Page 76 - Satan: The Sworn Enemy of Mankind

SATAN: THE SWORN ENEMY OF MANKIND
direct their steps. The human component among these satans re-
vealed themselves through their hostility towards the Prophet (saas)
and the believers who followed him. By fighting against the Prophet
(saas), they joined with others like them, at times engaging in joint
action. By such joint action, they incited one another against the be-
lievers with high-sounding but deceptive speech. This cooperation
is described in the Qur'an as follows:
In this way, We have appointed as enemies to every
Prophet satans, from both mankind and from the jinn, who
inspire each other with delusions by means of specious
words—if your Lord had willed, they would not have done
it, so abandon them and all they fabricate—so that the
hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter incline
towards them and are pleased with them and perpetrate
whatever they perpetrate. (Surat al-An`am, 112-113)
As stated in these verses, had Allah so willed, these satans
would not have been hostile to the Prophet (saas), and would not
have inflicted any difficultly or sought to oppress the believers, nor
wage war against them. Only according to the will of Allah can these
creatures compose the circumstances by which to test the friends of
Allah, by which they may be raised in rank in the Hereafter. By
means of these situations, the believers are put to the test, their pa-
tience tested, and hearts cleansed. Satan, who cannot act outside the
will of Allah, merely complies with the task set out for him by Allah,
to help distinguish the believers from the unbelievers.

Unbelievers Incited by Satan
The incitement of Satan is the most important factor behind the
excesses of the unbelievers, and their hostility towards the believers.
Allah revealed, in the Qur'an:

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