THE WEAPONS OF SATAN...

To achieve excellence, Satan’s (devil’s) devious ways must be identified and monitored.  This is because Satan is always looking for opportunities to attack and destroy the purity of our hearts.  According to Imam Ghazali, among the devil’s  weapons are as follows:
1.    Anger
2.    Lust
3.    Greed and envy
4.    Satiation with food
5.    Love of adornments and properties
6.    Over dependence on humans
7.    Recklessness and impetuousness.
8.    Love for dinar, dirham and gold (money)
9.    Stingyness and miselyness
10.  Fanaticism to one’s own sect and group
11.  Thinking about the substance, nature and the acts of  

 God, without the necessary knowledge
12.    Distrust of other Muslims.

An excellent heart is one that is clean and pure.  When Allah’s Messenger was asked who was the most excellent, he replied, “Everyone whose heart is clear of pollution (makhmum al-qalb) and whose tongue is truthful.”  On being told by his companions that they understood “whose tongue is truthful,” but not makhmum al-qalb (the heart clear of pollution), he replied, “the pure heart is one with no deceit, extremism, treachery, iniquity and envy.”  This is an authentic hadis transmitted by Ibn Majah.
Satan is afraid of pure hearts.  The Prophet once said, “When Umar al-Khatab walks along an alley, Satan chooses to walk another way (so that his path does not cross with that of Umar).” This hadis was narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim. Satan is scared because takwa shone brightly in the heart of al-Khatab.

When the heart shines, God inspires it with various knowledge and guidance.  Among the inspirations that may be granted is the ‘believer’s intuition or firasat Mukmin. With respect to this, according to Imam Tirmizi, the Prophet said, “Fear the intuition of a believer because he sees with the Light of Allah.”

For instance, according to history, one day, Anas bin Malik saw a woman and was captivated by her beauty.  Soon after, he met Uthman bin Affan and Uthman said, “A man with the signs of fornication in the eyes has entered this place.”  Anas was surprised and immediately asked, “Are there any more revelations after the Prophet’s death?”  Uthman answered, “No, but what we have are the inner vision of the heart and correct intuition.”

To ensure that it keeps on shining, the heart needs to be polished.  When this task is ignored, the heart will die a spiritual death.  According to Ibrahim bin Adham, there are eight things that will lead to the spiritual death of the heart:
1.   You know your obligations to God but do not fulfil it.
2. You read the Quran but do not implement its commandments.
3.    You love the Prophet but ignore his sunah.
4.    You are afraid of death but do not prepare for it.
5.   You know that Satan is your enemy but yet you follow his commands.
6.    You are afraid of hell but you continue to commit sins.
7.   You want to attain paradise but do not perform good deed.
8.   You forget your own shortcomings but highlight the shortcomings of other.

Thus to succeed we need takwa. It helps the heart to shine continuously.  Allah says in the chapter al-Talaq verse 2 to 3, “Whosoever fears Allah and keep his duty to Him (takwa), He will provide a way for him to get out from every difficulty.  He will provide him sustenance from sources he never could imagine.”  According to Abdullah bin Masud, this verse is ‘the greatest problem solving formula in the Quran.” Yes, the greatest problem solving formula based on takwa.

(Excerpts  from the book of  SEVEN  FORMULAS  OF EXCELLENT INDIVIDUALS                   by Dr Danial Zainal Abidin

p/s:  As a reminder to my dear self.......