Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Eighth Talk

Taqwa: the first aspect of Isti’adha

The summary of our discussion is that taqwa or piety is the first, and foremost, aspect of Isti’adha. Therefore, this foremost aspect or pillar must be very strong and formidable so that the super-structure built on it too is strong.

The word taqwa is derived from the word waqayat which means guarding and protecting. In the juridical sense, abstention from acting against awamir wa nawahi (commandments and prohibitions) is termed taqwa.

It is necessary that taqwa should entrench itself to such a degree that the very thought of committing sins becomes abhorrent to us. For example, even if all the friends join together to encourage a man of piety to gossip or backbite against another person, he must desist from doing it. This is termed malikat e taqwa wherein a tendency develops in a person that he is able to resist the onslaught of Satan.

Abstinence from Reprehensible (makrūhāt)

To reach the elevated state of piety one has necessarily to abstain from unbecoming habits and things. Then abstention from Haram or prohibited things becomes easier for us. By practicing this abstinence, piety will get stronger.

As far as possible we should not miss the optional prayers (Mustahabbat). One who is regular at offering these optional prayers, will never think of foregoing the mandatory prayers.

Thorny jungle and the barefoot traveler

Some learned scholars have given a very interesting definition of taqwa and have explained it with an interesting example too.

When you walk barefooted through a thorny jungle, how will you traverse the way? Will you keep your eyes up and walk casually or keep every step with due care and observation to prevent the thorns hurting your bare feet?

Taqwa too means that on the path of life Satan has spread thorns and the man of piety has to save himself from getting hurt by them and keep moving forward all the time.

The bait and intrigue of Satan

The exercise of this care is so necessary that Imam Zayn al-’Abidīn has included the following supplication in the Sahifa al-Kamila:

“O Allah! I beseech for your protection against the bait and intrigue of Iblīs!”

You must have noticed that the hunter keeps his net hidden or camouflaged that the animal notices only the bait and not the net. In the urge for eating the bait, the animal gets caught in the net.

The accursed Iblīs uses several baits. He has several camouflaged ditches of sin and perfidy to entangle his prey.

Piety has the faculty of seeking through Satan’s baits

The purpose of taqwa is to keep the eyes open and not let them get enamored of the attractive things in the environment. They can thus see through the baits of Satan.

People should pray to Allah (S.w.T.) to give them vision to see through the schemes of Satan and don’t blindly fall prey to his schemes.

Some necessary examples: the Bazār is Satan’s trap

It is narrated from the Prophet of Allah (S.w.T.) that the bazār is the playground of Satan:

“The worst places on the earth is the market places. This is the playground of Satan where he hoists his standard in the mornings and places his chair, and spreads his chess-board. He cheats in the weighing and measuring of things. He sells away adulterated things.”1

This is the reason that the Infallible Imams have exhorted people not to linger for long in the bazārs. They say that bazār is a place only for negotiations and making deals. It is not proper for people with learning to associate themselves with the bazār.

Being the first to enter a bazār and emerging from it the last of all is an undesirable act because in this period Satan will be the companion of the person.

It has been narrated in the traditions that Hadrat Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) found Abdur Rahman b. Muljim, the accursed, gallivanting in the bazār on 18th Ramadhan. The Imam (a.s.) inquired, “What are you doing here?” He said, “I am going round the bazār!” The Imam (a.s.) said, “The bazār is the place for Satan.” Aimlessly loitering in the bazār motivates a person to indulge in undesirable activities. Even today loafing in the bazār is not considered a good activity. If you wish to be a man of piety you have to tread carefully in the bazār, as does a person on a road full of thorns.

Isti’adha before entering the bazār

When you enter the bazār you must seek Allah (S.w.T.)’s protection in the following manner:

“O Allah! Protect me that I don’t get involved in sin by being unfair in my dealings, by telling lies, by insulting others. Save me from cheating and deceit. Prevent me from doing wrong propaganda and save me from the thoughts of greed and avarice. All these are satanic acts.”

I don’t suggest that one should never go to the bazār and not transact there. My only appeal is that when one goes to the bazār, he should remember Allah (S.w.T.) and use his better sense and care.

One person quotes from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.). He says, “I asked the Imam (a.s.) that I have business transactions with a woman and I have to, perforce, negotiate with he face to face. Is my looking at her face legitimate or not?” The Imam replied, “Ittaqillah! (Keep Allah (S.w.T.)’s fear in your heart and exercise care!)”

Imagine, there could be the possible risk of looking repeatedly at the face of the strange woman might give rise to sinful thoughts in the mind of the person and augur ill luck for him!

Satan’s trap in the Bazār

Even while walking on the street one has to be careful. If you think that on one street there is a trap installed by Satan, take another and safer street, even if that is more tortuous and can take more time to traverse. For example, if there is a cinema theatre or a place of indecent activities on your way, or there are indecent posters of women on display, it is better to take a diversion and used some other street. You might say that such things on the way never tempt you to indulge in sin. But care is always advisable.

Fellow-travellers: a dangerous trap

Sometimes the person(s) traveling with somebody might prove satanic traps. He might be foul mouthed, backbiter or a person of poor intellect. Such a companion should be avoided.

Two companions, particularly when they are women, whose will is generally weak, have tendency to be ensnared by Satan. When they start gossiping, other’s matters come up for discussion. As time passes, they shift from innocuous talk to backbiting, insinuations, scandals, mockery and many such prohibited things.

The trap of Iblīs is such that in the beginning people talk about each other’s health, exchange humor and narrate interesting anecdotes. But then Satan misguides them to fall into his trap and start discussing prohibited things.

You must have witnessed that when two persons get together, their talk initially had no element of fault. But in about an hour’s time there will be an element of lies in their conversation that might push them into the morass of Hell. Emerging out of the morass will be a Herculean task. As a follow up to the conversation, even if they go to a mosque, you should not think that they are God fearing persons because Satan continues to be with them.

Recognize yourself

Iblīs has so many traps that if a person is not pious and careful, he will get entrapped in such a way that he will not rest till the person is consigned to the Hell.

O people with wisdom! Exercise care and keep your tongue in absolute control. What right you have to find fault with others. Every individual is answerable for his own actions. The burden of one person will not be put on the back of another:

وَلاَ تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى

…And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another… (Sura al-An’aam, 6:164)

Remember! Talking against each other, backbiting and carrying of tales are all the traps of Satan. When you are in company of others, beware of this trap.

Woman is the most formidable trap

Women are the most formidable traps of Satan, with the exception of those women who have confronted and fought with Satan all their lives.

It takes some time for Satan to snare men out of the right path. But women are more vulnerable and aid and abet the involvement of men too. Have you not heard that Satan was not able to tempt Adam (a.s.) with all his stratagems? Then he turned his attention towards Hadrat Hawwa (a.s.) and succeeded in making both of them to do the forbidden.

It is narrated that Satan said to Hadrat Yahya (a.s.),” Whenever I fail in trapping anyone, I use women to fulfill my plans!”

Yes! With the help of women Satan progresses towards his objective and thus involves the men in his schemes.

وَلَقَدْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ إِبْلِيسُ ظَنَّهُ

And certainly the Shaitan found true his conjecture concerning them... (Sura Saba, 34:20)

The company of women is the preface to sinning

This is the reason that there are authentic traditions of the Ahl al Bayt (a.s.) that excessive company of women makes men hard of heart.

This doesn’t mean that men should totally shun the company of women. But care must be exercised because nearness to women is one of the traps that are used by Satan. You must have observed that a single word from a woman can drastically change the thinking of a man! Can render the person emotional and turn him inadvertently towards many sinful acts.

It is a matter of concern that a strange (Na Mahram) woman in privacy with a man then the trap of Satan becomes strong and very dangerous.

Shaking hands with a strange woman is Haram. Think of the impious animals that how deeply they are entrapped by Satan that they are totally unaware that the bodily touch of a woman is one of the uncanny traps of Satan.

The tale of Barseesa

One imposter, whose name was Barseesa, always used to make the pretense of prayer and lived in seclusion. People used to say that his prayers would help in the fulfillment of their wishes.

The daughter of the king of the time once fell seriously ill. All treatments proved futile. In the end it was thought that the only way for curing her of the illness was the prayer of Barseesa. But the hermit refused to come out of his seclusion to the city or the palace of the king. In the end they reluctantly took the sick princess to his hermitage. They left her alone with the hermit.

If this unfortunate hermit was a true man of piety he would have objected to the leaving of the young princess alone with him. But he fell in the trap of Satan. He looked at the girl and was attracted by her beauty. He had not experienced such a situation throughout his life. He could not control his baser instinct and raped the girl.

But Satan didn’t stop at this. He put doubts in the heart of Barseesa that when people learn of his foul act they would lynch him. To save himself from death he thought of killing the girl and burying her. He also thought that if inquiries are made about the girl, he would say that he didn’t know where she had gone.

With these doubts and fears in his mind, Barseesa killed the princess while she was asleep. Then he dug up a trench and buried her.

It is narrated that Satan came in human form to the persons who were searching for the princess and said, “I know where the girl is!” he then guided them to the place where the grave was. The angry team demolished Barseesa’s hermitage and dragged him to the court of the king. People started spitting on his face. The king ordered him to be hanged.

In the olden days the hanging of criminals was not such an easy and fast process as it is now. It was a prolonged and torturous procedure. When Barseesa was about to die Satan came to him and said, “Even now if you prostrate to me, I shall save you!” To save himself from death, Barseesa agreed to prostrate to Satan. In his last breaths Satan tempted Barseesa to commit a major sin and earn a place for himself in the fiery Hell.

Note

1. Safinat al-Bihar, Vol 1, Page 8

The Ninth Talk

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ

Verily those who guard (themselves against evil) when an evil thought from Satan afflicts them, they become mindful (of God and get awakened) then lo! They see (aright). (Sura al-A’raaf, 7:201)

Isti’adha is Effective Only With Piety

The summary of the previous evening’s talk is that the prime and the first aspect of Isti’adha is Taqwa or piety. If a person is pious, then seeking Allah (S.w.T.)’s protection from Satan by saying audhu billahi min al-Shaitanir rajeem is effective. Otherwise reiterating these words a thousand times over will not bring any results.

Today I shall tell you about another meaning derived from the verse that I have mentioned above and also at a few places in my previous talks.

A Heart Without Piety is The Abode Of Satan

A heart that has not experienced piety, believe me, is the abode of Satan. Satan doesn’t relinquish such a heart easily.

A heart without piety is the heart that doesn’t remember Allah (S.w.T.). It is in fact crowded with worldly desires like greed, selfishness and Satanic fears. Such hearts are the repositories of wishes for the worldly glitter and show. These hearts are also the shelter for Satan and the sources of his evil designs. Unless the heart cures itself of these satanic instincts and withdraws from supporting and advancing Satan’s foul schemes, it is impossible that the environment for Isti’adha takes shape in it.

Sumptuous Food & Hungry Dog

You might have experienced that a hungry dog will not leave your side if you are having with you some tasty food. However much you try to chase away the dog, it will return to you. Even if you pick up a stick to chase it away, it will stubbornly stay on. If you don’t have any food with you, and a dog chances to come near you, then it will run away if you chase but once. The reason for this lack of interest is that the dogs have a very strong sense of smell and they would know where there is a bone for them!

A Sick Heart is The Eating Place For Satan

Your heart is under the observation of Satan. If he feels that there is food for him in your heart that it has craving for worldly riches and pomp, then certainly it is the ideal place for him to entrench himself in. If he notices that your heart is having so much avarice that even after acquiring a lot it has craving for more and is envious of others, then he is very pleased to dwell therein. You may say ‘audhu billahi min ash-shaitanir rajeem a hundred thousand times, Satan will tenaciously stay on!

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَآنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ

Shaitan is your open enemy! (Sura al-A’raaf, 7:22)

The only remedy is that you should dispel from your heart all the thoughts of things that attract him. Then with one utterance of the words ‘audhu billahi Satan will run away.

The Majority are Entrapped

It is narrated that once Satan came to the presence of Hadrat Yahya (a.s.). Prophet Yahya (a.s.) asked him about his treatment of Adam (a.s.)’s progeny. He replied that men are divided into three groups.

The first group consists of the revered persons who are always out of his reach. These are the Prophets (a.s.) and the Infallible.

Then Satan said that the second group consists of the people over whom he can have his sway. But with penitence they nullify his maneuvers.

The third group of people is of those in whose hearts he, Satan, lives. These form the vast majority of people.

O believers! Do such acts that Satan is unable to find an entry into your hearts! Otherwise, mere utterance of the words of Isti’adha will not be of any use.

The Thief on the Look Out For Breaking into the House

To prevent Satan from entrenching into your heart you will have to adopt piety. Shun all things that are not liked by Allah (S.w.T.). Shun avarice, immoral acts, bad habits and all such evil traits that take you towards illegitimate acts and illegitimate food. The heart will then be pure and clean.

Once the heart is cleansed of these things, then piety will find it’s way into it. It will now have the fear of Allah (S.w.T.) and the fear of the Day of Reckoning. Now Satan will be rendered absolutely helpless. He does have the extreme desire to enter such hearts and waits for the slightest chance that the person commits a mistake and opens the way for him.

Satan is like a thief who does reconnaissance of the fort to find a foothold or the slightest of openings to break in. But when he notices that the keeper of the fort is alert he escapes from the ramparts disappointed.

Iblīs Around The Heart

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ

Verily those who guard (themselves against evil) when an evil thought from Satan afflicts them, they become mindful (of God and get awakened) then lo! They see (aright). (Sura al-A’raaf, 7:201)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ

Verily those who guard (themselves against evil)

-

This is said about those whose hearts are free of the thoughts of sin. When the heart is pure and clean, then automatically all other organs get into sound repair. Therefore, the tongue, the eyes, the ears and the limbs do not get associated with any wrong act.

إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ

when an evil thought

- Taa-if- is a person who does tawaaf

or circumambulates. Here it is meant Satan going round the heart in search of a hole to break in.

مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ

from Satan

-

it is the mention of the retainers of Satan who go round the heart in search of an opening to barge in. But

تَذَكَّرُواْ

(they become mindful)

-

The owner of the heart, a mu’min,

is busy in Remembrance of Allah (S.w.T.) and says, “

Ya Allah, astaghfirullah- ‘audhu billahi min ash-shaitanir rajeem - O Allah! Protect me from the harm that Satan can cause me!”

Hence,

فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ

then lo! They see (aright)

-

Their eyes instantaneously illuminate with the light of vision and they get warned of the thief in their environs.

Here I wish to point at the words Taa-ifun min ash-shaitan that connote that the one who takes rounds of the heart of a mu’min to find an entry is from the group of Satan.

Remember! If there is piety (Taqwa) for Allah (S.w.T.) in the heart, then it will be pure and clean. The bright light of piety will put the thief to shame and he escapes from there. Pity the heart that is devoid of piety and full of worldly desires. Such a person will fall into the clutches of Satan and meet a sad end.

Why the Suicide?

One avaricious trader sold his goods worth thirty thousand for one hundred thousand. Later on he learned that the first buyer sold the merchandise for three hundred thousand within three days. He was distraught with remorse that the opportunity of making a huge profit was missed by him. He was jealous and envious of the traders who made the big gain. He started crying and was restless during the day and in the nights. He was so upset that at last he consumed lime mixed with sulfur and committed suicide. The sole reason for the tragedy is that the person was wedded only to worldly gains and was devoid of Allah (S.w.T.)’s fear.

Why Isti’adha is not Effective?

We should all awake from the slumber of carelessness because the root cause of all sins is the love for the world.

Keep your heart free of all pollutants. Because, if only the use of the tongue sufficed, then saying audhu billahi min ash-shaitanir rajeem prior to every mandatory prayer would do! This goes to prove that only saying the Isti’adha from the tongue is not sufficient.

What is the reason that when people stand for prayer, their attention hovers around everywhere and is not focused on the prayer! This despite reiteration of Allah (S.w.T.)’s name by the tongue time and again. It proves the point that the mind and heart of the person should be as much present as the person uses his tongue during the prayer.

A person once lost his wallet. He searched for it the whole day. Around the time of Maghrib prayer in the evening he remembered the place where he had left the wallet. Immediately after saying the salutations at the end of the prayer he called his servant to look for the wallet in a particular place. The servant said, “Sir! Were you offering your prayer or searching for your wallet?”

Remember! There are four things that prevent the light entering the heart:

As long as we don’t guard against these four things, darkness will prevail on our hearts. The very first thing that must be avoided is impurity of the body. The second important thing is that we should refrain from disobedience to Allah (S.w.T.). The third is to guard against the fears and doubts created by Satan. The last, but not the least, is abstaining from bad manners that can turn a man into animal. As long as a heart remains under the spell of bad manners, it will not understand the spirit of Isti’adha.

Such persons remain under the influence of Satan and away from Allah (S.w.T.) even at the time of their death. It has been mentioned in the traditions that, “Yuhshar an-naas ‘ala niyyaatihim” – “People will be raised (on the Day of Judgement) based on their intentions”. Allah (S.w.T.) gauges the intentions of the heart rather than the actions that result from these intentions.

Remember That Death is A Reality

There are very few sermons of Amīr al-Mu’minīn (a.s.), in Nahj al-Balagha, that don’t throw light on this fact of life. He says, “Don’t forget death because it is the best cure for the ailments of the heart and the spirit. One who always keeps this fact in view, it is like he has opened the door to guidance and reform.”

After the day’s toil when you reach home, then remember that perhaps your body might be carried to the grave next morning. When you leave home for work in the morning, keep in mind the possibility that you might not return home alive.

If man inculcates this spirit in his nature, then slowly he will overcome the traits of jealousy, parsimony, avarice, hypocrisy, satanic fears and carelessness.

When I am not sure whether I will be alive till tomorrow or not, then what is the use of avarice and unnecessarily displeasing others with my actions?

Flies Buzz Around Honey

Another example is sited for you. You must have noticed the way ants and other insects hover around sweet things. No matter how much you try to chase them away, they return to pester you. The only way to get rid of them is to remove the things that attract them.

O Mu’min! Clean your heart of all impurities that Satan runs away with one Isti’adha from you.

Hadrat Imam as-Sajjad (a.s.) used to recite Du’a al-Hazeen after the nightly prayer (Salat al-Layl, Namaz-e-Shab). He supplicates to Allah (S.w.T.) thus, “O Allah help me! Satan is attacking my heart!”

When a mu’min has nothing in his heart that interests Satan, and he remembers Allah (S.w.T.), then only one Isti’adha would suffice to chase the accursed enemy away.

Satan, a Stumbling Block in the Way of Penitence

It is narrated that when the following verse was revealed:

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُواْ فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُواْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُواْ اللّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُواْ لِذُنُوبِهِمْ

And those who when they commit an indecency or do injustice to their souls remember Allah and ask forgiveness for their faults... (Sura Aal Imran, 3:135)

Satan cried out and his retainer assembled around him and asked, “What has happened? Why are you shouting?” The accursed one said, “Why shouldn’t I shout and cry! We work so hard to make a man commit sins. And he expresses penitence that renders our efforts null and void!”

Every individual from his retainers gave his own advice on the matter. But Satan was not satisfied with any of those. Then someone said, “The only way will be to prevent man from reaching the threshold of the door of penitence!” Satan said, “Your suggestion is right! If there is any way for us, this is the way!”

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

Imam as-Sajjad (a.s.) used to supplicate to Allah (S.w.T.) in the following way: “O Allah (S.w.T.)! Keep me in your shelter from this enemy who is after my life! O Helper of all the helpless! I am forlorn and supportless! Come to my rescue. From one side this dog is attacking me and on the other is the world tempting me with all its glitter and attractions! There is pressure of avarice and greed on my heart! I seek your help against all these!”

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

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.), while predicting the period of the absence of the Last Imam (a.j.), says, “During that troublesome period there will be so much of sedition that the angels would be astonished at the very few deaths of men of piety!” The narrator asked the Imam (a.s.),” What should the people do in that difficult time?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “They should recite the Du’a al-Ghareeq. This consists in saying ‘Ya Allahu ya Rahmanu, ya Raheemu ya Muqallibul Quloob, thabbit qalbi ‘ala deenik - O Allah, O Beneficent, O Merciful, O Overturner of hearts! Keep my heart steadfast on Your religion!”

Man should think that he is really helpless in times when Satan’s retainers are roaming free. No heart is safe from their onslaught. O Allah (S.w.T.)! Guard our hearts from the effects of these Shayateen!

The Tenth Talk

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَائِفٌ مِّنَ الشَّيْطَانِ تَذَكَّرُواْ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُونَ

Verily those who guard (themselves against evil) when an evil thought from Satan afflicts them, they become mindful (of God and get awakened) then lo! They see (aright). (Sura al-A’raaf, 7:201)

It is proved from the previous talk that the most important aspect of Isti’adha is Taqwa or piety. If a person is devoid of antagonism of Satan and doesn’t submit himself to Rahman, then he is in the trap of Satan and his Isti’adha is of no use.

Why Isti’adha

Here one might ask when there is Taqwa in a person, then what is the need for Isti’adha. When a person doesn’t commit any sins, and is not a transgressor, then there may not be the need for seeking Allah (S.w.T.)’s Protection against the onslaught of Satan.

The reply to this question is that the question itself is topsy- turvy. The fact is that Isti’adha is only for the people of Taqwa. One who observes Taqwa will always submit to Allah (S.w.T.) for His protection lest the evil Satan catch him unawares and achieve control over his heart. Once Satan penetrates his heart, all his actions will be at the instance of Satan.

A person whose heart is free of the influence of Satan and spends his time in prayer and supplication to Allah (S.w.T.), should necessarily seek Allah (S.w.T.)’s protection against the fears and temptations of Satan, and his ilk, because they are always on the lookout for the slightest opportunity to subdue him. A mu’min has to exercise utmost care in this matter.

Good Deeds or Guidance For Evil

Satan strives hard to find a place in the heart of a mu’min. It is narrated that even if a mu’min escapes unscathed from the trap of Satan because of his good deeds ninety nine times, he might become the victim on the hundredth attempt! It is quite possible that the instigation for the good deeds ninety nine times too was by Satan only to make the person complacent that he fell into the trap on the hundredth attempt! Thus Satan derives satisfaction from destroying in one stroke the effects of the good actions of the person spread over long period. The dividing line between the good and the evil is very narrow and one must take great care not to falter towards evil. Therefore the Imams (a.s.) supplicate to Allah (S.w.T.) thus, “O sustainer, give me vision in the matter of Faith! That during performance of good deeds Satan doesn’t involve me in fears and misapprehensions and thus push me into the morass of evil.”

Evil Through Good

There is a social function arranged by someone’s kin. Satan persuades him to attend it as a matter of (silat ar-rahm) giving attention to the welfare of his relations. When the person reaches the venue, he finds that the party was in full swing with dance and song and service of intoxicants. He doesn’t like the atmosphere. His heart prompts him to get away from that participating in such gatherings is Haram. But Satan tells him ‘If you leave the party while it is in progress, it will amount to breaking the party. This step will be qata ar-rahm or causing hurt to your relatives.’

Thus Satan misguides people from the path of virtue towards vice.

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

Sometimes Satan encourages people to give more attention to optional matters to make them miss the mandatory duties. For example, he prompts a person to proceed on a pilgrimage to the mausoleum of Imam Ridha (a.s.). he convinces him that performing this optional pilgrimage will bring him lots of reward in the Hereafter. The person neglects his mandatory duty of providing for his old parents and family and proceeds on the pilgrimage.

Satan thus makes people overlook mandatory duties in the performance of the optional.

Losing Interest in Prayers

Sometimes Satan makes a person engrossed in an optional act to such an extent that he loses interest and inclination to perform the mandatory prayers. For example he puts in the mind of a person to proceed for the Ziyarats to Karbala that his sins would be pardoned and his prosperity would increase. Satan also convinces him somehow that if he went illegally without proper papers and permissions, his rewards would be redoubled! The person thus commences his journey. To his misfortune he gets caught for making an illegal entry and is put in jail. Then he curses himself why his legs were not fractured to prevent him from going there. Imagine, how Satan tempted the person to go in a hurry for performance of an optional act and as a result made him lose interest in the pilgrimage of great felicity!

O Allah! Give Us Vision in the Matters of Faith

The people of piety cannot do without recourse to Isti’adha. They are always fearful of the interference of Satan because he keeps trying to divert them from worship of Allah (S.w.T.). May Allah (S.w.T.) give the vision to people that they are able to understand if the acts they are doing are really good or are evil acts that Satan has tempted them to perform. It is the common observation that an act appears good and harmless but in reality it turns out to be otherwise.

To illustrate the point a tradition is mentioned here.

Satan Praying Suspended in the Sky

It is mentioned in Bihar al-Anwar from Usūl al-Kafi that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) narrated about a person, in the olden times, who kept himself busy in prayer and supplication to Allah (S.w.T.). He was so deeply engrossed in prayer that Satan, despite all the efforts, was unable to disrupt this activity. Upset at his failure, Satan called a meeting of his retainers to devise ways and means of achieving his desire. He said:

“I have not succeeded tempting the pious person despite all my efforts. Can you think of a stratagem to unnerve him”?

One of his disciples said, “By creating evil desires in his mind I shall motivate him to commit adultery.”

Satan replied, “There is no use. The desire for women has been extinguished from his heart.”

Another disciple said, “I shall tempt him with delicacies and drinks that he gets destroyed consuming Haram food and alcohol.”

Satan said, “No use! After years of penance he has lost palate for good food.”

A third retainer said, “Perhaps he can be tricked through the way of prayer which is his favorite activity!”

Satan said, “Yes. We might succeed this way.”

Anyway, the result of this confabulation was that Satan himself took the responsibility to do the job. He adopted the garb of a human being, suspended himself in the atmosphere sitting on a prayer mat and pretended to be busy in prayer.

When the pious person saw this, he went to inquire of Satan about the prayer that he performed to get the faculty of suspending himself in the atmosphere. But Satan appeared so intently engrossed in prayer that even after repeated calls he did not give any attention to the pious person. Fed up of waiting, the person asked Satan to respond to him under an oath. Satan took a respite from his pretended prayer.

The pious person asked, “What great task you have performed that you are at such an elevated place?”

He replied, “I have achieved this status through commitment of a sin. After committing the sin I have repented and done penance. Even now I continue to be penitent. With my worship I am growing stronger by day. If you desire to achieve the same status you too must commit adultery and then busy yourself in penitence.”

The pious man said, “Neither do I know the way of doing adultery nor have I money for the purpose.”

Satan gave him two Dirhams and explained the way to the house of a woman of ill repute.

The pious person entered the town and inquired from the people about the exact location of the woman’s house. People thought that he was intending to visit her to sermon the woman to give up her foul ways. The man went to the woman and gave her the money and demanded to do adultery with her. At this point Allah (S.w.T.)’s help came to his rescue that the woman thought of preventing him from committing the sinful act. The woman saw piety written large on the face of the person and that he was not habituated of going to such houses of ill repute.

She asked him, “How have you come here?”

The man replied, “This is not your concern. I have given you the money and you must comply.”

The woman said, “As long as I don’t know the real reason of your coming here, I shall not submit to you.”

Alas, the pious man yielded and told the entire story to her.

The woman said, “I might be losing custom by dissuading you from your resolve, but I am sure it was only Satan who has sent you here.”

The man said, “You are wrong because he has assured me that I shall be able to get the same status as enjoyed by him if I commit the sin of adultery.”

The woman said, “Don’t be foolish! How are you sure that after committing adultery you will ever get a chance to be penitent and your penitence will get accepted? Believe me! You are under the spell of Satan’s temptation.”

When the pious person was persistent, the woman said, “I am ready to yield to you. But go back to the place once and see if the person is still busy in prayer suspended in the atmosphere. If you find him there, then you can come back to me. But if he is not there, then you must believe that it was Satan who wants to deter you from the path of piety.”

When the pious person reached the place, he found no trace of Satan there. Then it dawned on him that the woman had saved him from falling into the abyss of sin. He offered a sincere prayer for the fallen woman.

It has been said in the tradition that when the woman died, a revelation came to the Prophet (S) of the time that he should join her funeral procession. The Prophet (S) protested to Allah (S.w.T.) that she was a fallen woman. The reply was, “Yes! But she was responsible for sending back to us a pious person who was running away from piety under the deceit of Satan!”

Sermons and moralizing are very valuable. Every effort must be made to dissuade persons from committing sins. Motivate them to be penitent. Allah (S.w.T.) will reward them as well as those who make effort to reform such persons.

It is a matter of great surprise that when we look at the temptations of Satan and our moral weaknesses, we fail to understand what will be our end! Will we be able to reach Him? We only need Allah (S.w.T.)’s Mercy and Munificence for our deliverance.

In a supplication we say:

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

When I think of my sins O my Master, I am terrified! But when I think of Your Kindness, I become hopeful!