If readers were to be asked individually tomention the person or thing they consider to be their worst enemy, there would be as many differing responses as the number of respondents.Worst enemies, to some people, should emerge from differences in religion or ethnicity. Others would simply consider their political opponents as their worst enemies. Some would take anyone with whom they had a quarrel as their worst enemy. Others might choose their worst enemies from those they presume to be responsible for their career predicaments, financial liabilities, matrimonial challenges or business failures. Surprisingly, none of thesefactors, no matter how terribly influential they seem, could make a worst enemy out of any man or woman. Indeed, the holy Quran teaches that a man’s worst enemy isn’t a fellow man or woman.
Fortunately for man, the identity of hisworst enemy has been revealed by Allah (SWT) in the Qur’an. As affirmed in the Quran, man’s worst enemy is the devil, Shaytan. He (SWT) states in Quran 12:5 “…..for Satan is to man an avowed enemy”. Shaytan is man’s sworn enemy and should be treated as such. Allah (SWT) declares Quran 35:6 “VerilyShaytan is an enemy to you so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherent that they may become companions of the blazing fire”. Most often, the devil disguises to deceitfully lead man to self-destruction, which is also why his name seldom comes to man’s mind when he attempts to detecthis real enemy.Allah (SWT) states in His holy Book that man will be tried by this invisible enemy who has been empowered to delude him. It is therefore in man’s own interest to use all available means to resist Shaytan and his devilish temptations.
Because he was cursed by Allah (SAW), Shaytan vowed to lead man to disobedience and ingratitude. Allah (SWT) mentions in the Qur’an how Shaytan plans to destroy man. Quran 7:16-17 states “He said; because thou hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy straight way. Then I will assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left. Nor will thou find gratitude (for thy mercies) in most of them”. The devil will stand on your way to doing anything good.Shaytan will equally way lay you on the path to disobeying Allah (SWT) bymaking all that is sinful toappear beautiful in your eyes. Anything made forbiddenby Islam will be made exceptionally attractive to your heart.
Shaytan pretends to be your friend but with an ulterior motive to stab you from behind. That was how he deceived Adam (AS) and Hauwau to eat from the forbidden fruit. If Satan used intrigues to mislead both Adam and Hawau who were obedient servants of Allah (SWT) in the sacred kingdom of the creator of heavens and earth, it would be Shaytan’s easiest task to lure contemporary man, whose passion for wealth, women and mundane elements of comfort is unequalled, into his snare. Shaytan knows your weaknesses and will explore or use them against you at every opportunity. He would wait patiently for when you are most vulnerable in order to take advantage of your emotions.
To defeat your worst enemy, the Shaytan, you must resolve to reject his whispers by which he strives day and night to corrupt your thoughts and actions. Show apathy to this world and you would have sent Shaytan on exile away from your mental and spiritual territories .Your show of inordinate love for this world and its element of comfort is only but an open invitation extended to Shaytan to take over your affairs. Similarly,you would have completely demoralisedShaytan if you constantly bring to your mind reflections about the inevitable event called death.
Each time you intend to undertake an act of worship, whether obligatory or prophetic, such as praying or fasting,Shaytan will find a way to overwhelm you with procrastination; suggesting various excuses for you to defer that particular act. When you want to go on pilgrimage to Makkahor pay the rate due as Zakat on your wealth, Shaytan will discourage you by whispering into you that doing so will impoverish you. However, each time you want to engage in sinful acts, Shaytan will not spare any of its tricks to hoodwink you into committing sins, the big and the small.
Shaytan prefers to flock with persons of the same “feather” with him. Shaytan is known to be notoriously arrogant which was why he was thrown out of the angelic world. Thus, an individual with traits of pride and superciliousness fits well in to Shaytan’s colony as a sociable and responsive companion. Such individuals easily fall preyto the destructive trap ofShaytan. However, humility and modesty are two virtuous weapons with which you can defeat Shaytan in this regard. These virtues will serve to block every devilish whispering from Shaytan from having access into a believer’s heart.
To defeat and chain the Shaytan, you must strive against fulfilling or submittingto all that your heart desires. Obeying all the instincts of your heart only increasesShaytan’s intimacywith you. Weighing everything that your heart covets is actually the defining action that will consistently align Shaytan from you and your affairs. That is the foremost step in resisting Shaytan’s very influential temptation. “Forbidden fruit”, they say, “is sweetest”. You must make up your mind not to taste any forbidden fruit each time Shaytan offers it to you. Forbidden fruit is anything made haram by Islam.
As an obvious enemy, Shaytan, not God, is responsible for most of our misfortunes in life. To live a peaceful and successful life therefore, we must as fathers or husbands, mothers or wives, siblings, friends, neighbours, colleagues, teachers, learners, landlords, tenants or visitors strive with virtuous words, actions and thoughts to defeat the Shaytan, and keep him out of ourliving. May Allah (SWT)arm us with the right level of piety required to conquer our worst enemy,amin.
