Session 6
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 freedom of choice to a particular period of time 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 that will envelop them from all sides.
If they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like molten metal, scalding their
faces.
What a terrible drink!
What a painful resting place (Chapter 18, Verse 29)
Furthermore, if God had wanted, he could have made all His creation rightly guided as stated
in this verse:
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.
And in order to protect ourselves from his whispers, it is essential that we learn how
he approaches us; as the ancient proverb says (Know thy enemy and know yourself).
The Quran explained 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.
Therefore, he does not go to bars and 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
misleading path naturally leads to him.
He targets those who are on the straight path and lures them towards defiance.
Now let’s look at this next 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)
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 are aware, there are six 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 divine superiority, while the lower direction
represents human submission and connection to God at the time of prostration.
Thus, when a person is truly connected to the creator, Satan has no access to him or
her.
Ironically, if you closely examine the advocates of atheism in every era, you will find that
they come from the same directions as Satan.
And true believers do not belong to any of these paths.
They are not progressives who call towards immorality and dissolution of values.
Nor traditionalist who say ‘we want to live in the past and only follow what we found
our fatherson’.
Nor are they 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 only submit to him.
And as long as their way of life is according to God, they will not have to follow any manmade
system, or anyone who is equivalent to them.
That is the way to gain honor and guard ourselves from humiliation, and exploitation.
God says in the Quran:
They say: "If we returned to the city, the more dignified will 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, then you have to follow a manmade system.
Keep in mind that every person has desires that he or she wants fulfilled, whether to
gain fame, status or material goods.
Therefore, when a person, or a group of people, constructs a social system or a way of life,
the resulting laws are skewed towards self-benefit, and fulfillment of these desires.
More often than not, and despite good intentions, such systems only benefit a group of elites
who become indulgent and self-serving.
In contrast, God is the creator of all things, and he is the source of all good.
He does not need what you and I own or what anyone has to offer.
So when God proposes a way of life and governance, it is not for his own gain or benefit, rather
it is for our own best interest.
God does not need or take anything from us; rather He continually provides for us, honors
and elevates us.
Now that you know how and where Satan approaches you.
Let's look into the best way to guard and protect yourself.
Satan is a creation of God and so is the believer.
It is logical then that in a struggle between two of God’s creations, the most powerful
and persistent of the two will win.
But if one of the two happens to be in God’s company, then no one can ever overcome him
or her.
This is why God wants you to seek refuge in Him so you can be in his company against Satan.
This principle is also true in the case of a struggle between the believers and 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, then the disbelievers
can overcome them, because the struggle, in this case, will be between two parties detached
from God.
On the other hand, if both parties adhere to God then they certainly 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? and since
the reason for his disobedience was not prostrating before Adam......why not take revenge from
the children of Adam and their father by misleading them?
Here you may question the fact that both Adam and Satan disobeyed God, So why was it that
God expelled 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 as he denied a direct command
from God and then went a step further by rejecting the commander.
He said: ''Never will I prostrate nor would I obey you because I have been created from
fire while he has been 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.
So, God, pardon me my weakness".
Thus, God forgave him and taught him the words and rewards of repentance.