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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Four Ways Satan Deceives the Wealthy

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Wealth is a blessing and trust from God, but it can also be a gateway for Satan to mislead people if not managed according to Islamic law.
  • Scholars identify four ways Satan tempts wealthy individuals: through the pursuit of wealth, stinginess, deception in seeking wealth, and mismanaging wealth.
  • The article cites Ibn al-Jawzi's "Talbis Iblis" (The Devil's Deception) as a source for these explanations.

Wealth is a divine blessing and a trust from Allah, yet it can also become a pathway for Satan to lead individuals astray if not managed according to Islamic principles. Scholars have outlined at least four methods Satan employs to deceive those who possess wealth.

Satan preys on the wealthy from four distinct angles.

— Ibn al-JawziExplaining the methods Satan uses to deceive wealthy individuals, as cited in the article.

According to Jamaluddin Abul Faraj Abdurrahman bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali, Al Qurasyi, Al Baghdadi, known as Ibn al-Jawzi, in his work "Talbis Iblis" (The Devil's Deception), Satan preys on the wealthy from four distinct angles. The first is in the pursuit of wealth itself. Individuals may become indifferent to the methods used to acquire riches, often resorting to usurious practices in their dealings, thereby deviating from established Islamic regulations.

The second angle is stinginess. Some wealthy individuals refuse to pay zakat (obligatory charity), believing they are exempt. Others pay only a portion, still driven by avarice. Some even devise schemes to avoid zakat obligations, such as gifting their wealth before the year is complete, only to reclaim it afterward. Examples include giving a poor person a garment worth ten dinars but demanding two dinars in return, offering substandard goods, or disguising zakat payments as wages for their own employees.

Individuals may become indifferent to the methods used to acquire riches, often resorting to usurious practices in their dealings, thereby deviating from established Islamic regulations.

— Ibn al-JawziDescribing the first way Satan deceives the wealthy, focusing on the pursuit of wealth.

These tactics highlight how Satan exploits the human inclination towards material possessions, urging individuals to prioritize wealth accumulation and retention over spiritual and charitable obligations. The article serves as a cautionary reminder for the affluent to remain vigilant against these deceptive strategies and to manage their wealth in a manner that aligns with divine guidance.

Some wealthy individuals refuse to pay zakat (obligatory charity), believing they are exempt. Others pay only a portion, still driven by avarice.

— Ibn al-JawziDetailing the second way Satan deceives the wealthy, related to stinginess and zakat.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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