Armor Yourself Against the Whispers of Shaytan

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The Shaytan will catch you where you don't expect. In a moment of vulnerability, Shaytan gets you on an impulse. He gets you into moment of heedlessness to do something that you will regret, but if you have a consistent relationship with Allah, you will eventually overcome that impulses. Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. And Allah will reward you for your taqwa (Godfearingness, God consciousness).

Allah Almighty invites us so many times to call Him in remembrance:

فَٱذْكُرُونِىٓ أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَٱشْكُرُوا۟ لِى وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ ﴿١٥٢

So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me.

[Qur'an al-Baqarah 2:152]

Remembrance of Allah forbids one to commit what is shameful, and vile deeds, speech and words. Allah Almighty says,

ٱتْلُ مَآ أُوحِىَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلَذِكْرُ ٱللَّـهِ أَكْبَرُ ۗ وَٱللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ

Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer. Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing, and the remembrance of Allah is greater. And Allah knows that which you do.

[Qur'an al-Ankabut 29:45]

During the caliphate of Umar ibn Khattab (radi Allah ‘anhu) there was a young man who used to spend his time worshiping and praying in the masjid. Umar with amazement and appreciation watched this young man. The heart of the young man was filled with love for Allah Subhanahi wa Ta'ala and His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Immediately after the 'isha prayer, he would go home and took care of his elderly father.

On the way to his house, he would pass a house of a beautiful young woman. Each time he returned, the woman turned to him to tempt him, but the young man, because of his piety, did not pay attention to it.

One day, returning home after the 'isha prayer, the woman stood up in front of him again. At this time, using all her charms, she managed to trick the young man and he followed her. When they both reached at the door of the woman’s house, the young man started remembering Allah. The following verses came out from his tongue:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَوْا۟ إِذَا مَسَّهُمْ طَـٰٓئِفٌ مِّنَ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ تَذَكَّرُ‌وا۟ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْصِرُ‌ونَ ﴿٢٠١

Indeed, those who fear Allah - when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight. (201)

[Qur'an, Al-A'raf 7:201]

The young man became unconscious and fell down. The woman lifted the young man and dropped him at his door. The family members of the young man lifted him and took him inside the house. At late night the man became conscious. When his father inquired him about the incidence, the young man narrated the entire incidence. The father asked him: "O my son! Which verses did you recite?" The young man repeated the verse and again became unconscious and this time he did not wake up. They washed his dead body and buried him. In the morning when the news reached Umar (radi Allah ‘anhu), he was very grieved. He went to see the young man's father. He asked as to why he was not informed? The father told him that they did not want to bother him because it was at night. Umar (radi Allah ‘anhu) asked to take him to the young man's grave.

At the grave Umar said: “O young man! ولمن خاف مقام ربه جنتان" [Whoever feared the position of his Lord are two gardens], the verse from Surah Ar-Rahman 55:46. The young man replied from his grave: "O Umar! My Lord has given them to me twice."

This narration has been recorded in Ibn Kathir.

May Allah grant us the same taqwa and consciousness, that we meet Him while He is pleased with us, and that He enable us to overcome the whispers of shaytan and the corruption of ourselves. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wassallam.

And Allah knows best and He alone grant success.

Wassalaam