Page 72 - Quick Grasp of Faith 1

70 QUICK GRASP OF FAITH - 1

satan. He may make religion seem difficult to this person. Or
he may tell him that what he already does is enough and more
is not required. This person may think that all this is true. Or
satan induces feelings like fear, anxiety, stress, and distress in
people, and aims to exhaust their energy. He tries to prevent
them from doing good and charitable deeds and thinking
soundly. One must be aware that all these things come from
satan, seek refuge in Allah and pay no heed to satan’s whis-
perings.
Furthermore, it must not be forgotten that satan’s influ-
ence on people lies at the root of all evil, wars, massacres and
debauchery in the world.

78. Does satan have independent power of
his own?
The most important point to be grasped about satan is
that he has no power of his own. Like all other beings, he has
also been created by Allah and is under His control. He can
do nothing unless Allah so wills. Satan performs his task of
causing people to go astray with the permission of Allah. In
this way, Allah tests who will and who will not obey satan in
the life of this world, which He created to test people. Allah
states this truth:
He had no authority over them except insofar as We
might be enabled to distinguish one who believes in the
hereafter from one who is in doubt about it. Your Lord is
the Preserver of all things. (Surah Saba’: 21)