Say No to Shaytan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

When shaytan was expelled from Paradise because he refused to prostrate to Adam, shaytan hated and envy humanity. He becomes an enemy to humanity and it is very difficult for him to see human worship Allah and turning to Allah. He whispers to the humans and embellishes to them the disobedience of Allah and try to turn them away from Allah.

قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ ﴿٤٠

Iblîs (Satan)] said: "O my Lord! Because you misled me, I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead them all. (39) "Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them." (40)

[Qur'an Al-Hijr 15:39]

The Qur'an assures us that shaytan has no power over us.

إِنَّ عِبَادِى لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَـٰنٌ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ ٱلْغَاوِينَ ﴿٤٢

"Certainly, you (Iblis) shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who follow you of the Ghâwun (Mushrikûn and those who go astray, criminals, polytheists, and evil-doers) (42) "And surely, Hell is the promised place for them all. (43)

[Qur'an Al-Hijr 15:42-43]

وَمَن يَعْشُ عَن ذِكْرِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ نُقَيِّضْ لَهُۥ شَيْطَـٰنًا فَهُوَ لَهُۥ قَرِينٌ ﴿٣٦﴾ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَيَصُدُّونَهُمْ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُم مُّهْتَدُونَ ﴿٣٧

And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the Most Merciful - We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion. (36) And indeed, the devils avert them from the way [of guidance] while they think that they are [rightly] guided (37)

[Qur'an Az-Zumar 43:36-37]

It is problematic that most people blame the majority of their sins on the shaytan. This makes shaytan puff up even more. The shaytan is not able to affect us unless there is a weakness in our nafs (lower self) and our traveling to Allah. The shaytan, even though its effect of evil is very widespread in the world, it is the weakest obstacle that comes in between a person and Allah.

Allah Almighty says in the Qur'an,

إِنَّ كَيْدَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا ﴿٧٦...

... Indeed, the plot of Satan has ever been weak. (76)

[Qur'an An-Nisa 4:76]

Allah called shaytan's plotting as weak and someone who is weak is only able to overcome someone else who is weak.

The origin of the strength of the shaytan in us or against us is the actually our nafs (lower self). Were it not for the existence of the darkness in the self, the shaytan will not be able to affect us because the shaytan does not take someone by the hand and make them disobey Allah or fall into inappropriateness. Shaytan whispers to them a notion which is thrown into the heart of the human being. If the self is clean and pure with Allah it would not accept this notion. However, with the wretchedness and filth in our self and darkness in our nafs, the whispers of the shaytan affect our actions.

To protect us from the presence of shaytan himself or whispers of shaytan is seeking refuge in Allah. If a person seek refuge in Allah much and seek Allah's protection then the shaytan will shrink away and become like a fly. If a person is sincere and truthful in seeking refuge in Allah from the shaytan, Allah will suffice them from shaytan.

إِذَا قَرَأْتَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّـهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ ﴿٩٨﴾ إِنَّهُۥ لَيْسَ لَهُۥ سُلْطَـٰنٌ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴿٩٩﴾ إِنَّمَا سُلْطَـٰنُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَوَلَّوْنَهُۥ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِهِۦ مُشْرِكُونَ ﴿١٠٠

So when you recite the Qur'an, [first] seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the expelled [from His mercy]. (98) Indeed, there is for him no authority over those who have believed and rely upon their Lord. (99) His authority is only over those who take him as an ally and those who through him associate others with Allah. (100)

[Qur'an An-Nahl 16:98-100]

We seek refuge with Allah from the shaytan from among the jinn and mankind. May Allah purify our hearts, make us steadfast and guide us on the straight path. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam