Insulating Oneself Against Shaytaan & The Hypocrites

Early Morning Reflections

Surah Al-Baqarah: My Protection

In the time leading up to Ramadan, Shaytaan does his utmost best to create animosity and sow discord in one’s life. This can occur in small but disruptive ways.

خَتَمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰٓ أَبْصَـٰرِهِمْ غِشَـٰوَةٌۭ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌۭ ٧

“Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and their sight is covered. They will suffer a tremendous punishment.” (2:7)

• So long as one is active in fighting Shaytaan, he will not gain control of the believer.
• Allah has the ability to seal and close one’s heart as punishment for sin and disbelief.
• Muhammad (SAW) used to make constant Du’a for Allah to make his heart firm of religion.

In a Hadith by Hudhayfah (RA) recorded in Sahih, Muhammad (SAW) said: 

“The Fitnah (trials, tests) are offered to the hearts, just as the straws that are sewn into the woven mat, one after another. Any heart that accepts the Fitnah, then a black dot will be engraved on it. Any heart that rejects the Fitnah, then a white dot will be engraved on it. The hearts will therefore become two categories: white, just like the barren rock; no Fitnah shall ever harm this category as long as the heavens and the earth shall exist. Another category is black, just as the cup that is turned upside down, for this heart does not recognise righteousness or renounce evil.”

Though Allah speaks about the disbelievers, the believers cannot fall into a comfort that they are not susceptible to this as well. One should focus on filling the heart with purity, and removing the bad and sin. This is possible through:

1. Du’a, and
2. Having pain and regret.

فِى قُلُوبِهِم مَّرَضٌۭ فَزَادَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مَرَضًۭا ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْذِبُونَ ١٠

“There is sickness in their hearts, and Allah only lets their sickness increase. They will suffer a painful punishment for their lies.” (2:10)

• For those who have sickness in their hearts, Allah increases them in filth and deviation. 
• However, when one accepts guidance from Allah, He increases them in it and grants them piety (Qur’an, 47:17).
• In order to achieve this Taqwa, the believer must open their hearts and receive this guidance from Allah.
• Muhammad (SAW) did not know about every Munafiq and who they were, but Allah went into such detail to describe their qualities that they would be recognisable, such as by the way they speak (Qur’an, 47:30).

By choosing ‘Iman, one’s ‘Iman cannot be moving with the seasons. It must weather every storm and the forces of hypocrisy against them.
Nifaaq (hypocrisy) is in every part of one’s life, and as believers, we have to build an insulation against it.