From Shaytan's Deceptions

 

From Shaytan's Deceptions: Giving Pleasing Names to Forbidden Things



Dr. `Umar Al-Ashqar





Among the deceptions of Satan is that he names the evil actions with names that are very pleasing to the human to entice him to take part in them. In this way, he dupes the human and makes a forgery of the reality of the situation. For example, Satan called the tree that was forbidden to Adam, "the tree of everlasting life" in order to make it appealing to Adam:

"[But Satan whispered to him saying, 1] 'Oh Adam, shall I show you the tree of immortality and power that wastes not away?'" [Taha 20:120]

{فَوَسْوَسَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّيْطَانُ قَالَ يَا آدَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لَّا يَبْلَى}

Transliteration: Fawaswasa 'Ilayhi Ash-Shayţānu Qāla Yā 'Ādamu Hal 'Adulluka `Alá Shajarati Al-Khuldi Wa Mulkin Lā Yablá



Ibn al-Qayyim stated: "From Satan, his followers inherited this trait of using names that are loved by the soul for forbidden objects. For example, wine is called 'the mother of glee', interest is called a 'business transaction', and taxes and tolls are called 'the right of the government.'"



Today interest is referred to as profit; dancing, music and plays are called art.



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1- These words form part of the verse but al-Ashqar excluded them from the original work. – JZ