بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

From book tadheeb`l insaan by shaykh abdullahi dan fodio

On the Entrances of Satan Into the Hearts of Humanity

The means by which Satan Enters into the human heart is through the blameworthy qualities (sifaat al-madhmuuma), which are innumerous. However, we will mention here twelve of these fundamental traits.

Unjust Anger (al-ghaddab)

The first of the means that Satan enters into the hearts of humanity is through unjust anger. For whoever becomes angry and acts upon his anger, Satan enters his heart and plays and amuses himself  with him.

Corrupt Passions (as-shahwa)

The second means by which Satan enters into the hearts of humanity is through corrupt passions. Whoever follows after his corrupt passions, Satan then enters upon his heart and makes these passions seem fair seeming to him until the person is eventually destroyed.

Satiation (as-shabi`u)

The third means by which Satan enters into the hearts of humanity is through over eating to the point of satiation. This is among the key entrances of Satan into the heart by which he fortifies and strengthens the corrupt passions, which are the sole weapons of Satan.

The Love of Adornment (hubb at-tazyeen)

The fourth means by which Satan enters into the hearts of humanity is trough the love of adornment with beautiful clothing, gorgeous homes, and luxuriant mounts. For when Satan sees the love of adornment in the heart, he enters it and utilizes this love for adornment and germinates this in the heart and continuously extorts it until the person is preoccupied with self-beautification the entire period of his life. And since some human needs are naturally
depended upon others to flow, thus, the need for beautification and adornment never ceases to desist until the death of humanity.

Covetousness (at-tam`u)

The fifth means by which Satan enters the human heart is through covetousness for what humans possess. The one who is overcome by covetousness, Satan persist in causing the person to smooth things out for the one whom he covets and to embellish himself to him by means of showing-off and fraudulent behavior until the thing which he covets become like something which is worshiped. He persist in exaggerating his love for the person with false praise
with what the person is undeserving and sycophancy, until he fails to command the person to what is right and forbid him from indecency.

Haste (al-`ujla)

The six means by which Satan enters the human heart is through haste and rushing into every affair, which occur to the mind without giving researched insight into it. For Satan enters into the heart when he sees this and says to him, `There is no doubt that the affair that you desire is correct.’ He prevents him from pausing in his affairs until the person is eventually destroyed in it.

Excessive Wealth (al-maal alladhi zaada `ala ad-daruura)

The seventh means by which Satan enters the human heart is through wealth, which is in excess of what is necessary. By means of this, Satan enters the heart of a person and whispers to him about his needs until he becomes forever preoccupied with gathering needless wealth until he dies. His likeness is like a person who possess the sufficient amount of provision and whose heart is free from anxiety being independent of people. Then he comes upon one
hundred additional golden coins, for example, then Satan caste into his heart one hundred different passions, each passion leading to one hundred different others passions. Thus, the money that he has come upon proves insufficient for all his invented needs. His heart then becomes confused with all types of thoughts about these `needs’ until
he falls into many passions and eventually falls into Hell.

Stinginess (al-bukhl)

The eighth means by which Satan enters the hearts of humanity is through stinginess. When Satan sees that a person’s heart is overcome by stinginess, he cultivates in his heart the fear of poverty and induces him to hold fast to withholding expending money on others and giving charity. Satan then tempts him due to fear of poverty to begin hoarding wealth and he finally begins to have an evil opinion of his Lord.

Fanaticism (at-ta`assub)

The ninth means by which Satan enters the heart of humanity is through fanaticism. When Satan sees that fanaticism is dynamic in the heart, he moves in him the desire to be victorious over his adversaries without resulting to the truth. Satan then beautifies this fanaticism in the heart until it leads him towards hatred and envy.

Having An Evil Opinion of Muslims (su’u ad-dhan bi’l-muslimeen)

The tenth means by which Satan enters the heart of humanity is through having an evil opinion of the Muslims. Due to this, Satan enters the heart and causes the person to fall headlong into five subsequent traits: [1] making slander of Muslims, [2] being deficient with regard their rights, [3] procrastinating in showing respect towards them, [4] looking on them with pure disdain; and [5] seeing himself better than them.

Love for Rank (hubb `l-jaah)

The eleventh means by which Satan enters the heart of humanity is through love for rank. When Satan sees this destructive trait in the heart he cultivates in it innumerous detestable personality traits and guides him to self-deception until he is eventually destroyed. The person erroneously thinks that he is among the redeemed and there is none like him. Satan then cultivates in his heart the need to be preoccupied with giving lectures to people.
Then by means of this self-deception, Satan causes him to be ostentatious by eloquently beautifying his words for the people, by falsely manifesting his desire for good for all the Muslims. Satan says to him, `If you do not perfect you expressions for them then your words will plunge in the hearts of the people and they will not be guided to the truth.’ Satan thus, urges him to showing-off and love for people’s acceptance based upon what he says. He thus takes
pride in his numerous followers and other destructive traits.

Arrogance (al-kibr)

The twelfth means by which Satan enters the heart of humanity n through arrogance. It is among the most immense of the destructive blameworthy traits. The abhorrence of arrogance is not hidden from anyone. May Allah protect us from it.

The outcome is that every blameworthy trait is an entranceway for Satan (mudakhal as-shaytaan) into the heart of humanity. For this reason humanity should be on guard against all blameworthy traits and may Allah give you success and arriving at what is correct.

If the gates of the city are open and the enemies are present and on the alert, there is no way the city can be defended except through three means: [1] watchful attentiveness (al-muraaqaba), [2] spiritual struggle (al-ijtihaad); and [3] seeking assistance with Allah (isti`aanatu billahi). There is no power or might except with Allah.