How Shaytan Uses Good Deeds to Mislead People (The Hidden Trap of Distorted Sins)

Assalamu Alaykum

Many people believe that Shaytan only makes people commit bad deeds, sins, corruption, and disobedience. While he certainly does those things, there is another explanation in the Quran and Sunnah regarding even worse actions that Shaytan influences us to do. Shaytan's most dangerous and effective strategy is not just making people do bad deeds, but "distorted sins." This means sins that are made to look like good deeds. Shaytan does not always pull people away from Allah; sometimes, he pushes them toward Allah, but in a way that corrupts the heart, leads to pride, poisons intentions, and causes division and misguidance. This is why you may see many people who appear very religious on the outside, but are spiritually corrupt on the inside. Today, we will understand how Shaytan misleads humans through good deeds.

SHAYTAN'S REAL GOAL IS TO CORRUPT THE HEART, NOT ACTIONS

Allah says:

Indeed, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy. (Quran 35:6)

 

Shaytan knows that he cannot easily make a committed Muslim abandon worship or fall into open sin. Therefore, he first attacks the heart to establish his control. A prayer performed with pride is more harmful than not praying at all. Knowledge mixed with arrogance is more dangerous than ignorance. Shaytan wants you to believe that you are close to Allah and that you are one of His good servants, but in reality, the opposite is happening—you are gradually drifting away from Allah.

FROM SINCERITY TO SHOWING OFF

A Muslim often starts a good deed with sincerity, but it is hard to tell when it turns into showing off. Many people worship just for display. You may have seen on social media that when people go for Umrah, they make reels, or they set up a camera while performing Salah. All of this is done for show, to get likes and views, and to capture people's attention. Shaytan wants exactly this: for you to show off your good deeds to people. He wants you to tell everyone how religious you are, and to look down on others while saying, "I worship more than you" or "I am a better person than you."

Once, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was sitting with his companions رضي الله عنهم and said:

The thing I fear most for you is minor Shirk.

 

The companions رضي الله عنهم asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what is minor Shirk?" The Prophet ﷺ replied:

Riyaa (showing off). (Ahmad)

 

From this, you can estimate that showing off is considered minor Shirk. So why do you lose the reward for your actions by showing off?

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USING KNOWLEDGE TO CREATE SUPERIORITY

When showing off increases within you, Shaytan misleads you even further. He makes you think that you are better than others, that you worship more than them, and that they are misguided while you are on the right path. In fact, the first sin of Iblis was:

I am better than him. (Quran 7:12)

 

Knowledge is light, but if you turn it into arrogance and ego, it is no longer knowledge. If you use that knowledge to show off or to insult others, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said regarding such people:

Whoever seeks knowledge to compete with scholars or to show off, is in the Fire. (Tirmidhi)

 

Shaytan turns knowledge into pride and encourages extremism. The Prophet ﷺ said:

Beware of extremism, for it destroyed those before you. (Nasai)

 

Religious practice without wisdom leads to burnout, harshness, and self-righteousness. Religion then becomes a heavy burden instead of a source of healing.

CONCLUSION

In this article, we have understood how Shaytan can make us commit sins not just through bad deeds, but through good deeds as well. There is one more point I should cover: judging others. Many people judge others by discussing their sins. Instead, we should focus on ourselves. I hope you liked this article and learned something new. Shaytan normally makes humans commit sins, but he can also misguide them through good deeds.

That is all for today. We will meet with a new topic next. Take care of yourself and your family. May Allah forgive all our sins and accept our supplications. Ameen.

Assalamu Alaykum