EVEN SHAYṬĀN KNOWS HIS LORD

 FAJR REMINDER: EVEN SHAYṬĀN KNOWS HIS LORD

By: Umm Affān

Muḥarram 27, 1448 (12-July-2026)

Many Muslims are careful to protect their ablution because they know that without it, their Ṣalāh is invalid. The moment they lose their ablution, they hasten to renew it before standing before their Lord. Yet, how many of us give the same level of concern to the matters that invalidate our Islām and Eemān?

Just as there are acts that nullify one's ablution, there are also beliefs, statements, and actions that nullify a person's faith. These nullifiers are not minor matters. They are among the gravest dangers a Muslim can face because they threaten the very foundation of one's relationship with Allāh. They may be classified into four major categories.

The first category is the denial of Allāh's Existence or speaking about Him with rejection, falsehood, or slander. Among the clearest manifestations of this is Atheism—the belief that there is no Creator.

For decades, this ideology has spread across societies through communism, secular philosophies, and materialistic thinking. It teaches that the universe came into existence without a Creator, that life is merely a product of matter, and that everything around us is the result of nature or blind chance. But pause for a moment and reflect. If nature is itself part of this universe, then who created nature? Can the created bring itself into existence? Can something that has no will, no knowledge, and no power suddenly become a creator? Allāh settles this matter with absolute clarity: “Allāh is the Creator of all things, and He is the Wakīl (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.) over all things.” [Sūrah Az-Zumar (39): 62]

One of the greatest ironies is that the disbelief of today's atheists is even more extreme than that of the pagan Arabs who fought the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ). Although the Quraysh worshipped idols and committed the grave sin of shirk, they never denied that Allāh alone created them. Deep within themselves, they acknowledged this undeniable reality. Allāh (ﷺ) informs: “And if you ask them who created them, they will surely say: ‘Allāh.’” [Sūrah Az-Zukhruf (43): 87]

Even more astonishing is the case of Shayṭān himself. The enemy who vowed to mislead humanity never denied the existence of his Lord. His rebellion was born out of arrogance and disobedience, not disbelief in the Creator. Allāh (ﷺ) informs us of Shayṭān’s response when asked about what prevented him from prostrating to Ādam as commanded. [Iblis (Shayṭān)] said: “I am better than he, You created me from fire and you created him from clay.” [Surah Sād (38): 76]

Reflect upon this carefully. Shayṭān acknowledged that Allāh created him. He acknowledged that Allāh created Ādam. He even turned to Allāh alone when asking to be granted respite until the Last Day because he knew that none besides Allāh possessed such authority. How tragic, then, is the condition of those who deny the very Creator whom even Shayṭān recognizes. 

How can a person look at the heavens without pillars, the earth with its mountains and oceans, the perfect order of the sun and moon, the complexity of the human body, and the miracle of life itself, then claim that everything came into existence through nature or mere chance? To say that something was created by nature or chance is to deny the One Who created nature and controls every atom within it. Nature has no independent will. Chance has no creative power. Every created thing points unmistakably to its Creator, and that Creator is Allāh alone, the Lord of all the worlds.

As believers, we should constantly ask Allāh to keep our hearts firm upon Tawḥīd. We live in an age where disbelief is often presented as intelligence, while faith is portrayed as backwardness. A Muslim must never be deceived by such falsehoods and foolishness. True honour lies in submitting to Allāh, believing in Him without hesitation, and remaining steadfast upon His Religion until our final breath.

I beseech Allāh (ﷺ) to protect our hearts from every form of disbelief, to strengthen us upon pure Tawḥīd, to make us among those who recognise His countless Signs, and to allow us to meet Him with sound faith. Aameen.