The guile of Satan is ever feeble (4:76)

 

Fifth indication

 

In the Books He sent, God Almighty repeatedly gives the glad tidings of a mighty reward like Paradise and warns of a tremendous punishment like Hellfire. In addition, He frequently gives and calls to guidance and encourages to good and Paradise, and warns against misguidance and threatens with both Hellfire and other kinds of severe punishment. Despite all such means of guidance and following the Straight Path, believers may be defeated in the face of the feeble, repulsive ploys of the party of Satan, which promise no real reward. This preoccupied my mind for a long time. I wondered how a believer could not pay heed to the severe threats of God Almighty despite their belief, and why this heedlessness did not annul belief. And if, as proclaimed in the Qur’an, the guile of Satan is ever feeble (4:76), how could they rebel against God and be defeated by Satan’s ever-feeble schemes? Some among my friends, although they had sincerely confirmed the truths which they heard from me many times and despite their extremely good opinion of me and sincere relation to me, were taken in by the hypocritical compliments of a heartless, corrupt man, and assumed a position in his favor and against me. “All glory be to God!” I uttered. “Can a man fall so low? How insincere a man he is!” By talking badly about that poor man, I committed a sin.

Later, the truths mentioned in the previous Indications became clearer in my mind and illuminated many obscure points. Thanks be to God, through that illumination, I came to understand that the Qur’an’s emphatic encouragement and advocacy are completely proper, and believers are taken in by the deceit of Satan not due to a lack of belief or weakness in their belief. I also understood that those who commit major sins do not become unbelievers, and that the Mu‘tazilites39 and some Kharijite sects are mistaken in their doctrine that one who commits a major sin becomes an unbeliever or is in a state between belief and unbelief. Furthermore, I realized that my unfortunate friend had not undergone as contemptible a degeneration and vileness  as I had thought, although he had sacrificed numerous instructions in truth for the favor of a villain. I thanked God and was saved from the danger of thinking in this way because, as I explained above, Satan may throw people into perils through a paltry incitement that leads to destruction. Moreover, the human carnal soul always lends an ear to Satan. And the human powers of anger and lust are two instruments that both receive and transmit Satan’s suggestions.

It is for this reason that the two Names of God Almighty, the All-Forgiving and the All-Compassionate, face believers with forgiveness and compassion in the most comprehensive and profound fashion. And the Almighty declares in the wise Qur’an that His most important grace for the Prophets is forgiveness and calls on them to implore Him for forgiveness. By repeating the sacred statement, In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate at the beginning of every sura (chapter) and ordering it to be recited at the start of every lawful deed or act, God indicates that His all-encompassing Compassion is a stronghold and a center for refuge. He makes a shield of the phrase I seek refuge in God from Satan, rejected eternally, by ordering Seek refuge in God!

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

39 The Mu‘tazilites or al-Mu‘tazilah: The school of the Muslim “rationalists” which accorded creative effect to human will and agency, concluding that it is human beings who create their actions. In addition, it denies God Almighty attributes, claims that God is absolutely obliged to reward those who believe and do good deeds, and punish those who disbelieve. (Tr.)