Quran Garden

Session 6

I seek refuge in God from Satan the accursed - a continuation

God Almighty gave us the freedom of choice in faith and belief.  He showed us the path of guidance and the path of disobedience and highlighted the consequences of each path.  God, however, limited our freedom of choice to a particular period, which is our life in this world.   When we die, we lose this freedom and face the fruits of our labor.  God says:

Say: "Now the truth has come from your Lord: let those who wish to believe in it do so, and let those who wish to reject it do so." We have prepared a Fire for the wrongdoers that will envelop them from all sides. If they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like molten metal, scalding their faces. What a terrible drink! What a painful resting place! (18:29)

Furthermore, if God had wanted, he could have made all His creation rightly guided, as stated in this verse:

If We will, We can send down a compelling sign on them from heaven, so that they are forced to bow their necks before it in humility. (26:4)

Satan continually attempts to prevent us from making the right choice.  And, in order to protect ourselves from his whispers, it is essential that we learn how he approaches us; as the ancient proverb says, "Know thy enemy and know yourself."  The Quran explained clearly where and how Satan attempts to entice human beings.

Let's start with this verse that highlights the where:

He said, "By Your misguidance of me, I will lie in ambush for them on Your straight path." (7:16)

Satan does not bother with seducing people who are already in sin, therefore he does not go to bars and casinos.  Instead, he targets people in places of righteousness and worship and makes every effort to sway those who are committed to the truth.  Note that Satan did not say, "I will sit waiting for them on the misleading path," since the misleading path naturally leads to him.  He targets those who are on the straight path and lures them towards defiance.

Now let's look at the next verse, as it highlights how Satan approaches us:

"Then I will come at them, from in front of them and behind them, from their right and from their left. You will not find most of them thankful." (7:17)

The four directions of temptation from which Satan approaches people on the right path are "from before them," "from behind them," "from their right," and lastly "from their left."  However, as you are aware, there are six directions and not four.  So what are the two directions from which Satan does not approach? They are "from above" and "from below."  Satan is aware that the upper direction represents the divine superiority, while the lower direction represents human submission and the connection to God at the time of prostration.  Thus, when a person is truly connected to the Creator, Satan has no access to him or her.

Ironically, if you closely examine the advocates of atheism in every era, you will find that they come from the same directions as Satan.  And true believers do not belong to any of these paths.  They are not progressives who call towards immorality and dissolution of values, nor traditionalists who say, "We want to live in the past and follow only what we found our fathers on." They are not leftists who deny religion and advocate disbelief, nor rightists who believe in pure capitalism and the exploitation of people and resources.  True believers are superior, as all their affairs are from God, and they submit to Him alone.  And as long as their way of life is according to God's teachings, they will not have to follow any manmade system or anyone equivalent to them.  This is the way to gain honor and guard ourselves against humiliation and exploitation. God says in the Quran:

They say, "If we returned to the city, the more dignified would exile the most humiliated." And to God is the glory, and to His messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know. (63:8)

On the other hand, if you do not follow God's path, then you have to follow a human-made system.  Keep in mind that every person has desires that he or she wants to be fulfilled, whether to gain fame, status, or material goods.  Therefore when a person, or a group, constructs a social system, the resulting laws are skewed towards self-benefit and the fulfillment of these desires.  More often than not, and despite good intentions, such systems only benefit a group of elites who become indulgent and self-serving.  In contrast, God is the Creator of all things and the source of all good.  He does not need what you and I own or what anyone has to offer.  So when God proposes a way of life and governance, it is not for His own gain or benefit; rather, it is for our own best interest.  God does not need or take anything from us; rather, He continually provides for, honors, and elevates us.    

            Now that you know how and where Satan approaches you, let's look into the best way to guard and protect yourself.  Satan is a creation of God, and so is the believer.  Then it is logical that, in a struggle between two of God's creations, the most powerful and persistent of the two will win.  But, if one of the two happens to be in God's company, then no one can ever overcome him or her.  This is why God wants you to seek refuge in Him so that you can be in His company against Satan.  This principle is also true in the case of a struggle between the believers and the non-believers.  As long as the believers adhere to the truth, the non-believers can never defeat them.  But if they deviate from God's path and follow their own desires, then the disbelievers can overcome them, because the struggle, in this case, will be between two parties detached from God.   On the other hand, if both parties adhere to God, then they certainly would not fight each other in the first place.

Satan is unrelenting in his attempts to deceive humans because he does not want to be the only sinner.  He disobeyed and was expelled from God's mercy: why can't others be sinners like him? And since the reason for his disobedience was not prostrating before Adam, why not take revenge from Adam and his descendants by misleading them? 

Here you may question the fact that both Adam and Satan disobeyed God, so why was it that God expelled Satan from His mercy while He forgave Adam?  The answer lies in the fundamental difference between the two sins.  The sin of Satan had reached the height of disobedience not only because he denied a direct command from God, but also because he went a step further by rejecting the commander.  He said, ''Never will I prostrate nor will I obey You, because I was created from fire while he was created from clay.''  Adam, on the other hand, acknowledged his shortcomings and said, ''God Almighty, Your command is the truth, Your word is the truth, and Your path is the truth, but I was weak and unable to bring myself to carry Your order.  So, God, pardon me my weakness."  Thus, God forgave him and taught him the words and rewards of repentance.