ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Adab as-Salat: The Disciplines of the Prayer Second Revised Edition On The Four Pillars Of Isti‘adhah One: al-musta'īdh [the one who seeks refuge] Two: al-musta'ādhu minhu [that from which refuge is sought] Three: al-musta'ādhu bihi [the one with whom refuge is sought] Four: al-musta'ādhu lahū [that for which refuge is sought] Do know that there are so much detailed explanations for these pillars that are out of our intention.

Yet, we are satisfied to mention a summary of them: The first pillar is concerning al-musta'īdh . It is a humanistic truth from the very first stage of the sulūk to Allah till the final end of self-annihilation [ fanā'-i dhātī ].

“When the absolute annihilation was complete, Satan would perish and the isti'ādhah would take place.” To expand on this summary we may say that as long as man is dwelling in the abode of the self and nature, and has not yet started his spiritual journey and sulūk to Allah, and is still under Satan's control in all degrees and affairs, he has not yet understood the truth of isti'ādhah , and the mere utterances of his tongue are useless, or rather they fix and strengthen the Satanic authority, unless Allah, the Exalted, grants him His favor.

When he gets engaged in his journey and sulūk to Allah and starts his spiritual travel, what hinders him on the road and thorns his way, as long as he is continuing his journey and sulūk , is his own Satan, whether of the Satanic spiritual forces, or of the jinn or ins , for when the jinn and ins become thorns of the road, they will, actually, be the assistants of Satan and act on his command.

Allah, the Exalted, refers to this in the blessed sūrah of an-Nās : “ … From the evil of the slinking whisperer, who whispers in the breasts of men, from among the jinn and men.” If the Satan is from the jinn , it is understood from the noble āyah that the slinking whisperer, i.e. Satan, is originally [ bi 'l-isālah ] a jinn and subordinately [ bi 't-taba'iyyah ] an ins. But if Satan is another reality resembling the jinn , it appears from the noble āyah that these two species, i.e.

the jinn and the ins , are also Satanic similitudes [ tamaththulāt ] and his manifestations. In another āyah it is said: “ …the Satans of ins and jinn.” [^1] In this blessed Sūrah the pillars of isti'ādhah are mentioned, as we stated before and as it is clear. In a word, before starting the journey to Allah, man is not a musta'īdh .