Satan causes confusions

 

Sixth indication

 

One of the most dangerous stratagems of Satan is that he causes some sensitive and simple-minded people to confuse imagining unbelief with confirmation of unbelief. He shows the unintentional perception of misguidance as misguidance itself, and causes some ugly thoughts and concepts to occur to such people. Also, by presenting a possible occurrence as an intentional conviction of its possibility, he leads people to worry about the certainty of their belief. Consequently, such poor, simple people imagine that they have fallen into misguidance or unbelief, and despairing of their belief, they become a plaything for Satan. Satan works both on their despair and these weak spots, and confused by what is imaginary and what is the reality, they either go mad, or actually embrace misguidance in utter despair that there is no longer anything else to do. What follows is a summary of our explanations in some parts of the Risale-i Nur about how groundless these stratagems of satans are:

Just as the image of a snake in a mirror does not bite, or the image of fire does not burn, or the reflection of something filthy does not soil, so neither can the unintentional reflections of unbelief and association of partners with God in the mirrors of imagination and thought, or the shadows of misguidance, or the imaginings of blasphemous words corrupt faith, change conviction, or damage respectful courtesy. For it is a well-known principle that neither the imagining of blasphemy or unbelief is blasphemy or unbelief respectively, nor can the unintentional thinking of misguidance be misguidance.

As for the occurrence of doubt among the faithful, something being possible in itself to occur does not negate the certainty of belief or harm it. It is an established principle in the science of religious methodology that something being possible in itself to occur does not negate the certainty that derives from knowledge. For example, we are certain that the Barla Lake continues to exist as a lake full of water. However, it is possible that it has sunk into the ground at this moment or it may sink at any time. But, since this possibility does not arise from any substantial indication or reason, we do not doubt its actual existence. For it is another methodological principle that any probability which does not arise from proven reality is not to be taken into consideration. Despite these truths, the unfortunate one who is exposed to the satanic suggestions mentioned above worries that they have lost their certainty of the truths of belief because of such unsubstantial possibilities. A person may be subjected to many unintentional disapproved occurrences concerning the noblest Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, on account of his human aspects. But none of these occurrences harm the certainty of belief. If a person thinks that they cause harm, then they themselves are suffering harm.

It even sometimes occurs that Satan whispers bad things about God Almighty through his cable to the heart. That person trembles, thinking that their heart has become very corrupted if Satan can whisper such things. Whereas, their fear and trembling and opposition to the whispering of Satan prove that the bad things in question do not come from their heart; they rather come from the cable of Satan or are directly suggested by Satan.

Among the human inner faculties are one or two that I have not been able to specify; these are uncontrollable by the power of will, and a person is not held accountable for them. Sometimes they take a person under their influence and, without paying heed to the truth, commit wrong things. Satan suggests to the person when they are under their influence, “You have no capacity to believe and obey the truth, so you involuntarily commit such falsehood. This means your fate has condemned you to disobedience and, therefore, wretchedness.” The poor person falls into despair and perishes.

So, a believer’s stronghold against the above-mentioned schemes of Satan is the unchanging, fundamental principles of the Qur’an, and the truths of faith which have been definitely established by the purified, exacting scholars. And believers should ignore this last scheme of Satan and seek refuge in God from it. For the more importance they attach to it, the more it draws attention to itself and grows and swells. A believer’s antidote and remedy for such spiritual wounds is the elevated Sunna of the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi