and prostrate before them. In reality, they have worshipped only Satan, even though they think they are seeking nearness to Allah and intercession through Allah’s righteous servants.

Allah, exalted is He, said:

“On the Day He gathers them all together, He will say to the angels, ‘Was it you these people used to worship?’”

“They will say, ‘Glory be to You! You are our Protector, not them. Rather, they used to worship the jinn; most of them believed in them.’”

For this reason, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, forbade prayer at sunrise and sunset. Satan positions himself alongside the sun at those times so that the prostration of the sun-worshippers is directed to him. They think they are prostrating to the sun, whereas their prostration is to Satan.

The same applies to those who practise invocations of the heavenly bodies: they invoke a heavenly body, prostrate before it, address it privately, and call upon it. They prepare for it suitable food, clothing, incense, and means of seeking blessings, as described by the eastern author of al-Sirr al-maktūm (The Hidden Secret), by al-Būnī, the western author of al-Shuʿla al-nūrāniyya (The Luminous Flame), and by others. Spirits descend upon these people, speak to them, inform them of certain matters, and fulfil some of their needs. They call these the spirits of the heavenly bodies.

Some of them think that these are angels, whereas they are merely devils descending upon them. Allah, exalted is He, said:

“Whoever turns away from the Reminder of the Most Merciful, We assign to him a devil who becomes his companion.”

The Reminder of the Most Merciful is what He has sent down: the Book and the Sunnah, concerning which Allah said:

“Remember Allah’s favour upon you and what He has sent down to you of the Book and wisdom