There was an Abid (worshipper) named Barsisa who live in a small village. He was dedicated to the worship of Allah and was known for his piety. One day three brothers decided to go for Jihad. But they had a sister and they did not want to leave her alone. So they went looking for someone to take care of her. The town people suggested to leave her with Barsisa because of his piety. So they went to him and requested him.

“I seek refuge in Allah from the cursed Shaitan,” he replied firmly refusing to do so. He feared falling into sin (due to the potential fitnah involved). Then Shaitan whispered to Barsisa, who had a soft heart, “What if they can’t find someone good and leave her with someone evil, wouldn’t that be your fault?”

Because of his compassion for others, he changed his mind.

She stayed in a separate house, opposite the place where Barsisa was staying. He would leave some food outside his door, and then she would come and collect it. But after sometime, Shaitan returned and whispered, “Why don’t you leave the food closer to her, so people don’t see her moving back and forth alone.”

Barsisa agreed and started leaving the food outside her house. But Shaitan wasn’t satisfied. When some time passed, he returned: “Why don’t you go inside the house and leave it on the table, so that no one sees her coming out and going in alone all the time?”

This was dangerous. But Barsisa agreed and he started leaving the food on the table.

Then as time went by, Shaitan said, “Why don’t you talk to her, she is all alone and has no one to talk to.”

So Barsisa started talking to her from behind a door (so as to screen himself). But this would lead them to almost shouting to hear each other. Shaitan then tempted Barsisa to just go in and talk to her comfortably, and finally, he (Shaitan) had got them alone in a room. Shaitan had accomplished the most difficult part. Soon Barsisa and the woman fell into an illicit sexual relationship.

The story doesn’t end here. The woman became pregnant and delivered a baby. Barsisa was now extremely nervous. Shaitan returned with his whispering and advice, “What have you done? Look at the result of your evil. Get rid of the evidence otherwise the brothers will kill you!”

Barsisa killed the baby and buried it in the same room the woman was in. “Do you think you can kill the child and expect the mother not to tell anyone?!” was the next whisper. So Barsisa killed the woman and buried her too along with the baby. He made a fake grave outside and when her brothers returned, he informed them that she died of illness. After seeing the grave, they made du’a for her and returned home accepting Allah’s decree.

Later that night, Shaitan came to them in their dream and informed them about what Barsisa had done and where their sister and her child were actually buried. The brothers got up upset and confused. They went and dug up the fake grave to find it empty. Then they dug up the place Shaitan showed them in the dream and found the child and their sister.

Furious, the brothers caught Barsisa to take him to the ruler. Barsisa knew he would be given the death penalty. Shaitan came to Barsisa for the final time and appeared in the form of a man. This time he revealed himself and told Barsisa he was the one whispering the thoughts. Shaitan said only he could save Barsisa because he was the one who put him in trouble in the first place, and he would save him only if Barsisa made Sajdah to him. Barsisa, out of desperation, falls into prostration. This confirmed his Kufr (disbelief) and Shaitan left saying, “I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the Universe!”

Barsisa was led away to his death. Allah’s refuge is sought from such an end.


Shaitan misleads people slowly and steadily in a step-by-step approach. He may even approach from an apparently good path – in the guise of compassion and mercy. Had Shaitan first asked Barsisa to commit fornication or murder or Kufr, Barsisa would have flatly refused. But Shaitan pulled Barsisa slowly, by tempting him to talk to her and spend time with her alone, until he committed illegal sexual intercourse, then murder out of anxiety, and then eventually Kufr out of exasperation. Shaitan eroded Barsisa’s Iman (faith) until he did things he would never had normally done.

We should seek refuge in Allah when Shaitan whispers evil thoughts in our hearts. Turn any such thoughts away and stay far away from the people and places that may lead into such deeds. Focus instead on learning and doing good deeds. Shaitan is an open enemy, yet he cannot overpower us if we follow the straight path and seek the protection of Allah, the Lord of the Universe.

[Reference of the story: Ibn Kathir’s Stories of the Qur’an]

» Posted by Seifeddine-M on 20th December 2010

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