The enemy

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّ حِيْمِ

Allah has given Satan the capacity and capability to enter the human body just as an x-ray light can pass through the body without you being able to see or feel it.  So too Satan can enter because he is a kind of light. 

He has the capacity either to play on our emotions, desires, egos and our passions because they all come from the heart.  He doesn’t work on the mind because our control mechanism is the heart and these characteristics come from your heart.  He therefore uses these to divert your focus from the straight path. 

So he will work on these qualities just as how he played on the emotions of Adam and Eve in the Garden.  He never whispered in Adam’s ear because as the tradition goes when Allah created the body of Adam He left him in the Garden; Satan entered into Adam’s shell to scrutinized and found that inside Adam’s chest was hollow and could therefore be a weak spot. 

He will create intense passion for us because Allah says Satan looks at you from places you cannot see.  He has his men well trained to work on your weaknesses such as passion, anger, etc.  Allah allows them to do this.  It is us who have to resist.  This is why when Satan made the vow to attack the children of Adam Allah told him except those who are on the straight path.

That is why when tempted we are encouraged to say auzubillah minashaitan nirajeem.  Another way of protecting ourselves is by making wudu  properly.  It is recommended whilst performing your wudu you recite the following dua during the performance;

1.       While washing the hands before performing Wudhu, one should say:

Alla hummaj alni minat tawwabina waj alni minal mutatah hireen.

O Lord! Make me of those who repent and purify themselves.

2.       While rinsing the mouth one should say:

Alla Humma laq qini hujjati yawma alqaka wa atliq lisani bizikrika.

O Lord! Dictate to me the principles of faith on the Day I meet You, and make my tongue fluent with Your remembrance.

3.       While washing the nose one should say:

Alla humma la tuharrim 'alaya rihal jannati waj 'alni mim man yashummu riha ha wa rawha ha wa tiba ha.

O Lord! Do not deprive me of the fragrance of Paradise, and make me of those who smell its fragrance and per fume.

4.       While washing the face, one should say:

Alla humma bayyiz wajhi yawma taswaddufihil wujuh wala tusawwid waj hi yawma tabyazzul wujuh.

O Lord! Make my face bright on the Day when the faces will turn dark. Do not darken my face on the Day when the faces are bright.

5.       While pouring water over the right elbow, one should say:

Alla humma a'tini kitabi bi yamini wal khulda fil jinani bi yasari wa hasibni hisaban yasira.

O Lord! Give my book of deeds in my right hand, and a permanent stay in Paradise on my left, and make my reckoning an easy one.

6.       While pouring water over the left elbow, one should say:

Alla humma la tutini kitabi bishimali wala min wara'i zahri wala taj alha maghlu latan ila unuqi wa a'uzu bika min muqat ta'atin niran.

O Lord! Do not give my book of deeds in my left hand, nor from behind my back, nor chain it to my neck. I seek refuge in You from the Hell-fire.

7.       While performing the wiping of the head, one should say:

Alla humma ghashshini bi rahmatika wa barakatika wa 'afwika.

O Lord! Cover me with Your Mercy, Blessings and Forgiveness.

8.       While performing the wiping of the feet, one should say:

Alla humma thabbitni ala sirati yawma tazillu fihil aqdam. Waj'al sa'yi fi ma yurzika 'anni ya zal jalali wal ikram.

O Lord! Keep me firm on the Bridge (to Paradise) on the Day when the feet will slip, and help me in my efforts to do things which will please You, O' Glorious and Mighty!

Satan is indeed very clever and we should at all times be on guard and protect ourselves from his whispering.  If the wudu is made properly, he will be unable to interfere with the person who is standing before his Lord in worship; otherwise he can come and cause our minds to waver by indulging in all types of thoughts instead of thinking only about Allah.

May Allah make it easy for us and protect us.  May He enable us to ward off the temptations of the because of the weaknesses of our personalities.

Transcript of discourse delivered by

Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed