Disobedience is a Fierce Enemy to Mankind

Disobedience is a Fierce Enemy to Mankind



From among the punishments of sin is that disobedience becomes a fierce enemy to mankind like an army which fortifies itself and prepares for war.

That is to say that Allaah tests the Son of Adam with an enemy who does not leave his side for a single moment; a companion who is never remiss in thinking about him, nor is he neglectful of him. This adversary to man, Iblees and his tribe, are able see the human being from a standpoint where he can’t see them. He exerts every effort to unleash his hostility under every circumstance.   

In his plotting, he doesn’t leave anything out. Iblees is able to reach his foe and attach himself to him. This opponent seeks the help of the Shayateen and Jinn in his battle against the offspring of Adam. He throws his net over them and wishes disaster. This enemy lays traps around the servant. He lays these traps and nets for him and says to his helpers," Draw near to your enemy, and the enemy of your father! Don't let him slip away from you and attain his portion in the Paradise, leaving you to attain your share of the fire; his portion is mercy and your portion shall be a curse. You are aware of the disgrace, curse and the separation from Allaah's mercy that has been inflicted upon me. Adam is the cause of that. So, exert every effort to sway his progeny to join us as companions in this misery. And remember a band of them have already escaped us whose righteous are in Jannah.

Allaah has informed us about our enemy. He has commanded us to stand ready against him when He told Adam that his descendants would be tested with an enemy accompanied by armies and forces that would be given authority over them. Also, in their encounter with this foe, they should be aware that the army of their enemy is reinforced by soldiers and comrades. Know that the battle is waged in this abode during the extent of his life which is, in comparison to the next life, is like the extent of o­ne breath.

Allaah has purchased from the believers as the cost for entering Jannah, their souls and wealth. They fight for the sake of Allaah. They kill and are killed-all for the pleasure of their Lord. Allaah has informed us of this sure promise in the most honorable of books- The Torah, The Injeel and the Quran .He states that He doesn't break any promise. Following this, Allaah orders the servants to rejoice in this bargain. Whosoever wants to know the value of this trade then let him look to who is the purchaser? Let him look at the cost that is paid for   this commodity. And look to He who fulfills this contract.  Is there any success greater than this? Is there  a transaction   more profitable than this? Allaah has guaranteed this   for the believers in....

From "The Illness and the Cure" by Ibn Qayyim.
Published by Germantown Masjid 2007.
Translated by Abu Alim Rasheed Salahuddin and Abu Aaliyah Abdullah bin Dwight Battle

Traps of Iblees

Traps of Iblees

by Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah rahimahullaah

from At-Tafseer Al-Qayyim of Shaikh Ibn Al-Qayyim [Al-Hijra magazine]

It is not possible to encompass one of Iblees' evils, let alone all of them. Since Iblees' evil is of six types, Iblees remains behind the son of Adam until he gets him to do one or more of these six evils.

One

THE FIRST EVIL IS THE EVIL OF KUFR AND SHIRK and enmity to Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) and His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). If he gains this from the son of Adam, his moaning is eased, and he rests from his ordeal with this man. Further, this is the first thing Iblees wants from the worshipper (al-'Abd). If Iblees gains this, he makes this person part of his army, one of his soldiers, and he appoints him as a deputy or agent against other human beings. Then, this person becomes one of the deputies or callers of Iblees.

Two

If he despairs of enticing him with the first evil, and if this person is one of those for whom it was written that he would be a Muslim in his mother's womb, Iblees tries:

the SECOND CLASS OF EVIL. THIS IS BID'AH (innovation). Iblees loves Bid'ah more than debauchery and disobedience because the harm of Bid'ah is in the essence of the religion. Moreover, it is an unrepentable sin and is against the call of the messengers and is a call to a message different from the one conveyed by Ar-Rasool. Bid'ah is a gate to Kufr and Shirk. Therefore, if Iblees gains the performance of Bid'ah from a person and makes him one of the people of Bid'ah, he also becomes one of his agents and a caller of his.

Three

If Iblees fails and is unable to trap Al-'Abd at this class, and if he is one of those who were granted by Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) the gift of As-Sunnah and hatred of the people of Bid'ah and error, he proceeds to:

the THIRD CLASS OF EVIL, which is the class of MAJOR SINS in their various forms.

Iblees is very covetous of letting a person fall into major sin, especially if he is a scholar who is followed. Iblees is covetous of that, so that he may repel people from him and spread his sins and disobedience amongst the people. He uses some people as his agents to spread this person's sins under the false pretense that this will help them to get closer to Allaah. But in fact this person is the deputy of Iblees without knowing it. For those who would like abomination to be spread amongst the believers there is a great torment in this life and in the Hereafter especially if they take charge of spreading about enormities, not out of advice, but by obeying Iblees and being his agent. All this is to repel people from the Scholar and from his benefit.

Furthermore, the sins of this person (scholar), even if they reach the sky, are less to Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) than the sins of those who would like to spread his sins about. The scholar's sins are wrongdoing to himself. If he seeks forgiveness from Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) and repents, Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) will accept his repentance, and He will change his bad deeds to good deeds. However, the sin of those who spread about abominations are doing wrong to the believers by looking for their mistakes and by intending to expose them. Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) is in close observation, and He knows about this ambuscade. Nothing hidden in the chest or soul is hidden to Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala).

Four

If Iblees is unable to snare Al-'Abd at this degree he moves him to:

the FOURTH CLASS, or the MINOR SINS. These sins may ruin a person if they accumulate. That is why Ar-Rasool (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, Be aware of the minor sins, because the simile of the minor sin is like the people who went to a desert. Then he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) mentioned a Hadeeth the meaning of which is that every one of them brought a stick of wood until they had kindled a huge fire (just as the minor sins add up little by little until they become a major sin). The person continues taking the matter of minor sins easily until he considers them inconsequential. Therefore, a person who commits major sins but fears their effect is in a better condition than he is.

Five

If the Al-'Abd has prevented Iblees from trapping him at this level, he moves him to the fifth level:

The FIFTH LEVEL IS TO OCCUPY HIM WITH PERMISSIBLE THINGS that do not gain him reward or punishment. However, the punishment of this level is caused by passing the reward missed by being occupied with these deeds.

Six

If Al-'Abd has kept Iblees from succeeding at this level, and if he is careful about his time, being covetous with it, knows the value of moments, and knows the value of what comes of comfort or torment, Iblees transfers him to the sixth level:

The SIXTH CLASS is to OCCUPY HIM WITH DEEDS OF LESSER REWARD to keep virtue away from him and to prevent him from attaining the reward of the favored deed.

Therefore, he orders him to do a good action with less reward if that includes leaving a better action. Very few people are aware of this. Because if a person feels a strong urge to some kind of obedience, he does not doubt that it is true obedience and that he is getting closer to Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala).. He never thinks that this call is from Iblees because he believes that Iblees never calls one to do good. Therefore, he thinks that this call is from Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala).. Actually he is excused because he never knew that Iblees would call one to seventy doors of good deeds either to get him to one door of evil or to let a better deed than these seventy deeds pass away from him.

This cannot be known except by a light from Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala),, a light he instills in the heart of Al-'Abd. The source of this type of knowledge is following the way of Ar-Rasool (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and taking care of the levels of deeds with Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala),, the deeds of His favored ones, the deeds more pleasing to Him, and those more beneficial to Al-'Abd, and deeds that have more Naseehah (guidance) from Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala),, His Rasool, His Book, and His believing worshipers. No one has this type of knowledge except the inheritors of Ar-Rasool (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), his deputies in the Ummah, and his successors on earth. In addition, most of the creation is screened from this. This call does not come to their hearts. Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) gives His favor to whomever He wills from among His worshippers.

Seven

If Al-'Abd prevents Iblees from trapping him at any of these six levels, and if it becomes difficult for Iblees, he empowers his party of jinn and human beings with different kinds of harm:

IMPUTING DISBELIEF TO HIM, CALLING HIM MISGUIDED AND AN INNOVATOR, WARNING PEOPLE AGAINST HIM, and intending to weaken him and to disturb his heart. Iblees, by using this method, tries to confuse this person's thinking and tries to PREVENT PEOPLE FROM BENEFITING FROM HIM. Therefore Iblees expends his utmost effort to empower the defenders of falsehood, from human beings and from jinn, against him. Then the believer is at war until death. Whenever he gives up, he is hurt or is taken captive. Hence the believer is in Jihad until he meets with Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala)..

Finally, I hope you take note of this chapter and think about its great benefit. Moreover, make this knowledge your balance to weigh people and deeds. This shows you some universal realities and the level of people. Allaah (Subhana wa ta ala) is the one from whom I seek aid, and on Him I depend.

Suffering from the Whispering of Shaytan

Suffering from the whispering of Shaytan

Fatawa Arkanul Islam
Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Uthaymeen (Rahimallah) Pgs. 55-60

Question:

There is a man who suffers from the whisperings of Shaytan. He whispers things to him that are great sins, concerning Allah, the Almighty, the All-Powerful and he is very much afraid of this; what is the advice of your eminence?

Answer:

Regarding what has been mentioned concerning the problem of the questioner, which is that he fears the result of it, I say to him: Rejoice at the good news that there will be no result from it except a good result. This is the whispering by which Shaytan assails the believers in order to upset the sound belief in their hearts and to cause them sprirtual and mental agitation and disturb the serenity of their faith, indeed the serenity of their lives, if they are believers.

He is not the 1st among the people of faith to be confronted by this situation, nor is he the last, for it will continue as long as there is a believer in the world; and this same situation confronted the Sahabahs (radiallahu anhum), for it was reported o­n the authority of Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) that he said:

"Some people from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah came to the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) and said to him, 'Verily we perceive in our minds that which every o­ne of us considers too grave to express'.

He (alayhi salatul wasalam) said: "Do you really perceive it?

"They said: "Yes". Upon this he (alayhi salatul wasalam) remarked:"That is true faith." *

* [(It was reported by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter of Explanation of the (evil) whispering regarding Faith (132)]

In the Two Sahihs , it is also narrated from Abu Hurayrah (radiallahu anhu) that the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"Satan may come to anyone of you and say: 'Who created such and such? Who created such and such?' until he says, 'Who created your Lord?' So, when he inspires such a question, o­ne should seek refuge w/Allah and give up such thoughts." *

* (Reported by Bukhari in the Book of Beginning of Creation, in the Chapter: The description of Iblis and his Legions (3276) and it was reported by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter o­n the Description of the (evil) Whispering regarding Faith (134).

It is reported o­n the authority of Ibn Abbas (radiallahu anhu) that a man came to the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) and said: "Oh, Messenger of Allah! o­ne of us has thoughts of such a nature that he would rather be reduced to charcoal than speak about them." The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:"All praise and thanks be to Allah who has reduced his matter (shaytan's guile) to (evil) whispering." *

*(It was reported by Abu Dawud in the Book of Good Manners, in the Chapter: Regarding the response to (evil) Whispering (5112) and by Imam Ahmed in Al-Musnad (1:340)

Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyah (rahimallah) said in the Book of Faith:
"The believer is put to trial by the whispering of Satan, the whispering of kufr which causes him distress, as the Companions (radiallahu anhum) said: "Oh Messenger of Allah! o­ne of us has thoughts within himself of such a nature that he would rather fall down from the heaven than speak of them." The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"That is true faith"

And in another narration: "he considers it too grave to express." He (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"All praise and thanks are Allah's who has reduced his (shaytan) intrigue to (evil) whispering)"

That is, the occurence of his whispering along with this great hatred for it and repelling it from the heart is a part of true faith, like the warrior in Allah's Cause who met the enemy and fought him until he overcame him, for that is a great Jihad up to his words.

This why the seekers of knowledge and worship are assailed by whispering and uncertainty which do not afflict another, b/c he (the other) does not follow the Law of Allah and His way; rather, he follows his own desires, heedless of the rememberance of his Lord and this is the goal of Shaytan, as opposed to those who turn towards their Lord with knowledge and (acts of ) worship, for he is their enemy and he seeks to prevent them from (worshipping) Allah, the Most High.

So, I say to this questioner: o­nce it is clear to you that this whispering is from Shaytan, then you must struggle and stand against it, know that it will never harm you as long as you undertake the necessary struggle, reject it and cease thinking about it. The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) said:

"Allah has forgiven what is whispered in the hearts of my followers, unless they put it into action or utter it." *

*(Reported by Bukhari in the Book of Manumission, in the Chapter: Error and Forgetfulness in Manumission and Divorce (2528) and by Muslim in the Book of Faith, in the Chapter: Allah has forgiven what is whispered in heart (127)

And if it is said to you:

Do you believe what is whispered to you? And do you think it is the truth? And is it possible to describe Allah, the Most Glorified by it? You would say: It is not for us to speak of this; Glorified are You (Oh Allah), this is a great lie! You would reject it with your heart and by your words; and of the people, you would flee further than any of them from it. Then it is, o­nly whispering and perils displayed to your heart, and a window to polythesim from Shaytan, who courses throughout the human body as blood courses through it, in order to destroy and obscure your deen for you.

This is why you find that Shaytan does not place doubt or rejection about trivial things in your heart, so you hear for example, of the existence of large and important cities filled w/residents and buildings in the east and west and yet doubt their existence never o­nce crossed your mind, nor regarding their faults, such as that their buildings are destroyed or are unfit for habitation or that there are no occupants in them and so o­n. There is no goal for Shaytan in making man kind doubt such things. But Shaytan's important great goal is destroying the faith of the believer, so he strives by his horse, and o­n o­n foot, to extinguish the light of knowledge and guidance in o­ne's heart and to cause him to fall into the darkness of doubt and uncertainty.

The Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) explained the beneficial medicine which contains a cure for this:

"Then let him seek refuge with Allah and cease doing it."

If a person ceases doing that and continues to worship Allah, seeking & desiring that which is with Allah, it will stop troubling him, by Allah's Power. So, avoid all suppositions which pass through your heart o­n this subject and worship Allah, supplicate to Him and glorfiy Him, and if you heard anyone describing Him with what was whispered to him, you would kill him if you could. Therefore, what is whispered is not a fact; rather it is simply thoughts and whisperings which have no basis. Like in the case of someone wearing a clean garment which he has just washed and then he is assailed by thoughts that maybe it is impure, and maybe it is not permissble to pray in it, but he should pay no heed to this.

And my advice may be summarized as follows:

1. Seek protection with Allah and completely stop these suppositions as the Rasool (alayhi salatul wasalam) ordered us to do.

2. Mention Allah, the Most High and restrain yourself from this whisperings.

3. Wholehearted dedication to worship and acting in accordance with the Command of Allah and seeking His Pleasure, for when you give worship your undivided attention with earnestness and striving, you will forget about occupying yourself with this whispering, Inshallah.

4. Seeking refuge with Allah much and asking Him to protect you from this thing.And I ask Allah, the Most High for protection for you and safety from every evil and every destable thing.