Muawiyah shouted...
Muawiyah shouted: “Who are you that have entered the palace without my permission and exhibited such impertinence?” The man said: “I am Satan.” Muawiyah asked: “Why did you wake me up?” He replied: “It is time for prayers and I have aroused you so that you can proceed to the mosque in time for the prayers!” Muawiyah said: “You are Satan, and Satan is an entity who never desires any good for the people.
Is it correct to accept a thief's claim that he had come to the house for the purpose of guarding it?” Satan said: “I woke you up lest you continue to sleep and your prayers become lapsed thereby causing you to sigh in regret and your heart to grieve that the time for prayers had passed away and you did not go to the mosque for offering your prayers!
This sigh is more significant and important than hundreds of prayers and I did not want you to engage yourself in such sighing and lamentations, for then you would have been graced by Allah's mercy.” Having heard this Muawiyah attested the veracity of his words.[^6] Prophet Yahya and Satan Once, the accursed Satan manifested himself before the Prophet Yahya Ibn Zakariya (a.s). Observing that he had in his possession numerous ropes, Yahya (a.s) inquired: “O' Iblis!
What are these ropes that you hold in your hand?” Satan replied: “These ropes are the various attachments, inclinations and lusts that I have found in the children of Adam.” Yahya (a.s) asked: 'Does there exist a rope for me too?' Satan said: 'Yes. When you satiate yourself with food, you experience weightiness and it is for this reason you become disinclined with respect to your prayers, dhikr and supplications.' Hearing this, Yahya (a.s) vowed: 'By Allah!
Never shall I eat to my fill, ever again.' Iblis responded by pledging: “By Allah! Never shall I advise anyone, ever again.”[^7] [^1]: Surat Yusuf (12), Verse 5 [^2]: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 78, pg. 246 [^3]: ‘Unwan al-Kalam, pg. 167 [^4]: Shanidaniha-e-Tarikh, pg. 258; Mahajjatul Baidha, vol. 5, pg. 59 [^5]: Pand-e-Tarikh, vol. 1, pg. 23; Anwar al-Nu’maniyyah, pg. 80. This incident has been narrated slightly differently, in the book, Jawame’ al-Hikayat, pg. 21 [^6]: Dastanha-e-Mathnawai, vol.