Satan's Whispering

by Hana Arisesa

One of the important creeds in Islam is believe in the unseen. Beside Human, Allah The Exalted He, create human, angle, and jin. Human is created from the clay, angle is created from light, meanwhile jin is created from fire. However, there is another term that is often found in the Quran is Satan (Syaithan). Satan (Syaithan) also often described using other term like evil or devil. This term is always used in the negative meaning. Sometimes accompanied by the epithet al-rajīm (al-shayṭān al-rajīm), which have several meanings i.e. pelted with stone, accursed, or as its fixed surname (Silverstein, 2013).

Satan has several characteristics described in Quran and sunnah. (Miller, 2005) says about seven words describing evil: evil, darkness, wrong-doing, error, offence, disobedience, and transgression. God already declare that satan is enemy of human, and He command us to make satan as enemy. Allah says in Quran Chapter 10 verse number 36:

         إِنَّ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَٱتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا ۚ إِنَّمَا يَدْعُوا۟ حِزْبَهُۥ لِيَكُونُوا۟ مِنْ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ

“Indeed Satan is an enemy to you so take him as an enemy He only invites his party to be among the” (QS 5:36). (Trans. Saheeh International)

One of the important of the satan characteristic is satan whispering. In this paper will describe about Satan whispering and the remedy for that.

Quranic Verses of Satan Whispering

Whispering is making sibilant speech (Merriam-Webster, 2020). It means that whispering softly sound which can be hear by human ear. Whispering is related to sound how small that sound. However, if this attributed to satan, we cannot hear physically what kind the whispering is it. In general, satan cannot be seen by human eye, however in Islamic history, there are several reports that satan possible to be seen and can be seen in some events. For the examples, the Prophet want to tie satan in the one pillar of mosque to show satan to his companion shows satan can been seen physically.  Ibn Hurairah, one of companion can make conversation to the Jin and teach him āyatul kursy, shows that satan can produce sound as well as human. So, it might be true that human can make conversation with jin and so that satan whispering can be happed to human as well.   

In Quran, the most common word for the term of whispering is the onomatopoetic waswās which occurred five times in Quran, four times as verb and one time as noun (LARSSON, 2012). These terms are applicable from human as well as satan. These Quranic verses regarding from satan whispering, first, is in Quran Surah 20 verse 120, Allah says:

فَوَسْوَسَ إِلَيْهِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَىٰ شَجَرَةِ ٱلْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لَّا يَبْلَىٰ  

“Then Satan whispered to him he said O Adam shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession” (QS 20:120). (Trans. Saheeh International)   

Second is the most popular verses using to the existence of the Satan whispering. The verses are in last Surah in Quran, Allah says:

مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ $ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ

“From the evil of the retreating whisperer. Who whispers evil into the breasts of mankind” (QS 114:4-5). (Trans. Saheeh International)   

Ibn Katseer says on commentary QS 20:120, that satan ding that to cause him to fall through deception. So, satan use his whispering to human to deception them as he did to Adam before.

In tafseer The Shade Of The Qur’an by Sayid Qutb regarding the QS 114 that we do not know how the Jin perform whispering to human, however we certainly know its repercussions in the behaviour of individuals as well as in human life generally (Qutb, 2021).

Satan’s whispering is not only merely related to the religion or to make doubt in Islamic faith, although this is can be regarded as the main purpose of satan to misguide human. Whispering also affect others human side in their daily life. It can influence human mind so that human will has decision, activities, or intension. It also can affect activities so that human will do harmful activities without aware that there is under influence of satan. It also can work on controlling brain so that human unconsciously speak which can lead him into wrong deeds. This means that whispering. In general as one of the satan weapon to misguide human by exploring all human aspects.

How to remedy from Satan Whispering

Satan always try to attract human to do the wrong deeds. As mentioned in Quran that satan has long life until the Judgement day. They make swear to the Allah to mislead human as much as possible. They use enormous way to do that along the day without rest. However, Allah says that satan could only misled human who misguided, do not getting protection from Him.

The most effective way to remedy from satan’s whispering is to seek refuge from Allah. As this is command from Him. Allah says:

“And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.” (QS 7:200) (Trans. Saheeh International)

Satan is one of the creations of Allah. The satan power is weak. If satan successfully misguide human, it means that Allah has decided that human is misguide human.

In addition, there are several actions that can be used to protect human from the satan. (Qamar, 2013) mention them such as doing Rukya (protection and cure against the evil eye) and Sadaqa (something given as charity).

In other side, there are several reports which try to make connection between waswās to the physical effect to human. (LARSSON, 2012) suggest that there is connection between satan’s whispering and the problem of compulsive and neurotic ritual behaviour. The others report shows several effects due to satan’s whispering. It is not deniable that all bad deeds are sometime come from satan and sometimes come from the bad soul. Then, this will lead the negative actions in human activities. It can be seen in human emotional control, personality, bad decisions, or intentions.

Satan’s whispering in general will fall into two categories, first to make doubtful and lust. Human, in nature, using their pure heart and mind can distinguish between good and bad. However, satan can use abundance ways to make confuse in human. Someone who can be trapped in some ways, will be threated in other ways. From something which is from something that is clearly distinguishable to something that is vague to be known until human will trapped in satan weapon whatever its shape. To make protection from the doubtful the solution is to increase the Islamic knowledge, whereas in the side about lust, the solution to do good deeds. Finally, the human that can passes the satan’s whispering is His servant which get His protection.

Conclusion

Satan whispering is real and true to human. In general, whispering meaning is seems in the negative terms or evil deeds that is used by satan to mislead human. Some argue that this whispering cannot be known the essence because it includes supernatural matters, although some of them are trying to relate it to physical quantity that can be seen its effect on humans. Quranic and prophetic guide also has several solutions to remedy that whispering to protect human from satan. As human what the power we have and what the status of we are, we need the guide and power from Allah to pass the satan actions. There is no human that free from the Satan's temptations even reach His prophets, but Allah will help his servant and makes the satan traps is very weak.     

Bibliography

Larsson, G. (2012). The Sound of Satan: Different Aspects of Whispering in Islamic theology. Temenos , 49-63.

Merriam-Webster. (2020). whispering. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster Dictionary : https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whispering

Miller, R. (2005). Muslims and the Gospel: bridging the gap:a reflection on Christian sharing. Lutheran University.

Qamar, A. H. (2013). The Concept of the ‘Evil’ and the ‘Evil Eye’ in Islam and Islamic Faith-Healing Traditions. Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 44-53.

Qutb, s. (2021). In The Shade Of The Qur'an. Retrieved from https://www.iium.edu.my/deed/quran/in_the_shade_of_quran/s114.html

Silverstein, A. (2013). On the Original Meaning of the Qur'anic Term al-shayṭān al-rajīm. Journal of the American Oriental Society.