Shayṭān and the Companions

The Messenger of Allah then asked him about his companions. Of Abū Bakr, Shayṭān said: I hate him — even before Islam he refused to obey me, or even to listen to me, so how could he listen to me now? I have no hope with him. Of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb: I run away the moment I see him. Of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān: I am ashamed before him, as even the angels of mercy are ashamed before him. Of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib: if only I could be safe from him, if he would only leave me be — I would leave him be too — but he never does, and always undoes me.

There is the account of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (may Allah be pleased with him and ennoble his countenance) failing, one day, to wake for Fajr, waking only after sunrise; he wept the whole day — what had he done? — blaming himself, making tawbah continually. The next day, at the exact time of Fajr, someone woke him, saying: get up, Fajr, Fajr. He woke and asked who it was. I am Shayṭān, came the answer. He asked what Shayṭān was doing waking him for Fajr. Get up, get up, Shayṭān said: yesterday, for the first time in my life, I managed to trick you — but because of your weeping, Allah has given you ten years' worth of Fajr, or more, in reward. I am not foolish: get up and pray your Fajr.