Shaitan (Satan) the Cursed One

by Ivanna Imran · Published November 2, 2017 · Updated January 3, 2018

4.8/5 - (17 votes)

Recently, I have been thinking about how we as Muslims can identify and protect ourselves from Shaitan and his whispers. This is the main problem in the world. If people could differentiate between right and wrong the world would be a much better place.

To begin let’s see this ayah in surah Al-Araf,

And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah . Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing. (The Noble Quran 7:200)

Shaitan is a misguider. He is an enemy made of fire. Shaitan has one goal to misguide the righteous believers Of Allah (Swt). For example, imagine this, a flock of sheep are walking into the wolfs trap. When the wolf sees, the smart sheep going away from the trap, the wolf will try to get the sheep back in his trap. Like so shaitan is looking to put people into the trap of his to bring them onto the disbelieving path. When he sees the believer, who is Intelligent enough to walk on the right path he goes and tries to distract them with worldly delusional like figures to lure the believer onto the wrong path. In surah Al Mujadila it says:

Shaitan (Satan) has overtaken them. So, he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah. They are the party of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, it is the party of Shaitan (Satan) that will be the losers!” (The Noble Quran 58:19)

Some of the ways shaitan can deceive us are by whispering to you to do things. This is called Waswasah. Another way he can deceive is by making you jealous, lazy, shy and arrogant. He can also deceive through other people. In a way waswaas or the whispers of shaitan can be a good sign. Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on this hadeeth (narration): “The Prophet’s words, ‘That is a clear sign of faith’ means, the fact that when you get a waswasah and think of it as something terrible, is a clear sign of faith. The fitnah of waswaas either will bring you closer to Allah (swt) or misguide you to the wrong path of shaitan taking you farther from Allah (swt).

There is a story about an Intelligent man who never met shaitan. So he called shaitan. The man asked: May I ask you a Question. Why not was the reply. He then asked, Why didn’t you bow to Adam (as) when you were told? Because you only bow to Allah was his reply. The man then said But Allah is the one that asked you to bow down. Shaitan was left a miserable loser at the end.

Who is shaitan?

Shaitan is a jinn, a creation made of fire. Although many people mistake him as an Angel. Many people may think this from a piece of history listed so far back it comes before our prophet Adam (as) was created. Now you see shaitan used to be called Iblees. He was a very great servant of Allah to the point he was RANKED as great as an Angel. You see he was not an Angel himself but was ranked close to one.

If shaitan was so righteous why is he so bad now?

Now Allah had a great plan, he was going to create a Human being. The first human being. Do you know who that is? That is our First Prophet and messenger, Adam(as). Now when Adam was created, Allah (swt) commanded the Angels and shaitan to bow down to Adam (as). All but one bowed, shaitan.

Wa-ith qulna lilmala-ikatiosjudoo li-adama fasajadoo illa ibleesa abawastakbara wakana mina alkafireen

“….And they prostrated except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah)” (Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah: 34).

He said: “Why should I bow to him he is made of dirt and dust while I am made of fire.” From that day on shaitan became very bad and jealous. He deceived our beloved parents Adam (as) and Hawwa (as) his wife. He had tricked them in paradise into eating from a tree Allah had forbidden the two to eat from.

Did Allah let shaitan misguide the people? Was there any dialogue?

When shaitan was certain he was doomed, he resolved to mislead whoever he could from the slaves of Allah, so that they would be with him in Hell-fire. After Allah gave him the reprieve until the Day of Judgment, he made misleading man as his Number one goal. It says in Surah al Araf verses 16-17

[Satan] said, “Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path.. 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].”

Wont it be shaitans fault for misguiding us? *He started with his waswasah….

It is stated that on the day of judgement when Allah asks shaitan why did you misguide all these people to the hell fire? Shaitan will reply I didn’t misguide them…I just whispered to them and gave them the thought, they chose to listen and proceed.

How do we protect ourselves from him and his fitnah?

By saying audhubillahiminashaitanirajim we can scare of shaitan making him smaller and run away. We also have to follow the proper etiquette and dua in our everyday life. For example, when we enter the washroom we must say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ

bismillaah, allaahumma innee a‛oodhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khabaa’ith.

O Allah, I seek refuge with you from all evil and evil-doers.

Before we eat we should say Bismillah. (In the name of Allah.) The longer version is: Allahomma barik lana fima razaqtana waqina athaban-nar. Bismillah. (Oh Allah! Bless the food You have provided us and save us from the punishment of the hellfire. In the name of Allah.)

These dua will help us to overcome shaitan and for him to not be able to overcome us.

How can we guide people to the truth? Are we allowed to say anything?

it says in surah AL- ‘IMRAN

You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.”

So, therefore due to this ayah it explains to us that we have to set an example for mankind, Including other Muslims. Then it goes on to say that we enjoin what is right, lawful, halal and that we forbid what is wrong, Prohibited, Haram. For example, if a teacher is teaching students, she only teaches right and not wrong because she doesn’t want to misguide her students with wrong information.

Where will we find the truth?

The Quran and Sunnah Is the best place to go. We have the guidelines from the Quran and we have the example from the Sunnah, which is the actions of the prophet Muhammad (saw). Likewise, you may think of him as a living Quran.

Jazakallah Khair for reading.

This lecture is available in audio.