Ways to defeat Shaitan

Allah has created mankind, angels, and Jinn as he mentioned in the Quran, mankind was created from smooth clay, angels from light, and jinn from fire. The reason for creating Mankind and jinn is to worship Allah alone, both have free will, they reproduce, eat, and drink , both are legally competent, and they are commanded to obey Allah. Some of them are Muslim some are not, some are believers, and others are not. Angels don’t reproduce nor eat or drink, they are commanded to obey Allah and they cannot disobey him. But who is Iblis?
Story of Iblis
Allah created Jinn before Prophet Adam and they dwelled on earth, but when Jinn committed evil, blood-shedding, and killed each other, Allah sent down angels and Iblis to fight them, as a result, Jinn was killed and the rest were banished to live in sea islands. But is Iblis one of the jinn or one of the angels?
The answer to this question has been a controversial issue among scholars across decades; we hereby present the two views as referred to by the prominent Scholar, Ibn Katheer in his book (Story of the Beginning and the End):

Al Hasan Al-Basri said: ” Iblis was not one of the angels ever”, he is the father of the Jinn.
Most of the scholars agreed that Iblis was one of the angels, he had four wings, and Allah gave him authority over earth, as he was the most knowledgeable, and the most devoted to worship, he belonged to the Jinn sect – keepers of paradise – and his name was Azazel.
Quran referred to Iblis, as one of the angels but he disobeyed Allah out of his arrogance, so Allah expelled him out of his mercy and called him Iblis. (“Ablas” means in Arabic; despaired of Mercy)

Adam, Angels, and Iblis

Allah has created Adam, the father of mankind from clay, he breathed into him his spirit and commanded the angels to prostrate to him as a sign of respect and honor. All angels obeyed Allah and bowed down to Adam except Iblis, who refused in arrogance saying: I am better than him, You created me from fire while created him from the mud.
Scholars mentioned Iblis to be the first one who used analogical reasoning. (Alqeias)
Iblis felt jealousness, thought highly of himself, he thought of the authority Allah had given him, so he wanted to honor himself by refusal, whereas he humiliated himself, hand is cunning mind led him to hell.
He then asked for a reprieve until judgment day, he promised to mislead and misguide all slaves of Allah.

Adam, Eve, and Iblis
Allah commanded Adam and his wife, Eve to reside in Jannah and to enjoy eating everything except one tree or else they would be among the wrongdoers, But Adam misinterpreted Allah’s words and thought he should not eat from the fruit of this tree, besides Iblis whispered to Adam in a cunning manner and convinced him to eat from the tree saying ” Shall I guide you to the tree of eternity and the endless sovereignty?” Iblis vowed to Adam that he was one of the sincere.
Upon Ibli’s insinuations, Adam succumbed to Iblis and ate from the forbidden tree, Allah said in the Quran: ” Adam has disobeyed Allah, he went Astray “. Once they tasted from the tree, their private parts started to uncover and they tried to pick from the tree leaves to hide their private parts, Allah blamed them for approaching the tree and then he accepted their repentance when they asked his forgiveness, but he ordered them to descend down to earth, the place where they live and die, some of them are enemies to others.

Shaitan in the Quran
Needless to say, the term “Iblis” or “shaitan” or a reference to these terms, is mentioned in almost all surahs of the Quran. The word is associated with evil, cunning, plotting, killing oneself, disobedience to Allah, enmity, niggardliness, disbelieving in Allah, false promises, deception, stealing, associating deities to Allah, magic, superstitious, ….all bad and evil acts.
Allah revealed in the Quran all Shiatan ways and tactics to misguide and deceive mankind, Muslims should be aware of these tricks so as not to fall deeply into their sins and go astray. Allah warned us from Shaitan’s steps to beautify the sins of Muslims, he ordered us not to follow Shaitan, he is our clear enemy.
As narrated in the hadeeth, Iblis places his throne upon water; he then sends detachments (for creating dissension); the nearer to him in the tank are those who are most notorious in creating dissension. One of them comes and says: I did so and so. And he says: You have done nothing. Then one amongst them comes and says: I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a husband and a wife. Satan goes near him and says: ‘You have done well. A’ mash said: He then embraced him.
Allah has created for every human, his assigned shaitan (Qareen) who whispers to him to perform bad deeds, but a Muslim should struggle oneself not to succumb to shaitan insinuations.
Shaitan tactics to delude mankind
Shaitan spares no effort to deceive, misguide, and mislead people as his goal is to lead all mankind to hell to face his same destiny, so he follows various, changing and sneaky ways to attack his prey.
As Shaitan deceived non –Muslims; Jews and Christians to associate partners with Allah, he deluded atheists into denying Allah’s presence and denying his power to create the universe, He also enticed Zoroastrians to worship fire and disbelievers to worship idols.

He also surrounds Muslims with his wicked plans and tricks; the easiest for Satan to deceive is the less knowledgeable of Allah. Shaitan distorts the creed of some Muslim sects, they went astray because of his insinuations and their lack of Islamic knowledge, they do not possess firm belief to face shaitan, so they fell into a deep hole of sins, they used their logical reasoning confronting Allah’s orders, for example; they either denied the existence of resurrection day or denied grave torment, reward and punishment, pre-destined (Alqadr) or they defamed Allah’s divine names and attributes, others have suspicion towards prophets and their infallibility.
From within the Muslims, some sects emerged as Sufism, who refrained from eating and drinking excessively, wearing wool clothes only, avoiding getting married, and strange rituals they adopt as a sign of pious people.
Other deviant groups, such as Alkhawarej, whom Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said they are the worst, they read the Quran heavily but the Quran did not go beyond their throat.
Shaitan will always use his tactics to distance Muslims away from performing regular prayers, giving out zakat and fasting during Ramadan, once a Muslim performs his prayers or pays his zakat, Shaitan instills feelings of pride and showing off inside one’s soul, thus undermining Muslim good deeds and let him enter the circle of Shirk (minor)
The forms of shaitan deception to Muslims here come in a different way; Shaitan could make Muslims neglect the obligatory Islam duties and focus on the less rewarding or the voluntary deeds, for example, the yearning to perform night prayers then missing fajr prayers, the urge to fast continuously to weaken a Muslim body to perform obligatory prayers.
Shaitan creates enmity between Muslims, he implants hate, and jealousy inside their souls to fight and envy one another. He spoils the relationship between parents and their children, between a husband and his wife.
Women are easily affected by Shaitan plots, he beautifies sins to Muslimah, for example, he whispers for her to uncover, to take off her hijab, to wear make-up or perfume, to follow trendy fashion in wearing, to smoke, or drink liquors, to commit adultery, all these bad deeds are justified under the name of personal freedom.

Read about how to be a new Muslim.

Shaitan has great control over laypeople as they are deprived of Islamic knowledge, less connected to Allah, and show weak faith.
How to defeat Shaitan’s tricks?

Seek refuge with Allah against shaitan, he is the most powerful
Lessen the effect of the shaitan running through your veins, by mentioning Allah’s name when eating, drinking, putting on clothes, entering bathrooms, and before sleeping.
Increase your Islamic knowledge of Allah, his messengers, the Islamic creed, Islamic history, fiqh, hadeeth, and Tafseer to confront evil effects.
Keep on praying to Allah to protect you from Shaitan, the more firm your belief, the less power Shaitan has over you.
Recite the Quran regularly and remember Shaitan flees from the house where Surah Al-Baqaraa is recited.
The daily remembrance (Athkar) is a weapon against shaitan, it acts as a shield that protects a Muslim from any invasion.
Surround yourself with a righteous company that encourages you to abstain from bad deeds and to follow good ones.
Exorcism (Ruqia) is one best way to protect Muslims against evil deeds, magic, and superstitious power.