In The Name Of Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful

PREACHING OF MANKIND IN
THE HOLY QURAAN (18)
"THE RESULTS OF TESTING THE NONBELIEVERS OF JINN CREATION"

In the Name of Allah: No Assistance except from Him. Our praise to Allah: No Gratitude except for Him. Glories to You my Lord: You Created me and I am in full obedience to Your Command. I hold my covenant to You by whatever is in my power. I bear witness that there is no Deity except Allah. I send my prayers and greetings to the best among all creatures Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the Messenger of peace who received the last message of the heavens to guide the worlds and delivered Allah's Integrated Legislation and Wisdom in a perfect manner.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, I greet you by the greeting of Islam: Asslamu Alikum Wa Rahmetu Allah Wa Barakath:

In a continuation of the subject of Preaching of Mankind in the Holy Quraan, today Inshaa Allah, I will reflect on the seventh topic related to the scene comprising Allah, some Angels, Adam and Iblis, that is:

The results of testing the nonbelievers of the Jinn creation.

Out of the Mercy of Allah, all the ways of temptation of Satan (Shitan) to human beings were shown as the temptations of Iblis to Adam and his wife in the garden of training. The other ways of Shitan to pull human beings to his way are taken from his statements while he was responding to the Reminders of Allah, which were mentioned in the last Khutba. These statements are the topic of today: In Sura # 7 Al-Aaraf, Verses # 16-17, Iblis Responds to Allah's Reminder by saying:

"Iblis said: Because You (My Lord) Has Built in me the choice to believe or disbelieve, I will lie in, wait for Mankind on their straight path.
Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left, nor will You (Allah) find in most of them gratitude for the Mercies of You (Allah)."

A lot of teachings in these two Verses are offered to Muslims to learn for themselves and transfer to others:

First: Iblis knows his capabilities and knows also that without the Grant of Allah to have the choice to obey or disobey, he cannot choose to be a disbeliever. If Allah Intends to Make him an obedient to His Commands he cannot resist. This part of the Verse is stated to teach us that Shitan is not superior and he is still Controlled by His Creator Almighty Allah.

Second: The places which Shitan will go to are the places of Ibadat. Shitan will not go to a bar where humans are disobeying Allah by drinking. The people in the bar are helping him and they do not need the influence of Shitan to disobey. Similarly Shitan will not visit all the places where people are taking his place by breaking any of the Commands of Allah. But Shitan will accompany the believers where they pray. He will be always whispering in their ears to spoil their Salat. When Muslims intend to pay charity or Zakat, to fast at any time or to perform Hajj, Shitan will always be with them forcing the doubts into their minds, discouraging them to do any righteous deeds for the fear of poverty, lack of resources or health. This part of the Verse is given as a reminder to Muslims:

Don't listen to Shitan and perform the righteous deeds as soon as it crosses your mind and Allah Will Make it up for you as long as your intentions are to Please Allah.

Third: Out of the Mercy of Allah, the sources of temptations of human beings by Iblis were stated as a warning taken from Iblis' statement. Shitan will approach Muslims from four directions: The front side, the backside, the right side and the left side.

While Iblis believed in himself that he is better and more clever than human beings; this part of the Verse shows the contrary. He showed Muslims his directions of assault. Here are some reflections on that:

1. Iblis stated four directions of temptations and we know that the directions generally are six. The two directions, which Iblis did not dare to mention as directions of his temptation, are the upward and downward directions.
   The upward is the direction from where Muslims Receive the Guidance of Allah and the downward is the direction of Sujud where Muslims become very Close to Allah.
   If Muslims are keen to counteract the temptations of Shitan; these two directions should be their only approaches in their worldly life. If Muslims will keep following and obeying what Comes from Allah and Prostrate themselves in thankfulness to Him on His Bounties, Shitan will not have any influence on them.
2. These four directions mentioned as the directions of assault on human beings by Shitan are the same four directions exporting profanity (Abandonment of religious faith) to all Mankind throughout the history. This group or party are rightist and the others are leftist. This group belongs to the progressive party and the others are from the reactionary.
   Muslims are rightist and leftist whenever these directions are within the frame of the Quraan and the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). Muslims belong to the progressive or the reactionary parties whenever these ideologies are within the Commands of Allah.
3. In addition to these four directions and above all of them, Muslims are continuously an upward and prostrating Ummah. All our Commands and Directions are Revealed from upward from Almighty Allah and all our Gratitude are expressed when we put our foreheads parallel to the lowest part of our feet.