He is the Devil, who never does anything, he just whispers the temptation into the hearts of the human beings. I am a weak man, my legs are getting trembling with fear. He who was so powerful almost gripped me in his wisdom face. The more I think the more I fear, that I have just met the Devil himself.

INTERVIEW WITH THE DEVIL

This universe, where we live in an uninterrupted struggle. As hard as I try, I often fails. And I just want a little fun in the world, a little economic pleasure, and can be with people I love. It does not have to be excessive, just enough. Huff and I are not asking for anything excessive but why it all seems away from me.

Once I’ve tried my best, working day and night but what I say is less successful doing what I should be able to do, I feel tired of reaching what I can’t reach. Doubtful, I’m nervous I stare in silence.

Tonight, the silence without the wind, after Isha¹⁾ I finally follow the advice of a friend, really tormented me up the mountain slope Mata Air, past Elang Village is an hour more. I do not know what I think so far so far, my skin itched from mosquitoes, unfortunately, I thought. I tried to ward off the drowsiness that came.

Twelve hours before.

“Actually I do not want to talk about the secret of my success to others, but because I see you’re still like this, I will share it with you, a tip that will change your life my best friend. In the Mata Air mountains, the road passes through Elang Village to the summit where you will meet the Catalyst.” My friend rubs a jewel-eyed ring on his finger. She smiled. “He is a spiritual advisor to me, to say, I am now thanks to his help, thanks to his good advice.”

I stared at my friend, look at him now so successful. Wearing a gray suit with a khaki tie. His shoes are a famous brand imported from Switzerland. It’s great he can be as successful as this. What’s the secret? Whereas once when high school often he almost did not pass because not able to learn well. Those days are long gone, now he’s a member of the House of Representatives, and look at my fate of a class star instead of being a market gatekeeper. What fate is this!

He smiled when he saw me thinking hard. Head of Market knocked on the door, excused to enter. My friend said, “Please wait for a while, sir, I’m having a chat with my best friend during school first.”

Head Market bowed and then closed the door. Today my friend led a parliamentary delegation to the market, even the fierce Market Head was subservient to an honorable Council member.

“Frankly I pity you, Ahmad, you’re a good and pious person. Back when we went to school you often helped me. Think about this advice, go to the catalyst, you will feel the change of your fate.”

I’m still silent. Then he said, “Okay I will now chair the meeting with the officials of the market manager. Come back to work, later if you need anything just meet me yes, do not hesitate.” He smiled as he winked.

I went outside, the market officials were waiting to get in. People came in, but the Head of Market pulled my hand and led me to a corner, he whispered. “From now on, it seems like I should call you with respect. You are friends with great people, please tell your friends, our office needs a good recommendation from him.” Never before has the Head of Market spoken so gently with me before today, my nose fluttered with pride. Soon I nodded.

Now, still in the mountain Mata Air

Words of wisdom are rarer than emeralds, but people hear them from the mouths of poor female maiden millers, that’s an Egyptian proverb I’ve read, there is no harm in trying my friend’s advice. And this is where I walk through the night doing my friend’s advice. As my legs began to tire and wanted to surrender, suddenly faintly from a distance I saw a white building in the mist. Could this be the catalyst’s residence? I went forward excitedly. It turned out that the building was very large, resembling a medieval castle. Somewhat strange, why near the top of a mountain there is a building of this size? But not too well known. There was a strange feeling blanketing my inner, but I’ve been so far, the time to give up now? So I wiped away the trepidation to keep moving toward the castle.

Meet the catalyst

“Please come in sir!” A call came from within, I pushed the castle door and found a magnificent hallway with fountain pools. I headed toward the dim light. An elderly man with a glowing face sat reading the book on the couch as he crossed his legs, he closed the book, his eyes glowing joyfully.

“Incidentally, tonight I’m here, not expecting the arrival of guests.” He stood up to greet me, then invited me to sit down. “Who are you, sir? And what made you come to me here?” He asked enthusiastically. But I just kept quiet.

Then he tried to remember, “Oh yes a friend of mine named Latif recently told me that his friend Ahmad will come here, is that you?”

I nodded.

“He said to his friend, Ahmad which is you have a lot of problems especially the economy so it needs my advice, is that right?” He probed.

I nodded again. He smiled pleasantly. “For thousands, eh I mean decades, this is the first time I’ve found someone who just nods when asked. Come on tell me the intentions of your heart come to me, surely I will help.” He took a deep breath as if to kiss my scent. His eyes were a bit disappointed, there was wisdom in that shady gaze, but somehow I was frightened.

Shyly I kissed my right armpit and left but it was a long journey that made me sweat, smelling sour. I was about to speak, but my tongue became faint and speechless. I thought I was too tired so cramped.

He offered me a cup of water, it smelled like young honey. After a long journey, I thought it was bad to drink honey, better water. I shook my head, and at first glance, his face looked unhappy. He also lost words for a moment.

“How can I give you advice if you do not say anything?” Are you mute?”

I shook my head. He looked very surprised. In fact, I am even more astonished why I can’t speak. The connection between the brain and the tongue is jammed, but not really I don’t know what to say. My head is filled with chemistry and physics formulas that I have long left behind. My heart feels very trembling.

“Maybe you need to warm up, or some kind of drink that will stabilize the bloodstream?” I’m very happy if there’s a warm ginger drink, but it’s in the middle of a mountain like this.

He opened the cupboard and pulled out a bottle. “There is no medicine forbidden, then drink this wine. You will be fresher.” He said kindly, I looked at the wise face, then shook my head.

He looked very disappointed, “then there is nothing we can talk about. Go home first, when you have overcome your inability to speak this, come back here.”

I nod slowly and greet her please permission. A great fear made me walk away from the castle. When I am outside I feel the dew is starting to fall, and I shiver. Along the way because of the frantic grip, trying to calm down, I recite in the hearts of Al-Qur’an surah Al-Ikhlas, An-Nash, and Al-‘Alaq²⁾. The descending streets made my heart grateful.

The Catalyst! The chemical elements had flashed through my head. The catalyst is the name of the chemical process. A catalyst is a chemical reaction whose success depends on a particular type of substance, which does not change. The unchanged substance is called the Catalyst.

Throughout the history of mankind, as described in the scriptures. Beings that constantly affect human beings without changing their own nature, character, and form are only one. He is the Devil, who never does anything, he just whispers the temptation into the hearts of the human beings. I am a weak man, my legs are getting trembling with fear. He who was so powerful almost gripped me in his wisdom face. The more I think the more I fear, that I have just met the Devil himself.

The air is getting cold, I’m getting tense. Driven by fearful instincts I would run down the mountainside, no matter the weeds, the branches that pierced me as hard as I could. O Allah, please protect me.

Immediately I heard the azan’s³⁾ voice echoing. Shubuh⁴⁾ has come, and I was near it with Village Elang. I ran for the nearest village, the sound of this call leading me into the dark.

When the street was flat, I stopped and took a breath. Suddenly my back was patted by someone and I almost had a heart attack from my fears. I turned in horror. Behind me there is an old man, wearing kupiah⁵⁾ and sarong ⁶⁾ smiley cloth, in the moonlight, looks the upper incisors are gone when he smiles.

“Son, let’s pray Shubuh in langgar⁷⁾,” he said. I nodded very hard. We walked towards the village langar, my hands guided by the old man. My feelings were like meeting a rescue angel, even to be compared to an angel Gabriel who pulled me out of the darkness. Shubuh it is the most solemn shubuh congregation I ever did. After the Prayer finished the grandfather climbed to the pulpit.

“O Adam, will I show you the tree of eternity (khuldi)⁸⁾ and the imperishable kingdom?”

Heaven provides anything, abundant fruits, and everything can be eaten without satiety, and the desire to defecate. But there is a taboo, God gives an exception to Adam and Eve to approach a tree, let alone eat it.

Adam as human beings equipped with reason and lust. The devil knows that, so he influences Adam through his passions. The lust is influenced constantly by the Devil to get Adam out of his nature, by breaking the prohibition. Finally slipping Adam and his wife Eve ate the forbidden fruit of immortality (khuldi), and they became the first man to “break God’s command.”

Adam regrets his actions and acknowledges the wrongdoing, which is the difference between Adam and the Devil. The Devil does not obey God’s command, consciously and knowingly and does not acknowledge his deeds. Therefore he does not ask forgiveness and repentance, while Adam is willing to return to worship and obedience to God.

After that Adam and Eve descended from heaven to earth and then descended, so God gave guidance or guidance the right way, so that man in peace and safety.

All human beings who live on earth today even though they are not pure prints of Adam but still their descendants, we undoubtedly also face the temptation of the Khuldi tree as well. If the previous khuldi is the eternity, then we humans will face trials of various kinds.

Satan’s temptation to human beings of various forms, basically humans pursue the tree of eternity (khuldi) with different forms on each individual. There are recommended miser and there is a wasteful recommended. Some are seduced to give priority to the world, but some are persuaded to give priority to the hereafter. There is a whisper for riya⁹⁾. Some are tested by not having children, soul mate, property and some are tested by having children, property, and other sustenance. The most dangerous are the people who are not aware if he is being tested by the Devil’s seduction.

If sustenance can be a trial, then what is the most precious sustenance in this world. The most precious sustenance for human beings is the correct understanding of religion, if the man understands this then he is inevitably not out of his nature. As explained by the Prophet Muhammad.

The sun had appeared shy, I said goodbye to Shubuh worshipers in the langar, especially the old man before parting I hugged him hard, he looked surprised for a moment, but then he smiled again at me.

XXX

In a sad and imperfect world, not everyone can be a winner. Some will suffer defeat. But why do humans have to rush the glory, and fight it all out? Probably because man becomes more ugly and sinful if he is unable to overcome his own cruel tendencies. One who always thinks be grateful to see himself. But he is also someone who should know that humility can go. Every one of us must understand life is a puzzle, with a fickle answer.

So that morning I came home with a feeling of roomy, My heart was bright even in these mediocre economic circumstances, I will try not to feel short of anymore. All I want is to live my life according to my nature, without jealousy, envy, or greed.

Can it? May Allah guides me and my family, and all of us with His compassion in the form of taufik¹⁰⁾ and hidayah¹¹⁾. Amin Ya Rabbal Alamin. Life is not just about good grades, even though I’m actually not so bad, thank God.

XXX

It is said that the devil hates the afterlife, which is why they are so happy to be tempting people here, in this mortal world.

XXX

Translate From: Wawancara Dengan Iblis

Index:

1. Isha : Pray at night, around eight o’clock;
2. Al-Qur’an surah Al-Ikhlas, An-Nash and Al-‘Alaq: The verses of Al-Quran commonly memorized by the Malays (Indonesia and Malaysia);
3. Azan = A prayer call for Muslims;
4. Shubuh = Pray before sunrise;
5. Kupiah = hats commonly used by Malays for prayer;
6. Sarong = Slipcover used as pants by Malays:
7. Langgar = Small mosque in the village;
8. Khuldi = Adam’s apple in Arabic;
9. Riya = The term that exhibits false piety in Islam;
10. Taufik = God’s guidance is gained from the learning process;
11. Hidayah = The power of the heart to practice the religion.

More stories:

1. THE LAST WITCH; 10 April 2017;
2. ALI AND MALENA, A LOVE STORY; 11 April 2017;
3. TOKUGAWA IEYASU, THE ASURA; 19 April 2017;
4. BHISHMA’S DEATH; 21 April 2017;
5. BEHIND THE SCENES MACHIAVELLI WROTE THE PRINCE; 23 April 2017;
6. SPEECH OF THE BIRDS; 25 April 2017;
7. THE NOBLE VEIL, ODA NOBUNAGA; 13 May 2017;
8. LETTER TO LISA; 9 June 2017;
9. GATE WITHOUT GATE, THE MILITARY STRATEGY OF IEYASU TOKUGAWA; 10 JUNE 2017;
10. DUSK IN MALACCA; 4 July 2017;
11. THE RIVERMAN; 18 July 2017;
12. OH MAN, I COMPLETELY DON’T KNOW YOU; 23 July 2017;
13. AFTER THE REVOLUTION ENDED; 28 July 2017;
14. AN UNCLE’S STORY ABOUT THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT; 11 August 2017;
15. FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GOATS AND WOLVES; 29 October 2017;
16. A NOTE FROM A LOSER; 10 November 2017;
17. HARLEQUIN AND THE TREE OF HOPE; 13 November 2017;
18. NOTHING; 18 November 2017;
19. TESTAMENT FROM HANG TUAH; 25 November 2017;
20. FOR ONE WEEK IN LOVE; 27 November 2017;