind of Ibrahim (a.s.) 62

Have We too Spurned Satan at Any Time? 62

Who is Greater? 63

Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.)’s Laments 63

The Twelfth Talk 64

The Reality of Isti’adha is in This Verse 64

The Supplication of Imam Sajjad (a.s.) 64

The Thief Who Put off the Lamp 64

A Thief in the Heart 64

Refrain from Fights Even if you Are Right 65

The Patience Of Hadrat Dhul Kifl (a.s.) 65

Satan Seeks Help 65

Satan Knocks At The Door 66

Satan Gets Frustrated 66

There Will Be Negative Effect of Supplication on a Heart Devoid of Piety 66

The Thirteenth Talk 68

Taqwa or Piety is Achieved With Practice 68

Shunning Doubtful Things 68

Shunning of The Unbecoming Or Makrūhāt 69

Shunning The Permissible For Shunning The Prohibited 69

Saving a Coin a Day For Use During Ramadhan 69

Travel Becomes the Reason for Avoiding the Mandatory Duties 69

The Material Capacities 69

The Fourteenth Talk 71

The Thought of Sin and Remembrance of Allah (S.w.T.) 71

Remembrance of Allah (S.w.T.) Relieves From Satanic Fears 72

Being Proud of One’s Prayers and Supplications 72

Satanic Fears in a State of Anger 73

About Hizqeel 74

A Bed of Two Hands Full of Dust 75

Visit the Cemeteries is a Must 75

Hadrat Fatima Zahra (a.s.) at the Graveside of Her Grand Uncle 75

Note 75

The Fifteenth Talk 77

The Things That Are Definitely Good: The Actions of Righteous Guidance 77

Actions That Are Definitely Wrong: The Misleading Actions 77

When There Is A Doubt About Acts: Whether Righteous Or Prohibited 77

Care is the Guarantee of Deliverance 78

The Touchstone 78

Istikhara, Or Augury, Guides in Situations of Doubt 78

Some People Misunderstand Istikhara 78

Imam Husayn (a.s.) does Istikhara at the Mausoleum of The Prophet (S) 79

Istikhara With the Sibha or Through the Holy Qur’an 79

Strange Stories About Istikhara 79

The Purpose of Revelation of the Holy Qur’an is not for Istikhara 80

Doing Soothsaying from The Holy Qur’an is Not Proper 80

Publications about Istikhara 80

Types of Istikhara 81

Clear Warnings about Istikhara 81

Suggestions for Removing Doubts 82

The Holy Imams (a.s.) Used to Take Advice 82

Istikhara Through Chits 82

Doing Istikhara for Others 83

The Sixteenth Talk 85

Tawakkul or Trust in Allah (S.w.T.) Essential Part of Practicing Monotheism 85

Dependence on Allah (S.w.T.) for the Success of the Tasks That One Strives to Do 85

Essential to Have a Wakil or Attorney 85

Satan Runs Away From The Mutawakkil or the One Resigned to the Will of Allah (S.w.T.) 86

Ibn Zubair’s Rebellion After the Event of Karbala 86

Imam Zayn Al-’Abidin and a Saintly Personality 86

Speaking for the Tranquility of the Heart 87

Imam Husayn (a.s.) Talks to ‘Ali Akbar 87

The Seventeenth Talk 89

Tawakkul is the Result of the Knowledge, Circumstances and the Actions of an Individual 89

Wisdom and Kindness on Men 89

The Prophet (S) Never Cursed Anyone 90

An Example of Godly Affection 90

People Themselves Seek a Place in Hell 90

Affection on a Kitten 90

Friends of Allah (S.w.T.) Have no Anxiety from Satan 91

Blade of Dried Grass or Straw 91

Tawakkul on Allah (S.w.T.) is Necessary in the Hereafter Too 92

The Eighteenth Talk 93

Tawakkul In Unity Of Allah (S.w.T.) 93

Trust on Allah (S.w.T.) is Intellectually Binding 93

How is it Possible to be Mutawakkil or Resigned to the Will of Allah (S.w.T.) 93

Belief in Practicing Faith on Unity of Allah (S.w.T.) 93

Observe the Act of Drinking Water 94

The Dress Too is Provided By Allah (S.w.T.) 94

It Is Allah (S.w.T.) Who Wards Off Troubles? 94

Physician or Killer? 94

In All Matters Allah (S.w.T.)’s Will Prevails 95

Intercession Too is Necessary 95

Tawakkul Comes With Knowledge 95

N’im al-Wakil 95

Is anyone kinder than Allah (S.w.T.) on His creatures? 96

A Mutawakkil Doesn’t Fear Other than Allah (S.w.T.) 96

Who Expects Help From Other Than Allah (S.w.T.) will Fail 96

The Circumstances Have Made us Deaf and Dumb 97

Tawakkul Has Stages 97

Tawakkul Must Be Perpetual 98

The Nineteenth Talk 99

Sorrows and Happiness Are From Allah (S.w.T.) 99

Without Knowledge Faith of Tawhid is Not Practical 99

The Mouth Opened But Didn’t Close 99

The Importance of Sura Al-Tawhid 99

Hadrat Ibrahim (a.s.) is a Source of Pride for Those Who Trust on Allah (S.w.T.) 100

Have We Ever Told The Truth 100

A Mutawakkil is Never Greedy 100

Dependence on The Wakil is Necessary 101

A Shop Without Goods on Allah (S.w.T.)’s Support 101

An Idle Youth is an Enemy Of Allah (S.w.T.) 101

The Learned to Get Sustenance From Ghaib 102

Tawakkul Depends on the Circumstances 102

Weakness of Faith 102

Acquiring Tawakkul is Mandatory 103

Tawakkul and Counsel 103

If There is no Tawakkul There is no Faith 103

Tall Claims Belittle a Person 104

Don’t Trust Your Own Intuition 104

The Twentieth Talk 104

Istikhara And Tawakkul 105

Everything Happens With The Wish of Allah (S.w.T.) 106

Tawakkul in Times of Danger 106

Ignorant Tawakkul 106

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) and the Tiger 107

Other Meanings Of Tawakkul 107

The Existence of Cause is Not Permanent 107

Calling Someone Other Than Allah (S.w.T.) 108

Twenty First Talk 109

Tawakkul Necessary to Learn About Tawhid 109

Difference Between Words and Deeds 109

Entrusting the Affairs 109

Isn't the Holy Qur’an a Book Revealed by Allah (S.w.T.)? 109

Consideration of Verses Regarding Tawhid 110

Fiqh and Tawhid 111

Piety (Taqwa) and Tawhid 111

The True Faith 111

Abstain From Avarice 112

Destined Towards Allah (S.w.T.) 112

Habib Ibn Madhahir was a Faqih 113

Note 113

The Twenty Second Talk 114

Tawakkul is the Concomitant of Faith 114

Reason Versus Will 114

Abdul Malik and the Ailment of Dropsy 115

Ashab al-Fīl 115

The Limit of Belief is Tawakkul 116

The Hawk and the Prey 116

Shameful Act 117

The Twenty Third Talk 118

Tawakkul in the Affairs of the Hereafter 118

Reasons For Moral Felicity 118

Depending Only on Actions is a Precursor of Destruction 118

Actions and Allah (S.w.T.)'s Blessings 119

Incredible Accident 119

Loss of Speech 119

The Light of Belief is Not Acquired 120

Allah (S.w.T.) is Kind on His Creatures 120

The Twenty Fourth Talk 121

Action & Sincerity of Purpose 121

On a Two-Way Lane 121

The Fury of Hell and the Echelons of Heaven 122

It is Only for Your Own Good 122

Satan Feels Very Happy 122

The Major Jihad 123

Shaakila and the Shari’ah 123

Hadrat Fatima Zahra (s.a.) 124

The Twenty Fifth Talk 126

Actions Depends on the Niyyah or Intention 126

The Intent of Closeness During Prayer 126

Rain Falls When the Prophet (S.) Prays 127

Insincerity and Hypocrisy 127

Praise and Thankfulness for Bounties 127

Unfounded Claims 128

Cheating Not Permissible 128

Reforming the Hearts is Necessary 128

The Battle of Jamal and Imam ‘Ali's Companions 129

May Allah (S.w.T.) Give us True Intent 129

The Twenty Sixth Talk 130

The Enemy of Faith & Action 130

Ikhlas is the Height of Tawhid 130

Many Claims of Being Sincere 131

Satan’s Laments 131

Three Types of Persons are Accountable 131

The Highest Stages of Sincerity 133

The Twenty Seventh Talk 134

Sincerity and Good Deeds 134

Worldly Honor Too Is In Allah (S.W.T.)’s Hand 134

About Malik Dinar 134

Futile Prayer 135

Praise and Appreciation of People 135

Is Praise Beneficial? 136

Ahmad Bin Tawlan & the Reciter of Qur’an 136

The Prayer of an Erudite Scholar 137

The Father & the Son 137

The Twenty Eighth Talk 139

Hope for Getting the Heaven and Fear of the Hell 139

Thirty Years of Prayers and Supplications 139

Treat the Psychic Ailments 140

Penitence from Sanctimony and Related Acts 140

Incidental Motives don't Negate Action 141

Ka’aba Situated in Hot Area 141

The Travel Expense 142

Transacting with Allah (S.w.T.) 142

The Twenty Ninth Talk 143

Incidental Motivations Explained 143

Compensation is not Justified 143

On What Support? 143

More Fascinating than a Magnet 144

How Much is the Return for Actions? 145

Expectation of Rewards 145

Wise Men are Not Proud of their Actions 146

The Glow Worm and the Diamond 146

Tomorrow When the Acts Will be Balanced 146

The Thirtieth Talk 147

The State Of Tadharru or Humility is Essential for Isti’adha 147

Tadharru Through Ma’thura or Transmitted Prayers 147

Allah (S.w.T.) is Sufficient for His Creatures 147

Recognizing the Enemy from Signs 148

Satanic Attacks 148

Some Humor 148

The Signs of Satanic Attacks 148

The Rahmani Thoughts 149

The Satanic Thoughts 149

Thoughts to Be Considered Seriously 149

The Dreaming Milkman 149

Fear of the Past or Future 150

Pitiable 150

The Fear for Tomorrow 150

Angel Versus Satan 151

1. In Nahi Anil Munkar (Denying The Forbidden), Irtikab Or Commission Of Munkar Or Forbidden 151

2. Theological Education of Children 152

3. Reducing the Recitation of The Holy Qur’an to a Show 152

4. The Pulpit & Arch: the Playfield of Satan 152

5. Alone With a Stranger Woman 152

The Acid Test For Good & Evil is the Holy Shari’ah 152

Treatment Through Isti’adha is Essential 153

Identity of Satan in the Holy Qur’an 153

Defying Satan is a Difficult Task 153

‘Umar Ibn Sa’d and Satanic & Rahmani Thoughts 154

Satan's Task is to Tempt 154

The Poor Complainants 155

Humility & Obedience to Allah (S.w.T.) 155

About Hadrat Yusuf (a.s.) 155

Love Renders Helpless 156

The True Love 156

None Other Than Allah (S.w.T.) Can Help 156

Isti’adha With Allah (S.w.T.) 157

The Real Succour 157

Further Trial 157

A Tale of Admonition 158

Isti’adha of Imam ‘Ali (a.s.) 158

Note 158