Page 91 - Satan: The Sworn Enemy of Mankind

Satan's Faction: The Hypocrites
when he chose to rebel. Recognizing the existence and might of
Allah, though still rebelling against Him is, as we have already
made clear, a most irrational act.
However, this inexplicable reasoning is not peculiar to Satan
alone. Satan's legions, the hypocrites, also engage in behavior that is
inexplicable. As Satan rebelled knowingly, had the impudence to
question the command of Allah, refused to beg forgiveness, per-
sisted in his sin despite knowing it to be an offence, thinking never-
theless he had suffered an injustice, regarding himself as being in the
right, seeking to mislead others into the same destitution… in these
the hypocrites follow Satan in every regard:
They are like Satan when he says to a human being,
"Disbelieve," and then when he disbelieves, says, "I wash
my hands of you. Truly I fear Allah, the Lord of all the
worlds." (Surat al-Hashr, 16)
The hypocrites possess the same knowledge as Satan. Satan
knows of the might of Allah, and of Paradise and Hell. Like Satan,
the hypocrites are also aware of Allah's existence, His book, His
commandments, and even His messenger. There may even be those
among the hypocrites who have memorized the Qur'an by heart.
Nevertheless, all fall into the worst rank among all created beings in
opposing the will of Allah. Indeed, the punishment they will even-
tually receive is even worse, for having turned away knowingly
from the true path.
Another extraordinary perversion found in the hypocrites is
that, after recognizing Allah and His messenger, they then accuse
them of deception. When the hypocrites, as described in Surat al-
Ahzab, encountered the enemy, it was this sort of deviance that
could be discerned among them. It must also not be forgotten that,
in all other circumstances, these people behave like believers, ap-

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