How Satan Affects Man’s Path of Growth

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Going forward on the path of God’s guidance has its own enemies and it is necessary to recognize our own weaknesses so as to understand the ways that these enemies use to influence us. 

Since God’s creation of man, Satan has been trying to deviate humans from the main path and misguide them. God Almighty warns humans of this enmity in the Holy Quran.

The main aim of Satan is to deceive man to disobey God and incline him toward false deities. Humans are completely free to decide on Satan’s call and if they accept that invitation, they are to be blamed. “When the decree of God is issued, satan will say, "God's promise to you was true, but I, too, made a promise to you and disregarded it. I had no authority over you. I just called you and you answered. Do not blame me but blame yourselves.” (Surah Ibrahim, Verse 22)

The Quran has introduced several ways that Satan uses to affect man: “Believers, do not follow the footsteps of satan; whoever does so will be made by Satan to commit indecency and sin.” (Surah An-Nur, Verse 21)

The Holy Quran uses the word “footsteps” to tell us that Satan tries to deceive people step by step.

“Satan made their deeds seem attractive to them and, on the Day of Judgment, satan will be their guardian. For them there will be a painful punishment.” (Surah An-Nahl, Verse 63)

Quran researcher and teacher Mohsen Qaraati refers to two points in this verse:

- One of the approaches of Satan is to make sins and deviations attractive to the man

- Accepting Satan’s invitation is an introduction to his guardianship over man

Stealing one’s motivation for moving on the path of God, making one forget God Almighty, giving false promises and many other deceptions are other approaches of Satan. The Holy Quran has warned man against them.