This story is about a very obedient worshipper of ALLAH (S.W.T.) i.e. Barsisa who fell into the trap of Shaitan and registered himself into the list of the people of Hell. This story about ‘Barsisa’ is quoted in Ibn a-Jauzi, Talbees Iblees on Page.39. This lengthy story is of the ‘people of the book’ described by ‘Wahb Ibn Munabbih’.‘Barsisa’ was a very obedient, pious, and faithful worshipper of ALLAH (S.W.T.) from the tribe of ‘Bani Israel’. People had so much faith in him that they used to keep their important belongings under his belt without any question. He was a famous religious identity in the whole city and people used to wish that their Children have a good character like him.
However, as Qur’an mentions, ‘Shaitan’ is our open enemy and he devises different strategies every minute and second to make us deviant of the path of ALLAH (S.W.T.).
O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely [and perfectly] and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
– Surah Baqarah (Ch2, v208)
Shaitan Devises a Plan for Barsisa
The ‘Shaitan’ being jealous of the piousness of Barsisa devised a plan to make him deviant of the path of ALLAH (S.W.T.). In the same village where Barsisa lived, three brothers had an attractive sister. The three brothers planned to go outside the city to fight the war. Since the three brothers were all alone and had no one to look after their sister; they thought to leave their sister under the eyes of Barsisa.
The brothers had full trust in the piousness of ‘Barsisa’ and requested him to look after their sister. He first refused to look after their sister and sought refuge from ALLAH (S.W.T.). However, with continuous persistence from the three brothers, Barsisa agreed to their request and gave the room to their sister beside the place of his worship until they return from the war. The brothers went to war and left their sister under the care of Barsisa.
Shaitan’s Real Game to trap Barsisa Begins
In the beginning, whenever Barsisa used to go for Prayer at his place, he used to seek refuge from ALLAH (S.W.T.) and asked repentance from the dangerous Fitnah. He used to offer food to the girl by putting it quietly in front of her door. He used to knock on the door to tell her to come out of the house and collect the food. However, Shaitan started approaching Barsisa softly and put a ‘Waswasa’ in his mind to use kind words during the conversation with her and made him believe that it was not proper to put the food in front of the door during daytime.
Later, instead of putting the food outside the door, Barsisa started to bring food for the girl directly. For some time, Barsisa used to bring food for the girl in this manner but never dared to talk, as the girl was a non-Mahram, and it is a big sin to talk to a non-Mahram.
The ‘Shaytan’ made full use of this opportunity and again threw a Waswasa in his mind advising him to start talking to the girl. The devil said, “the girl is all alone and feels scared to share her problems. If he somehow manages to talk to her through kind words, then the girl will feel comfortable and will be at ease”.
Barsisa Murders the Girl along with her Child to save Himself
Barsisa followed this plan and this was the beginning of his destruction. The Barsisa started talking with the girl, however, he never asked the girl to show her face. Iblees continuously used to put Waswasa in the mind of Barsisa and showed the girl as more appealing to him. Barsisa started to spend the full day and night at the girl’s residence and a day came when Iblees got a full hold on the heart and mind of Barsisa. They both committed Zina (Adultery) which is a major sin. Due to Zina, the girl conceived a child and 9 months later, she gave birth to a child.
Iblees again threw ‘Waswasa’ at Barsisa and confronted him to kill the girl. Iblees said, “if you’ll not kill the girl and her child, you will be in trouble, as the three brothers of the girl will not spare your life”. Barsisa then devised a plan to kill the girl along with her child and got successful in that. After killing both, he threw them in the ditch, put a large rock over it, leveled it, and returned to his place of Worship where he again started praying to ALLAH.
Weeks later, the three brothers came back from the war and asked Barsisa about their sister. Barsisa lied to them about their sister and said, “She was a very pious lady and due to the grave illness she was suffering for a long time, she died and this is her grave!”
The brothers mourned over the tragic death of her sister and returned to their home believing all the lies that came out of the Mouth of Barsisa.
Shaitan’s Arrival into the dream of the Girl’s three brothers
Barsisa thought that he is safe, however, ‘Shaitan’ did not leave Barsisa on the eve of enjoyment for a long time. ‘Iblees’ came into the dream of all three brothers. First, ‘Iblees’ came into the dream of the elder brother and showed the true story of what was done to his sister. The same dream was shown to the other two brothers as well. In the morning, all three brothers discussed their dream. The eldest brother had full faith in Barsisa, however, the second brother went all mad and requested other brothers to investigate the place inside the house shown to them in the dream by ‘Iblees’. The three brothers agreed and they went to the house where their sister was living. They searched for the same place that was shown to them by Iblees in the dream. They moved the rock and found the dead body of their sister with a baby boy placed beside her. The three brothers went all red in anger and caught Barsisa. They beat him badly and took him to the Qazi (Judge) of the city. The Qazi ordered to crucify Barsisa.
Barsisa gets Punishment for His Sin
When Barsisa was just on the verge to get crucified, Iblees came in front of him and told him that he was the one who tempted him to commit the sins. At last, ‘Iblees’ said to Barsisa that if he rejects ALLAH (S.W.T.) and prostrates before him, then he will save him from the crucifixion.
[Iblees] said, “My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all
– Surah Hijr (Ch15, v39)
In the greed to save his life, Barsisa prostrated before Iblees. However, just like always, Iblees lied to Barsisa and made him deviant on the path of ALLAH. Barsisa was crucified and lost both his life and faith.
[The hypocrites are] like the example of Satan when he says to man, “Disbelieve.” But when he disbelieves, he says, “Indeed, I am disassociated from you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds.”
– Surah Al Hashr (Ch59, v16)
Moral of the Story
This story tells us that we must always ask ALLAH to save us from the dangerous plots set up by the devil to make us deviant from the straight path of Islam. This is the story from the time when the ‘people of the book’ were on the right path of ALLAH and this story serves the purpose to educate people about the devious plots of Iblees.
May ALLAH (S.W.T.) protect us from the devious plots of Iblees and may we all die on the path of Islam!
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