Quran Garden

Have you ever asked yourself if it's really your fault when you sin, or is the devil to blame?  It's a question we all think about at some point.  Today, we're breaking it down and giving you a simple self-test to figure out who's really behind your bad choices.  Is it you, or is the Shaytan pulling the strings?  Let's find out together!

Session 611

Chapter 4

Verse 38

a continuation

and also for those who spend their wealth to show off to people, who do not believe in Him or the Last Day.  Whoever has Satan as his companion has an evil companion!

(Chapter 4: Verse 38)

This verse addresses a type of spending whose reward Allah nullifies.  A good deed that earns zero reward!  If you give charity to show off, the poor benefit from your money, but you do not.  In other words, your wealth decreases for nothing.

Here, Allah is drawing our attention to the fact that there are obstacles to faith that spoil your deed and stand in the way of earning a reward from Him; these obstacles come in two flavors.  The first type arises from within the human self, in the form of desires and vices that lead you toward sin, tempting you with immediate pleasure while neglecting God's commands.  The second obstacle comes from the devil, Shaytan, a disobedient being from among the Jinn, who, like humans, possesses free will and responsibility.  The devils are embodied in Satan and his followers from the Jinn and every rebellious human.  Listen to the following Aya,

In this way We have appointed as enemies to every Prophet shaytans from both humankind and from the jinn, who inspire each other with delusions by means of specious words –if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so abandon them and all they fabricate– (Chapter 6:Verse 112)

Here is the crucial question: If you find yourself straying from God's path, who is to blame?  Your self or the devil?  This is an important distinction because Allah provides you with different methods to combat the devil and to tame your own desires.  To answer this question and better understand the source of your struggles, you should study the patterns of your behavior. 

Let me clarify.  If you repeatedly struggle with a certain type of sin, it is likely coming from your own self desires.  Each person has a particular weakness that keeps pushing toward a specific sin, such as a love for money, lust after the opposite sex, social status, and so on.  You will find yourself coming back to the same sin over and over, plotting and taking undue risks to satisfy the desire.  For example, someone obsessed with money may check his or her account balance several times a day and justify unethical ways to earn money, such as earning interest, lying to get discounts, or even embezzling at work.  They convince themselves it's just a "small risk" or "everyone does it," disregarding the risks to their reputation and family.  Another man may be completely honest with money, but his self has a weakness for women.  He habitually watches pornography, harasses his female co-workers, or cheats on his wife.  Even when he's aware of the damage his actions can cause, such as putting his marriage in jeopardy or creating tension in the workplace, the temptation continues to overpower his sense of responsibility.    

Satan, however, works differently.  He does not care about or insist on one type of sin.  If you resist one sin, he will quickly shift tactics to tempt you with others.  His aim is not to satisfy a specific desire; he only wants you to be a sinner.  For instance, if you are careful with your prayers, Satan might try to lead you to neglect charity.  If you are honest with money, he will try to tempt you with bad company or slander.  Satan wants you to sin in whatever way possible because he wants to drag as many people with him down to Hellfire. 

So, to determine whether a sin is from your own self desire or from Satan, ask yourself: Is this the same sin I keep struggling with, or do I shift to another sin when the first one becomes hard?  If you persist in the same sin, it's from your own self.  If you quickly move from one sin to another, that's Satan leading you astray.

Satan's enmity, as we know, is eternal.  He refused to prostrate to Adam, claiming to be better than him.  Allah warned Adam about Satan and his clan, who, in turn, conveyed this warning to his descendants.  But when we let our guard down and become careless, we open a door for the devil to enter.  Satan does not target those led astray by their own self desires, as they are already on the wrong path.  Instead, he focuses on the obedient, aiming to corrupt their righteousness.  Listen to the following Aya as it relays to us the words of Satan:

"I will lie in wait for them all on Your straight path." (from 7:16)

Thus, contrary to what you may think, you will not find devils in bars, casinos, or other places of corruption; people who attend such places are enemies of themselves, doing the damage without Satan's help.  Instead, he sits at the door of the mosque, your place of work, or the family table, trying to corrupt and sow division. 

Sadly, the effects of his tactics are evident in some Muslim societies where you find the minority non-Muslim groups in an Islamic country don't engage in harmful acts like burning crops, poisoning animals, or fighting each other.  Such sins are more commonly found among the broader Muslim population.  Why?  Because Satan knows that non-Muslim groups have already reached the peak of sinfulness by associating partners with God or rejecting the Lord altogether; thus, the devil leaves them alone.  However, Muslims, who follow the straight path of guidance, are continually targeted by devils who seek to lead them astray.

This brings us back to the verse.  God says, "those who spend their wealth to show off to people, who do not believe in Him or the Last Day." This Aya refers to individuals who give charity for a good cause, yet their deed is spoiled.  Why?  Because the devil influenced and prodded them to show off, feel pride, and seek people's admiration.  God says, "Whoever has Satan as his companion has an evil companion!"

Now that you've had some time to reflect, we hope you are starting to see things more clearly.  It is all about being aware and taking responsibility for your actions.  Be sure to join us for the next session as we uncover more Quranic treasures.  We would greatly appreciate it if you could leave a positive review for QuranGarden.  Thank you!