In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
No battle takes place without enemies and weapons. Our enemy is Shaytan and his likes, and the victory belongs to those who are well equipped with not only the best of weapons but also the best of skill and strength. Our weapons are our knowledge, our skill is our faith, and our strength is our courage and determination to succeed in this battle.
إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَٱتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا ۚ إِنَّمَا يَدْعُوا۟ حِزْبَهُۥ لِيَكُونُوا۟ مِنْ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿٦[Qur'an, Fatir 35:6]
Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze. (6)
Allah orders us to treat Shaytan as an enemy. And how we treat an enemy should certainly differ from how we deal with friends. For this reason, favoring what makes Shaytan rejoice and detesting what fills Shaytan with rage is a form of misguidance and foolishness.
When our souls detest whatever brings joy to the Shaytan, and when we love to infuriate him and his allies, the victory is heading our way. When it’s the other way around, only destruction awaits us, both in this world and the next.
Shaytan has many tricks in order that we become his companions in Hell. His goal is to snatch our iman away by the time we die. So, equip yourself and protect your precious iman. Surround yourself with righteous people and stay away from bad company. And know Shaytan's tricks, which may differ for each individual depending on level of his iman.
If we want to distinguish between friends and enemies we need proper and authentic knowledge originating from Qur'an and the Sunnah.
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَآ أَغْوَيْتَنِى لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾ قَالَ هَـٰذَا صِرَٰطٌ عَلَىَّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٤١[Qur'an, Al-Hijr 15:39]
[Iblees] said, "My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all (39) Except, among them, Your chosen servants." (40) [Allah] said, "This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight. (41)
In order to overpower us, Shaytan strives against us while opposing all that we put into the battle. For instance, to deprive us of knowledge he beautifies ignorance; to deprive us of faith, he beautifies disbelief; and to deprive us of our courage and determination, he beautifies cowardice, laziness and hopelessness.
ثُمَّ لَءَاتِيَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ وَعَنْ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ وَعَن شَمَآئِلِهِمْ ۖ وَلَا تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَـٰكِرِينَ ﴿١٧[Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:17]
Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left, and You will not find most of them grateful [to You]." (17)
Shaytan’s most secret yet powerful weapon is to inflict our lives with discontentment until we feel that there is absolutely no contentment to be found anywhere in the whole of this world no matter what we do or where we go. Thus, he beautifies ungratefulness, depression, and hopelessness, putting many on the road to suicide.
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ يَعِدُكُمُ ٱلْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُم بِٱلْفَحْشَآءِ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَعِدُكُم مَّغْفِرَةً مِّنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٢٦٨[Qur'an, Al-Baqarah 2:268]
Satan threatens you with poverty and orders you to commit Fahsha (evil deeds, immorality, illegal sexual intercourse, sins etc.), while Allah promises you forgiveness from Him and bounty. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (268)
There awaits a free one-way ticket straight to Jahannam, reserved in Shaytan’s company, for those who follow his path.
قَالَ ٱخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًا مَّدْحُورًا ۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿١٨[Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:18]
[Allah] said, "Get out of Paradise, reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them - I will surely fill Hell with you, all together." (18)
Strive, struggle and sacrifice
The best and most superior deed in Islam is jihad (striving and struggling against evil) after firm faith in tawheed, and the best jihad is jihad an-nafs— the inner jihad, battling with satanic thoughts, ideas, feelings, and emotions to prepare a sound (clean) heart to meet our Creator, Allah Almighty.
Fighting, striving and struggling against these bright glamorous sparks of the fires of Hell will surely hurt and may require us to bear some painful burns.
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَيَعْلَمَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٤٢[Qur'an, AleImran 3:142]
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while Allah has not yet made evident those of you who fight in His cause and made evident those who are As-Sabirin (the patient one)? (142)
However, when we compare the eternal torment with the slight pain of the heart, the mind, and all the temporary uneasiness we come across day in and day out, no pain would feel too severe to continue our battle to its victory.
وَلَا تَهِنُوا۟ وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا۟ وَأَنتُمُ ٱلْأَعْلَوْنَ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ﴿١٣٩[Qur'an, AleImran 3:139]
So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true) believers.
Many glad tidings about this victory are given to us from Allah Almighty through His speech.
وَنَزَعْنَا مَا فِى صُدُورِهِم مِّنْ غِلٍّ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمُ ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ وَقَالُوا۟ ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى هَدَىٰنَا لِهَـٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِىَ لَوْلَآ أَنْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ ۖ لَقَدْ جَآءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۖ وَنُودُوٓا۟ أَن تِلْكُمُ ٱلْجَنَّةُ أُورِثْتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿٤٣[Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:43]
And We will have removed whatever is within their breasts of resentment, [while] flowing beneath them are rivers. And they will say, "Praise to Allah, who has guided us to this; and we would never have been guided if Allah had not guided us. Certainly the messengers of our Lord had come with the truth." And they will be called, "This is Paradise, which you have been made to inherit for what you used to do." (43)
Don't become disheartened. No matter what temporary trial and uneasiness you face during this battle, remain content and grateful to your Lord. No power is greater than the power of Allah Almighty, so trust Him, seek His help, and rely on Him only. Nothing happens without His will or knowledge. The good that may result from the temporary difficulty you may be in is worthy to strive and struggle for.
May Allah grant us the ability to gain and implement authentic knowledge of His Deen, strengthen our faith, and guide us to be determined to win the battle of our nafs. Ameen.
Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.
And Allah knows best and He alone grants success.
Wassalaam
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