"One, we must reject adulation of leaders. We must bow only to God. All human beings are equal - none higher or lower than the other. This will rekindle the spirit of jihad (struggling in God's cause) among Muslims. Two, we must reject taqlid (un-questioning acceptance of human authority.) We must use our minds to gain knowledge. We read all books, but critically. We learn from all teachers, but without forgetting our critical faculty. In this way, we shall inherit only the good from our ancestors; the bad we shall cast aside. Thus will the Islamic intellect blossom again. Three, we must reject fatalism. Our fates as individuals and as a nation is shaped by ourselves, not by taqdir (divine predestination.) The law is: those who strive will attain; those who do not strive will not. Man cannot know his capacity until he tries. The Omniscient God knows everything from beginning to end, but man does not know what God knows. . . .

We have no intention of toppling the ulama (religious scholars or leaders) or wresting away their positions. We only want the Muslims, including the leaders and the intellectuals, in our country to adhere truly to the Quran. Some claim that this problem need not be re-opened as it was solved long ago. These people are like ostriches, burying their heads in the sand and saying there is nothing to worry about since they can see nothing! Islamic communities all over the world as well as in our country are bogged down with problems they cannot overcome. Why? Because we live in darkness. How could we see in the dark? We need to get out of the darkness by using a bright torch. That torch is the Quran. As I stated in the beginning of this letter, the time has come for Muslims and mankind in general to return to God's teachings. Our society, both national and international, is hit by crisis after crisis; the only way we can overcome these is by returning to the teachings of the Omniscient God, i.e., the Quran. Such is the importance of the Quran to us and to the world."       
                                                                           

"According to the Qur'an (the basic source of Islamic belief), when God created Adam (pbuh) and directed the assembly of angels to prostrate before Adam (pbuh), Iblis –a Jinni – was also present in the court. All the angels obediently prostrated before Adam (pbuh). However, Iblis – the Jinn – arrogantly refused to do so. This, obviously, was a transgression on the part of Iblis. It was this transgression of Iblis that made him deserving of the name 'Al-Shaitaan'[1] (the Satan). As a result of this transgression, God turned Iblis out of His court and sentenced him to punishment. However, Iblis asked God for respite till the Day of Judgment and declared that because God had turned him out of his court and had sentenced him to punishment because of man, he would therefore always be an enemy to man. He, and those who become his agents, would do all that they can to turn man away from the path of God. "       
                                                                           

"One of the ways Satan leads human beings astray is by making evil look good.

On this point, ibn al-Qayyim wrote the following:

'From his strategem is that he always bewitches the mind until he can deceive the person. No one is safe from his bewitching except whomsoever Allah wills. He makes good looking to him what harms him the most, until he imagines that it is the most beneficial act for himself. And he makes him flee from the most beneficial act until he thinks it is something harmful to him. Certainly, there is no god but Allah. How many humans have been tested by such sorcery. How many hearts have been kept from Islam, faith and goodness [by such sorcery]. And how many support and present falsehood in the best form and hate truth and present it in the worst form [because of his deception]. And how much falseness is adorned and shown in a desirious manner to the alert. And how much falseness is spread among the wise. He is the one who bewitches the mind until it follows different desires and various evil opinions. He makes them follow every path of misguidance. He leads them to actions, one after another, that cause their destruction. He makes appealing to them the worship of idols, the breaking of familial relationships, the killing of daughters, marrying one's mother and so on. And he promises them the victory of paradise with their infidelity, wickedness and acts of disobedience. He presents to them polytheism in the most honorable fashion. And he presents rejection of Allah's attributes, of His transcendence and of His speech in the guise of anti-anthropomorphism of Allah. He presents abandoning ordering good and eradicating evil in the guise of having mercy for others, behaving with others in a good manner, and applying the verse, "O believers, you are in charge of your own souls" (al-Maidah 105). And he presents turning away from what has come from the Messenger in the guise of blindly following the Imams (taqleed) and the sufficiency of following one who is more knowledgeable. And he presents hypocrisy and compromising with respect to Allah's religion in the guise of being flexible and mixing admirably with the people."       
                                                                           

Behold thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said "Wilt thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not." And He taught Adam the nature of all things; then He placed them before the angels and said: "Tell Me the nature of these if ye are right." They said: "Glory to Thee of knowledge we have none save that Thou hast taught us: in truth it is Thou who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom." He said: "O Adam! tell them their natures." When he had told them Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?" And behold We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam"; and they bowed down not so Iblis he refused and was haughty he was of those who reject Faith. We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the garden and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will but approach not this tree or ye run into harm and transgression." Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden) and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: "Get ye down all (ye people) with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling place and your means of livelihood for a time." Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration and his Lord turned toward him; for He is Oft-Returning Most Merciful.       
                                                                           

Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah they would surely have found therein much discrepancy. When there comes to them some matter touching (public) safety or fear they divulge it. If they had only referred it to the Apostle or to those charged with authority among them the proper investigators would have tested it from them (direct). Were it not for the Grace and Mercy of Allah unto you all but a few of you would have fallen into the clutches of Satan      
                                                                           

It is We who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels bow down to Adam and they bowed down; not so Iblis; he refused to be of those who bow down. (Allah) said: "what prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: thou didst create me from fire and him from clay." (Allah) said: "Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out for thou art of the meanest (of creatures)." He said: "give me respite till the day they are raised up." (Allah) said: "be thou among those who have respite." He said: "because Thou hast thrown me out of the way lo! I will lie in wait for them on Thy straight way. Then will I assault them from before them and behind them from their right and their left: nor wilt Thou find in most of them gratitude (for Thy mercies)." (Allah) said: "Get out from this disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee hell will I fill with you all."       
                                                                           

Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant. If a suggestion from Satan assail thy (mind) seek refuge with Allah; for He heareth and knoweth (all things). Those who fear Allah when a thought of evil from Satan assaults them bring Allah to remembrance when lo! they see (aright)! But their brethren (the evil ones) plunge them deeper into error and never relax (theirefforts).       
                                                                           

O ye who believe! when ye meet a force be firm and call Allah in remembrance much (and often); that ye may prosper. And obey Allah and His apostle; and fall into no disputes lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. And be not like those who started from their homes insolently and to be seen of men and to hinder (men) from the path of Allah: for Allah compasseth round about all that they do. Remember Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them and said: "No one among men can overcome you this day while I am near to you": but when the two forces came in sight of each other he turned on his heels and said: "Lo! I am clear of you; lo! I see what ye see not; lo! I fear Allah; for Allah is strict in punishment.      
                                                                           

Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man from sounding clay from mud molded into shape; When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit fall ye down in obeisance unto him." So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together: Not so Iblis [the Devil]: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves. (Allah) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?" (Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man whom thou didst create from sounding clay from mud molded into shape." (Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected accursed. "And the Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgment." (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised." (Allah) said: "Respite is granted thee till the Day of the Time Appointed."
(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth and I will put them all in the wrong except Thy servants among them sincere and purified (by Thy grace)."
(Allah) said: "This (Way of My sincere servants) is indeed a Way that leads straight to Me. For over My servants no authority shalt thou have except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee. And verily Hell is the promised abode for them all! To it are seven Gates: for each of those Gates is (special) class (of sinners assigned)."      
                                                                           

By Allah We (also) sent (our apostles) to peoples before thee; but Satan made (to the wicked) their own acts seem alluring: he is also their patron today but they shall have a most grievous Penalty.       
                                                                           

Behold! We said to the angels: "Bow down unto Adam": they bowed down except Iblis: he said "Shall I bow down to one whom Thou didst create from clay?" He said "Seest Thou? This is the one whom thou hast honored above me! If Thou wilt but respite me to the Day of Judgment I will surely bring his descendants under my sway all but a few!" Allah said: "Go thy way; if any of them follow thee verily Hell will be the recompense of you (all) an ample recompense. Lead to destruction those whom thou canst among them with thy (seductive) voice; make assaults on them with thy cavalry and thy infantry; mutually share with them wealth and children; and make promises to them. But Satan promises them nothing but deceit. As for My servants no authority shalt thou have over them."       
                                                                           

Never did We send an apostle or a prophet before thee but when he framed a desire Satan threw some (vanity) into his desire: but Allah will cancel anything (vain) that Satan throws in and Allah will confirm (and establish) His Signs: for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom: That He may make the suggestions thrown in by Satan but a trial for those in whose hearts is a disease and who are hardened of heart: verily the wrongdoers are in a schism far (from the Truth): And that those on whom knowledge has been bestowed may learn that the (Qur'an) is the Truth from thy Lord and that they may believe therein and their hearts may be may be made humbly (open) to it: for verily Allah is the Guide of those who believe to the Straight Way       
                                                                           

O ye who believe! follow not Satan's footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong: and were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you not one of you would ever have been pure: but Allah doth purify whom He pleases: and Allah is One Who hears and knows (all things).