When
Allah created Adam and asked the angels to prostrate to him, every
one complied except Shaytan (Iblis). Allah expelled him but on his
request allowed him a determined time. Shaytan's enmity with Adam and
his progeny started from that time. He vowed to distract them all
from the right path.
Shaytan's
strategy is to first obstruct man in his virtuous deeds. If the man
is not trapped in the devil designs, he will next try to influence
his intention. For example, if a man wants to give charity, Shaytan
will scare him of poverty but if still he gave charity, he will
encourage the man to openly remind the person about it so that the
person will not get any thawab for the charity.
Is'te'aza
is seeking protection from Allah against Shaytan. The verbal
portion is by saying “Auzu Billahe Minashshaytanir Rajeem”
translated as “I seek protection from Allah against Shaytan, the
banished one”
Hence,
one should recite “Is'te'aza” before performing any virtuous even
recommended deeds.
Even
the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) was asked by Allah to recite the
Du'a as stated in Surah al-Mu'minun Ayah 97 and 98, “Say, 'Lord, I
seek your protection against the strong promptings of the devils
(Shaytan). I seek your protection should they approach me.'”
According
to the traditions of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), protection from Shaytan is
specially recommended on three occasions; in the company of a
strange woman, while one is angry, and at the time of dispensing
justice.
We
cannot see Shaytan but he sees us as stated in Surah al-A'raf Ayah
27, “Children of Adam, do not let Shaytan seduce you , as he caused
your parents to be expelled from the garden (Paradise) . Shaytan and
those like him see you but you do not see them.”
Shaytan
does not force man to commit sins, he misguides and lures man towards the evil. If a man is pious, he will return to Allah and seek His
protection and is saved from Satanic actions. But if the man is not
pious, he will be trapped in Shaytan's network. Man is independent in
his decision for any action and answerable on the Day of Judgment.
Surah Ibrahim Ayah 22 says, “When the decree of Allah is issued,
Shaytan will say, “Allah's promise to you was true, but I, too,
made a promise to you and disregarded it. I had no authority over
you. I just called you and you answered. Do not blame me but blame
yourselves.”
It
is Allah's justice that if He had given Shaytan access to the mankind
then He has kept the door of repentance open for the mankind.
According to a tradition of Behar-ul-Anwar volume 3, the Noble
Messenger (s.a.w.a.s.) had said, “Whoever repents one
year before his death, Allah will forgive him. Then he said, “If he
repents even one month before death he will be forgiven.” He said
further, “If he repents one day before his death he is forgiven.”
Lastly, he said, “Even one day is too much, if repents before seeing the
death, Barzaq and the angel of death, he will be
forgiven.” The Mercy and Forgiveness of Almighty Allah may be
realized!
Shaytan's
only purpose is to deprive mankind from faith on Allah and the Day of
Judgment or at least he may not perform
any virtue and continue in doing prohibited and bad deeds.
Protection
(Is'te'aza) should not be only on our tongue but it should be from the
depth of our souls. If we only recite Is'te'aza by tongue and
continue to disobey Allah, it has no effect.
Seeking
protection from Allah against Shaytan (Is'te'aza) may have three
situations; one may recite 'Auzu Billahe Miashshaytanir Rajeem'
without knowing its meanings and also not from the bottom of ones
soul; next, one may know the meaning but without effecting the soul,
which may be evident from the Shaytani acts; lastly one knows the
meaning of Is'te'aza recited from the bottom of his heart and being
fully aware of the Might and Exaltation of Allah. This is the true
Is'te'aza.
Source:
The Glorious Qur'an
Is'te'aza by Ayatollah Syed Abdul Husain Dasteghaib
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