Failure to Think and Unwillingness to Think

Satan makes every effort he can to divert believers to his own path. One of the things he wants the least is for believers, by gaining true sincerity, to achieve a morality that Allah will approve.

For this reason, when people are summoned to the true faith, satan will definitely try to influence them in the opposite direction.

One of satan's efforts towards this end is preventing people from thinking. For this purpose, satan does his best to steer people into defending themselves and finding excuses for their mistakes.

A person who is under his influence begins to feel angry with believers who warn him and thinks he's suffering an injustice. In addition, since he realizes that when he thinks he will clearly see the realities and be forced to confess his insincerity, he completely shuts down his thinking process.

A person whose mind is infected with this type of insincerity cannot correct his mistakes by thinking matters through.

As a result of their condition, people in question pay attention only to those unhealthy thoughts that cross their minds. They form fixed ideas in compliance with their own opinions and for this reason, try not to listen to, hear or understand what is said to them.

No matter how effective or striking another person's words may be, they do not change the thoughts in their closed minds. Satan intensifies their avoidance to such an extent that, even when things are pointed out to them with verses of the Qur'an, they do not think about them or even want to think about them.

When reminded about Allah's existence, that they will be called on to account for their actions, that He sees everything and that the payback for their behavior may be the eternal torments of Hell, they arrive at a heedlessness and a mental vacuum that will not allow these truths to affect them.

In this way, they willfully close their minds to admonitions. But deep inside, they certainly know that they are wrong. Because of this, they condemn their consciences to live in trouble and lack of tranquility.

They want to live lives dictated by their selves' desires—which is surely a life far removed from the teachings of the Qur'an. Meanwhile, they are also aware that such a lifestyle may cause them great disappointment in this world and the Hereafter. As a result, they spend their lives in internal conflict, foreboding and worry.

Such a heedless attitude is not to be found in people of faith. Contrary to this behavior, the reaction of the faithful to a warning is to consider it and learn from it. This is pointed out in many verses of the Qur'an, and mentioned in the Surat al-A'la.

In these verses, Allah tells us that thinking and taking advice are characteristics of people who fear Him in their hearts:
Remind, then, if the reminder benefits. He who has fear will be reminded. But the most miserable will shun it, those who will roast in the Greatest Fire. And then neither die nor live in it. He who has purified himself will have success. (Surat al-A'la: 9-14)