Quran Garden

We are delighted you joined us for the second part of our three-part miniseries. Today, you will learn valuable information about where and how the devils attack you and, most importantly, how to protect yourself and your family. Let's get started.

Session 6

 أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

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 free 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, which will envelop them from all sides. (from 18:29)

Furthermore, if Allah had wanted, he could have made all His creation rightly guided. He says,

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. In order to protect yourself from his whispers, it is essential that you learn how he approaches you; as the ancient proverb says, "Know thy enemy and know yourself." The Quran explains 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; thus, you will not find him in bars or 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 wrong path naturally leads to him. He targets those on the straight path and lures them towards defiance.

Now listen to the following 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)

There are valuable clues in this Aya! 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 know, there are six primary directions, 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 connection to Allah at the time of prostration. Thus, when a person is truly connected to the Creator, Satan has no access to him or her. Listen to Satan's own words in the Quran,

He said, "My Lord, because You have put me in the wrong, I will surely glamorize for them on the earth, and I will surely put them in the wrong, every one of them, except Your sincere servants among them." (15:Verses 39-40)

Ironically, if you closely examine the advocates of atheism in every era, you will find that they come from the same directions as Satan. 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." The believers 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. As long as they live according to God's teachings, they do not need to follow any manmade system. Allah's path is the only one that brings you true honor and shields you from humiliation and exploitation. God says,

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, you would have to follow a human-made system. Remember that every person has desires they want to be fulfilled, whether to gain fame, status, or material goods. Thus, when a person or a group constructs a social system, the resulting laws are skewed towards self-benefit and fulfilling these desires. More often than not, and despite good intentions, manmade 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 anyone has to offer. So when God proposes a way of life and governance, it is not for His own gain or benefit but for our best interest. God does not need or take anything from us; 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 yourself. Satan is a creation of Allah, and so are you, the believer. It is logical that, in a struggle between two of God's creations, the most powerful and persistent will win. But, if one of the two happens to be in God's company, then no one can ever overcome them. This is why God wants you to seek refuge in Him so you can be in His company against Satan.

أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

I seek refuge in God from Satan, the accursed.

The same principle is 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, the disbelievers can overcome them because the struggle, in this case, will be between two parties detached from God. Here, you may ask: What if both parties adhere to God? We answer that such parties 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? Since the reason for his disobedience was not prostrating before Adam, he wants to take revenge on Adam and his descendants by misleading them.

Many people question the fact that both Adam and Satan disobeyed God, so why did Allah expel 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 because not only did he reject a direct command from God, but he also 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. My Lord, pardon my weakness." Thus, God forgave Adam and taught him the words and rewards of repentance.

Did you learn something new today? If so, take a moment to subscribe to QuranGarden, download the QuranGarden App, and share this valuable knowledge with your loved ones. Join us in the next session as we answer the question, Why did God create Satan to begin with? And tell you the heartfelt advice the great-grandson of our beloved Muhammad gave us to manage life's difficulties.