Page 39 - Sincerity Described in the Qur'an

Ploys Used By The Devil To Destroy 37
The Sincerity Of True Believers

hears him. However, Satan presents this desire in a more
seemingly innocent light, through such reasoning as "They
will trust and love you more if they know how morally
upright you are and how you conform to the Qur’an.
Anyway, it is a perfectly legitimate desire." It is of course a
legitimate desire, however, one would be behaving more in
line with the Qur’an if he seeks this recognition from Allah
and leaves the matter of his public perception in His hands.
If he behaves differently, he will risk being overcome by the
wrongdoings that are rejected by the Qur’an. Such behavior
would amount to worshipping to be seen, to become
important, and in taking pride in one’s self. All such behavior
is opposed to one’s sincerity and purity, qualities that are
only acquired while performing worship to merely gain

Allah’s consent.

Satan’s Cunnings

Satan’s plan to harm the sincerity of true believers, which
will last until the Day of Judgment, dates back to the time of
Adam (as). He approached Adam (as) with the same sly and
deceitful strategies, and tried to make him perceive good as
ugly and ugly as good. As announced in the Qur’an, Satan
succeeded in persuading Adam (as) and his mate to not heed
Allah’s prohibition. Thus, he caused them to be driven out of
Paradise. This event is explained in the verses of the Qur’an as
follows:
We said, "Adam, live in the Garden, you and your wife,
and eat freely from it wherever you will. But do not
approach this tree and so become wrongdoers." (Surat
al-Baqara: 35)