Now that Ramadhan has ended and the Devils have been unchained, one of the top focus of every believer should be how to prevent ourselves from the influence and whispers of Shaytaan.
Ever since he was cast out from Jannah for leading Adam and Hauwa (as) astray, Shaytaan has vowed to do all he can to lead all humans astray. And as Muslims, one of our most important duties every day is to separate ourselves from the antics of Shaytaan.
Rejecting the influence of Shaytaan is not a one-day thing. It is not something that you only do when you are praying. So, here are some tips on actions that we can make a part of us every day so that we safeguard ourselves from the influence of Shaytaan.
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1. Morning and Evening Adhkar (supplications)
If there is a daily weapon against Shaytaan that we have been given, it is our morning and evening adhkar. They are a collection of prayers given to us by the holy Prophet (saw) and saying them every morning and evening is a guaranteed protection from the devil.
“The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to me, “Recite Surat Al-Ikhlas and Al- Mu’awwidhatain (Surat Al-Falaq and Surat An-Nas) three times at dawn and dusk. It will suffice you in all respects.” (Riyad as-Saliheen)
These three chapters of the holy Qur’an are just some of the things that we can recite every morning and evening to ward off the presence of the devil from our lives.
2. Recite or Listen to the Qur’an
We reached peak productivity when it comes to the Qur’an, during the month of Ramadan. Many people set goals to complete the holy Qur’an in just a month, while a lot of people made sure that they read the Qur’an daily.
Now that Ramadan is over, one of the best ways to keep Shaytaan away is by continuing your recitation with the same passion as that of the month of Ramadan.
In a hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “Do not make your houses as graveyards. Satan runs away from the house in which Surah Baqarah is recited.”. (Muslim)
The recitation of the Qur’an is not pleasant music to the ears of Shaytaan and even though you don’t have to recite all the 200+ verses of Suratul Baqarah every day, make sure that you recite ayat-al Kursi every day, along with other chapters of the Qur’an.
3. Observe Good Manners
Sometimes, the smallest things that we do are the things that bring Shaytaan closer to us. As Muslims, every action that we do should starts with the name of Allah (ta’ala) so that we can seek refuge from the evils of Shaytaan.
For example, when leaving your house, seek refuge from being accompanied by Shaytaan, because the holy Prophet said:
“Whoever says (upon leaving his house): ‘Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah [I begin with the Name of Allah; I trust in Allah; there is no altering of conditions but by the Power of Allah],’ it will be said to him: ‘You are guided, defended and protected.’ The devil will go far away from him”. (Riyad as-Saliheen)
Whenever you enter your house or start a meal, begin with the name of Allah (ta’ala) and seek refuge from Shaytaan, because the Prophet (saw) said:
“When a man enters his house and mention Allah’s name on entering and on his food, the devil says: You have no place to spend the night and no evening meal; but when he enters without mentioning Allah’s name on entering, the devil says: You have found a place to spend the night, and when he does not mention Allah’s name at his food, he says: You have found a place to spend the night and an evening meal.” (Sunan Abi Dawud)
4. Watch Your Tongue
Ever had one of those times when you said something awful to someone and wished you didn’t? Maybe they provoked that response out of you, or maybe you were just in a bad mood at the time? Whatever happens, remember that one of the tools of Shaytaan to sow the seeds of discord among us is through our speech.
Someone hurt you and you lashed out. Or your parents upset you and you said hurtful things. Even though we can sometimes justify what we say to others, you should remember that good speech is a characteristic of a good Muslim and Shaytaan does nothing but stir fight amongst people.
Watch your tongue and your temper, and if anyone tries to push your buttons, seek refuge from Shaytaan and maintain your peace.
5. Engage in Supplications
You may have noticed that we talk a lot about reading the Qur’an and making dhikr (supplications) around here. This is because they are antidotes to the many evils that we face daily, they are good ways to use our time, and they bring immense rewards.
Dhikr also serves another purpose; it keeps Shaytaan away from us. Anywhere the name of Allah (ta’ala) is mentioned, Shaytaan stays far away from there.
So, keep your tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah (ta’ala).
6. Wake Up for Fajr
The reality of our lives is that many people struggle to wake up for the morning prayers at the right time. Maybe you spent a lot of time on the internet, or you binge-watched your favorite series and went to bed late. Or you are just knocked out from an exhausting day. Many people complain about fajr being the most difficult salah for them.
“It was mentioned before the Prophet (saw) that there was a man who slept the night till morning (after sunrise). The Prophet (saw) said, “He is a man in whose ears (or ear) Satan had urinated.” (Bukhari)
Our inability to wake up for fajr at the right time is an influence of Shaytaan, and we need to make deliberate efforts every day to fight him.
Defeating Shaytaan is not a one-day thing. And his influence is certainly not something that we can assume will never get to us because of how righteous we think we are. Therefore, we should wake up every day with the determination to do our best to keep Shaytaan away from us.
Related Video: Tricks of Satan – Nouman Ali Khan
You are most welcome for this remider. Jazakuallahkaira