Chapter X: Evils of Self-Deception
CAUSE OF INVOCATION NOT BEING ACCEPTED: Hazrat Ibrahim-b-Adham was asked: What is the matter with us that we invoke but our invocation is not accepted, although God says:
Invoke me and I will accept your invocation - 2 : 186? He said: The cause is that your hearts have died. He was asked: What thing has caused their death? He said: Eight conducts bring the death of heart. (1) You know the duties towards God but you do not do them. (2) You recite the Quran but you do not look to its promise of punishment. (3) You say that you love the Prophet but you do not follow his actions. (4) You say that you fear death but you do not become prepared for it. (5) God says: The devil is your enemy but you take his help in sinful acts. (6) You say that you fear Hell-fire but you keep your body immerged in it. (7) You say that you love Paradise but you do not act for it. <8) When you get up from bed, you throw your sins by your back and disclose the sins of the people, thereby you cause the displeasure of your Lord.
How can He respond to your invocation?
Is devil one or many? This knowledge is not necessary for actions.
One devil is fixed for a sin and he is called towards it. The Prophet said: Khanjab is the name of the devil in ablution. So the number of devils are many. So also is the number of angels. Every angel is entrusted with an action. The Prophet said: For each believer, 160 angels have been fixed. They remove from him what he can not himself remove. Seven angels have been engaged for eyes only. They remove the injurious things from eyes just as flies are driven out from a pot of honey. If any man is entrusted to himself for the trinkling of an eye, the party of devil would have lifted him away.
It has been reported that when Hazrat Adam was sent down to the earth, he said: O Lord, They have created enmity between me and the devil. If you do not keep me against him. I will have no strength to fight against him. He said: No child will be born to one which will not have an angel with him. Hazrat Adam said: O Lord, give me further sermon. God said: I shall give one punishment for one sin, but I shall give ten rewards for one virtue and more. Iblis said: O Lord, I shall have no strength to fight
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against a man whom Thou hast honoured. God said: A child will be born to you along with the birth of a child. The devil said: Give me more power. God said: Your riding armies and infantry will gather together against him and you will be cosharers in their children and in their wealth.
THREE KINDS OF JINN: The Prophet said: God created three kinds of Jinn. One kind of Jinn are serpents, scorpions and worms of earth. Another kind of Jinn roam in sky like air. For another kind of Jinn, there are rewards and punishments.