Satan is your teacher if you study a book alone?

“O  you  who  have  believed,  why  do  you  say  what  you  do  not  do?” (Qur’an 61:2)

This short entry is to address people  among the so called ‘traditionalist’ who say, “If you read a book by yourself Satan is your teacher”

They are simply dishonest. They want you to hand over your sovereignty to them, their sheikh, their imam, their ayatollah and in the end their faction.

Here is the proof:

Point 1) Go to any so called ‘traditionalist’ book store online. You will see scholars and sheikhs and imams who have translated hundreds of classical books into English. Not once…….not once  have I read in the preface the following:

“This book should be read in the company of a sheikh or you will be lead astray.”  Why is that?

So these scholars, sheikhs and imams know full well that anyone can and will pick up a copy of their book and then read it alone and get “lead astray” Why do they care so little for us?

So here is my sincere advise to them.

If you want to believe that Satan is the teacher of those who earnestly seek knowledge and understanding instead of wasting a way in a pub than henceforth you should put at the preface of all your books:  “Warning do not read unless in the accompany of an accomplished master of this particular field of science.”

Also, stop giving free copies of the Qur’an to people unless they have guides and sheikhs.

Point 2) Would you mean to say we cannot read the Qur’an alone because Satan will be our teacher? I can’t pick up Allah’s words and read it and gain guidance and insight without a teacher or Satan will misguide me?

Even though Allah (swt) clearly refutes such people here:

“The Most Merciful, teaches the Qur’an”  (Qur’an 55:1-2)

Allah (swt) instructs us thus:

“So  when  you  recite  the  Qur’an,  seek  refuge  in Allah from  Satan,  the  expelled. (Qur’an 16:98)

In fact this verse is one of the proofs (if your a believer in the unseen) that Satan is not behind the Qur’an!  Why would Satan tell you to seek refuge with Allah (swt) from him?  Think about it.

It would be very odd for the Creator of the Universe to ask us to seek refuge with him before reciting his Holy Words, if He (swt) was not going to answer our request.  How far is Allah (swt) removed from what they suggest!

Who is the best sheikh among the Muslims?  Who is the best guide among the Muslims?  Who is the best caller to Allah (swt) among the Muslims?  Who is the most learned concerning the Qur’an among the Muslims?   It is none other than the Blessed Messenger (saw), and yet look what Allah (swt) says:

“Indeed,  [O  Muhammad],  you  do  not  guide  whom  you  like,  but Allah guides  whom  He wills.  And  He  is  most  knowing  of  the  [rightly]  guided.” (Qur’an 28:56)

This is what we call truly a ‘fateh’ or an opening.   These are how discoveries are made.  Allah (swt) grants people insights.  Someone maybe closely looking at a blade of grass in the morning and looking closely at the dew drop.  By looking through the dew drop they notice that the blade of grass is magnified, or it looks enlarged.

This is not to say that studying with sheikhs, imams, ayatollahs, ustaz and teachers is the wrong course. Absolutely not, we should try and sit with the learned and benefit from them when we can. They are mountains of knowledge and they are for the most part people of utmost sincerity.

This entry was to dispel two myths.

1) That knowledge and information can only come by sitting in a gathering of people who have a ‘so called unbroken chain’ going back to the Blessed Messenger (saw). Which is another myth that needs to be dissected in another entry, Allah-willing.

2) That if you pick up the Qur’an or any book sincerely trying to derive benefit from it and knowledge, and to do so without the presence of a sheikh, ayatollah, imam or cleric peeking over your shoulder that some how Satan becomes your guide is just absolute and utter nonsense.

“Say,  “My  Lord  has  only  forbidden  immoralities  –   what  is  apparent  of  them  and  what  is concealed  –   and  sin,  and  oppression  without  right,  and  that  you  associate  with Allah that  for  which  He  has  not  sent  down  authority,  and  that  you  say  about Allah that which  you  do  not  know.” (Qur’an 7:33)