5 Ways to Defeat Shaytaan

Shaytaan needs to introduction. He is our greatest enemy and there is no doubt about it, so how do we defeat Shaytaan? When our father Adam (as) was created by Allah, Shaytaan was so upset about Allah honouring a being made from clay, which was much inferior in his opinion to his own creation from fire, that he disobeyed Allah Himself. Shaytaan vowed that day to get us. In his own words, as quoted in the Quran, “I will certainly lie in wait for them on Your Straight Path. Then I will assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, not will You find most of them grateful.” (Surah Al-Araf)

Now with a threat like that, where Shaytaan says he will leave no stone unturned to attack us from every front, we need to make sure that we are well-protected Here are 5 tips to keep ourselves well-guarded and to defeat our greatest nemesis:

Remembering Allah to defeat Shaytaan

“Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?” [5: 91]

If Shaytaan’s objective is to keep us way from remembering Allah and praying, then what better way to defeat him than to make sure our five daily prayers and Allah’s remembrance is the top priority in our lives?

Seeking Refuge with Allah

“And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah . Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing..”  [ 7: 200]

Defeat Shaytaan by destroying every suggestion he makes to us through seeking refuge in Allah. The best way to do this is to recite the ta’ooz – A`oodhu Billahi Mina ‘sh-Shaytani ‘r-Rajeem, I seek refuge with Allah against Shaytaan the accursed. We must also recite the Al-Mu’awwidhatan translated as “Verses of Refuge”. This Arabic term refers to the last two surahs (chapters) of the Qur’an, al-Falaq (ch. 113), and An-Nās (ch. 114). We must also recite the morning and evening adhkar as taught to us by the Prophet (sa)

Reciting and understanding Quran

“And Iblees had already confirmed through them his assumption, so they followed him, except for a party of believers. And he had over them no authority except [it was decreed] that We might make evident who believes in the Hereafter from who is thereof in doubt. And your Lord, over all things, is Guardian.” [34: 20-21]

This ayah shows that true believers cannot be swayed by Shaytaan, so we must try our best to be of those whose faith is strong. The only way to do this is to hold fast to the Quran and understand and assimilate its teachings.

Recitation of the Quran is as important as understanding. The Prophet (sa) said, “The house in which al-Baqarah is recited is not approached by Shaytan.” [Muslim. Shaytaan cannot exist in a place where Quran is constantly recited so make sure that you hold fast to the Book of Allah by reciting it and learning its teachings. Qutor.com is a great website where you can find teachers for teaching you the Quran.

 Saying Bismillah to defeat Shaytaan

A person who was riding behind the Prophet (sa) said, “The Prophet’s animal tripped, so I said, `Cursed Shaytaan’ The Prophet (sa) said, ‘Do not say, ‘Cursed Shaytaan,’ for if you say these words, Shaytaan becomes arrogant and says, ‘With my strength I made him fall.’ When you say, ‘Bismillah,’ Shaytaan will become as small as a fly.” [Ahmad]       

Make sure that you glorify Allah and say Bismillah before doing everything. Shaytaan’s power cannot thrive in a place where everything begins with the name of Allah

Staying in a state of ablution

“Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers, etc.).” [2: 222]

The Prophet (sa) used to remain in a state of cleanliness and wudhu (ablution). This is one of the best ways to keep Shaytaan from influencing us and whispering evil thoughts. Allah loves those who keep themselves clean and it is only His love and protection that can help us defeat our greatest enemy.

Ruhaifa Adil is a mother of four, a practising Muslimah, an avid reader, and a passionate writer. She works primarily as a trainer for mothers and teachers, advocating a multi sensorial, learner-centred approach, which she has learnt through her work as a remedial specialist for children with dyslexia. She is also an author of English textbooks, based on the teachings of the Quran (currently under editing), and creative director of a Tafseer app for kids.