Transcribed from the Islaahi Majlis conducted on 07/09/2023
Shaytaan’s plot to deprive one of Imaan
A Jamaat visited us here at the Darul Ifta and told us of an Aalim in his third year of studying, questioning the existence of Allah Ta’ala (Allah forbid!) This depicts how Shaytaan can infiltrate and sew doubt into the hearts of people, and at any time a person can lose his Imaan. Qaroon was from the Bani Israeel who lived in the time of Nabi Moosa Alaihis Salaam. Some commentators of the Quraan Sharif state that he was the cousin of Nabi Moosa Alaihis Salaam and that he had memorized the entire Taurah.
Ibaadat of Qaroon
Qaroon was a great Abid and servant of Allah Ta’ala. He dedicated forty years of his life to the Ibaadat of Allah whilst he resided in the mountains, so Shaytaan intended to mislead Qaroon as well. Previously, his followers tried to mislead him but failed as Qaroon remained steadfast on the Ibaadat of Allah Ta’ala. Iblees then decided to attack Qaroon himself.
Shaytaan engages in the Ibaadat of Allah Ta’ala
Iblees joined Qaroon in the ibaadah of Allah. It is said that Iblees ws the greatest Abid-there isn’t a handspan on earth where he hasn’t made Sajdah. Shaytaan would fast every day, whereas Qaroon wouldn’t fast daily. Shaytaan superceded Qaroon in his Ibaadah.
One day Qaroon remarked at the extensive Ibaadah Shaytaan was engaged in, “You came now but have surpassed me in Ibaadat.” Shaytaan said to Qaroon that he will stop engaging in excessive Ibaadah on two conditions, “If any person from the Bani Israeel passes away, then do not attend the Janaazah Salaah of that person. Secondly, do not get involved in the affairs of the Bani Israeel.” So Shaytaan lessened his Ibaadah.
Taking Qaroon out of the mountains
As time passed, Shaytaan decided to bring Qaroon out of the mountains and placed him in a monastery of some sort. The Bani Israeel saw Qaroon and Shaytaan engrossed in Ibaadah all the time, so they decided to make Khidmah of them and provide food for them.
Shaytaan told Qaroon that we are involved in the Ibaadah of Allah Ta’ala and eating people’s food. So Qaroon asked Shaytaan, “What should we do?” Shaytaan said, “We should earn our own livelihood by working one day in the week and make Ibaadah for the remaining six days.”
So they implemented this and continued like this for some time. After a while, Shaytaan said to Qaroon that the money they earn was only enough to sustain themselves whereas they are unable to give anything in Sadaqah.
Qaroon was taken by this, naturally, and asked Shaytaan to advise him. Shaytaan said that now they should alternate their days of work and Ibaadah. Qaroon accepted this and implemented this new way. After a few days, Shaytaan disappeared. Allah Ta’ala then opened the earth’s treasures for Qaroon that he became extremely wealthy. Some commentators of Quraan say that seventy people would javelin difficulty in carrying just the keys to the treasures of Qaroon! And when all this wealth came to Qaroon, he was destroyed.
The incident of Hadrat Abdullah Bin Hanzala and Shaytaan
Hadrat Abdullah Bin Hanzala Radiallahu Anhu was exiting the Masjid when Shaytaan accosted him. Shaytaan asked him if he knew who he was and Hadrat Abdullah replied in the affirmative. Shaytaan asked him how did he know that he was Shaytaan? Hadrat Abdullah replied that he left the Masjid making Zikr but when his eyes fell on Shaytaan, the Zikr stopped, which was a clear indication that he was Shaytaan.
Advice of Shaytaan
Shaytaan told him that he wished to give him some Naseehat. Hadrat Abdullah exclaimed that Shaytaan is a liar so how can he give him Naseehat! Shaytaan said, “The advice I will give you, if you deem it to be correct, you can accept it. And if you think it is incorrect, you can discard it.” Hadrat Abdullah allowed Shaytaan to continue. Shaytaan said, “Don’t ask any human being for anything, except that you ask Allah Ta’ala. This was extremely important advice, ask of Allah and He will fulfil your needs with respect and honour, whilst asking of another human being is humiliation. Secondly, “Control your anger!” When a person becomes angry Shaytaan flows in his body like blood flows in the body and eventually destroys a person.
Hadrat Hanzalah Radiallahu Anhu
Hadrat Hanzala Radiallhu Anhu, the father of Hadrat Abdullah, was known as Ghaseelul Malaaikah. Hadrat Hanzala married Hadrat Jamilah, the daughter of Abdullah Bin Ubay Bin Sulool, who was the leader of the Munaafiqeen. They had spent their first night together when the announcement of Jihaad was made. So, in the state of Janaabat, Hadrat Hanzala left for battle.
On that night as well, Hadrat Jamilah saw a dream where the sky opened up and Hadrat Hanzala disappeared, and then the sky closed. She knew that he was to pass away. When the news reached her that he had become Shaheed, she gathered the people and told them they had been intimate the night before.
The Mas’ala in regards to Mahr is, if a person spends time in isolation with his wife, to the point where the marriage was consummated, and he divorces her, he is liable to pay the full Mahr. And where a couple do not spend time in isolation and the husband divorces her, he is liable to pay half the Mahr if was previously stipulated.
After the battle was over and the Sahabah walked on the battlefield, they saw Hadrat Hanzala Radiallahu Anhu and water was dripping from his head. But there was no water to be found in the area, so they understood as Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said that he saw the angels giving Ghusl to Hadrat Hanzala using a silver container.
Madhab of Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah
From this narration, the Madhab of Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahmatullahi Alaih is also proven. Generally, no Ghusl is given to the Shuhadaa on the battlefield. They are shrouded and buried. Imaam Abu Hanifa Rahimahullah states that if a person passes away on the battlefield while in the state of Janaabah, Ghusl should be administered to him.
The interaction between Nabi Yahya Alaihis Salaam and Shaytaan
Shaytaan went to Nabi Yahya Alaihis Salaam and asked to give him some Naseehat. Nabi Yahya Alaihis Salaam asked Shaytaan, “How many categories of people are there in the world?” Shaytaan replied, “The first category of people are those who are a little hard. I work hard on them and they are led astray. Then Allah Ta’ala grants them Taufeeq and they make Taubah. When they repent, it breaks our backs as they undo all our efforts to mislead them….” From the above, Shaytaan has informed us that for as long as a person makes Taubah, he will leave this world successfully.
“….The second category of people are those who are like a ball in our hand. We are able to control them according to our whims and they are led astray.
The third category of people are Masoom, sinless. In this type of people we have no hope whatsoever.”
Then Nabi Yahya Alaihis Salaam asked Shaytaan,”Did you ever mislead me?” Shaytaan replied that he did. Nabi Yahya Alaihis Salaam asked Shaytaan to explain. Shaytaan told him, “Once food was presented before you and I put the thought into your mind of how delicious this food is. So you kept eating and eating and eating, and couldn’t stop. When you retired at night, you were slept so deeply, you missed your Tahajjud Salaah.” Nabi Yahya Alaihis Salaam responded, “You have given me the secret; I will never overeat again.” On this Shaytaan remarked that he will never give out his secrets again.
Filling the worst container
The worst container a person can fill is his stomach. When he eats to his fill, he is unable to carry out the Ibaadah of Allah Ta’ala. On the advices of a Muslim, Pakistani Doctor, who is very active in Dawah and Tabligh, one should eat only one type of food at a time. Even the fruit we eat, should not be mixed-eat one variety at a time. In this way, we will gain maximum benefit from the food we eat.
The incident of Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and Shaytaan
Once Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was performing Salaah. The Sahaaba Radiallahu Anhum present there, heard him saying:
أعوذ بالله منك العنك بلعنة الله
“I seek refuge in Allah Ta’ala from you. I curse you with the curses of Allah Ta’ala!”
ثَبت فِي صَحِيح مُسلم عَن أبي الدَّرْدَاء قَالَ قَامَ رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم يُصَلِّي فسمعناه يَقُول أعوذ بِاللَّه مِنْك ثمَّ قَالَ ألعنك بلعنة الله وَبسط يَده ثَلَاثًا كَأَنَّهُ يتَنَاوَل شَيْئا فَلَمَّا فرغ من الصَّلَاة قُلْنَا يَا رَسُول الله قد سمعناك تَقول فِي الصَّلَاة شَيْئا لم نسمعك تَقوله قبل ذَلِك ورأيناك بسطت يدك قَالَ إِن عَدو الله إِبْلِيس جَاءَ بشهاب من نَار ليجعله فِي وَجْهي فَقلت أعوذ بِاللَّه ثَلَاث مَرَّات ثمَّ قلت ألعنك بلعنة الله التَّامَّة فَلم يسْتَأْخر ثَلَاث مَرَّات ثمَّ أردْت أَن آخذه وَالله لَوْلَا دَعْوَة أخينا سُلَيْمَان لأصبح موثقًا فلعب بِهِ ولدان أهل الْمَدِينَة
Thereafter Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam stretched out his hand. When he completed his Salaah, the Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum remarked, “O Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam! We saw something strange today!” Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied, “Shaytaan came to me with a burning coal in his hand. He tried to put it into my mouth. So I recited أعوذ بالله منك but Shaytaan did not move. So then I said, العنك بلعنة الله , and even then he did not move. So I stretched out my hand to catch him.”
Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam then said, “Had Nabi Sulaiman Alaihis Salaam not made the Dua to Allah Ta’ala not to give anyone a kingdom after him, I would have caught Shaytaan and locked him up here in Madinah Munawwarah and the children of Madinah Sharif would have played with him!”
The Ulama say that the difference between Nabi Sulaiman Alaihis Salaam and Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is that in Kalimah Shahaadah, Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam is referred to as an عبد (Servant) and رسول (Messenger) while
Sulaiman Alaihis Salaam was a رسول (Messenger) and a ملك (king). However, it is more superior to be a servant and a Messenger, than to be a messenger and a king. Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam had chosen this position for himself which is an indication that it is a loftier position.
May Allah Ta’ala protect us from the plots of Shaytaan. Ameen!
