Assalam Aleikum,

There has never been a time in the history of the world that the promise made by shaytan has been so evident. A few days ago, i was studying the ayat from surah Nisa and it is really scary stuff. The worst thing is that everyone is caught up in this, even practising muslims. Often times, we glance through these ayat in translation and do not even reflect on them.

Insha Allah, We would reflect on these ayat and examine ourselves in relation to it. Are we falling into the deception of shaytan? In the Quran, Allah describes how shaytan slowly made Adam to slip. The verb used is that of pulling a bucket out of a well.He didn't just tell Adam to go eat the fruit, he got him step by step. He is still pulling those buckets for many of us and many are unaware. May Allah protect us.

In Surah Nisa starting from 118 (roughly translated):

.....(Shaytan) said: I will certainly take my due share of Your slaves;

Here, shaytan basically says: 'i am going down but they are coming with me'...

He continues (ayah 119):

...I swear to it, I will so misguide them and I swear to it, I am going to fill them with so much hope.

Here shayatan says basically: "i am going make them feel as if they are headed towards success,

they are going to be so blinded by their careers,
they are going to be so blinded by their aspirations,
blinded by the next fashion wave,
blinded by the Nations cup(Said that on purpose),
blinded by the next movie coming out,
blinded by the next season of the series.
blinded by their wealth

Shaytan promises to fill us with so much hope

Now when Shaytan has distracted us and filled us with so much hope in these things, he is now in a position to command us. Now he can tell us what to do, he doesn't have to suggest anymore.

ayah 119 continues:

'I will command them to slit the ears of cattle'

The mushrik used to cut the ears of cattle to dedicate to their gods.

In other words, Satan is saying 'i will make them do weird, twisted and superstitious things. I will make them make religions up and do the stupidest things."

Satan is saying here: I am going to make you do something stupid and you are going to do it'

He continues:

I will command them to alter God’s creation.

He will command you to get weird tattoos, cosmetic surgery and piercings. Gender change surgeries, All kinds of weird stuff... Shaytan promises that he would command us to alter Allah's creation and we will.

We see all kinds of weird things today more than anytime in human history.

Allah says in Ayat 120:

he makes them promises and raises false hopes, but Satan’s promises are nothing but delusion.

We get caught up in getting stuff and materialism. There is nothing wrong in having a nice house, a nice career or having wealth but we do not live for these things. We are not on the earth for these things. We do not place our hope on these things. It is Shaytan's delusion.

The wealth, house and career should not own us. We should own them. There is a huge problem when these things occupy the heart instead of our hands. Our lives are more than these things, we should not build these false hopes and remember the bigger picture.

This happens even with folks with religious knowledge, obsession over things... Religious knowledge and religious attitudes are two different things. Just because someone is knowledgeable, it does not mean that they have the right attitude this stuff.

A sense of priority will prevent us from been obsessed over these things and build false hopes on them. There are some who lost all of their wealth and they committed suicide.

In Surah Hajj ayah 73, Allah ends the ayah with a remarkable statement(roughly translated): ...... The seeker and the sought are inherently weak (Surah 22:73)

We all seek things, some are looking for jobs, others are looking for an education, others are looking for a wife.... In all of these things, Allah tells us that we are weak because the things we seek themselves are weak. If you get obsessed by money, fame, entertainment, soccer, ... Know that it is weak.... We see that people are unable to eat when their favorite side loses.

Allah tells us where we will find strength in the next ayah (74): They have no grasp of God’s true measure: God is truly most strong and mighty (Surah 22:74)


SubhanAllah.

wow!

inspiring. The wisdom in the Qur'an

they are going to be so blinded by their careers,
they are going to be so blinded by their aspirations,
blinded by the next fashion wave,
blinded by the Nations cup(Said that on purpose),
blinded by the next movie coming out,
blinded by the next season of the series.
blinded by their wealth




Salaam, Tbaba.

As you know, I am an atheist and so, I will put career before any religion. However, there is no way someone can be a top manager or have a career and be devout at the same time, especially working in a western country.


As someone that knows the problems of muslims working in the finacial sector (Abdulsleek ), I can definitely say that any muslim manager in such sector must put career before islam or start his own halal business.


Muslims have to work 8-6 or sometimes 9-6 with only 1 break to say prayers. How are you going to do your prayers when you only have one break at work to say your prayers? What happens when your salaat time falls within the work hours outside your break time?

Furthermore, remember the riba issue I raised before. In times of recession, is a muslim really going to quit if he finds that his financial company invests in haraam activities or engages in riba.




This is not an argument. I just want to know how you circumvent these problems as a working muslim in the USA. Please, use your life as an example if possible

^ Untrue..

Many muslims work and pray in the office. As long as it is not affecting your work, no one cares. The prayer last for just 5-10 mins. Managers take longer cigarette breaks during work hours why not prayer breaks? You just have to plan your time properly, take your first break for the mid-day prayer. Then pray your early evening prayer just before you leave the office.

On wall-street, there are some mosques. So if you can't find a place to pray in the office, you go there.

My friend worked in chevron, US and he used to pray in his boss's office.

Everyone loves a good worker. They do not care as long as you are not imposing it on them.

There are many muslims getting by just fine without riba. It only involves better planning from an individual.

tbaba1234: ^ Untrue..

Many muslims work and pray in the office. As long as it is not affecting your work, no one cares. The prayer last for just 5-10 mins. Even managers take longer cigarette breaks during work hours why not prayer breaks? You just have to plan your time properly, take your first break for the mid-day prayer. Then pray your early evening prayer just before you leave the office.

In wall-street, there are some mosques. So if you can't find a place to pray in the office, you go there.

My friend worked in chevron, US and he used to pray in his boss's office.

Everyone loves a good worker. They do not care as long as you are not imposing it on them.

There are many muslims getting by just fine without riba. It only involves better planning from an individual.

Thanks for the reply.

Jazakallahu khair

Hey, one last question;


Doesnt working on wall street with the finacial institutions mean that a muslim engages in riba?

A reminder!