Ethics of Islam

that there are only a few obligatory prayers. Therefore, one
should perform them by observing all of its proper conditions.
One should go further and tell the devil that a relatively small
number of nâfila (supererogatory) prayers performed in a manner
suitable with their precepts is better than a much greater number
of those not so properly performed.
Sixth: The devil tries to make one commit hypocrisy by
suggesting to him that he should perform his prayers in such a
beautiful way that everyone should admire their beauty. One
should answer these suggestions by saying that “no one is capable
of doing any goodness or harm to one’s self. Since this is the case,
doing any goodness or harm to others is out of the question. It
would be ridiculous, therefore, to expect something from
creatures, who are so powerless. Only Allâhu ta’âlâ, alone, can
give goodness or harm to people. Consequently, Allah’s seeing a
person’s prayers is good enough for him.”
Seventh: When the devil realizes that it can’t stop a person
from performing his worships, it will suggest self-admiration of
his worships. The devil will tell him how smart and alert he is as
well as tell him that while everyone is unaware of the reality, he
is performing worships. He should answer it by saying that the
intelligence, alertness and awareness are not coming from
himself but they are a favor of Allâhu ta’âlâ. If Allâhu ta’âlâ did
not favor him with these, he wouldn’t be able to perform any
prayers.
Eighth: The devil wants to promote secret hypocrisy in a
person by suggesting to him that he should perform his prayers
secretly so that Allâhu ta’âlâ will place his love and honor into the
hearts of others. A person who receives these suggestions should
answer the devil by saying, “I am a slave of Allâhu ta’âlâ and He
is my Owner. He may either accept my prayers or reject them. It
is not my business whether or not He places my love into the
hearts of others.”
Ninth: The devil suggests to a person by saying, “Why should
one perform the prayers? It is already determined in eternal past
whether a person will be a happy person (sa’îd) who will be
delivered to Paradise or an unfortunate person (shaqî) who will
be delivered to Hell. Hence, whoever is a happy person, his
wrongdoings will be forgiven when he commits sins, by not
performing the worships, and he will still go to Paradise. A person
who is predetermined as an unfortunate person in eternal past
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