SHAITANIC WAYS OF HUMANS Issue #25
Previously, we had discussed that Shaitan has two types of soldiers at his disposal: the demonic jinns and humans. In order to best combat Shaitan's evil plotting and assault against the Believers, it is imperative that we learn and understand the strategies and schemes of Shaitan employed against us to swerve the Believers from Islam. It is vital that we look to Allah and His Prophet (saw) to seek solutions to our plight against our most ardent foe, Shaitan. In this week's khutbah, we shall examine the nature, manners and methods of the human devils, or the human patrons of Shaitan.
Allah has divided humans into two categories: Waliullah which refers to the allies and servants of Allah, The Most Beneficent, and waliush-Shaitan which refers to the allies, associates and servants of Shaitan, the outcast. Anyone who disbelieves is, in effect, counted amongst the allies of Shaitan. Such people essentially choose to be in Shaitan's army. Shaitan utilizes them to serve, support and assist him in his battle against the Believers. Allah informs us, "Verily, We have made the devils protecting friends for those who do not believe," (s.7:27)
The Method to His Madness
Shaitan and his army have a singular mission which is to mislead humankind, and to ensure their entry to Hellfire. They make use of many treacherous tactics in order to seduce the Believers, and subsequently, subdue them by successfully leading them astray. The following are some prime examples of methods and techniques employed in such evil efforts.
I. Arguing with Believers
One method by which the human companions of Shaitan use to inundate the Believers' minds with skepticism, doubts and misconceptions is argumentation. The objective is to penetrate the Believer's Iman (faith) and to confuse their heart and soul. Allah advises us in the Qur'an, "Verily, the devils do inspire their friends (from humankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them, then you would indeed be polytheists," (s.6:121).
II. Mentally Agitating Them
Allah tells us that, "Secret counsels (conspiracies) are only from Shaitan in order that he may cause grief to the Believers," (s.58:10).
The Shaitan incites the disbelievers to speak secretly among themselves whenever Muslims are nearby. He and his army seek to mentally upset and engage the Believers causing them grief and confusion.
III. Waging War Against Them
Shaitan incites the disbelievers, who are in reality his soldiers, to wage physical war against the Muslims. The disbelievers fight for the cause of Taghut, which means anything which is worshipped or served besides Allah, while the Believers fight for the Cause of Allah. Allah advises and encourages the Believers to bear the armour of Iman (faith) in their efforts of retaliation. When they do so, they will find that verily, the strategies of Shaitan are weak and feeble. Allah says, "But he (Shaitan) can not harm them (the Believers) in the least, except as Allah permits, and in Allah let the Believers put their trust," (s.58:10).
Weapons in the War Zone Shaitan, the Master of Deception, would never say outright, "Disobey Allah so you will go to Hell." Instead, he deceives his followers in a gradual process until they do not realize the degree to which they have been overtaken by evil. Shaitan will seduce them through little, seemingly insignificant, things which would eventually amass to larger items, leading them astray in a gradual manner, until leading them entirely to kufr (disbelief) altogether.
Making Evil Look Good Making the evil appear to be good, or beneficial, is a principal method by which Shaitan attracts a great deal of followers. He makes that which is bad appear to be good and that which is good to seem bad. He creates the illusion amongst humans that whatever is bad, or condemned by Allah, is in fact something good and/or beneficial and hence, something which is to be pursued rather than avoided. This is the method which he first used on our father Adam (upon whom be peace). He sneakily convinced him that the forbidden tree was "the Tree of Eternity."
Shaitan leads people along increasing stages of evil. Many Muslims believe they can live in sin (without repercussion) and that they will enter Paradise regardless, simply because they uttered the Shahadah. The Prophet (saw) said, "Beware that the property of Allah is expensive (and precious). Beware that the belongings of Allah are expensive (and precious). Be informed that the assets of Allah are Paradise," (narrated by Tirmidhi, #410). Paradise is the merchandise of Allah, which can not be attained easily, but which must be attained in a costly manner, relative to the life of this world.
The allies of Shaitan use the same methods today In our world today, we witness several examples of Shaitan's handiwork amongst the human devils who do his evil bidding of making that which is evil appear as good and beneficial.
a) The displacement of Allah's governance by the rule of the people. The Capitalists and Communists both boast that they have the best systems to govern the world. They call people to their manmade ideologies and away from the Divine Shariah. While any human endeavour, like humans, is necessary flawed, Allah's system of governance, like our Lord – Glorified be He, is perfect and without even the slightest flaw. Yet, Allah's perfect Shariah is rejected for the inferior and feeble systems created by human devils.
b) The social and moral decadence of society, where toplessness has become a current fashionable trend. Often we see that if an African women appears topless, in the media, she is considered "uncivilized", "primitive", and "hedonistic". Yet, if her Western counterpart parades her naked breasts, she is considered "civilized", "liberated" and "sophisticated".
c) The loss of morality where evil acts become permissible when staged under certain circumstances. For example, if an actress kisses her TV husband and becomes intimate on camera, it is not looked upon as part of adultery. Instead, it is labelled family entertainment, and considered acceptable viewing.
d) The phenomenon of renaming evil things with pleasant and favourable names, in order to provide the guise of acceptance. Just as modern people renamed alcohol as "spirits" or "booze", so too did the ancient Arabs, referring to it as "the mother of all pleasant times." Instead of naming "the House of Riba (usury)" it is called a bank, or financial institution. Instead of "Lewdness and Wickedness", it is called "Arts and Entertainment".
e) The rejection of Allah's Truth. Instead of propagating Islam as "progress and civilization", it is labelled as "primitive, oppressive and backwards".
All these examples serve to illustrate what Allah has told us in the Qur'an. "By Allah, We indeed sent (Messengers) to the nations before you but Shaitan made their deeds fair-seeming to them. So he is their Wali (guardian, helper) today (in this world) and theirs will be a painful doom," (s.16:63).
Who are the greatest losers? This method, of making the evil appear as good, is a serious threat to humanity. It is detrimental because a wrongdoer does not believe he is sinning, and he finds it honourable to fight for his cause with the misguided belief that he is doing something true and right. Such people prevent others from the religion of Allah because they believe that they are actually fighting on the path of Truth. Allah ordered the Prophet (saw) to say, "Say (O Muhammad – saw): 'Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works and deeds," (s.18:103-104).
Allah also says, "If anyone blinds himself from the remembrance of The Most Beneficent, We appoint for him Shaitan to be an intimate companion to him. And verily, they (Shaitan and the devils) hinder them (the Believers) from the Path (of Allah), but they think that they are guided aright!" (s.43:36-37).
This deceptive delusion is the reason that the disbelievers concern themselves only with this life and disregard working for the Hereafter. Allah says, "And We have assigned them intimate companions (in this world) who made their present and their past fair-seeming unto them," (s.41:25). The companions, referred to here, are the devils. They make the present so alluring and enticing that they are overcome by it, and subsequently would deny the life of the Hereafter. Shaitan makes such misguided notions seem so pleasing and correct to them, that they reject the reality of Resurrection, accountability on the Day of Judgement, Paradise and Hell, if not by words then by actions.
May Allah protect us from the evil works and evil plans of the Shaitan and his companions (both human and jinn), and may He make us of those who are able to withstand the enticing whispers and temptations and not of those who succumb to the seduction of Shaitan. O Allah make us of those who are steadfast in Islam and strong with Iman that we may reject and resist the Shaitan and his companions. Ameen.
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