1.3 Good People's Pictures

The devil used the same strategy as for Adam to mislead Adam's descendants but in an indirect way. He would come to them as a sincere well wisher and counselor. He went to the people and began mentioning the names of dead righteous people of their communities. Those righteous people are well known, loved, and respected by the late generations. So by mentioning and talking about them he built a bridge of sincere communication and trust with the people who praised them and remember their good qualities. He then engaged in the following dialogue with them as mentioned by Abul Hassan:
Satan: How great is your sorrow for them?
People: Very great indeed.
Satan: How great is your longing for them?
People: Very great indeed!
Satan: Why don't you look at them every day then?
People: How can we do that when they are dead?
Unaware of the devil's hidden agenda, the people liked his ideas and made such pictures to look at them every day as he suggested. At this step, the pictures were just a source of inspiration and motivation for them to do more good deeds and acts of worshipping Allah alone by following the good example of those pictured pious dead people. (Step 1 implemented).