I think we are certainly well trained by the Devil.
Even with Iblis being held captive throughout Ramadhan, we seem to be able to do bad deeds in this blessed month.
It makes me wonder, if in other months, is it still Syaitan who makes us do all the bad deeds?
A friend of mine said she learned that the first whisper is from Syaitan and if the bad action is done according to that initial whisper, we are to be held accountable, not Shaytan.
This reminded me of the story between Adam A.S. and Iblis Laknatullah.
As Ramadhan is the month of Quran, let us look into the Quran for some explanation to this issue.
Allah has revealed the story between Adam A.S. and Iblis Laknatullah in a number of surahs in the Quran.
See for example what Allah has reveled in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 30 – 37:
30. Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."
31. And He taught Adam the nature of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell me the nature of these if ye are right."
32. They said: "Glory to Thee, of knowledge We have none, save what Thou Hast taught us: In truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."
33. He said: "O Adam! Tell them their natures." When he had told them, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?"
34. And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith.
35. We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression."
36. Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood - for a time."
37. Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord Turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
Also in surah Al-A’raf from verse 11 to 25.
11. It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; He refused to be of those who bow down.
12. ((Allah)) said: "What prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay."
13. ((Allah)) said: "Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art of the meanest (of creatures)."
16. He said: "Because Thou hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on Thy straight way:
17. "Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for thy mercies)."
18. ((Allah)) said: "Get out from this, disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee, - Hell will I fill with you all.
19. "O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and enjoy (its good things) as ye wish: but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression."
20. Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, bringing openly before their minds all their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said: "Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest ye should become angels or such beings as live for ever."
22. So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: "Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?"
23. They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."
24. ((Allah)) said: "Get ye down. With enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood, - for a time."
25. He said: "Therein shall ye live, and therein shall ye die; but from it shall ye be taken out (at last)."
These two surahs are among the Quranic evidence of the story between Adam A.S. and Iblis Laknatullah.
There are many differences that can be concluded between them both.
Iblis was known as Iblis before the creation of Adam A.S.
When Iblis decided not to bow to Adam A.S., he used his poor intellect to distinguish a material supremacy between him and Adam A.S. He thought, to his weak understanding that fire is more superior to clay. On such different material substance, he concluded that he is a more superior being than Adam A.S. He decided not to bow to Adam A.S. because of his arrogance.
Upon Iblis’ eviction from the heavens, the Quran then referred to Iblis as Satan or Syaitan.
After Iblis is evicted from the heavens, he requested to be granted respite till the Day of Judgment. The moment it was granted, in surah Al’A’raf, verse 16, he had the audacity to blame Allah for throwing him out of the way!!!
16. He said: "Because Thou hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy straight way
See what foolish intellect this condemned creature has!
Let us now look at Adam A.S.
The creation of Adam A.S. is knowledge of the unseen to the angels and only known to Allah as how He said in Al-Baqarah: verse 30:
“He said: "I know what ye know not.”
When Adam A.S. was created, he was taught by Allah nature of things that even angels did not know. After the eviction of Iblis, Adam A.S. was allowed to dwell in the Garden with his wife, Hawa upon one single prohibition. That prohibition is not to get close to one particular tree in the Garden. Unfortunately, by deceit, Satan managed to convince Adam A.S. and Hawa to taste the tree and led them into harm and transgression.
There are numerous interpretation on how the angels bowed to Adam A.S., the type of Garden Adam A.S. and Hawa was in, how Satan managed to communicate with them when Satan was evicted from the Heavens, what tree did the Quran referred to and many other details which companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and jurist have tried to explain. But that is not the motive of this post so I will leave it as it is.
What I would like to emphasise is this.
I have mentioned above when Iblis was evicted and after he gained respite from Allah, he immediately blamed Allah for his actions. He blamed Allah because according to his imprudent intellect, since Allah knows how he feels superior over Adam A.S. and by asking him to bow down to Adam A.S., Allah purposely made him transgress and show arrogance. Iblis stupidly blames Allah for his own fault.
What about Adam A.S.?
What did he do when he was caught red handed tasting the forbidden tree?
Reading verse 23 in surah Al-A’raf, we can see how wise Adam A.S. in admitting his own action.
Adam A.S. said:
"Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."
Look at how beautiful his words are. How he admitted his actions and quickly sought for Allah to forgive him. Imagine how remorseful he was when he uttered that du’a…
He did not point fingers to Hawa nor did he blame Satan for deceiving him into tasting the tree. He knows that it was he who tasted the tree, and it is he who has transgressed.
This is what we humans should do when we have done something wrong.
The fact that Syaitan is held captive proves that we are responsible for any bad deeds that we do at anytime.
Let us not be arrogant like Iblis which will only invoke Allah’s wrath upon our souls.
Seek for His forgiveness as Allah loves forgiving.
I can do no better than to end this post with Adam A.S’. supplication:
"Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost."
I would suggest that you go and memorize this verse in Arabic and invoke it consistently. Whilst at it, be sure to recall the story of behind it. Insha Allah, when we know the meaning and background of a doa, it will be more meaningful when we recite it.
Allah knows best.
Blog adjourned.
2 obiter dictum:
"Iblis stupidly blames Allah for his own fault."
bodoh dalam tindakan? YA.
Kebenaran jatuhnya kesesatan dari tuhan? YA. Azrael adalah ketua malaikah. Dalam byk2 malaikah,dialah yang paling berilmu.
Dia menuduh tuhan menyesatkannya, itu adalah benar. Dan Tuhan juga mengaku di dalam Al-Fatihah,bukan?
"bukannya Jalan orang-orang yang Kau murkai dan sesatkan."
dia musuh kita, saya faham. tapi takut aku nak hina dia..sebab tuhan boleh jadikan kita seperti dia jika Dia berkehendak.
lagi satu, hadis ramadhan tidak menyatakan perkataan SEMUA syaitan diikat/dirantai.Ia hanya menyatakan 'syaitan-syaitan'(yakni dipilih Allah azzawajalla) perlu diikat.(Utusan Malaysia)
Candleprince: 1. Iblis di laknat Allah. Sebab itu kita gelarkan dia Iblis Laknatullah. Dia juga dari golongan "outcast" (see the meaning of Auzubillahi mina shaitan nir rajim) Tidak ada makhluk Allah yang lebih takabbur pada Iblis kerana dengan ilmu yang Allah Maha Berkuasa, dia masih kafir (menentang) pada Allah. Menghinanya adalah untuk menunjukkan kita benci akan tindakkannya dan tidak mahu menjadi sepertinya. I humbly disagree that menghinanya sepertimana Allah (dalam Quran) dan Nabi menghinanya akan menjadikan kita seperti dia.
2. Surah Fatihah punya translation dalam BM kurang tepat. In English, its "Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray." So, Dhaalin ini adalah orang yang sendiri pi sesatkan diri depa sendiri. Even so, semua benda dalam dunia ini terjadi dengan izin Allah. Allah tidak ganggu pilihan kita untuk sesat. Dia beri pilihan, kita pilih, dia benarkan kita membuat pilihan sendiri. Allah tidak mengaku menyesatkan orang seperti dalam surah Fatihah.
3. Hadis Ramadhan: Shaitan kadang2 dimaksudkan sebagai Iblis, perkara-perkara tidak baik, orang / jin yang melakukan perkara tidak baik etc. Kalau semua Shaitan (dari segi bahasa) diikat, kita pun samala kena ikat! wakakaka!
4. Kalau tidak silap saya, Iblis, Azazil, Azrael, Shaitan sebagai ketua malaikat tidak mendapat persetujuan semua ulama. Plus, intelligence does not make one wise. a lot of knowledge does not make one smart. Lihat Stephen Hawkings. Bijak, pandai tapi sesat juga...
thanks for your comment. :)
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