In ‘Madārij as-Salikīn’ [1/218-222], Ibn al-Qayyim has a section about the obstacles that Satan puts into the path of the one who chooses to live his life for Allāh. He mentions the six commonly known obstacles in the order that they will be thrown into the path of the believer, such that whoever passes through one obstacle is then faced with the next [disbelief, followed by innovation in religion, followed by major sins, followed by minor sins, followed by permissible acts that distract one from acts of obedience, followed by acts of obedience that are of lower reward than others].
However, he mentions a seventh and final obstacle for the one who passes through the above six successfully:
‘…So, if he successfully passes through these, there remains only one obstacle from which the enemy [Satan] calls him from, and this is an obstacle that he must face. If anyone were to be saved from this obstacle, it would have been the Messengers and Prophets of Allāh, and the noblest of His Creation.
This is the obstacle of Satan unleashing his troops upon the believer with various types of harm: by way of the hand, the tongue, and the heart. This occurs in accordance with the degree of goodness that exists within the believer. So, the higher he is in degree, the more the enemy unleashes his troops and helps them against him, and overwhelms him with his followers and allies in various ways.
There is no way he can overcome this obstacle, because the firmer he is when calling to Allāh and fulfilling His commands, the more the enemy becomes intent upon tempting him with foolish people. So, he has essentially put on his body armour in facing this obstacle, and has taken it upon himself to confront the enemy [Satan] for Allāh’s sake and in His Name, and his worship in doing so is the worship of the best of those who know Allāh…and none are aware of this except those with complete and perfect insight.’
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