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SHAYTAN - THE ARCH ENEMY OF MANKIND

 

When Allah created Adam and asked the angels to prostrate to him, every one complied except Shaytan (Iblis). Allah expelled him but on his request allowed him a determined time. Shaytan's enmity with Adam and his progeny started from that time. He vowed to distract them all from the right path.

Shaytan's strategy is to first obstruct man in his virtuous deeds. If the man is not trapped in the devil designs, he will next try to influence his intention. For example, if a man wants to give charity, Shaytan will scare him of poverty but if still he gave charity, he will encourage the man to openly remind the person about it so that the person will not get any thawab for the charity.

Is'te'aza is seeking protection from Allah against Shaytan. The verbal portion is by saying “Auzu Billahe Minashshaytanir Rajeem” translated as “I seek protection from Allah against Shaytan, the banished one”

Hence, one should recite “Is'te'aza” before performing any virtuous even recommended deeds.

Even the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) was asked by Allah to recite the Du'a as stated in Surah al-Mu'minun Ayah 97 and 98, “Say, 'Lord, I seek your protection against the strong promptings of the devils (Shaytan). I seek your protection should they approach me.'”

According to the traditions of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), protection from Shaytan is specially recommended on three occasions; in the company of a strange woman, while one is angry, and at the time of dispensing justice.

We cannot see Shaytan but he sees us as stated in Surah al-A'raf Ayah 27, “Children of Adam, do not let Shaytan seduce you , as he caused your parents to be expelled from the garden (Paradise) . Shaytan and those like him see you but you do not see them.”

Shaytan does not force man to commit sins, he misguides and lures man towards the evil. If a man is pious, he will return to Allah and seek His protection and is saved from Satanic actions. But if the man is not pious, he will be trapped in Shaytan's network. Man is independent in his decision for any action and answerable on the Day of Judgment.Surah Ibrahim Ayah 22 says, “When the decree of Allah is issued, Shaytan will say, “Allah's promise to you was true, but I, too, made a promise to you and disregarded it. I had no authority over you. I just called you and you answered. Do not blame me but blame yourselves.”

It is Allah's justice that if He had given Shaytan access to the mankind then He has kept the door of repentance open for the mankind. According to a tradition of Behar-ul-Anwar volume 3, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) had said, “Whoever repents one year before his death, Allah will forgive him. Then he said, “If he repents even one month before death he will be forgiven.” He said further, “If he repents one day before his death he is forgiven.” Lastly, he said, “Even one day is too much, if repents before seeing the death, Barzaq and the angel of death, he will be forgiven.” The Mercy and Forgiveness of Almighty Allah may be realized!

Shaytan's only purpose is to deprive mankind from faith on Allah and the Day of Judgment or at least he may not perform any virtue and continue in doing prohibited and bad deeds.

Protection (Is'te'aza) should not be only on our tongue but it should be from the depth of our souls. If we only recite Is'te'aza by tongue and continue to disobey Allah, it has no effect.

Seeking protection from Allah against Shaytan (Is'te'aza) may have three situations; one may recite 'Auzu Billahe Miashshaytanir Rajeem' without knowing its meanings and also not from the bottom of ones soul; next, one may know the meaning but without effecting the soul, which may be evident from the Shaytani acts; lastly one knows the meaning of Is'te'aza recited from the bottom of his heart and being fully aware of the Might and Exaltation of Allah. This is the true Is'te'aza. 

Source: The Glorious Qur'an,  Is'te'aza by Ayatollah Syed Abdul Husain Dasteghaib

 

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