Shaitan is mankind's worst enemy

All praises be to the majestic creator Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)!: He who created man from dry clay and Jinn from smokeless fire and made them invisible to the naked eye and from among them righteous and others astray.

The fact that Shaitan is mankind's worst enemy is revealed in a number of verses (Surah al-Anaam, 142; Surat al-Kahf; 50, Surah Ya Sin, 60). The reason for this emphasis is because the harm which Shaitan seeks to inflict on man is far more of a concern than any other threat to man in this world. Shaitan wishes men to suffer in Hell for all eternity. That is why he is to be considered mankind's greatest foe. This matter is discussed in the following verses:

Mankind! Eat what is good and lawful on the Earth. And do not follow in the footsteps of Shaitan. He truly is an outright enemy to you. (Surat al-Baqara, 168)

… Shaitan is a clear-cut enemy to man. (Surah Yusuf, 5)

The Shaitan, or the devil in English, is a character that has been present with us since the creation of mankind by Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD). The true nature, history and actions of this character have amazed many non-Islamic scholars around the world. For Muslims however, the clear indications given by the Holy Quran and the noble Ahl ul Bait have provided a definite picture.

One, however, may ask about the importance of Shaitan and the relevance of understanding his methods. The answer to this question lies partly in understanding the fact that the Shaitan is our number one enemy in this life, and just like any war, we must know our enemies aims, and strategies. The Holy Quran describes numerous battles en-countered by the Shaitan with our holy prophets.

In the Quran, the world Shaitan or evildoer is used to refer to Iblis, one of the most worshippers of Allah of the Jin. Due to this characteristic, Iblis was at the highest ranking of the Jins. Our philosophers have long indicated however that Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) knew the nature of Iblis before, but wanted to reveal his story of disobedience as a true lesson for all mankind.

This defiance was in show when Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) ordered his angels to bow to Prophet Adam (AS). The only entity to disobey was Iblis, who was then asked by the Almighty for the reason:

"He (Iblis) said: I am better than he: thou hast created me of fire, while him thou dist created of dust." (7:12)

Consequently, the Shaitan, due to this ignorance and pride, was deprived of Allah’s mercy and blessings. From that day, with Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) s permission, the Shaitan set out his plan to be mans number one enemy in this world.

This important event, which signaled the start of a conflict between man and the Shaitan, has been described four times in the holy Quran. This shows the true significance of the event and the early indications of the threat and danger of the Shaitan.

This story of disobedience, as described in the Quran, is followed by the story of the first act of revenge by the Shaitan. Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) had ordered Prophet Adam (AS) and his wife Hawa (Eve) to live in paradise and to eat from it plenteous food, but not to approach a specific tree. But the Shaitan, :pouncing at the first opportunity of revenge, made whisperings to Adam and his wife, assuring them that the tree would them power and prosperity:

"O Adam, shall I guide you to the tree of immortality and a kingdom which decays not?" (20:120)

When the prophet and his wife ate from the tree, Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) banished them from heaven to earth where they asked forgiveness for several years and were granted Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) s mercy. Iblis, on the other hand, having achieved his first evil act, assembled an army of both Jin and humans. These Shaitans implement the desires of Iblis on every single human being through whisperings or miss-guidance.

Imam Jaffer As-Siddiq (ra) said:

"The Shaitans on a believer are greater than the number of flees and insects on a used piece of meat."

Am I possessed?

There are simple ways to know that, but remember don't be paranoid,

if you have some psychiatric diseases or other diseases that modern science can't cure, like seeing things or hearing things or suffering from schizophrenia or epilepsy then you might be possessed; listen to the Quran for an hour or so each day and if you faint or start having nightmares or headaches, then this is a sign that you might be possessed, we recommend that you listen to the following

How to protect/cure?

The first and foremost requirement is to believe firmly that no one, can benefit or harm you except if Allah wills it.

The Quran reminds us repeatedly that a true believer must believe firmly that Allah alone is the One Who can give us benefit or harm in an absolute sense; everything that befalls us from humans or other creatures is only secondary and is achieved only through the power derived from Allah; so the best remedy and cure is to continuously seek protection and refuge in Allah. Satan and all of his tricks and weapons could be defeated and rendered utterly ineffective if Allah wills.

1) Al-Fatiha, read meaning

2) Al-Ikhlas or At-Tawhid, read meaning

3) Al-Falaq, read meaning

4) An-Nas, read meaning

5) Ayat al-Kursi (i.e., Quran, 2:255), read meaning

6) Quran in general

Besides the above, repeat the following supplications on a regular basis both in the morning and evening three times or more:

1) Bismillahe alladhi la yadurru maa ismihi shay'un fi al-ardi WA la fi as-samaa’i wa huwa as-sami`u al-`alim

(In the name of Allah; with His name, nothing whatsoever on earth or heaven can inflict any harm; He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing).

2) Hasbiya Allahu la ilaha illaa huwa `alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa rabbu al-`arshi al-`azhim

(Allah suffices me; there is no god but He; in Him I place my sole trust; He is the Lord of the mighty Throne).

3) Allaahumma inni a`udhu bika min hamazati ash-shay tin WA a`udhu bika rabbi an yahdurun

(O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the whisperings of Satan; my Lord, I seek refuge in You from their presence around me).

4) A`udhu bi `izzati Allahi wa qudratihi mimma ajidu wa uhadhiru

(I seek refuge in Allah's glory and power from the affliction and pain I experience and suffer from).

It is important to remember that supplication will only benefit when it comes from a heart that firmly believes in Allah, and thus cherishes firm conviction in Allah's power and sovereignty.

The desires of Iblis: implemented through his army, is very clear: to use every possible way in distracting humans from the remembrance of Allah and performing His required acts in this life. This can be achieved by several methods, some of which are mentioned in the Quran:

"The Shaitan only desires to cause anger and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer." (5:91)

The general aims and entrances of the Shaitans are through life matters such as alcohol and money.

Firstly we have the Jin Shaitans, who with their whisperings encourage humans to perform Munkar, and to concentrate all efforts on enjoying this life and forgetting about the hereafter. The Human Shaitans, on which our philosophers have placed special emphasis on, are said to play a vital role as well. However importantly, emphasis is placed on the issue that we have control over our own aims and actions, and so we must try to defend ourselves from the temptations and whisperings of the Shaitan. The methods are many, but here are some important actions to take. Firstly, we must mention and remember Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) at all times and seek His protection from the Shaitan, as mentioned in the following ayah:

"And if an interference of the Shaitan should cause you mischief, seek refuge in Allah; surely He is the Hearing, the knowing."(41:36)

Secondly, prayers and recitation of the Holy Quran is a strong weapon against the Shaitan. One of the well known characteristics of the Shaitan is whisperings and distractions during prayer and recitation of the Quran, and so one must take extra pre-caution and ask for the protection of Allah during every prayer and acts of worship.

Thirdly is prevention from areas where the Shaitan would be strong and would be more influential. These situations include entering into arguments and non-beneficial discussions with others. Increasing our Iman and belief in Allah Ta’aala and our knowledge in Islam is also much recommended, as is donations to the needy and the poor?

Our Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) has said that:

"Charitable donations: breaks the Shaitans back, good acts stop his entrance, and Istighfar breaks his head."

If in the event of a believer falling into the trap of the Shaitan, the believer must remember to perform Istighfar and Tasbih, asking for the forgiveness and blessings of the Almighty Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).

            As Allah says in the Quran: -

“And so we have appointed for every Prophet (Alayhim us Salaam) Peace be upon them. enemies Shaitan (devils) among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speeches as a delusion (or by way of deception) If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it; so leave them alone with their fabrications.”(C 06: V112)

There is no denying of the fact that there exists an unseen world beyond this material world possessing its own properties and no doubt belief in the existence of the unseen is a momentous integral of Muslims beliefs, the pinnacle to which solely believes in the creator and sustainer Allah. However, many dangers maybe faced along their voyage to discover and disclose, which must be combated and confronted with the spiritual strength of pure Tawhid only holding firm to that which has come from the lord of the worlds.

 

Jinn are also a part of Allah’s creation, separate from mankind and angels, sharing with man certain qualities such as: intelligence, discrimination, freedom and the power to choose between good and bad, true and false, right and wrong. They are distinct in certain essentials the most important of which is their origin since the basic substance of jinn’s is not the same as the basic substance of man.

There are empirical proofs of the existence of the Jinn in the Qur’an and Hadith.

As Allah has stated in the Quran: -

“I have only created jinn and man that they may serve me.” (C 51: V 56)

“And the jinn He created from, a smokeless flame of fire.” (C 55: V 15)

 “And indeed: We created man from dried (sounding) clay and altered mud. And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.”(C15: V 26-27)

“Say: it has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened” (C 72: V 01)

“Say: If the mankind and the jinn gathered to produce the like of this Quran, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.” (C 17: V 88)

“And (remember) when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves unto Adam (Alayhim us Salaam) Peace be upon them...” So they prostrated themselves except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the Jinn; he disobeyed the command of his Lord. (C 18: V 50)

Muslim relates the hadith from Jabber Radiyallaahu Anhu that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) Peace and salutations be upon Him. Said, ‘Shaitan is present in all you do. He is even present when you eat. When you drop a morsel, he takes it. One should clean it off and eat it and not leave it for Shaitan. When you finish you should lick your fingers. No-one knows in which part of his food the blessing lays.’

THE THINGS WHICH SHAYTAN FLEES FROM

One of the ways of avoiding falling into riya' is to know the things which Shaitan flees from:

 When you say! La ilaha illallaah - wahdahu laa shareeka lahu - lahul-mulku WA lahul-hamdu - WA huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadeer. [There is none worthy of worship except Allah alone. He has no partners. To Him belongs the Dominion, to Him belongs all praise and He is capable over all things] a hundred times a day.

 Al Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) that Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) mentioned the above words and then said: "He will receive the reward of setting free ten slaves, a hundred good deeds will be written for him and a hundred bad deeds will be erased from him. It will be a sanctuary from Shaitan for him on that day until he reaches the evening. No one will come with something better except one who increases beyond that".

Recitation: of Ayat ul-Kursi when you go to bed.

Abu Hurayrah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) reported that the Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam put him in charge of guarding the Zakat of Ramadan and someone would come and take handfuls from the Zakat for two nights in succession. On the third night, he (Abu Hurayrah Radiyallaahu Anhu) grabbed him and said: "I will take you to Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam)". He (the thief) said: "Leave me alone and I will teach you some words by which Allah will benefit you". He then said, "When you depart to go to your bed recite ayat ul-Kursi until you complete it. There will never cease to be from Allah a guardian to protect you and Shaitan will not approach you until you wake up". When he explained this to Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam, he said, "He has told you the truth although he is a great liar". (Al-Bukhari).

When you spit (dry spit) on your left three times and seek refuge in Allah from the evil of what you see in a dream.

Abu Salamah bin 'Abdur-Rahman said: "I heard Abu Qutaadah ibn Rab’iyy Radiyallaahu Anhu say: "I heard Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) say, "The good dream is from Allah and the bad dream is from Shaitan. When one of you sees what he dislikes, let him spit on his left three times when he awakens and let him seek refuge in Allah from its evil and then it will not harm him"". Abu Salamah said, "I used to see in my dream that which would-be more burdensome to me than a mountain and when I heard this hadith I considered it as nothing." In another narration he said, "I used to see in my dream which would make me concerned until I heard Abu Qutaadah say: "I used to have dreams which would make me ill until I heard Allah’s Messenger (saw) say, "The righteous dream is from Allah. If one of you sees what he loves then let him not inform anyone about it except one whom he loves. And if he sees what he dislikes, let him not inform anyone about it. Let him spit on his left three times and let him seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan, the accursed from the evil of what he saw and it will not harm him.” This happened to one of the companions of the prophet (sahabas) whose name is Uthman Bin Abi Al-Aas, (may Allah be pleased with him), so he came complaining to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he said: "The Shaitan comes between me and my Salat and causes me problems with my recitation." So the Messenger of Allah, (peace be upon him), said: "That is a Shaitan called Khinzab, so if you feel his presence, seek refuge in Allah and blow a mist to your left three times." He said: "I applied this advice and Allah has rid me off him."1 This hadith includes two ways to get rid off the Shaitan of Salat. The first is asking refuge in Allah from the shaitans evil by pronouncing the words of seeking refuge and this is OK in this case. And the second: blowing with mist to the left three times. This is basically blowing air in a similar manner to spitting, but with a minute mist of saliva, on the condition that this does not disturb or bother the person next to him, nor make the masjid dirty. (Sahih Muslim 2203).

 Upon saying, when leaving the house "Bismillah tawakkaltu 'ala Allah, la hawla wa la quwwata illaa billah" [In the Name of Allah, I place my trust upon Allah; There is neither power nor movement except by Allah].

Anas (Radiyallaahu Anhu) reports that Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "Whoever says (when he leaves his house): "In the Name of Allah, I place my trust upon Allah, There is neither power nor movement except by Allah" it is said to him: "You have been sufficed, you have been protected and you have been guided". Then one of the devils turns to another and says, "How can you get to a man who has been sufficed, protected and guided". (Abu Dawud).

Umm Salamah (Radiyallaahu Anha) said, "Allah’s Messenger (saw) never left my house except that he raised his sight to the sky and said, "Allahumma innee a’udhu bika an Aadil aw Udall, aw azil aw uzal, aw azlima aw uslam, aw ajhal aw yujhal 'aleeyy (O Allah I seek refuge in you from leading others astray and being led astray, from causing others to slip and being made to slip, from oppressing others or being oppressed and from making others ignorant, and being kept ignorant."" (Abu Dawood)

 Remembering Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) the Sublime and Exalted: when entering the house and before eating.

Jabber (Radiyallaahu Anhu) said: "I heard the Prophet (saw) say: "When a man enters his house and remembers Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)   the Exalted upon entering and before eating, Shaitan says: "There is no place for you to spend the night and there is no supper for you." When he enters the house and does not remember Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), Shaitan says: "You have found a place to spend the night" and when he does not remember Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)   upon eating his food, Shaitan says: "You have found a place to stay and some supper"". (Muslim).

Saying "A’udhu bilLahil-'adheem wa bi wajhil-kareemi wa bi sultaanihil-qadeemi min ash-Shaytaani-rajeem" [I seek refuge with Allah the Mighty, with His Noble Face and with His Eternal Authority from Shaitan, the Accursed] when entering the mosque.

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (Radiyallaahu Anhu) said, "When the Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam used to enter the mosque he would say, "I seek refuge with Allah the Mighty, with His Noble Face and with His Eternal Authority from Shaitan, the Accursed". He then said, "When (a man) says this, Shaitan says: "He has been protected from me for the whole day"". (Abu Dawud).

 Upon pronouncing the adhan:

This is due to what has been reported from Abu Hurayrah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) that Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "When the call to prayer is made, Shaitan flees on his heels and passes wind with noise during his flight so that he does not hear the adhan. When the adhan is completed he comes back. When the Iqamah is pronounced he takes to his heels again until it is completed. Then he returns again and whispers into the heart of the person and says to him: "Remember this and remember that". So the person remembers those things which were not in his mind before the prayer began and as a result, he forgets how much he has prayed". (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Pronouncing the adhan can be done at any time to repel Shaitan. This is due to what has been reported by Muslim from Abu Saheel bin Abu Saleh who said: "My father sent me to Bani Harith and there was a young boy with me. Someone called him by his name from a wall, so he went to have a look at the wall but did not see anything. I mentioned that to my father and he said: "If I had known that you would encounter this I would not have sent you. However, when you hear a voice then make the call for prayer since I heard Abu Hurayrah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) saying the Prophet (saw) said, "When the call for prayer is made, Shaitan flees".

 When seeking refuge in Allah due to the Exalted's saying: "And when an incitement to evil comes to you from Shaitan, seek refuge in Allah. He is the All Hearing, the All Knowing". (41:36)

. When you say "A’udhu billah minka, al'anuka bi l'anatillaah" [I seek refuge in Allah from you, I curse you with the curse of Allah] three times during the prayer.

Abu Darda' (Radiyallaahu Anhu) reports that "Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam stood for prayer and we heard him saying, "I seek refuge in Allah from you". Then he said, "I curse you with the curse of Allah" three times. At the same time, he was stretching out his hand, trying to grab hold of something. When he finished his prayer we said to him: "O Messenger of Allah! We heard you say something in the prayer which we have never heard from you before and we saw you stretching out your hand". He said, "That was the enemy of Allah, Iblis. He came with a flame of fire and tried to throw it in my face. I said, "I seek refuge in Allah from you" three times and then (I said), "I curse you with the curse of Allah" three times and he did not hesitate. Then I desired to capture him. By Allah! If it had not been for the supplication of our brother (the Prophet) Suleiman, he would have been tied up and the children of Madinah would have played about with him"". (Muslim).

In another hadith from 'Uthman bin Abu-Aas (Radiyallaahu Anhu) who said, "I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Shaitan comes in between me and my prayer and my recitation, confusing me." He said, "That is a Shaitan called Khinzab. When you feel his presence, seek refuge in Allah from him and spit on your left three times." I did as he said and Allah took that (distraction) away from me." (Muslim)

 When the servant finds something in his soul that concerns him and says "Huwal-’Awwalu wal-Aakhirat wadh-Dhaahiru wal-batinu wa huwa bi kulli shay'in 'Aleem" {He is the First and the Last, the Outermost and the Innermost, and He has Knowledge of every single thing.]

Abu Zameel (Radiyallaahu Anhu) said, "I said to Ibn 'Abbas (Radiyallaahu Anhu), "What is this thing which I find in my soul?": – (meaning doubt). He said, "When you find something like that in your soul, then say, "He (Allah) is the First and the Last, the Outermost and the Innermost and He has knowledge of every single thing."" (Abu Dawood).

When a calamity befalls you and you say "Qadr Allahu WA masha' Allaahu fa’ ala" {Allah has decreed (this) and He does whatever He wills].

Abu Hurayrah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) reports that Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "The strong believer is more loved by Allah than the weak believer, but in both there is good. Be zealous for what will benefit you. Seek help from Allah the Mighty and Majestic and do not become incapacitated. If something afflicts you, do not say: "If only I had done such and such" but say, "Allah has decreed (this) and He does whatever He wills". Indeed saying "if...” opens up the doorway of Shaitans handiwork." (Muslim)

. When you say: "Bismillah, Allahumma janibna ash-Shaitan wa janibish-Shaytaana maa razaqtna" {in the Name of Allah, O Allah! Make us distant from Shaitan and make Shaitan distant from what you bestow upon us". Ibn 'Abbas (Radiyallaahu Anhu) reports that the Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "If one of you says, when approaching his wife (for intercourse): "In the Name of Allah. O Allah! Make us distant from Shaitan and make Shaitan distant from what you bestow upon us" and offspring is decreed for you, Shaitan will never be able to harm it (i.e. the offspring)". (Al-Bukhari, Muslim).

When you say in a state of anger "A’udhu billaahi min ash-Shaitan ir-Rajeem" (I seek refuge with Allah from Shaitan the Accursed).

Suleiman bin Sad (Radiyallaahu Anhu) said, "I was sitting with Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam and two men were abusing each other.

The face of one of them had become red (out of anger) and his veins had become inflated. Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "I know a word which, if he was to say, his anger would leave him. If he said: "I seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan the Accursed", his anger would leave him"" (al-Bukhari, Muslim).

 Upon saying "bismillah" [in the Name of Allah]

Abu- Maleeh (ra) reports that a man said, "I was behind the Messenger (saw) and his riding animal stumbled. I said, "May Shaitan perishes", and he said, "Do not say, "May Shaitan perishes". If you say that he will grow in size until he becomes the size of a house and says, "By my strength". Instead say, "In the Name of Allah". When you say that, he reduces in size until he is like a fly.”

When you supplicate,: for blessings for something which wins your admiration.

Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, "When one of you sees something in his self or in his possessions which amazes him (or wins his admiration) he should invoke blessings upon it as the (evil) eye is indeed true and real".

   When you recite:, M’uwadhdhataan [Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas].

Abu Sa'eed (Radiyallaahu Anhu) said, "Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)’s Messenger (saw) used to seek refuge from the jinn and from the effects of the (evil) of men until the M’uwadhdhataan were revealed. When they were revealed he clung to them and abandoned what was besides them." (Ibn Majah).

   Verse of prostration

Allah’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "When you read a verse of prostration then prostrate, Shaitan departs crying and says: "Woe be to him.

 He was ordered with prostration and he prostrated - so for him is Paradise.

 I was ordered with prostration and I refused - so for me is the Fire." (Muslim, Ahmad and Ibn Majah).

   When you recite Surah al-Baqarah.:

Abu Hurayrah (Radiyallaahu Anhu) reports that Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)’s Messenger Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, "Do not turn your houses into graves. Indeed Shaitan flees from a house in which Surah al-Baqarah is recited." (Muslim).

 When reciting the Qur’an.:

The Messenger of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam) went out one night and passed by Abu Bakr (Radiyallaahu Anhu) who was praying with a lowered voice. Then he passed by 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (Radiyallaahu Anhu) who was praying with a raised voice When they came together with the Prophet (saw), he said, "O Abu Bakr ( Radiyallaahu Anhu)! I passed by you while you were praying with a lowered voice." Abu Bakr (Radiyallaahu Anhu) said, "I made the one with whom I was conversing with (i.e. Allah) hear it, O Messenger of Allah." He then said to 'Umar (Radiyallaahu Anhu), "I passed by you while you were praying with a raised voice". 'Umar (Radiyallaahu Anhu) said, "O Messenger of Allah! I was inciting those who were asleep and driving away the Shaitan." The Prophet (saw) then said, "O Abu Bakr! Raise your voice somewhat" and he said to 'Umar, "lower your voice somewhat". (Abu Dawood).

 Narrated Ibn 'Umar Radiyallaahu Anhu: The Prophet said, "If the people knew what I know about traveling alone, then nobody would travel alone at night. ("Sahih Al-Bukhari 4.242,)

WHEN YOU DISOBEY SHAITAN

It is reported that 'Abdullah bin Masood forbade his wife to utter such jahili incantations. She told him, "I went out one day and saw such and such person.

One of my eyes then began to water (meaning that it was the effect of his evil eye and envy).

But when I recited an incantation it stopped watering, and when I left off reciting it, the eye started watering again." Ibn Masood said, "That is Satan. When you obey him he leaves you alone, but when you disobey him he stabs your eye with his finger.

 But if you do as the Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam did, it will be better for you and will most probably cure your eye. Bathe your eye with water and say, remove the hurt, O Lord of mankind. Heal me; Thou art the Healer. There is no cure except Thy cure which leaves behind no disease.” (Ibn Majah).

Know your inner self, check it out. His Power Is Only Sufficient to Tempt

Satan has no power to compel human beings. All he is able to do is impart insinuations. It is the individual himself who chooses to obey or not. In other words, when one is guilty of doing something wrong, he cannot blame Satan. What is to be condemned is the decision to comply with his insinuations. Satan will make this fact evident to the unbelievers in the Hereafter, who would seek to blame him for their short-comings.

… I had no authority over you, except that I called you and you responded to me. Do not, therefore, blame me but blame yourselves… (Surah Ibrahim, 22)

Self-conceit is the heritage of Satan.

Satan is your enemy so treat him as an enemy. He

Summons his followers that they will be among the people of the Searing Blaze.

(Surah Fatir, 6)

Whoever you may be, there is an enemy, who is a devoted threat to you,

Who: wishes for you eternal torment, having dedicated his whole existence to that end.

That enemy is Satan.

That is, Satan whom Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) cursed and expelled from His presence.

He is your greatest foe. Nor is he a mere myth or legend, but a real being.

He has been in existence throughout human history.

Millions who lived and died have succumbed to his wiles and been thrown into the flames, and continue to do so.

He makes no distinctions among his victims: young or old, male or female, a head of state or beggar...

 He is against all human beings.

He is watching from afar and hatching his plots, even as you are reading this text.

He has but one desire: to lure you, and as many people as possible, to Hell.

For him to succeed in his aim, it is not necessary that he succeed in tempting people to worship him,

Or get them to engage in outrageous acts of perversions.

Neither does he necessarily wish to lead people to deny Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).

He himself has not done so.

His only wish is to keep human beings away from the truth of the religion of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD),

As espoused in the Qur'an; to prevent them from worshipping Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) sincerely;

 And, as a result, to ensure they will ultimately have been doomed to eternal torment.

Even, at times, by employing the guise of piety, he will make reference to the name of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), that he may lead people astray from the truth of the religion.

That ruse alone is sufficient for him to drag people with him into the pit of Hell.

And, no matter what means he employs that is the inevitable end for those who choose to follow him:

It is written of him that if anyone takes him as a confidant, he will mislead him and guide him to the punishment of the Searing Blaze. (Surat al-Hajj, 4)

Do not neglect Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) even for a moment. Neglecting the source of power leads mankind to perdition.

Despair is of the army of Satan and hopefulness is that of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD). Be always hopeful.

A believer should try and know about Shaitan and its activities because he has sworn before ALMIGHTY Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)   that he is going to deceive this ummah except a few. May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) protect us from him, Amin?

Allah, the Almighty, has said:

O Son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins as great as the earth, and were you then to face Me ascribing no partners to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it.

It should not be forgotten that we, being human beings are prone to committing sins.

Sinless are nobody in the universe

Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) Most High says in Noble Qur'an, "Ask your Lord for forgiveness and then turn in repentance to Him..." (11:3)

Also Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) Most High says in Noble Qur'an, "O you who believe! Turn (in repentance) to Allah with sincere repentance; Perhaps your Lord will remove your evil from you... “(66:8)

Tawba, (Tauba, Tobah) (repentance) is the regret and sadness which arise in the heart when remembering a sin. For the validity of the Tawba, (Tauba, Tobah) shunning the sin, firmly resolving to abstain from it in future and controlling the nafs when it urges for the sin, are necessary.

May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) help us to do that which He loves and which pleases Him?

And Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) knows best.

May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) make our efforts sincere and keep us all on the straight path...........

Feel free to Share the information here with everyone you know,

Righteousness is good morality and sin is that which causes discomfort

In Islam, a sin is defined as any act which contradicts the commandments or Will of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) (the One God, the Creator).
Some sins are regarded as major, while others are considered minor. What are the differences between the two?
Major Sins in Islam

Some scholars assert that there are seven major sins, based on the following narration (hadith) by the Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam):
"Avoid the seven noxious things: associating anything with Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), magic, killing one whom Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) has declared inviolate without a just case,
Consuming the property of an orphan, devouring usury, turning back when the army advances,
And slandering chaste women who are believers but indiscreet." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Other scholars cite evidence that Islam's major sins are actually much greater in number.
These religious scholars define major sins as acts which are expressly forbidden in the Qur'an or by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),
Or for which there is a haad punishment under Islamic law. A haad punishment is a punishment specified by Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) in the Qur'an.

Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said: "Should I not inform you of that which I fear for you even more than the dangers of Dajjal?
 It is the hidden shirk: A person stands to pray and he beautifies his prayer because he sees the people looking at him".
Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
“Righteousness is good morality and sin is that which causes discomfort (or pinches) within your soul
And which you dislike people to become informed of.” [Sahih Muslim]

Sin is that aspect in a Muslim’s life in which he or she makes effort to abstain from at all costs.
Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) warns all of mankind that everything mankind does in this world will be put before us on Yawmil -Qiyamah (The Day of Resurrection) in Surah al-Zilzal:

“And he who does an atom’s weight of good will see it. And he who does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” [Holy Qur’an, 99:7-8]

Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) also warns mankind that the one whose bad deeds (sins) are heavy will be in Hell, as can be found in Surah al-Qari’ah.
A Muslim’s strife is to live the life of a believer and separate from the likeness of the sinner, as Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) differentiates the Mu_min (believer) from the fasiq (sinner) in Surah As-Sajadah:

“Is he who is a believer like unto him who is a sinner? They are not alike!
 For those who believe and do righteous works, for them are Gardens of Retreat, a welcome (in reward) for what works they did.
And as for those who do evil, their abode is the Fire. Whenever they wish to leave, they will be forced back into it, and it will be said to them:
Taste the torment of the Fire which you used to reject.” [Holy Qur’an, 32:18-20]

It is clear that one must steer away from sin and do righteous acts.
However uncertainty arises in the mind when referring to the subject of sin such as;

1.) The difference between a sin and a mistake,

2.) Shaitans (Satan) role in the commission of a sin,

3.) If one becomes removed from Islam due to committing a sin, and

4.) The major sins.

The purpose of this essay is to provide concise answers to such inquiries, InshaAllah.

Question: What is the difference between sin and mistakes? What role does Shaitan, the accursed one, play in sin?

Fault means any action that takes place unintentionally and sin is with intention.

For example, Shaitan put such ideas into the heart of Hazrat Adam (a.s.) to approach the tree. Adam did it and as a result,
Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) sent him to the earth. Similarly, Hazrat Yunus (Jonah) committed a fault and he adopted that way prohibited to him according to the instruction of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).
Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) says in the Holy Qur’an that it was Shaitan, who put the idea into Hazrat Adam and Hazrat Yunus (a.s.),
So there is no doubt that Shaitan can put these ideas into the hearts of the Nabiyyan to divert their attention from the right way.
 But the mistakes they commit are only according to the Hikma of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).
These mistakes are below the standards of the Nabiyyan, so we can not point it out that they took place according to the Order of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).
 We must say Shaitan is responsible. All the good things take place from the Kindness of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) while all of the bad things are due to Shaitan.
The awliyâ are not free from this “was-was” (evil whispers), but if this was-was happens to any Wali,
As soon as he realizes it, he busies himself in Tawba (repentance).
But on the other hand, the common people, when they commit a sin, they do not realize it and they do not feel guilty about it.

Sins are of three types:

   1. against Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).

   2. against brotherhood.

   3. against humanity.

In Hadith, Hazrat Anas (Radiyallaahu Anhu.) narrated that Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said Shaitan travels through the body like blood.

Explanation by Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim: Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) gave full power to Shaitan to put evil ideas into the hearts of men.
 If a man does not act upon these ideas, he has passed the worldly examination and will get a high place in Jannah (Heaven).
 When we say that the Shaitan travels through the body like blood, it means not physically but according to his evil ideas or thinking there are things that travel like the human blood.

In Hadith Hazrat Imam Abu Hanifa (r.a.) related that the Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said:

“The “was-was” that enters the hearts of my ummah Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) has forgiven, as long as they don’t act upon or voice it.” [Imam Al-Bukhari and Imam Muslim]

Tafseer (Commentary): Was-was the bad intention that enters one’s heart. And those good intentions that enter one’s heart are called ilham.
The ilham won’t be accepted unless it is accordance with the Holy Qur’an and Hadith.
 Bad thoughts by a person that is not related to Aqidah (belief), and doesn’t act on them, for him is (forgiveness).
If vice versa is related to kufr (disbelief), then it will be kufr. And if related to dhal (straying away), then it will be dhalleen.
For both of these situations, Tawba is fard (obligatory). If this intention is related to any actions and not Aqidah (belief),
And he keeps this intention in his heart, and then he is a sinner.


Does the commission of sin remove one from Islam?

Hazrat Anas bin MalikR.A. relates Rasulullah said that three things form the foundation of Al-Islam.

    Whosoever says Laa ilaaha illallaah, Muhammadur-Rasulullah (There is none worthy of worship, but Allah, Muhammad is His Messenger),

Do not take him out of Al-Islam because he committed a sin.

    From the time I was sent as Nabi, Jihad will continue until the last person of this ummah wages war against the Dajjal, and
   The rule of a tyrant and the justice of a just ruler can not abrogate this.

        What other kinds of sin are there, and how are they forgiven?
                           Kabirat is that which Shari`ah has strictly forbidden.
                            And the punishment for that in this dunya is haad or ta’zirat or the punishment will come in Akheel.
                            Kabirat pertains to that which is not forgiven, until a person makes Tawba (repentance). Gumara sajira or its called tharaba sajira is forgiven                          through practicing of good deeds. If one commits tharaba sajira continuously, it becomes tharaba kabira.


                 There are four kinds of tharuba (sins).

    Sin: which will not be forgiven without tawba? Commission of this sin is like a Kafir.
    That sin: which has a possibility of being forgiven by tawba or by good deeds? These are tharaba sagina.
    Those sins for which Tawba is necessary, but, if Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) wills, he can forgive without Tawba.
    This is tharaba kabiran, but it is tharab that transgress the rights of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).
    The tharab kabiran, which are connected to the rights of the society,
For forgiveness, it is necessary to make Tawba and then restore the rights to that person and ask his forgiveness,
And on conditions that he forgives you. This does not pertain exclusively to wealth.
 If one does not ask for forgiveness and is not forgiven, then on Yawmil- Qiyamah,
The one whose rights have been transgressed will be given the good deeds of the transgressor as much as he pleases in accordance with justice.
Or else the sins of the oppressed will be given to the transgressor according to justice.
Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) may, of His own will, make the oppressed happy and show Mercy to the dhalimeen (oppressor).

Hadith: Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas’ud Radiyallaahu Anhu narrates that a person asked Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam

“Ya Rasulullah: according to Allah, which is the greatest sin?”

Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam answered, “To associate partners with Allah (known as shirk), while He has created you.”

Then he was asked, “Which is the biggest sin after that?”

And he Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said, “To kill your offspring because he will eat with you.”

Then he was asked “Which is the greatest after that,”

And he said, “To make zina (fornication) with your neighbor’s wife.”

As can be seen from the evidence provided, sin is a very major issue in the life of a Muslim.
   A Muslim strives to gain the pleasure of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) and abstains from that which incurs the wrath of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD).
   A Muslim begs Allah for His Guidance each and every time he or she performs Salat (the ritual form of prayer a Muslim is commanded to perform five times a day),
   By reciting the last three ayahs of Surah al-Fatiha (the opening Surah of the Holy Qur’an):

“(We beg of you to) Guide us in the Straight Path. The path of those whom you have favored.
Not of those who have earned your anger, and nor of those who have gone astray.”

Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) shows the Muslim the prayer for seeking His Guidance and avoiding His Wrath.
The Mu_min is one who fully adheres to the Shari`ah and earns the Pleasure of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), thus steering away from sin at all costs. Al-Gawth Al-A’zam Sheikh Muhyuddin ‘Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani (r.a.) has given many discourses on securing this path, and in Futhu Al-Ghaib (The Revelations of the Unseen), he states in the very first discourse:

Three things are indispensable for a believer in all conditions of life:

    Should keep the Commandments of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD);
   Should abstain from the haram (forbidden); and should be pleased with the decree of Providence.

Thus the least that is expected of a believer is that he should be without these three things.
So it is meant that he should make up his mind for this and talk to himself about this and keep his organs engaged in this.

In conclusion, one sees that there exists a distinct difference between sin and mistakes.
One should distinguish between the two and be aware of what his or her niyah (intention) is before proceeding with an action.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam.);
“Actions are but by intentions and every man will have but that which he intended.”
It is best that one proceeds with the intention of pleasing Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), and doing an action for Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)’s sake.
Major sins are those sins in which a Muslim would never imagine of doing under any circumstances,
But if committed, Tawba would be performed immediately.
One’s sins do not remove him or her from Islam unless he or she commits an act of Kafir, unless their belief removes one from Islam.

Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) says: “If I were to punish everyone for their sins, then NOTHING would remain in existence.”

The worst sin anyone could ever commit is to ascribe partners with Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), and this is known as shirk.

The evil which man does is either by his nafs (the unruly self which causes man to act irreligiously and cause his own harm) or Shaitan. Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) is not happy with evil or bad deeds, and good deeds make Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) happy. And good is done by the help of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), but Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) only helps who desires good and puts forth effort. May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) guide us all and forgive the sins of the past and the present and protect us from future sins. Ameen!

Please make sincere repentance to Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) before as Ali Radiyallaahu Anhu said,
       "Today is deed without reckoning and tomorrow is reckoning without deeds". Sincere repentance has four conditions:
     Feeling bad for the sin
             Firm commitment in intention not to repeat sin (whether it happens again is not a condition if one tried his best)
             Make repentance to Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) by Dua’s and asking or better crying for forgiveness
             If some person has been wronged because of this sin then one needs to make up to this person.

     The Noble Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasallam said: "There are four signs of one who is repentant:
                    (1) He is sincere to Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) in his actions
                    (2) He shuns falsehood
                    (3) He is firmly attached to truth
                    (4) He is eager to do good for others.”

May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) help us to do that which He loves and which pleases Him?
And Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) knows best.
May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) make our efforts sincere and keep us all on the straight path...........

Feel free to Share the information here with everyone you know,
And earn Sawab-e-Jariya...May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) make it a source of Sawab-e-Jariya for u and me .Ameen

P.S.: "Have fun praying don’t forget to make dua for me."

Life after death: Barzakh.

Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) takes men's souls at the time of their death, and the soul which does not die, He takes in sleep. Then He keeps the soul that is destined to die at that time and returns the others to life for a set period.' (39:42)

"IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST BENEFICENT THE MOST MERCIFUL"
All Praise belongs to Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), the Lord of the Universe, the Master of this world and of the Day of Judgment.
Peace and blessings be on the Prophet of Islam and on his Progeny who warned us that love of this world is a dangerous affliction and that it is the root cause of all diseases afflicting the human race.
All other diseases are really branches stemming from this main root.
And the cure of this affliction is to keep reminding oneself constantly of Death.

This is a story that was once told to me and I thought of sharing this here.

A man once saw in his dream that a lion was chasing him. The man ran to a tree, climbed on to it and sat on a branch.
He looked down and saw that the lion was still there waiting for him.
The man then looked to his side where the branch he was sitting on was attached to the tree and saw that two rats were circling around and eating the branch.

One rat was black and the other one was white. The branch would fall on the ground very soon.
The man then looked below again with fear and discovered that a big black snake had come and settled directly under him.
The snake opened its mouth right under the man so that he will fall into it. The man then looked up to see if there was anything that he could hold on to.
He saw another branch with a honeycomb. Drops of honey were falling from it. The man wanted to taste the honey. He drank one drop.
The honey was very sweet in taste.
So, he wanted to taste another drop, then another and then another. As a result, he got lost into the sweetness of the honey.
Meanwhile, he forgot about the two rats eating his branch away, the lion on the ground and the snake that is sitting right under him.
After a while, he woke up from his sleep.

To get the meaning behind this dream, the man went to a pious scholar of Islam. The scholar said "The lion you saw is your DEATH.
It always chases you and goes where ever you go. The two rats, one black and one white, are the NIGHT and DAY.
Black one is the NIGHT and the White one is the DAY. They circle around, coming one after another, to eat your time as they take you closer to death.
The big black snake with a dark mouth is your GRAVE. It's there, just waiting for you to fall into it.
The honeycomb is this WORLD and the sweet honey is the LUXURIES of this world. We like to taste a drop of the luxuries of this world and it's very sweet.
Then we taste another drop and then another. Meanwhile, we get lost into this world and forget about our TIME, our DEATH and our GRAVES."
May Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) wake us up from the sleep and save us before it's TOO LATE?

Life after death: Barzakh.
Man instinctively desires to have an understanding of the life Hereafter, i.e. the life after death and the state of the Barzakh (the interval between death and resurrection), which we all have to face.
Knowledge of "Barzakh" is required because Barzakh is completely different from this world.
So man wishes to know how his present lifestyle and his activities here will affect his life in Barzakh.
Certain questions rise in his mind, like: what sort of people will he encounter there?
 What kind of beings lives there?
 Do eating, drinking, sleeping, waking, friendship, enmity etc. exist there, and if so in what form?
What is the span of time between death and resurrection (Barzakh) and what will his activities be in this period?
What do happiness and wretchedness in Barzakh entail?

Man with his limited senses and knowledge is unable to understand or even correctly perceive the state of life in Barzakh, as he does not have any knowledge about the state of affairs there. Man's senses are so weak, that even in this world, which is so small compared to the universe, one is a prisoner of time and space and he is incapable of looking into the future.

Life after death is of course, an especially difficult topic to analyze, understand and then explain in simple language is next to impossible. This is because man has only experienced a life which is very limited; in comparison, Barzakh is infinite and unlimited. Apart from this, the events which will take place after death are those which are yet to occur; and man's knowledge and information are always based on past events which have already occurred. Hence how can man have knowledge of a thing which is not yet to experience?

The fact is that our present material and elemental body, by virtue of its very nature, is in a dark and impenetrable veil, not allowing man to see into any other world. Death, in fact, is the name of emerging from this curtain and once this curtain is removed, man is able to see that which was hidden to his eyes before, and he becomes aware of facts which he was unaware of, until then.

'Certainly, you were heedless of this (Day), now we have removed your veil from you, so now your right is sharp'(Sura Qaaf Verse 22)

That is to say, in this world you were ignorant of facts. Now after death we have removed from your eyes the material curtain so that you may clearly see the Hereafter.

But it is not so. Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) has given man a way out. The sole means which can help man are the revelations and scriptures or the Holy Books, and side by side those pious and holy personalities whom are commonly called Prophets and their true successors. These men are the only sources of illumination and guidance which man has to take him out of the narrow straits of darkness, ignorance and bewilderment. The lives of the Prophets and their successors were free from all attainments. They were the Truthful, the Witnesses. They were certainly neither frauds and liars, nor simpletons and fantasizing men who, either out of greed or ignorance, created fantasies or presented them to men. On the contrary, on the basis of their wisdom, knowledge of facts and their in-depth understanding, and also as being a source of peace and blessing for entire mankind, they should be considered as the best amongst the human race. Many of their sayings appear strange and even wrong but are in fact right. This because their knowledge stems from the fountain of revelation and the Holy Books, and these is free of error and doubt. Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) has revealed these books of guidance and light to wipe out ignorance and for awakening of mankind. The best, most complete and perfect of these books is the Holy Qur'an. Similarly, amongst the righteous guides, the Holy Prophet stands out as the best and most perfect.

The interval between death and the Day of Resurrection is called Barzakh in Arabic. The literal meaning of Barzakh is obstruction or barrier. Since this period is a barrier is between this world and the life hereafter, which is why it’s called Barzakh.

The grave is either the garden of Paradise or the pit of Hell-Fire. O People make your graves as gardens of Paradise by doing righteous deeds; and do not make your graves the pits of Hell-Fire by doing evil deeds.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Mercy- All  Praise be to Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), Lord of the worlds, and  blessings be upon the best of His creation, Muhammad,  the Chief of Prophets, and upon his progeny and upon  his companions and those guided aright through the  firm faith and those who followed them earnestly up  to the Day of Resurrection. |

From the teachings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) it becomes clear that after the demise of a person we apparently take him to be lifeless, but he remains alive, although his life is different is different from our lives. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said that the act of breaking a bone of the dead body causes him as much pain as is felt by a living person.  One day the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw Amr b.  Hazm   (Allah be pleased with him) leaning over a grave. He forbade him to vex the dead body.

When a man dies, he is consigned from this world to Barzakh. Regardless of the fact whether the dead body is laid in the grave or cremated, he retains the power of understanding and comprehension.

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said that when the corpse is put in the bier and the people carry the dead body to   the graveyard, if he is a pious person, he requests them to carry him as fast as they can and if he is a wrong doer, he curses the wretchedness in store for him and asks where he is being led to.

He is also reported to have said that except human beings everything else hears the cries of the dead body. If a man were to hear the cries of the dead body, he would faint.

Since the people usually bury the dead body, there is only the word "grave" which finds mention in the traditions in regard to happiness or punishment of Barzakh. This does not mean that those who are cremated or cast adrift in the river do not remain alive; in Barzakh. The fact is that reward and punishment pertain to soul.   It may also be remembered that the Almighty Allah is so potent that He can assemble the scattered particles in order to inflict punishment.

According to a tradition a sinful person while dying, advised his sons to cremate half of his dead body after his death and scatter his ashes in the air and flow the other half in the sea. After that he expressed his apprehensions that Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) would restore him to life in spite of the precaution he had taken for his safety. He would give him awful punishment which would be more than the punishment borne by any other man. When he died, his sons acted upon his advice. Then Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)commanded the sea to assemble all the particles that it contained. The sea did that. Similarly, the air, in obedience to the command of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD), assembled all the parts that it contained. The Almighty Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) gathered together all the particles and restored him to life and asked him why he made such a will. He submitted that he had done so for fear of Him and He was best Knower.Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) forgave him. Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) forgives those who fear Him.

From the tradition it is also clear that the believers in Barzakh not only pay a visit to one another but also ask the new entrants about the condition of their acquaintances in the world.

Sa'id b. Zubair (mercy of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said: "When a man dies, the members of his family, who have passed away, in Barzakh welcome him in the same way as the living persons receive a man in the world on his return from a foreign country.  "When a man dies his relatives in Barzakh, who are already dead, surround him and feel much greater pleasure in meeting him than that felt by a living person in the world at the time of receiving a man on his return from a foreign country.  Qays ibn. Qabisah (Allah be pleased with him):- .is reported to have said: "The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) disclosed on one occasion that a disbeliever could not speak to the dead. Somebody asked him whether the dead could converse to each other. He replied in the affirmative and added that they also pay a visit to one another.

The Description of Barzakah

The literal meaning of the word Barzakah is 'barrier between two things'. From Islamic point of view Barzakah is the period which intervenes between this world and the life hereafter commencing immediately after the death of a man and ending on the Day of Resurrection. As soon as a man dies, he enters Barzakah.

Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) by His Divine Power and Sound Judgment, created Adam (blessings of Allah be upon him) from dust and taught him the name of everything, glorified his position by enjoining upon the angels to fall down before him in prostration and He made his abode in paradise, caused him to fall down on the earth with a view to fulfilling {he purpose for which He had created him. In this way, his first lodging was paradise, the Second was the world, the third was Barzakah and the fourth again paradise. The first dwelling place of his offspring is the belly of mother, the second is the world, the third is Barzakah and the fourth is either Paradise or Hell.  Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) allotted appropriate functions for each abode and called the world a field for practical work and a cultivation ground for the Hereafter. He bestowed a great favor upon man by sending Prophets for guidance in order to enable humanity to discriminate between right and wrong. Those who followed the teachings of the prophets and were known as believers and those who went astray were called disbeliever. The interval between Death and Resurrection is called Barazakh. During this period a believer feels happy whereas a disbeliever suffers torments. The real reward or punishment will be given on the Day of Judgment after due reckoning. .,

Origin of Death

Hasan (blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said that when Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)) created Adam (blessings of Allah be upon him) and his progeny, the angels humbly pointed out to Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) that the offspring of Adam would not be accommodated on the earth.Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) proclaimed that He would then bring death into being. The angels said that it He created death they would not be able to lead a pleasant life. Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) proclaimed that He shall inspire them with hope.

Mujaahid (mercy of Allah be upon him) is reported to have said that when Adam (blessings of Allah be upon him) was caused to fall down on the earth, Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) enjoined upon him to construct for destruction and to beget children for death. (Abu Naum)

O then who dwell in the highest palace, you will soon be buried in dust. An angel makes an announcement daily "Give birth to the children for death and fashion then, for destruction".

Under the Grave

When a pious man dies, he is made to sit by the angels. He attains a position that neither anxiety nor grief overtakes him. First of all, a question pertaining to Islam is put to him. After that he is asked about the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). He says that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had brought clear signs from Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) and that he believed those signs to be true in their entirety. After that he is shown a place in hell which presents scene of pandemonium. Then diverting his attention to the scene, he is told thatAllah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD) had saved him from that punishment. After that he is shown a place in paradise, richly bedecked' and elegantly adorned, where he observes pleasant sights. Then he is told that he would be given the very abode when he would be brought after the Last Day since during his life in the world, he believed in the Last Day and he died when he held the same belief, so on the Day of Resurrection, he would be resurrected from the grave in the very same state.

When a wicked man dies, he is seated in the grave but he is overwhelmed with anxiety and fear. The same questions that have been mentioned above are put to him. He says that he knows nothing about anything. He used to repeat what he heard from the people. At first, the gate of paradise is opened. After displaying its adornment and elegance, and all riches contained therein, he is told that it was his original dwelling place. But it had been denied to him. Then a spectacle of hell is shown to him. He observes there a state of pandemonium. Then he is informed that he would be given that abode because during his life in the world he entertained doubts and died in the same state, so, on the Day of Resurrection, he would be resurrected from the grave in the same state.

Abu Qutaadah (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that one day a funeral procession happened to pass by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). When the latter saw it, he remembered that either that man would feel pleasure or would cause others to feel pleasure. He explained that it is after death that a believer feels pleasure when he is relieved of the worldly worries and troubles to find place in the neighborhood of the Almighty Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD). This was the case of a man who feels pleasure. On the death of a wrong doer, the other men, inhabiting towns and villages and the trees and animals feel pleasure since with his death the creation is relieved of the calamities which fall upon the earth because of his outburst of riots in the cities; the trees dry up and the animals hardly get fodder. It is for this reason that on his death all feel pleasure because evil shadow of his sins creates troubles for everyone.

Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that once the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) caught hold of his shoulder and advised him to live in the world like a stranger or like a traveler.  Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that at dawn one should not wait for night and at night one should not wait for dawn. When one enjoys good health, one should make provision for combating with disease (because during the period of his illness he would be getting reward for his good} good deeds done in the state of health, so one should make provision for death.

The Cry of the Grave

 Abu Hurairah (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that once he, in the company of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him!, joined a funeral party. When the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reached the graveyard, he went to a grave and told that there was not a single day that the grave did not make the clear announcement. "O, the Offspring of Adam! You have forgotten me, I am a place of solitude, I am an abode of loneliness, I am a lodging of wilderness, I am a dwelling place of worms and I am much straitened provided the Almighty expands me in the case of a person whom He holds in esteem. After that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The grave is either one out of the gardens of paradise or one of the pits of hell.

Horrors of the Grave

 Abu Sa'id Khudri (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said: One day when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to the mosque, some people were grinning with delight. He said: Had they remembered death (which brings pleasures to an end) they would have refrained from indulging in things that excite laughter. The grave of everyone makes this announcement daily, "I am a place of solitude, I am a lodging of wilderness, I am a dwelling place of worms". When a believer is buried, the grave says "I welcome your suspicious arrival. I am pleased to meet you. Of all the men who passed by me, I liked you most. You have come to me today. I will show you how I shall treat you." After that the grave expands to such an extent that the dead body finds open space as far as his eyes can see, and a window opening towards paradise, sending out breeze and sweet fragrance.

When a wicked or disbeliever dies, the grave says, "Your arrival is evil. I am displeased to meet you. Of all the men who passed by me, I disliked you most. You have come to me today. I will show you how I treat you." After saying so, the grave becomes narrow to such an extent that his bones and ribs of one side pierce into those of the other side. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) demonstrated it by putting and pressing the fingers of one hand into those of the other hand. Then seventy serpents begin to bite him, which are so venomous that if one of them were to sting the earth, it would not grow grass till the Last Day. All these serpents will continue to sting him till the Last Day. After that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him} remarked, "Grave is either one of the gardens of paradise or is one of the pits of hell."

Ibn 'Umar (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said that a man asked the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to tell him as to who was the wisest and the most cautious of all men. The latter told: it was the man who always remembered death in the world and who always made preparations for death. Such are the people who are honored not only in this world but also in the life hereafter.

       The stay in the world is short-lived but its allurements are many.
      Who is honored in the world is dishonored in the life Hereafter, Which is wealthy here, is a beggar there.
      He who is young is bound to decay and he who is alive is bound to die.
      One should keep himself away from it lest it should deceive him because it turns away its face very soon.
      Foolish is he who is taken in by its baits.
      Where those who were are enamored of it and who populated big cities, dug canals, planted big gardens and departed after staying for a short time?
     They always thought of their sound health but the improvement in health provoked the lusts of the flesh in them and they indulged in committing sins.
     Their abundant wealth was an envy of all men in the world. Even though they had to face difficulties, yet they amassed large sums of money.
     The people were jealous of them but they went on accumulating wealth.
     They bore troubles ungrudgingly for the sake of amassing wealth.
     The lust has deformed their bodies. The worms have eaten up their joints and bones.
     They used to take rest on comfortable beds, exalted thrones and cozy cushions and had a train of attendants to wait on them.
     Their friends, relatives and neighbors were always ready to flatter them. Can anybody tell about the hardships borne by them?
     The poor, the rich, all are lying on the same ground. Where is the wealth of the wealthy? Has his wealth helped him? - Has the poverty of the beggar harmed him?
What has become of their fluent tongues what has become of their eyes which used to roll in their sockets in all directions?
     What has become of their soft skins, beautiful and good-looking faces and their tender bodies?
     What a ruin worms have wrought to their bodies their complexion turning dark, their flesh being eaten up, their mouths covered with dust, limbs disembodied and joints                            broken.
     Where are their servants, who attended them and were at their beck and call?
     Where are their apartments where they used to take rest?
     Where are their treasures of wealth, which they had amassed?
     Neither did their attendants make provision for their food enabling them to eat it in the grave, nor did they provide him with a bed and a pillow.
    They threw him on the ground without any tree or a plant of flower to cast shade upon him. Now they are lying forlorn in darkness.
    They remain unaffected whether it is days or night. They can neither meet friends nor call any one of them.
    What a change their tender figures have undergone!
    The bodies of all men and Women are decomposed.
   Their limbs are disembodied, their eyes get out of their sockets, their necks are separated, their mouths are filled with water and pus and the worms and insects crawl in     all parts of their bodies
  They are in a deplorable condition and their wives have been bound to nuptial ties with another person and have been enjoying themselves.
  Their sons have taken Possession of their properties and the inheritors have distributed the property.
  But there are also fortunate beings that are enjoying themselves in the grave, their countenances are fresh.
  These are the same people who remembered this home (grave) while lying in a home of deception (world) and preferred to meet the demands of the Hereafter to the demands of the mortal world, and made the provision and preparations for a journey towards the grave.
    When a man is destined to die sooner or later, he should not entangle himself into the allurements of the world.
Does he think that the world will stand by him? Does he think that he will live for ever in this transient world?

When the angel of death approaches him nobody will save him from his clutches.
He is bound to leave behind him in the world his huge building, the ripe fruit of his gardens, his cozy cushions and his summer and winter suits.
Sweat will stream down his body.
He will feel thirsty and the agonies of death will make him toss in the bed.

The man, who today on the death of his brother, his son, his father, shuts their eyes, who on one occasion washes the dead body and shrouds it in the coffin, while on other occasion participates in the funeral gathering and lays the dead body in the grave, must bear in mind that he will pass through the same trial tomorrow.

    "The man always runs after a thing which is bound to perish, and is engrossed in high hopes and great expectations.
He does not know that -- day-dreams can never be realized. He spends his - day in forgetfulness and passes his day in UN mindfulness and passes his night in slumber, while death is hovering over his head. He will repent of what he is doing today. He is leading his life like that of animals."

 3:185. every soul will taste of death. And you will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which you have fairly earned. Who so is removed from the Fire and is made to enter Paradise, he indeed is triumphant. The life of this world is but comfort of illusion.

16:32. those whom the angels cause to die (when they are) good they say: Peace be to you! Enter the Garden because of what you used to do.

21:35. every soul must taste of death, and we try you with evil and with good, for ordeal. And to us you will be returned.

32:11. Say: The angel of death, who has charge concerning you, will gather you, and afterward to your Lord you will be returned.

39:42. Allah receiveth (men's) souls at the time of their death, and that (soul) which death not (yet) in its sleep. He keepeth that (soul) for which He has ordained death and dismisseth the rest till an appointed term. Lo herein verily are portents for people who take thought.

56:83. Why, then, when (the soul) comes up to the throat (of the dying)
56:84. and you are at that moment looking
56:85. And We are nearer to him than you are, but you see not
56:86. Why then, if you are not in bondage (to us),
56:87. Do you not force it back, if you are truthful?

63:11. But Allah reprieveth no soul when its term comes, and Allah is Aware of what you do.

67:2. Who Has created life and death that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, Forgiving,

15:26. Verily We created man of potter's clay of black mud altered,

7:172. And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their reins, their seed, and made them testify of themselves, (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yea, verily. We testify. (That was) lest you should say at the Day of Resurrection: Surely! Of this we were unaware;

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it
For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin--real life.
But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, and a debt to be paid.
Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life
In the book of life every page has two sides: we human beings fill the upper side with our plans,
Hopes and wishes, but providence writes on the other side, and what it ordains is seldom our goal.
             Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyways.
The Prophet (saw) said: "Shall I tell you something that is the best of all deeds,
constitutes the best act of piety in the eyes of your Lord, elevates your rank in the hereafter,
and carries more virtue than the spending of gold and silver in the service of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD),
or taking part in jihad and slaying or being slain in the path of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)?
" They said: "Yes!" He said: "Remembrance of Allah Subhanahu WA Ta’aala (GOD)."
May Allah make our efforts sincere and keep us all on the straight path...........

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