A man once encountered the Shayṭān in the form of a very old man with a colorful hat on his head, a colorful belt with diamonds around his waist, a bell in his left hand and a net in his right hand.
The man and the Shayṭān started talking and the conversation went as follows:
Man: Oh Shayṭān, people are interested in your hat. Tell me, what is this hat?
Shayṭān: My colourful hat is this world. I present this world with all the transient materialistic goods, perishable benefits, and temporary enjoyments. Once this colourful hat of mine catches a person, then that person stays in my control and forgets all about the hereafter.
Man: What is this belt you are wearing with gold and diamond around your waist?
Shayṭān: This is my second weapon, which keeps my backbone strong. When believers do not fall into my trap by my hat then I use this weapon.
Man: But what is it?
Shayṭān: These are the materialistic unveiled women of this world. Through these women I deceive the believers.
Man: What is this bell you are holding in your left hand?
Shayṭān: This is a bell through which I destroy the faith (Imaan) of the believers.
Man: How do you do that?
Shayṭān: Whenever I see believers arguing, getting into minor verbal antagonisms or disagreements with each other, then I ring this bell As I ring this bell, these believers get into major verbal fights and start saying things to each other (such as backbiting, false accusations, or using bad language), due to which their own faith disappears from their hearts.
Man: What is this net you are holding?
Shayṭān: When I see the believers not getting trapped by any of my weapons, then I throw this net al them as my last weapon.
Man: But what is this net?
Shayṭān: This is Riya’ (performing good deeds only to show people). Whenever I see that the believers are performing all the good deeds and that my weapons are not catching them, then I throw this net at them. By stepping into this net their good deeds, which they performed for Allah, become invalid. Because the believers gradually develop an ego in them while performing their prayers, observing fasts, performing Hajj, paying Zakat, and several other duties towards Allah.
They perform these and other good deeds; but after my net catches them they chow their good deeds to others and think that they have done favour for Allah by performing such good deeds. They tell people when they perform night prayers; they tell people when they fast, and they tell people when they go to Hajj. They give money in charity but only to show off or for their own personal interest. That is how they eventually feel superior to those people whom they know are not performing these good deeds. All these actions, which take place after they step into my net makes their good deeds, go to waste.
Man: Shayṭān tell me one more thing. Now that you have spent so much of your time in this life with your bad deeds, do you have any friends?
Shayṭān: Although I visit all the houses and people in general, there are 11 types of people that are my best friends and companion. And there are 15 types of people that I hate the most. Keep in mind that a person who is my friend is an enemy of Allah, and a person who is my enemy is a friend of Allah.
Man: Tell me who are your friends and who are your enemies?
Shayṭān: First I have 15 enemies:
1) My first enemy was the Prophet and his Ahlul Bait; if it were not for him and his Ahlul-Bait, my mission would have been quite successful. There would not have been even a single believer. But he brought the religion of Allah (al-Islam) to this world and he made people believers of Allah’s communication.
2) My second enemy is that just ruler who rules a nation with complete justice.
3) My third enemy is that rich person who does not have any ego nor feels superior to poor people around him.
4) My fourth enemy is that businessman who conducts his business with justice.
5) My fifth enemy is that scholar (Alim) who fears Allah and practices what be preaches.
6) My sixth enemy is that specific believer who works to show others the path of truth. Who offers the knowledge of obligatory (Wajibaat) and forbidden (Haraam) duties of Allah? This person is undoing all of my hard work.
7) My seventh enemy is that person, who doesn’t listen to what is forbidden, doesn’t look at what is forbidden and doesn’t eat what is forbidden.
8) My eighth enemy is that believer who keeps himself clean all the time. A person who remains in Wudhu and who wear clean clothes.
9) My ninth enemy is that person who has a big heart, who spends his money for the take of Allah.
10) My tenth enemy is that person who gives charity (Sadaqah) only in the name of Allah.
11.) My eleventh enemy is that person who reads, memorizes and ads according to the Qur’an.
12) My twelfth enemy is that person who recites Salaat Al tail (prayers recited after midnight and before the Salaat of Fajr). I am always afraid of this person.
13) My thirteenth enemy is that person who pays his chums, Zakaat, and other obligatory Sadaqah.
14) My fourteenth enemy is that woman who observes Hijaab (veil), and safeguards her Hijaab.
15) My fifteenth enemy is he who performs his worship (Ibaadat) without having any thoughts except for the thoughts of Allah.
Man: and who are your eleven friends?
Shayṭān: My friends are:
1) First, is that leader who is an oppressor.
2) My second friend is that businessman who does his business by deceiving his customer:
3) My third friend is that believer who drinks alcohol.
4) My fourth friend is that rich person who is proud of his wealth and who angrily refuses to give money in charity to the poor and needy.
5) My fifth friend is that person who does backbite, who talks in such a way that enmity increases: between the people, and who reveals the defects of people.
6) My sixth friend is that person who kills another human being for any reason other than for Allah.
7) My seventh friend is that person who snatches away the belongings of an orphan.
8) My eighth friend is that person whose livelihood is based on collecting interest
9) My ninth friend is that person who gives more importance to his worldly life rather than giving importance to his life after death. This friend of mine prefers to perform those deeds which be knows will bring benefits in this world, but in the hereafter, such deeds will bring loss.
10) My tenth friend it that person who keeps long hopes and delays in asking for forgiveness for Allah.
11) My eleventh friend is that person who helps women increase their interest in performing magic on people.
Shayṭān: These are my eleven friends who are the worst enemies of Allah.
Man: Tell us why you stop the believers from offering their prayers? What benefit do you get out of it?
Shayṭān: Whenever a believer recites prayers, my body gets feverish and it starts to shiver, and with a sick body I can not deceive them from obeying Allah,
Man: Why do you stop the believers from observing their fast during the month of Ramadan?
Shayṭān: I can’t deceive them during the time they fast because I’m thrown into prison and I can’t misguide them.
Man: When a believer prepares to fight in Allah’s way, why do you stop him?
Shayṭān: When they go to fight for Allah’s sake, my hands are tied to my neck, and I can’t deceive them by having my hands tied to my neck.
Man: Why do you prevent any believers from performing Hajj?
Shayṭān: When they go for Hajj, their movement of going towards Hajj ties my legs. And with my legs tied, I cannot misguide the believers from obeying Allah’s commands.
Man: Why do you prevent the believers from reading the Holy Qur’an?
Shayṭān: When they recite the Holy Qur’an, my existence turns into non-existence. And without having any existence, how can I deceive the believers from living according to the will of Allah?
Man: Why do you prevent the believers from offering Dua (supplication)?
Shayṭān: When they recite Dua, I become deaf and dumb. How can I deceive the believers without having the ability to speak and the ability to listen?
Man: Shayṭān, tell me why you prevent the believers from paying Sadaqah?
Shayṭān: When they pay Sadaqah (giving money in charity), it is as if I am being cut in two with a saw, and one piece is thrown to the east and the other piece to the west.
Man: Why do you get such a strong blow when the believers pay Sadaqah? Why do you get cut into two pieces?
Shayṭān: Whenever a person gives his money in charity, that person receives three benefits from Allah, The first benefit such a person receives is that Allah becomes his borrower. The second benefit is hat Allah makes heaven his inheritance (such that he will be called an owner of heaven). And the third benefit is that Allah increases his wealth 700 times, which in turn this person uses the increased wealth for charity.
Man: Now tell me when does a Muslim get under your total control?
Shayṭān: A Muslims gets under my total control when he performs three things. The first thing is that when he becomes stingy he gets under my total control. Stinginess is the root of all sin, which makes a person perform all types of other sins. The second thing is that when a person starts forgiving his own sins. This person performs deeds, which are against the will of Allah. Then he does not remember them nor does he ask for forgiveness. At that time he comes under my absolute control. And the third thing is that when a person gambles. Any person who performs these three deeds falls under my absolute control.
Man: You know that Allah has given His servants the strong weapon of repentance. Whenever they ask for true forgiveness with an Intention of not repeating that sin, Allah forgives them. How do you deal with this problem?
Shayṭān: Allah has given them this strong weapon, but I have prepared myself to confront them with their strong weapon.
Man: What method do yon have through which you prevent them from asking for forgiveness?
Shayṭān: To deal with this problem I have created three different units. Each unit deals with a different age group. In each group I make them perform such deeds, which makes their repentance invalid
Man: What are these units?
Shayṭān: In the first unit I occupy old men in four sins. I make them lie, I make them accuse someone of something which they have not done, I make them testify falsely and I make them perform prayers without having the complete knowledge of the laws of performing prayer.
Old men will be offering dua’s and renting obligatory prayer; but if you talk to them you will hear them talking bad about other people, falsely attributing bad deeds to other people without having any knowledge about those people and reciting obligatory prayers without knowing all the laws of prayers.
Old men will not try to learn the laws of prayers because of their pride (ego) Whenever some young men from the Ummah try to explain the right way of performing Wudhu the old men will get mad and say, “You have just entered Islam, and now you are trying to teach us how to perform Wudhu?
Shayṭān: My second unit is that which takes care of young men I do not prevent them from reciting prayers, performing Hajj or anything else; except that I lure them into two things. First. I make them look at things which are forbidden for them, and secondly. I make them listen to those things, which are forbidden for them.
Shayṭān: My third unit is that which deceives old women. I entice them to backbite, to falsely accuse others, to destroy the character of men and women and to perform magic on the people.
Man: Tell me do you get upset when you see any of your soldiers fleeing from you and following Allah’s commands?
Shayṭān: I do not get upset. I wait until that person performs any good deed, and then I go to that person again and deceive him to believe that he has done a favour for Allah by performing that good deed.
Man: You make that person feel that he has done a favour for Allah?
Shayṭān: Yes, That person goes around after performing a good deed telling people what he has done. Such as, he recited prayers, observed fasts, paid so much money in charity, or helped someone in their time of need.
Man: How do you deceive those believers who try their best not to be deceived by you?
Shayṭān: Allah made one deed, which if the believers perform with the right intention and at the right time, and then I can never deceive them. And that deed is obligatory prayers. But to solve this problem, what I did was that with every one I have assigned to them one of my soldiers, whose name is Mutawaqee. And his job is to make them procrastinate and to preoccupy them in such activities due to which they will recite prayers at the last minute. And when they recite their prayers at this time, they recite it in such a manner that their prayers are not acceptable to Allah.
Man: Since you know so much about Islam and its followers, why don’t you ask Allah for forgiveness?
Shayṭān: Allah does not want me to ask for forgiveness, so what can I do?
Man: I heard that sometimes you feel as If someone has thrown a heavy stone on your head, which breaks your head into several pieces.
Shayṭān: Yes it is true. Whenever a Muslim truly repents to Allah, I feel like that.
Man: I heard that sometimes you feel as If your body is being cut into several pieces
Shayṭān: Yes, when a Muslim goes out to fight for the sake of Allah, I feel like that.
Man: I heard that sometimes you fell as If someone is slapping you.
Shayṭān: Yes, when a Muslim recites the Qur’an with correct pronunciation.
Man: When art you thrown into the lowest pit of Hell?
Shayṭān: When a Muslim performs good deeds towards their parents or relatives.
Man: I heard that sometimes you feel a great pain in your whole body.
Shayṭān: Yes, when a Muslim gives charity without showing off.
Man: I heard that sometimes you feel as If someone is whipping you.
Shayṭān: Yes, when a Muslim sees a non-Mahram (a girl with whom a man can many), and then he immediately casts his eyes down.
Man: Whom do you like the best among the Muslims?
Shayṭān: That person who does business by deceiving people.
Man: when do you get hurt the most?
Shayṭān: When a Muslim remembers Allah day and night.
Man: whom do you fear the most?
Shayṭān: I fear those men who recite prayers in the first row of congregation (Jama’at).
Man: which people among the Muslims have you chosen to be your permanent soldiers?
Shayṭān: Any of them that use any type of intoxicating beverage.
Man: which person makes you laugh?
Shayṭān: That person who encourages others to commit sins.
Man: With whom do you speak the Most?
Shayṭān: A person who lies the most.
Man: who is the most pleasing to you?
Shayṭān: Any man who divorces an innocent women.
Man: Do you have any more friends?
Shayṭān: Yes, that person who delays in offering his obligatory prayer.
Man: Where do you stay the most?
Shayṭān: A place where non-Mahram men and women get together without any separation or observing Purda and Hijaab, that is my place of stay.
Man: Where do you meet people?
Shayṭān: Bazaars (shopping malls); I try to make buyers deceive sellers and sellers deceive buyers. I also encourage men to do their business with women and women to do their business with men. I persuade people to do all types of sins in Bazaars.
Man: what do you read?
Shayṭān: I read songs.
Man: what is your way of calling people toward committing sins?
Shayṭān: Music and songs; whenever a Muslim listens to music he comes toward me.
Man: What is your book?
Shayṭān: Playing cards is my book.
Man: Who is your helper?
Shayṭān: Any person who contributes to the defeat of the Muslims.
Man: what do you eat?
Shayṭān: I eat everything that is obtained by forbidden earnings or by not paying Zakat
Man: what do you drink?
Shayṭān: I drink alcohol.
Man: what is your desert?
Shayṭān: Backbiting.
Man: Do you have any desires?
Shayṭān: Every false commitment is my desire.
Man: Are thankful for anything?
Shayṭān: Yes, I am thankful to those men and women, who indulge in sins after asking Allah for forgiveness.
Man: Do you relax?
Shayṭān: Yes, when a Muslim misses Fajr (morning) prayers.
Man: Do you get any reward from the believers?
Shayṭān: Yes. whenever they break their relationships with relatives or neighbors.
Man: Do you have any companions?
Shayṭān: Yes, that person who has sex with his wife without saying “Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem” and that person whose earnings are through un-Islamic means,
Man: what deed of a believer makes you angry?
Shayṭān: When a mother tries to make her son or daughter fast or offer prayers.
Man: Is there any man among the Muslims whom you cannot possibly misguide?
Shayṭān: Yes, any man who does not intentionally look at a non-Mahram.
Man: Is there any women among the Muslims whom you can’t misguide?
Shayṭān: Yes, that woman who observe Hijaab and who listens to her husband.
Man: Out of the men and women yon have described, do you have any special men or women that you love the most?
Shayṭān: Yes, amongst the women, I love those women who do not observe Hijaab. And among men, those who are proud and those who are sinful Ulama (religious scholars).
Man: Which men do you hate the most?
Shayṭān: Four men: The first are humble rich men. The second are Ulamah who practice what they preach. The third are young men who ask for forgiveness. And the fourth are old men who fear Allah.
Man: Are you alone or do you have any companions?
Shayṭān: Yes, I have some companions who gather at the mosques in order to deceive its visitors. My companions make the visitors talk about things, which gives them bad deeds instead of good deeds. Other companions make the believers think of their bad deeds as few and their good deeds as many. And other companions, when they see someone giving money in charity or helping someone for the sake of Allah, they entice that person to tell others of his charity and good deeds.
Shayṭān: I have talked to you in much detail I would like so tell you that I am working towards taking people to hell.
After this, Shayṭān gave Salaams to the man and disappeared.
Source: http://islam2011.tumblr.com/post/23365964129/interview-with-shaitan
La ilaha illAllāh 