and he awakens energetic, eager to do good, and readily pursuing it. This is because he has freed himself from Satan’s knots, been relieved of the burdens of heedlessness and forgetfulness, and attained the triumph of the Most Merciful’s pleasure.

Another text states that Satan may tie knots upon the parts of a Muslim’s body that are washed in ablution; when he rises and performs ablution, those knots are undone.

Ahmad and Ibn Hibbān in his Sahīh—the wording is his—relate from Uqba ibn Āmir—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—say: “A man from my nation rises during the night, struggling against himself to perform ablution, while knots are tied upon him. When he washes his hands, one knot is undone; when he washes his face, one knot is undone; when he wipes his head, one knot is undone; and when he washes his feet, one knot is undone. Allah, majestic and exalted, then says to those beyond the veil: ‘Look at this servant of Mine, struggling against himself so that he may ask Me. Whatever this servant of Mine asks of Me shall be his; whatever this servant of Mine asks of Me shall be his.’”1

Thus, these are four knots that are undone from the Muslim through ablution: washing the hands undoes one knot, washing the face undoes one knot, wiping the head undoes one knot, and washing the feet undoes one knot.

They are actual knots that Satan ties upon a person to discourage him from doing good and turn him away from rising to obey Allah.

It is established in the two Sahīh collections that Abū Hurayra—may Allah be pleased with him—reported that the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: “When one of you awakens from sleep, let him perform ablution and rinse his nose three times, for Satan spends the night in his nostrils.”2