Protection Against the Traps of Shaytaan (Khutbah) - Sheikh Sa'd Al-Shithry

Protection Against the Traps of Shaytaan

Khutbah by Sheikh Sa'd Al-Shithry — translated and summarized by the translator present.

First Khutbah

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytaan. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Therefore, we must be prepared for this enemy, for he has a competition with his kind. Didn't our father Adam come out of Paradise? Shaytaan led them astray, and brought them out of what they were in.

"So Shaytaan made them slip from it and removed them from that in which they had been. And We said: Go down, some of you are enemies to others, and for you on the earth is a dwelling place and provision for a time."

This enemy, once upon a time, came to the people and made them go around the House naked — even the women, having nothing to wear, so that a woman would appear before men for them to look at her. And where did this happen? In the House of Allah. Look at how far this enemy has gone.

Therefore, the texts came to warn us of this enemy. Look at the first story in the Book of Allah — this is the story of Adam, peace be upon him, with Shaytaan. And the last chapter in the Book of Allah commands us to seek refuge from this enemy. Therefore, the subject is dangerous. Otherwise, the Book of the Lord of Might and Glory would not have been concerned with it. This enemy invites his party to be among the companions of the Fire.

So beware of the bad consequences. What are his steps? He says:

"O people, eat what is lawful and good on earth. And do not follow the footsteps of Shaytaan. He is a clear enemy to you. He only commands you to do evil and immorality and to say about Allah what you do not know." He wants you to lie about Allah and His law. He wants you to do immorality.

"O you who believe, enter into peace wholeheartedly. And do not follow the footsteps of Shaytaan. He is a clear enemy to you."

When a believer comes to pray, Shaytaan tries to prevent him from praying and diverts his attention. When we come and want to give charity and spend in the way of Allah, Shaytaan threatens us with poverty. As Allah says:

"Shaytaan threatens you with poverty and commits you to indecency. But Allah promises you His forgiveness and grace. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing."

Shaytaan is an enemy to us, therefore we must beware of him.

How Do We Protect Ourselves from Shaytaan?

The small infant should be kept away from the devil, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered us, before any of us came to his wife, to say:

"O Allah, keep the devil away from me and keep the devil away from what You have provided for us."

When Maryam, peace be upon her, was born, her mother said:

"My Lord, I have delivered a female child — and Allah knows best what she has delivered — and the male is not like the female. I have named her Maryam, and I seek refuge in You for her and her offspring from the accursed Shaytaan."

The devil instills fear in the hearts of his companions and followers in order to keep them away from acts of obedience. As Allah says:

"It is the devil who instills fear in his allies, so do not fear them, and fear Me if you are believers."

The devil makes a man, if he intends to do good, to be seen by others — so that he does not mean the face of Allah. If he intends to pray, Shaytaan says, "Go to such-and-such mosque so that people may see you." And if he intends to spend in charity, he says, "Make an announcement so that people may know that you have given charity." As Allah says:

"And those who spend their wealth to be seen by people and do not believe in Allah or the Last Day — and whoever has Shaytaan as a companion, he is an evil companion."

The devil wants you to stay away from the scholars of the Shariah and to stray from the straight path. As Allah says:

"And when there comes to them a matter of security or fear, they spread it around. But if they had referred it back to the Messenger and to those of authority among them" — meaning the scholars — "those who can draw correct conclusions from it would have known about it. And if it were not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have followed Shaytaan, except for a few." Meaning you would have left following the scholars and you would have followed the way of Shaytaan.

Shaytaan wants you to be a polytheist — to give your worship to other than Allah. As Allah says:

"They do not call besides Him except females, and they do not call except a rebellious devil. Allah has cursed him. And he said, 'I will surely take from Your servants a specific portion. And I will mislead them, and I will arouse in them false desires and will command them so they will slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them so they will change the creation of Allah.' And whoever takes Shaytaan as an ally instead of Allah has certainly suffered a clear loss."

We want you not to lose. We want you not to enter the Fire of Hell, to which your enemy, the accursed Shaytaan, calls you. Shaytaan adorns for some people their deeds. As Allah says:

"And Shaytaan adorned for them what they used to do."

Shaytaan wants you to sit in false gatherings and listen to what goes against the truth. And Allah wants you to sit only in the gatherings of goodness, remembrance, and guidance. As Allah says:

"And if you see those who engage in offensive discourse concerning Our verses, then turn away from them until they enter into another conversation. And if Shaytaan should cause you to forget, then do not remain after the reminder with the wrongdoing people."

Indeed, your enemy Shaytaan wants you to be naked — to leave your clothes and to show your nakedness. As Allah says:

"O Children of Adam, let not Shaytaan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them. Indeed, We have made the devils allies of those who do not believe."

"Indeed, Shaytaan is your enemy, so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze."

The Ways to Be Rid of Shaytaan

The first way is to hold on to Allah, and to trust in Him, and to make du'a to Him to save you from this enemy. Allah is the One who created Shaytaan, and He is able to save you from him. As Allah says:

"And whoever holds on to Allah has been guided to a straight path."

The second way is to do more dhikr, tasbeeh, tahleel, and takbeer. If you sit in your home, then do tasbeeh and tahleel. If you ride in your car, then do the same. If you wait for a doctor's appointment or any other appointment, then do more dhikr, tasbeeh, and tahleel. If you are free from your work, then do more dhikr. As Allah says:

"And whoever turns away from the remembrance of the Most Merciful, We appoint for him a devil, and he is to him a companion. And indeed, they avert them from the way while they think that they are guided."

Likewise, authentic knowledge taken from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, renders Shaytaan unable to play with you. As Allah says:

Shaytaan adorns for the people their actions that are contrary to the Shariah. But when they know the law of Allah, Allah protects them from this enemy. And as it has come in the narrations:

(Reported by Ibn Majah and others; attributed to the statement of the Companions)

"A single scholar of the religion is harder upon Shaytaan than a thousand worshippers."

Likewise, from the things that you should pay attention to is that you should not respond to Shaytaan when he wants to sow enmity and hatred between you and your brothers. Shaytaan wants you to be enemies who kill one another and take one another's wealth. And therefore do not respond to this Shaytaan. Guard your tongue. Guard your limbs from transgressing against your brothers. As Allah says:

"And say to My servants that they should say that which is best. Indeed, Shaytaan sows discord among them. Indeed, Shaytaan is to mankind a clear enemy."

Look at the story of Yusuf, peace be upon him, at its conclusion. Yusuf said, remembering the blessings of Allah upon him:

"And He brought you from the Bedouin after Shaytaan had induced enmity between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in fulfilling what He wills."

On the Day of Judgement, this enemy will disown you — if you were among those who responded to him. As Allah says:

"And Shaytaan will say when the matter has been concluded: Indeed, Allah had promised you the promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. And I had no authority over you except that I invited you and you responded to me. So do not blame me; but blame yourselves. I cannot be called to your aid, nor can you be called to my aid. Indeed, I deny your association of me with Allah from before. Indeed, for the wrongdoers is a painful punishment."

So, O my brother, fear Allah — your enemy is Shaytaan. Seek refuge in Allah from him, and increase your remembrance of Allah so that Allah may protect you from his evil. Do not respond to him when he wants to cast enmity and hatred between you and your brothers. When you humble yourself before your brothers, Allah raises you. When you forgive your brothers, Allah increases you in honour. When you guard your tongue for the sake of Allah, Allah raises you in degrees in this world and the next. And when you are patient over what occurs between you and your household, then indeed the patient are given their reward without account.

Shaytaan wants the family to fall apart, and for the husband and wife to quarrel and to separate. So do not respond to Shaytaan. Be patient. And if you find some disagreement from your wife, be patient and seek reward from Allah, and teach her in a good manner and remind her of Allah, so that she may respond to goodness and guidance willingly from within herself — so that you may be among those who are rewarded and recompensed. Do not force her to the truth by compulsion. Rather, make her intend the truth and goodness out of obedience to Allah, so that she may be among those who are truly God-fearing.

"By Allah, We have certainly sent messengers to nations before you, but Shaytaan made their deeds seem fair to them. And he is their ally today, and they will have a painful punishment."

May Allah bless me and you through the Great Quran, and benefit me and you with what it contains of verses and the Wise Reminder. I say this and I seek the forgiveness of Allah, the Most High, the Most Great, for me and for you and for all Muslims from every sin — so seek His forgiveness, for He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Second Khutbah

All praise is due to Allah, who commanded us to take Shaytaan as an enemy and warned us against responding to him and walking in his footsteps — for that would make us among the people of misery. I praise Him, the Majestic and Most High, and I thank Him and laud Him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, with no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, may Allah send His peace and blessings upon him, upon his family, his companions, his followers, and grant them abundant peace.

As for what follows, O believers, fear Allah by being wary of the footsteps of Shaytaan. Fear Allah by returning to Him whenever Shaytaan causes you to stumble. Shaytaan will cause you to stumble — either through sin, or through heedlessness, or through something that distances you from Allah. But from the characteristic of the people of faith is that when something of that falls from them, they return to Allah in sincere repentance — and thus Allah converts their evil deeds into good deeds. As Allah says:

"Indeed, those who fear Allah — when an impulse touches them from Shaytaan, they remember, and at once they have insight. But their brothers — the devils — extend them in error; then they do not stop short."

And therefore, humble your enemy by increasing your repentance. Likewise, from what humbles this enemy is that you increase your prostration to Allah. For when the son of Adam prostrates, Shaytaan withdraws weeping, saying: "The son of Adam was commanded to prostrate and he prostrated, and I was commanded to prostrate and I refused." And therefore, humble your enemy by increasing your prostrations.

Likewise, from what you are able to use to humble this enemy is to increase your recitation of the Quran — even if it is only the short surahs. In your coming and going, repeat Juz' 'Amma. Listen to the verses of the Quran. By doing so, you will be among those whom Allah has protected from Shaytaan. And you should seek refuge from Shaytaan before your recitation of the Quran, as Allah says:

"So when you recite the Quran, seek refuge in Allah from Shaytaan, the expelled."

Shaytaan commands you to squander and waste, so beware. As Allah says:

"Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Shaytaan been to his Lord ungrateful."

Shaytaan attempts to share with you in your wealth, your food, and all of your affairs. So be vigilant and increase your remembrance of Allah so that Shaytaan is not able to share with you in any of that. As Allah says:

"And incite whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them. But Shaytaan does not promise them except delusion."

Indeed, from the ways of getting free from your enemy Shaytaan is to follow the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and to walk upon his methodology. For just as Allah protected His Prophet from Shaytaan, when you walk upon his path you will then be among those whom Allah protects from this accursed Shaytaan.

O believers, send your salutations upon this noble Prophet, for your Lord has commanded you to do so. As He, Glorified be He, says:

"Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who believe, ask Allah to confer blessing upon him and ask Allah to grant him peace."

Du'a (Supplication)

Summary Translation

In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and may the peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family, his companions, and all those who follow him.

The following is a brief summarized translation of what the Sheikh mentioned within his khutbah.

The Sheikh, after praising Allah and sending his salutations upon our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that all of us need to be aware and we need to recognize that all of us have an enemy — an enemy that plans against us by day and by night, an enemy that plots against us so that we will be from amongst the losers. And that enemy that we have is Shaytaan or Iblis. We need to prepare to face that enemy on a daily basis. We need to defend ourselves; we need to know what we as Muslims need to do in order to preserve ourselves from not only Iblis but the armies that he has from mankind and from the jinn.

Was it not Iblis, the Sheikh said, that caused our father Adam, peace be upon him, to be expelled from Jannah — from Paradise — when he came and he whispered to him and made him eat from the tree that Allah told him to stay away from? Was it not him, Iblis, who came time and time again throughout the generations, throughout the centuries, to so many various people — to make them sin and disobey Allah? It was Shaytaan or Iblis who came to the Arabs before the coming of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and made it seem like a good idea to them that when they would make Tawaf around the House of Allah they should do so naked — men and women — to the extent that they would be able to see one another. And where did this happen? From all places, it was around the House of Allah.

And that is why Allah throughout the Quran and our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, within the Sunnah — when we look, we find that there are so many texts, so many verses and ahadith that tell us to beware of Shaytaan, to protect ourselves from Shaytaan, to beware of the plots and the tricks and the plans of Shaytaan. The first story that is mentioned in the Quran in Surah al-Baqarah is the story of our father Adam, peace be upon him, with Iblis. And when we go to the end of the Quran, the last surah mentioned is Surah an-Nas, which tells us to seek refuge in Allah from the whisperings of Shaytaan. It is Shaytaan who calls us to be from his company so that we will enter into the Hellfire with him as well.

As Allah mentions in many verses in the Quran, Allah says: "O you who believe, enter into the religion fully, wholeheartedly, and do not follow the footsteps of Shaytaan — for indeed he is a clear enemy to you." In another verse, Allah tells us that when we come to pray and worship Allah and remember Allah, it is Shaytaan who comes and diverts our attention away from our Salah. He is the one who diverts our attention away when we want to remember Allah. When we come and we want to give charity and spend in the way of Allah, it is Shaytaan who makes us think of poverty and makes us think that we will become poor by spending in the way of Allah. It is Shaytaan who comes and does all of these things — from the moment that we are born until the moment that we die — in order to divert us away from the path of Allah.

That is why our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, advised the parents — even before the child is born — that when they have relations with one another they should make the du'a: "O Allah, protect me from Shaytaan and protect what you provide for me from Shaytaan as well."

As Allah mentions in the story of the mother of Maryam, peace be upon her, she said when she gave birth — one of the du'as that she made was: "O Allah, I have named this girl Maryam, and I seek refuge in You, O Allah, for her and her children from Shaytaan." And this continues — when you look throughout the Quran, it is Shaytaan who comes and tells us to show off, to worship other than Allah, to commit shirk. It is he who comes to us and tells us to stay away from the scholars, to follow our own desires and our whims.

And that is why in the Quran and the Sunnah we have ways by which we can safeguard ourselves from Shaytaan — ways that we can stay away from Shaytaan, ways that we can protect ourselves from Shaytaan. The Sheikh mentioned a number of those ways:

The first of them was to hold on to Allah and to make du'a to Him, to trust upon Him, and to place our reliance in Him and Him alone. As Allah says: "And whosoever holds on to Allah, then he will be guided to the straight path."

The second way that we protect ourselves from Shaytaan is by continuously remembering Allah — by saying SubhanAllah and Alhamdulillah and making the takbeer and saying La ilaha illAllah — because Allah says in the Quran: "And whosoever turns away from the remembrance of Allah, We will make Shaytaan his companion."

From amongst the ways that we safeguard ourselves from the tricks and traps of Shaytaan is by seeking knowledge — authentic knowledge based upon the Quran and the Sunnah of our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him — because Shaytaan beautifies our actions to us due to our lack of knowledge. So when we have that knowledge and that firm grounding, we are able to worship Allah upon knowledge and upon insight.

The Sheikh said also that when Shaytaan comes and he tries to make enmity, jealousy, and envy between you and your fellow brothers and sisters — don't respond to his whisperings. As Allah says in the Quran: "And say to My slaves to only speak that which is good. For Shaytaan comes and he tries to create enmity between them." Look at the story of Yusuf, peace be upon him. Who was it that came between him and his brothers? Who made his brothers do what they did? And that is why at the end of the surah, when Yusuf, peace be upon him, is praising Allah and his family is reunited, he says: "O Allah, You are the One who brought my family back to me after Shaytaan caused enmity to occur between us."

And that is why on Yawm al-Qiyamah, Shaytaan himself will free himself from all of those people who chose to follow him. And he will say: "Indeed Allah promised you and He gave you a true promise. And as for me, I promised and I broke that promise." Shaytaan will be the one who comes between us and our families, our wives, our spouses, and our children, and creates enmity between us — because Shaytaan doesn't want us to worship Allah.

So the Sheikh said that we need to be patient upon the traps and tricks of Shaytaan. When Shaytaan comes and tries to cause enmity between us and our families — or jealousy and envy between us and our brothers — we need to stay away from these whisperings of Shaytaan. But rather we need to go back to Allah and continuously repent to Allah, and also make sujood — make a lot of prostrations to Allah — because every time you prostrate to Allah, Shaytaan becomes upset and depressed and says: "Indeed the son of Adam was ordered to prostrate and he did so. And as for me, I was ordered to prostrate and I refused."

The Sheikh said also to recite the Quran — that is one of the ways that we safeguard ourselves from Shaytaan, even if it is only the short small surahs. Recite them as much as you can and listen to their recitation. And before you recite, seek refuge in Allah by saying, as Allah mentions in the Quran: "When you recite the Quran, then seek refuge in Allah from Shaytaan the accursed."

Shaytaan wants to come and take a portion of your wealth. Every time you eat and drink and you don't mention and remember the name of Allah, Shaytaan takes a portion of everything that you do. So what we need to do is seek those means that protect us from Shaytaan and from his tricks and his traps.

The Sheikh concluded by saying one of the greatest of those means is by following the way of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him — because Allah protected the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, from Shaytaan. And by following his path and his methodology, this is one of the ways to attain the protection of Allah as well. And with that he concluded the khutbah.

Jazakumullahu Khayran.