10 Ways of Protection from Shaytan - Ibn al-Qayyim
1. Seeking refuge with Allah from Shaytan.
Allah the Most High said, “And if there comes to you from Satan an evil suggestion, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” [41:36]
2. Recitation of the two soorahs al-Falaq and an-Nas, as they have wondrous effect in seeking refuge with Allah from his evil, weakening Shaytan and protection from him.
This is why the Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said: “No person seeks refuge with anything like the Mu`awwidhatayn (soorahs al-Falaq and an-Nas)”. [an-Nasaa’i, 5337]
3. Recitation of Ayat al-Kursi (2:255).
4. Recitation of soorah al-Baqarah.
The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “The house in which al-Baqarah is recited is not approached by Shaytan.” [Muslim]
5. The final part of al-Baqarah.
The Messenger, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said, “Whoever recites the two last verses of al-Baqarah at night they will suffice him.” [Muslim]
6. Recitation of the beginning of soorah Mu’min (Ghafir), until His saying, “wa ilayhi-l-maseer (to Him is the destination)”. (i.e. “Ha. Meem. The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Knowing, the forgiver of sin, acceptor of repentance, severe in punishment, owner of abundance. There is no deity except Him; to Him is the destination.” [40:1-2])
7. Saying “la ilaha ill Allah wahdahu la sharika lah, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa huwa `ala kulli shay’in qadir” (there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, He has no partner, His is the Dominion and Praise, and He is able to do all things) a hundred times.
8. The most beneficial form of protection from Shaytan: abundance of remembrance of Allah, the Exalted.
9. Ablution and prayer, and they are from among the greatest means of protection, especially at the time of emergence of anger and desire.
10. Abstinence from excess speech, food and mixing with people.
Source: Summarized from Bida’i` al-Fawa’id (304-308)
The Four Pillars of Good Etiquette - Ibn al-Qayyim
Good Manners are based on four pillars, it cannot be imagined that the foundation of good manners can be established without them:
- Patience
- Virtue
- Courage
- Justness
Patience will enable one to suppress anger, prevent oneself from causing harm, to be tolerant, forbearing and lenient. It also prevents one from being imprudent and hasty.
Virtue enables one to avoid anything lowly and vile, whether related to speech or actions. It enables one to acquire shyness which is the head of all goodness. It prevents one from practicing evil sins, being miserly, lying, backbiting and tale carrying.
Courage enables one to have dignity and maintain a high standard of etiquette and character. It enables one to contribute and donate, which stems from the courage of the soul and its strength, as it allows one to give up and depart with what is treasured. It allows one to suppress anger and be forbearing, because it is through ones strength and courage that he suppresses himself from causing problems and reins himself in against engaging in any verbal or physical abuse as it was said;
“The strong one is not the one who defeats others physically, rather the strong one is one who is able to control himself when angered!”
And this is the very essence of courage, and it is a characteristic with which one can subdue opponents.
Justness enables one to be fair in his mannerisms and in taking the middle of the two paths of excessiveness and negligence. It encourages one to be generous and giving - which is the middle path between being subjugated and being miserly. It encourages one to have courage - which is the middle path between being cowardly and having audacity. It enables one to be forbearing – which is the middle path between getting angry and being humiliated or degraded.
The basis of all virtuous manners are these four.
The Ten Ways to Expiate Your Sins - Ibn Taymiyyah
If a believer falls into sin, it’s punishment would be repelled from him in ten ways:
1) He repents and therefore Allah would accept his repentance. The one who repents from a sin is as the one who hasn’t sinned.
2) He asks for forgiveness and he would therefore be forgiven.
3) He performs acts of righteousness that would erase his sins, for indeed righteous actions erase sins.
4) His brothers supplicate for him; that his sins be forgiven – while he is alive and after his death.
5) His brothers gift the reward of their actions to him so that Allah may benefit it him through them [Translator’s note: Not all actions can be gifted as reward, only those that were specified by the Qur-aan and Sunnah].
6) That his prophet Muhammad – صلى الله عليه وسلم – intercedes for him.
7) That Allah puts him through trials in the life of this world that would expiate his sins.
8) That Allah puts him through trials in the Barzakh and the Sa’iqah that would expiate his sins.
9) That Allah puts him through the trials of the Day of Resurrection and its horrors, that which would expiate his sins.
10) Or that the Most Merciful of the merciful has mercy over him.
Whoever lets these ten pass him by, then let him blame no one but himself, as Allaah the Elevated said in a Hadeeth that was narrated by His Messenger:
“O My servants, they are only your own deeds, I take them into account for you, and then give (their reward or punishment) back to you. So whoever finds good then let him praise Allah. And whoever finds other than that then let him blame no one but himself.” [Muslim #2577]
Source: Al ‘Iraqiyyah fil ‘Amaal al Qalbiyyah
