Meeting With The Shaytaan

‘Abdullaah Al-Qazweenee narrated that Yaḥyaa Ibn ‘Abdak Al-Qazweenee said:

I heard Yaḥyaa Ibn Yoosuf Az-Zimmee saying:

Once I was taking a midday nap in one of the inns of [the city of] Marw (Merv), then suddenly a frightening creature appeared to me, so I said: "Who are you?"

He (the creature) said: "You're not scared O father of Zakariyaa!"

I said: "Yes (I am not scared), who are you?" and I stood up ready to fight him.

So he (the creature) said: "I am Abu Murra (shaytaan).

So I said: Laa Ḥayyaakallaah (May Allah not give you life - i.e. may He not maintain your life upon good)."

So he said, "Had I known that you were in this house I would not have entered and I would have resided in another house. This has been my place of residence since I came to Khurasaan."

I said, "Where did you come from?"

He said, "From Iraq."

So I said, "What did you do in Iraq?"

He said, "I have left [my] deputy in it."

I said, "Who is he?"

He said, "Bishr Al-Mareesee."

I said, "What does he call for?"

He said, "He is propagating that the Qur’aan is created, and I came to Khurasaan and I will also leave a deputy in it."

I said, "What do you say about the Qur’aan?"

He said: "Even though I am an accursed devil, I say that the Qur’aan is the speech of Allah and it is not created."