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Fatwa CenterThe story of the priest who prostrated to the devil
Question
Assalamu Alaikum, Can you please give me the reference number of the hadith which mentions how Satan misleads people on the way of transgression. I particular I am looking for the Hadith which narrates the story of 3 brothers who leave their only sister in the protection of a pious person whom they trust before going for a War. And Satan mislead the pious person to commit Zina with the sister and a child is born to her and then the pious person murders both her and the child..so on.. Can you please provide the reference along with the Actual Hadith?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
It might be that you are referring to the story of a priest from the children of 
. Allaah Says (what means): {(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to man: "Disbelieve in Allaah." But when (man) disbelieves in Allaah, Satan says: "I am free of you, I fear Allaah, the Lord of the 'Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!" So the end of both will be that they will be in the Fire, abiding therein. Such is the recompense of the wrong-doers.}[Quran 59:16-17].
Ibn Jareer said that Ibn Mas'ood 
interpreted the above verse saying: "This refers to a woman who used to shepherd sheep and she had four brothers, and by night she used to go to the cell of a priest to sleep. Then the priest fornicated with her and she became pregnant. Then, the devil came to him and whispered to him "kill her and burry her as you are a man to whom people would listen and would believe [in what you say]". So, the priest killed her and buried her. Then, the devil came to her brothers in a dream and whispered: "The priest fornicated with your sister and when she became pregnant, he killed her and buried her in such and such a place." In the morning, one of the brothers said: "I swear by Allaah, I saw a dream last night, but I don't know whether or not I should tell it to you." His brothers said: "Tell us the story." Then, he related the story to them. One of them said: "I swear by Allaah, I saw the same dream." Another brother said: "I swear by Allaah, I saw the same dream as well." Thereupon, they said: "There must be something wrong." So, they went and complained to the king about that priest, and the king's men arrested the priest. Then the devil came to this priest and told him: "It is me who put you in this mess, and no one else can get you out of it except me, so prostrate to me once and I will get you out of this mess." Then the priest prostrated to him. When they arrived to the king, the devil declared to the priest that he is free from what he did, and then they killed the priest." This is narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Abbaas, Taawoos, Muqaatil Ibn Hayyaan.
However, this story is narrated by 'Ali with another wording. Ibn Jareer reported: "There was a priest who was worshipping for 60 years and the devil wanted to mislead him but in vain. So, the devil went to a woman and possessed her [as by jinn], and she had brothers so the devil whispered to her brothers, "take her to this priest and he will treat her". So, they took her to the priest and he treated her. Once she was with him and he was sexually attracted to her, so he fornicated with her and impregnated her, so he killed her. Then her brothers came to the priest and the devil told the priest: "I am the one who misled you after a very long and tiring attempt, so obey me and I will save you from the mess I put you in, so prostrate to me once."' Then the priest prostrated to him and the devil told him: "I am free of you, I fear Allaah, the Lord of the 'Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!" Allaah Says (what means): {(Their allies deceived them) like Satan, when he says to man: "Disbelieve in Allaah." But when (man) disbelieves in Allaah, Satan says: "I am free of you, I fear Allaah, the Lord of the 'Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!"}.
Allaah Knows best.
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