who becomes his companion.”

The remembrance of the Most Merciful is the reminder with which He sent His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, such as the Quran. Whoever does not believe in the Quran, affirm the truth of its reports, and regard its commands as binding has turned away from it. Allah therefore appoints a devil for him, who becomes his companion. Allah Most High says:

“And this is a blessed reminder which We have sent down.”

And He Most High says:

“But whoever turns away from My remembrance will have a life of hardship, and We will raise him blind on the Day of Resurrection.”

“He will say, ‘My Lord, why have You raised me blind when I used to see?’”

“He will say, ‘Just as Our signs came to you and you neglected them, so today you will be neglected.’”

This shows that His remembrance refers to the verses He has revealed. Thus, even if a man were constantly to remember Allah, Glorified and Exalted, night and day, practice the utmost asceticism, and strive diligently in worshipping Him, yet did not follow the reminder He has revealed—the Quran—he would be among the friends of Satan, even if he flew through the air or walked on water. For Satan carries him through the air. This has been discussed at length elsewhere.

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Some people possess faith while also having a trait of hypocrisy. As related in the two Sahīh collections, ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Four traits—whoever possesses them is a complete hypocrite, and whoever possesses one of them has a trait of hypocrisy until he abandons it:

When he speaks, he lies;