Chapter VIII: Self-Examination and Self-Accounting
God says: O children of Adam, let not the devil throw you in a disaster as he dusted your predecessor Adam from Paradise.
God says: The devil sees you with his companions from such a place which you do not see.' The Quran warns the people from the devil from the beginning to the end. So how can we be safe from him? It is only by obeying what God ordered us to do and refraining from what He prohibited us. God says: Let them take care and their weapons. He says: Prepare strength to your utmost against them - 8:60Q. When you should take care of the unbelievers, you should also take care of the devil with greater care. The Prophet said: Surely the devil roams about the four corners of my heart. The Prophet relied firmly on God, yet he took precaution against the unbeliever by taking recourse to arms and ammunition and even dug trenches. This does not injure Tawakkal or God reliance.
The simile of mind is like that of a well. If a well be cleared off the accumulated filth in the bottom, pure water emerges therefrom. Similarly if a mind is cleared of evil thoughts, pure ideas will immerge therefrom. When a man is busy with the devil, he accumulates filth in the bottom of his mind but does not remain busy in clearing it.
WHEN DISCLOSING OF GOOD DEEDS ALLOWED: If divine service is kept secret, benefits of sincere intention and freedom from show can be obtained. But if is done openly, benefits of following can be gained and encouragement for doing good deeds is given to the people. Hazrat Hasan Basari said: The
Vol-HI Love of power and show 237
Muslims know that secret divine service is safe but there are benefits of open divine services. For this reason, God praised both secret and open divine services. God says: 'If you give charity openly, it is good for you and if you do it secretly and give it to the poor, it is also good for you.' Open divine service is of two kinds - to do divine service openly, as to give charity among the people. It gives encouragement of charity to the people. It was reported that an Ansar gave charity of a purse full of money.
Seeing this the people began to give in charity. Then the Prophet said: He who introduces a good custom and acts up to it, gets the virtues of that action and the virtues of those who follow him.
This is also true in case of of prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, jehad and other divine services.