Page 28 - The Alliance of the Good

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THE ALLIANCE OF THE GOOD

purifies whoever He wills. God is All-Hearing, All-
Knowing. (Surat an-Nur: 21)
Satan has gained mastery over them and made them
forget the remembrance of God. Such people are the

party of Satan. No indeed! It is the party of Satan who
are the losers. (Surat al-Mujadila: 19)
Satan carries on a similar struggle against all people, but
people who have fear of God, who guard against evil,
conform to their conscience, and have a strong will, are not
led astray by him. Weak-willed people having no deep-
rooted fear for God, however, are tempted by Satan as the
verses of God inform. In the following verse, the
characteristics of the people who come under the influence of
Satan are related:

Shall I tell you upon whom the Satans descend? They
descend on every evil liar. They give them a hearing and
most of them are liars. (Surat ash-Shu'ara': 221-223)
Those under the influence of Satan and who have gone
astray usually present themselves as good and charitable
people. However, their attitude towards people, and the lack
of love, compassion and tolerance in their hearts, reveals that
Satan has absolute control over them. This is related in a
verse as follows:

If someone shuts his eyes to the remembrance of the
All-Merciful, We assign him a Satan who becomes his
bosom friend - they debar them from the path, yet they
still think they are guided. (Surat az-Zukhruf: 36-37)