Shayṭān’s Deception of Mankind

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

وَلَقَدْ أَضَلَّ مِنكُمْ جِبِلًّا كَثِيرًا

(Qur’ān 36:62)

“Wa Laqad ’Ađalla Minkum Jibillāan Kathīrāan”

“And he (satan) had already led astray from among you much of creation.” Sadaqa Llāhu l-‘Aẓīm.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla says in this ayah that shayṭān leads people astray. Dalālah means going astray, doing bad things. Shayṭān commands and shows them this. With these tricks and deceptions, he leads people astray, making them think the way they are following is the right one.

They also force others to do it. They think it is good even though it is bad. What is this? It is shayṭān’s deception, his tricking people. They think they are doing something good by leading them astray. However, they will have a bad end, a bad life, a bad death, and a bad afterlife; those who follow that way.

Of course, there are different levels. Some are completely disbelievers, meaning those who do not believe in Allāh ﷻ, those who do not recognize Allāh ﷻ. Or those who are not from the People of the Book, who worship material things, idols, and other things are also considered disbelievers.

And there are the People of the Book, who are also people who do not follow the right way, the true way of the Prophets. They too have been deceived by shayṭān. He makes them do all sorts of things, saying, “You are right.”

Then there are those who claim to be Muslims and haven’t been led astray from Islām, yet sow discord among Muslims, killing, murdering, or harming them. They do evil to Muslims claiming to be Muslims. They too are misguided. They too will face punishment in the hereafter. Everything they do is preserved and kept in the sight of Allāh ﷻ. In the hereafter, they too will suffer the consequences of their actions.

Allāh ﷻ has given people mind and understanding so that they will not be deceived by shayṭān. If you are deceived, you will surely suffer your punishment. The way is the way of Allāh ﷻ. It is clear. There are two ways: either the way of shayṭān or the way of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla.

People must choose the way of Allāh ﷻ because Allāh ﷻ gave them mind. Even Muslims who are misguided, who are on the wrong way, misinterpret even though they have mind.

They ask, “What are the fundamentals of īmān?” They say it’s the Qur’ān and reason. You can consider the Qur’ān and reason, fine, but reason must come from what our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam showed and explained. It is not just the Qur’ān alone.

There is the Qur’ān, but what they call reason is the Sunnah. It is the reason of our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam, not our own reason. Our minds are not sufficient on their own. If everyone were to do whatever they want with their own minds, things would become chaotic.

Shayṭān is misleading, “Adalla” means they were deceived. They pretend to be scholars and learned people. Shayṭān plays with them like toys. May Allāh ﷻ protect us from the evil of shayṭān. May Allāh ﷻ protect us from following his way of misguidance. May He ﷻ keep us all on the right way, in shā’a Llāh. Wa min Allah at-Tawfiq. Al-Fatiha.

There are recited Qur’ān Khatms, ayāt, surahs, salawat, tasbihat, tahlilāt, takbirāt, khatms of Dalā’il Al-Khayrāt. May Allāh ﷻ accept their good deeds. Firstly, for our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam, for the souls of his Ahlu l-Bayt and ṣaḥābah.

For the souls of all prophets, Awliyā’, asfiya, mashāyikh. For the souls of our ancestors. For the souls of all believers and Muslims. For goodness to come and the evil to be warded off. For the strength of our īmān. With the intention of shifa (cure). Li-Llahi Ta’ala.

Al-Fatiha.

•⁠ ⁠Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

9 January 2025/ 20 Rajab 1447

Fajr Prayer – Akbaba Dergah, Istanbul

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