Seven Tricks of the Shaaytan

Shaykh Uthman Dan Fodia

1. HE (the devil) OBSTRUCTS YOU FROM DOING ACTS OF OBEDIENCE.

Repel him (by seeking refuge in Allah from the devil, and by doing good deeds), if Allah blesses you by giving you the realisation that you are in need of these acts of obedience in order to gather provision from this life for the next life which will have no ending.

2. HE COMMANDS YOU TO PROCRASTINATE (delay) IN ACTS OF OBEDIENCE.

Repel him, if Allah protects you by giving you the realisation that your appointed time (the time your death) is not in your hands and that you could die at any moment.

3. HE COMMANDS YOU TO RUSH YOUR ACTS OF OBEDIENCE e.g. whilst you are praying he (the devil) whispers to you "Hurry! In order that you can do such-and-such! or, if you don't hurry you'll miss such and such"

Repel him, if Allah protects you by giving you the realisation that few acts of obedience done with properly are better than many done incompletely.

4. HE COMMANDS YOU TO PERFECT YOUR WORSHIP IN ORDER TO BE SEEN by people.

Repel him, if Allah protects you by giving you the realisation that the sight of pleasure is enough for you over the pleasure of men.

5. HE WHISPERS ARROGANCE AND PRIDE IN YOUR HEART by saying, "Who is greater and more precise than you in?"

Repel him, if Allah protects you by giving you the realisation that your acts of obedience to Allah is a blessing from Allah, not from yourself. If it were not for the bounty and the mercy of Allah, you would not be able to establish any act of obedience.

6. This is the greatest of his tricks, he says to you, "in MAKE STRENUOUS EFFORT BROADCASTING YOUR ACTS OF OBEDIENCE.

Repel him, if Allah protects you by giving you the realisation that you are a slave of Allah and, that He alone is your Master. If He wills, He will manifest you, and if He wills He will keep you concealed. If He wills, He will make you important and if He wills He will make you insignificant. That is for Him to decide, and you should not care whether He manifests your good deeds to people or not, because there is nothing in their hands worth seeking after.

7. He suggests in your heart, "THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO PERFORM ACTS OF OBEDIENCE BY WHISPERING TO YOU ...
"Truly, if you were created and destined to be among the people of bliss, then there is no danger in you neglecting the acts of worship. And if you were created and destined to be among the people of wretchedness, then there is no benefit in doing them".

Repel him, if Allah protects you by giving you the realisation that you are His slave.
And that it the duty of a slave to obey the commands as is the right of servitude (`ubuudiyya).
Allah is the Rabb, and He knows the rights of Lordship (rubuubiyya).
Thus these acts of obedience will benefit you in every way if you were created and destined to be among the people of bliss. It will benefit you by increasing your reward. And if you were not created and destined for bliss, then in no way Allah will punish you for acts of obedience. These acts of obedience will not harm you. For to be entered into the fire while you are obedient to Allah is more precious to you than your being entered into the fire while you are
disobedient.

And how is it possible for you to enter the fire when the Promise of Allah is true and His Words are Truthful. For He has promised a tremendous reward for acts of obedience. Whoever meets Allah Ta`ala while he has faith and obedience will never enter the fire and he has dully earned the Paradise by the Promise of Allah the Truthful and not by any act. It is in that Allah has informed us by His saying, " Allah`s praises are due to Allah who made good to us His Promise and has made us inherit the earth and we may abide in the Paradise whenever we please. Excellent is the Reward of those who work. [39:74].

Therefore my brothers and sisters, wake up! It is as He said. So seek the aid of Allah alone and seek refuge with Him. All matters are in His hands and from Him alone is success. And there is no power nor might except with Allah the Exalted the Great.

Shaykh `Uthman Dan Fodio
Tareeqah Al-Jannah Bab Muhaarabatush-Shaytaan-
(On the War with Shaytaan)
http://www.memphisdawah.com/article/tricks.htm#1