It Is Only The Shaytan Who Frightens You of His Supporters

It Is Only The Shaytan Who Frightens You of His Supporters

We are seeing young Muslims praying in Salah, and then you have these adults coming to mock them and scare them — shouting at them, targeting college students, young people — because they know this is going to be the future, the future generation, the future leaders of the Ummah. So if we can scare them off when they're young to stay away from Allah on this path, then we won. And we have right now, on an official level here in our state, the designating of some of our Muslim organizations and groups as foreign terrorist groups.

What's the reason for that? What's the purpose of this? This only happens when rational arguments fail — when they are unable to defeat you on a rational level, on a value system. When they're unable to defeat you, they go to scare you off. They start using these emotional tactics just to push you away from this path of Allah and try to push you away from giving the da'wah and delivering the message to the world about the meaning of justice, the meaning of human rights, and also being — subhanAllah — the beautiful deen of Allah. So brothers and sisters, what we're dealing with really is truly nothing more than a war around values right now.

Which value system is more worthy to be praised, to be spread among the people, and shared with others? So the Shaytan, as Allah said to us in this ayah, he used these tactics. What for? He just kind of blows into his own allies to make them look great and mighty and powerful — to scare the believers from them. And Allah said: do not fear them, fear Me if you're truly believers.

So he's trying to make us get scared of people, not Allah. He makes you get scared of events and incidents, not of the Day of Judgment. He makes you get scared of the future, but not of failing to do our part in this dunya. Brothers and sisters, just understand the context of this ayah.

The Context: The Battle of Uhud

That ayah comes in a context that is very powerful. It is found in Surah Ali Imran. For those who know, the major theme of Surah Ali Imran is that Allah is telling us the story of the Battle of Uhud. In the Battle of Uhud, we know that the believers — as-sahabah, radiyallahu ta'ala 'anhum — won the first wave of the battle. But then they lost. They lost, and they had severe casualties — more than 70 of the sahabah were shuhada on that battlefield.

You can imagine the devastation that these people — these young people who had actually promoted going outside when they probably wanted to stay in Madinah — you can imagine the pain they were going through right now. So the following day, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wanted the sahabah to raise their morale. Because the battle was not over yet. He said: we are going to go after them. Patch your wounds, wrap your wounds — anyone who is capable of riding the back of a camel or walking and is strong enough to take that journey with me, let's go after them.

Can you imagine? You already feel the defeat. You lost 70 of your beloved ones, and now you have to go after these people. So Allah is telling us the story of what happened there:

Those who responded to the call of Allah and His Messenger after their injury — those of them who did good and were mindful of Allah will have a great reward.

Those to whom people said: your enemies have mobilized their forces against you, so fear them. The warning only made them grow stronger in faith, and they replied: Allah alone is sufficient as an aid for us, and He is the best protector.

This happened because when Abu Sufyan heard the news that the Muslims were now in pursuit — going after them — he didn't want to lose that victory he had won the day before. So he started sending warnings. These were just scare tactics. He said: look, we're going to wait for you. We're going to mobilize a bit more. We're going to recruit more people to fight against you. And he had nobody, really. He was just running as fast as possible to go to Mecca to preserve that victory so he could come out as victorious, knowing that these people — with their injuries — were still coming after them. How could that be possible?

So that's when he started spreading the news that they were going to be waiting for the Muslims and recruiting more people to fight against them. When the believers heard this, they didn't get scared or frightened and go back. No. They said: that's what Allah promised. He promised this would happen.

But then, as the pursuit continued, they realized they were unable to catch up with that army because Abu Sufyan never stopped. He kept going as fast as possible to Mecca, only to have that win and come with a declaration of victory. So Allah says about them:

So they returned with Allah's favor and grace. They were not harmed at all. And they followed Allah's command and Allah's pleasure. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

These sahabah, after they realized that the enemy had run away from them — at least that restored some strength in them. Then Allah says after that:

That warning was only from the Shaytan trying to prompt you to fear his followers. So do not fear them. Fear Me if you are true believers.

The Same Tactics, Different Players

Brothers and sisters, what we are seeing right now is nothing but a repetition of the same tactics of the Shaytan — but with different players, different names, different groups, a different time. But it is the same tactic. And Allah then told the sahabah afterwards, and the Rasul of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam:

Do not be saddened by those who race toward disbelief.

Some people just come out — subhanAllah — because it becomes like a battle of values. They want to try everything to prove that their values are stronger and more valuable than yours in every way possible. And when we look at these people trying — subhanAllah — online, in the streets, going to different places, trying all that — wallahi it grieves us. It grieves us that these people go after their ego, allowing the Shaytan to blow into their egos, without opening their ears, their minds, or their hearts just to listen. Just to listen. Maybe they will find value in that. And as a believer, it hurts me when people just don't want to listen to the truth or don't even try to learn about it.

And Allah says: don't grieve over this. Because they just race toward disbelief.

They will not harm Allah in the least. Allah intends to give them no share in the Hereafter, and they will have a severe punishment.

Those who trade belief for disbelief will never harm Allah in the least, and they will have a painful punishment.

Which means: don't fall for their tactics. Don't trade what you have for theirs just to find safety in this dunya. Don't try that. Remain steadfast. Hold on tight to the path to Allah. They are not going to harm Allah in the least. Then He says:

Those disbelievers should not think that We are giving them more time for their own good. We only give them more time so they may increase in sin. And they will have a humiliating punishment.

And then finally Allah concludes these ayat with this ayah. He says:

Allah would not leave the believers in the condition you are in, until He distinguishes the good from the evil among you.

What does that mean? That is a test, jama'at. All these tactics, all the warnings, all the frightening proclamations that you hear — all of this is nothing but Allah testing you with that. Because He is not going to leave you to say "I believe" and then let you walk away with it. He wants you to prove it. He will filter the believers to see who is truthful and who is not. And it is not even a secret, jama'at — it is in the Quran. Allah has said that many times. You think you're going to be left to say "I believe" and not be tested? So that is part of the test. Be prepared, jama'at — be prepared with your iman.

How Does the Shaytan Try to Scare Us?

Now — how does the Shaytan do that? What exactly is scaring us off when you think about what's happening today — all these events surrounding and attacking young Muslims, going after the masajid, our communities and our organizations?

1. Scaring You from Practicing Your Deen

The first thing he's trying to do is scare you off from being a true believer — meaning, holding on to the practice of your deen. You see those young people praying outdoors in a public place, or in a corner of a public library harming nobody, or somewhere in a field at the university harming nobody. They are just doing their own business, praying. Or outside of a restaurant — subhanAllah — when no one is being bothered by that. But these people orchestrate these attacks deliberately around the country to create that atmosphere of fear, so you don't go out and show your faith and your belief. They want you to hide everything. So Allah says: don't do this, don't be scared of them. The Shaytan is going to scare the sisters from wearing their hijab in public, or the brothers from praying in the office, or even from saying the truth — because I'm afraid of losing my job. Don't be afraid of that. Practice your deen, jama'at. Especially since this country is founded upon freedom of religion and practice, and you have all the rights to do that here.

2. Scaring You from the Future

The Shaytan is going to keep scaring you about the future. How are you going to live? How are you going to survive? You have kids to raise. You have a job. So I had better be quiet. I had better hide my identity as a Muslim. Don't let the Shaytan win this argument with you. Don't do this. It is not the time to hide. It is time to go out and remember that Allah is ar-Razzaq — not your paycheck.

3. Scaring You from Giving Da'wah and Charity

The Shaytan is also going to try to scare you off from giving da'wah, from giving support and aid, and even from giving in charity and donating. Why? Because "I'm weak, the whole world is against you — what do you think you're going to do? How are you going to change anything anyway? They have the powerful machine, the media, all of that." And Allah says: if you give aid to Allah, He promised He will aid you. And He will make your feet firm on the ground facing the enemy and evil.

4. Scaring You from Confronting Tyrants and Oppressors

The Shaytan is going to try to scare you from the tyrants and the oppressors — as always, as happened before with all the anbiya. And Allah says that Allah has all the mobilization of the earth and all that is in it, against all the tyrants of the world. So whom do you fear? Them, or Allah? He's going to make you scared of sacrificing your time, energy, effort, and money — because you're afraid that if you stand with the oppressed, you will be oppressed as well. If you stand for justice, you will be wronged. But Allah is reminding us: do not be frightened of them. Fear Allah.

Why Do People Fall for These Tactics?

Brothers and sisters, why do people sometimes fall for these tactics? So we can avoid it, inshallah.

1. Weakness in Tawakkul

The first thing is that sometimes we have a weakness in tawakkul — reliance on Allah. Because we have lived a comfortable life, we start depending so much on our titles, our jobs, the economy, the paycheck. We depend so much on that, we become so attached to the asbab — the means — that we forget that all of this is happening because Allah allows it to happen. As a result, we forgot that it is all coming from Allah. We want to keep our jobs, we want to keep our safety — and that's why we're afraid. We still don't have that tawakkul on Allah. And Allah's command is tawakkul, and it is a sign of strong belief and iman.

2. Forgetfulness

The second thing is forgetfulness. We are human beings — we forget. We forget that Allah is more powerful than all these people. We forget that this life is going to come to an end at some point. We forget that Allah has planned for this world and for the Hereafter. And as a result, we start making wrong calculations about the moment instead of thinking about the future before Allah.

3. Giving the Enemy More Weight Than They Deserve

Sometimes we give these people more weight than they deserve — especially when you see them bombarding you on social media, the algorithm making it even worse for you. You think these people are too many or too big, but in reality they are just talking to themselves. The Shaytan is very clever — he is going to make them look so big when Allah says they are not. They are not at all.

4. Consuming Negative News Constantly

Some of us unfortunately start spinning around that same thread of news. You see something negative, you keep rolling around and around and around — watching all these negativities. It makes you feel that it is so big that you start feeling hopeless and helpless. Break away. Look at what is positive. Look at what we can do to change things and make them better, inshallah ta'ala. Not thinking about how things are going to get worse. Think about how to make it better — and fight that, bi'idhnillah, the legal way, bi'idhnillahi tabarak wa ta'ala.

5. Lack of Dhikr and Connection with the Quran

My dear brothers and sisters, we don't have that attachment to dhikr very often these days. We are too busy to make dhikr. We are too busy even to connect with the Quran. And when we do connect with the Quran, it is only to read it — not to understand it. But we need to understand the Quran, because it is the true manual by which you live this life.

Examples from the Seerah

Brothers and sisters, we have so many examples from the seerah of the anbiya, the salihin, and the sahabah who were frightened and scared, who were threatened. Like Ibrahim alayhis salam — when they said: burn him, throw him into the fire! Did that change his mind? Never.

Even Bani Israel themselves — the irony, subhanAllah. When they were meeting Talut and facing Jalut, some of them said: there are too many of them, we can't fight them right now. And Allah said that if you listen to the people with strong iman and go through that door, you will be fine.

Abu Jahl, when he tried to frighten the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam — as they were attempting the hijrah — gathered all the people around his house just to kill him, salawatullah wa salamuhu alayh. But the Prophet went out sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, reciting Quran, and Allah veiled him from their sight. By the grace of Allah, protection comes from Allah.

Even Salahuddin al-Ayyubi, when he was thinking about going to Jerusalem — again, the irony — everybody said to him: are you serious? They are going to bring all the armies of Europe. What did he say? He said something very interesting: I feel shy. I feel shy before Allah that He sees me afraid of His enemies. I am embarrassed to show Allah that I fear His enemies. And that is what Allah gave him — victory in the Battle of Hittin.

Conclusion and Action Points

Brothers and sisters, Allah says that Shaytan is going to scare you. Don't be scared of them. You are required to be frightened — but of whom? The One who deserves to be feared: Allah. Getting through these scary events in life — that is qadr. Allah is going to put so many things in your path as part of the test. You have no control over the frightening moments and events. But who you choose to fear — that is within your control, and it can be an act of worship. If you choose to fear Allah, that is rewarding. If you choose to fear someone else, that is on you.

Make sure to increase your ibadah and your connection with the Quran and with the dhikr of Allah. Increase your tawheed — your belief in the oneness of Allah alone. And remember your tawakkul:

Whoever truly relies upon Allah, He will be sufficient for them.

And raise your children, please — my dear brothers and sisters — raise your children to be strong in their iman, in their identity, and in standing for the truth. If you get scared, don't transfer that to them. They may be braver than you and I. Make sure they know their rights in this country and what they can do, inshallah ta'ala. Keep them strong.

Remember the words of Allah:

It is only the Shaytan who frightens you of his supporters. So do not fear them, but fear Me if you are truly believers.

May Allah make us among those true believers, ya Rabbal 'alamin.