بھروسہ کچھ نہیں اس نفس امارہ کا اے زاہد

    فرشتہ بھی یہ ہو جاۓ تو اس سے بدگماں رہنا

O zaahid (ascetic), never trust this evil nafs (ego), even if it even if it becomes an angel, always remain suspicious of its motives.

Never remove the chain off a dog’s neck, no matter how well trained it becomes. A trained dog will remain a dog. May Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo grant us the Divine Guidance to remain watchful over our 'nafs' up to our last breath on earth! (Ma’aarif Mathnawi)

In the Noble Quraan, Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo has in many places mentioned the deceptions of Shaytaan.

Hereunder are a few places,

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوًّا إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُوا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ السَّعِيرِ

Verily Shaytaan is your enemy, then regard him as your enemy. He calls his group so that they can be from the dwellers
of the blazing Fire. (Faatir verse 6)

وَقَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَمَّا قُضِيَ الأَمْرُ إِنَّ اللهَ وَعَدَكُمْ وَعْدَ الْحَقِّ وَوَعَدتُّكُمْ

فَأَخْلَفْتُكُمْ وَمَا كَانَ لِيَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَانٍ إِلاَّ أَن دَعَوْتُكُمْ فَاسْتَجَبْتُمْ لِي فَلاَ تَلُومُونِي وَلُومُواْ أَنفُسَكُم مَّا أَنَاْ بِمُصْرِخِكُمْ وَمَا أَنتُمْ بِمُصْرِخِيَّ إِنِّي كَفَرْتُ بِمَآ أَشْرَكْتُمُونِ مِن قَبْلُ إِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

Shaytaan will say when the matter is decided, “Surely Allaah had made a true promise to you and I also made a promise to you, but I deceived you. I had no authority over you except that I called you and you responded to my call. Hence, do not blame me but blame yourselves. I cannot respond to your cries nor can you respond to mine. I deny your having associated me (with Allaah) before this.” Surely those who are wrong doers, for them is a painful punishment.”(Ibrahim verse 22)

وَمَن يَكُنِ الشَّيْطَانُ لَهُ قَرِينًا فَسَاء قِرِينًا

The one for whom Shaytaan is a companion, then what an evil companion he is! (Nisaa verse 38)

كَمَثَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِذْ قَالَ لِلْإِنسَانِ اكْفُرْ فَلَمَّا كَفَرَ قَالَ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِّنكَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللهَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Like Shaytaan when he says to man, “Become a disbeliever!” When he disbelieves, he (Shaytaan) says, “Verily I am free from you, verily I fear Allaah, the Sustainer of the universe.”
 (Hashr verse 16)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللهِ حَقٌّ فَلَا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَلَا يَغُرَّنَّكُم بِاللهِ الْغَرُورُ

O people, verily the promise of Allaah is true, let not the worldly life deceive you, and let not the Great Deceiver (Shaytaan) deceive you regarding Allaah. (Faatir verse 5-6)

 Shaytaan took an oath and told Adam Alayhis Salaam,

إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ

Verily I am from those who wish well for you. (A’raaf verse 21)

What will be man’s condition when he has taken an oath to mislead man?

قَالَ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

By Your honour! I will misguide every one of them.
(Saad verse 82)

Shaytaan’s object is to mislead mankind. At times, he even utilizes avenues of good deeds to attack man and destroy him.

Hasan ibn Saalih said,

إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَيَفْتَحُ لِلْعَبْدِ تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ بَابًا مِنَ الْخَيْرِ يُرِيدُ بِهِ بَابًا مِنَ السُّوءِ

Shaytaan opens 99 doors of goodness, intending by it one door of evil.

 (Hilyatul-Awliyaa vol. 7 page 331, Siyar A’laamun Nubalaa vol. 7 page 369)

Shaytaan and nafs will never be a well-wisher for any person. At times, they will encourage a person to do good, but there will be some evil cause behind it.

Once, Shaytaan woke a person for tahajjud salaah. (Some have stated that this was Muaawiya RadhiyAllaahu Anhu)

Person: Who are you?

Shaytaan: Shaytaan

Person: Why did you wake me up?

Shaytaan: When your tahajjud was missed the last time, you became so sorrowful and you turned to Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo. The result of this was that you were given rewards manifold. I did not want the same to happen today. Therefore, I woke you up. (Mathnawi)

To be Continued In Sha Allaah

مَوْلَاىَ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَداً  عَلىٰ حَبِيْبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِمِ