Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

if satan is tied up during Ramadan , Why are we still committingsins? who is misleading us now ?

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Answer:

If satan is tied up during Ramadan

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.123         Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah's Apostle (saws) said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the shaitaans are chained."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1962        Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Ramadan, a blessed month, has come to you during which Allah has made it obligatory for you to fast.  In it the gates of Heaven are opened, the gates of al-Jahim are locked, and the rebellious devils are chained.  In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months.  He who is deprived of its good has indeed suffered deprivation."

The above words of the Messenger of Allah (saws) say that the shaitaans are chained,  not annihilated!   What it means is that Allah Subhanah restricts the powers and guiles of the Shaitaan and he is not as free to work his falsehoods and beguile the believers as he does in the other months of the year.   And this is clearly evident from what happens to the believers in Ramadan.   The people who don’t normally pray,  perform the prayers regularly!   The people who are never seen in the mosques,  attend the mosques more regularly to worship Allah!    The people who are away from the deen,  try to learn and study the deen in Ramadan!   The people who rarely recite and study the Quran,  increase their efforts to recite and study this Glorious Book of Guidance in the Holy Month of Ramadan!    There is a definite and remarkable increase in the piety and worship of the believers in this Blessed Month.

But the above hadith does not mean that the Shaitaans are completely destroyed or not allowed to mislead the believers at all.  The Shaitaan is our avowed enemy and he will always try to mislead the believers with his lies and deception,  however restricted he may be!   The hadith only means that their works  of lies and deceptions are decreased and their means to spread mischief is reduced.

To understand the concept allow me to relate a worldly example.   When a nation or state increases its security and its police force, and makes strict rules to reduce the number of thefts in a country;   it will obviously result in a reduction of theft and robbery in the country.    But some professional and hardened criminals and thieves will still find a way around it and carry on their criminal activities;  albeit in a manner much less than before.    This is exactly what the Shaitaan does.   Although his power is reduced and restricted,  he still tries to mislead anyone he can;  in a much restricted manner.

Beloved brother in Islam, the guidance of the authentic hadith of the Messenger of Allah (saws) is that in the holy month of Ramadan, the Shayaateen are chained.  It means that their power to inspire evil and mischief is reduced to a considerable extent as compared to the other times of the year.  It does not in any way mean that they are destroyed or stopped completely from creating their mischief.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.255 (part)          Narrated by Ali bin Al Husain from Safiya

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘The Shaytaan circulates in the body of Adam's offspring, as one’s blood circulates in it."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that the Shaytaan circulates in the body of man just like ones blood circulates in it; thus this avowed enemy of man is constant in his whispering and instigation of evil whenever he is given an opportunity. 

Indeed, the one who has faith in Allah, His Messenger (saws) and the Last Day recognizes the evil mischief and whispering of the Shaytaan; and the more faith one has in Allah and the Last Day, the more he will be able to recognize and tackle the mischief of the Shatyaan.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 35 Surah Fatir verses 5-6:

5        O mankind! Certainly the promise of Allah is true.  Let not then this present life deceive you,  nor let the Chief Deceiver (Shaitaan) deceive you about Allah.

6        Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy!  He only invites his adherents that they may become Companions of the Blazing Fire.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 16-18:

16      He (Shaitaan) said: "because Thou (Allah)  hast thrown me out of the way,  Lo!  I will lie in wait for them on Thy Straight Way.

17      "Then will I assault them;  from before them, and behind them, from their right, and their left: nor wilt Thou find in most of them gratitude (for Thy

Mercies).

18      (Allah) said: "Get out from here!  Disgraced and expelled.  If any of them follow thee, Hell will I fill with you all.

Beloved brother,  indeed Shaitaan is the avowed enemy of man,  and especially the believers!   He hates nothing more than to see a believing slave of Allah Subhanah remember his Merciful Lord and worship Him;  and he will do everything in his power to beguile and dissuade this believer and take him away from the Remembrance and Worship of Allah Subhanah! 

The Shaitaan’s main target are indeed the true believers and worshippers of Allah Subhanah;  and he will not rest until he has taken them away from Allah’s Remembrance and Worship!  

The Shaytaan, even though he is chained and his power is minimized in the holy month of Ramadan; because of his ardent hatred and enmity towards the believers and worshippers of Allah Subhanah will continue to try his mischief in whatever way he can! 

Narrated Uthman ibn Abi al-'Aas who said to the Prophet (saws): "O Messenger of Allah (saws), the Shaitaan comes between me and my prayers and my recitation, confusing me therein!"  The Prophet (saws) said: "That Shaitaan is called ‘Khanzab’.  If he affects you, seek refuge in Allah from him,  and 'spit out' on your left side three times."

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraaf verses 200-202:

200    If a suggestion from Shaitaan assail thy (mind),  seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things).

201    Those who fear Allah,  when a thought of evil from the Shaitaan assaults them,  bring Allah to remembrance and lo! they see (aright)!

202    But their brethren (the evil ones) plunge them deeper into error and never relax (their efforts).

Thus,  the believers who truly fear Allah and the Last Day,  must recognize the tactics and ploys of Shaitaan,  and immediately arm themselves in defense against Shatiaan’s strategy by seeking refuge in Allah Subhanah.   Whenever a believer gets a feeling that the Shaitaan is upto his tricks again and trying to dissuade him from the Remembrance of Allah Subhanah,  he must immediately seek refuge in Allah from the Shaytaan, and that will be his defense against this accursed enemy of man.

The Shaytaan hates nothing more than when he sees a slave of Allah worshipping the Lord of the Worlds; and he will do anything in his power to dissuade the slave because of the condition that overtakes him.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 144      Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: ‘When the son of Adam recites the Ayat of Sajdah (Prostration) and then falls down in prostration, the Shaytaan goes into seclusion and weeps and says: “Alas!  Woe unto me, the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated and Paradise was entitled to him; and I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused and am doomed to Hell.’”

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan