Lets Talk About Jinn

Do jinns exist?
The Qur'aan and Sunnah indicate that the jinn exist,
and that there is a purpose for their existence in
this life, which is to worship Allaah Alone, with no
partner or associate. Allaah says (interpretation of
the meanings):
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans,
except they should worship Me (Alone)." [al-
Dhaariyaat 51:56].
"O assembly of jinns and mankind! Did there not
come to you Messengers from amongst you, reciting
unto you My Verses...?" [al-An'aam 6:130]
The world of the jinn is an independent and separate
world, with its own distinct nature and features
that are hidden from the world of humans. Jinns and
humans have some things in common, such as the
possession of understanding and the choice between
the way of good and the way of evil. The word jinn
comes from an Arabic root meaning "hidden from
sight". Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"...Verily he [Shaytaan] and his qabeeluhu [his
soldiers from the jinn or his tribe] see you from
where you cannot see them..." [al-A'raaf 7:27]
Allaah has told us in His Book the essence from
which the jinn were created. He says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"And the jinn, We created aforetime from the
smokeless flame o fire." [al-Hijr 15:27]
"And the jinns did He create from a smokeless flame
of fire." [al-Rahmaan 55:15].
According to a hadeeth narrated by 'Aa'ishah, the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "The angels were created from light, the jinn
were created from fire, and Aadam was created from
that which has been described to you." (Reported by
Muslim, 5314).

Types of jinn

Allaah has created different types of jinn. Among
them are some who can take on different forms,
such as dogs and snakes; some who are like flying
winds with wings; and some who can travel and rest.
Abu Tha'labah al-Khushani said: "The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: 'The jinn are of three types: a types that has
wings, and they fly through the air; a type that
looks like snakes and dogs; and a type that stops
for a rest then resumes its journey."
(Reported by al-Tahhaawi in Mushkil al-Athaar,
4/95, and by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 22/214.
Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Mishkaat (2/1206, no.
4148): al-Tahhaawi and Abu'l-Shaykh reported it
with a saheeh isnaad).

Their powers
Allaah has given the jinn powers that he has not
given to humans. Allaah has told us about some of
their powers, such as the ability to move and travel
quickly. An 'ifreet from among the jinn guaranteed
to the Prophet Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) that
he would bring the throne of the Queen of Yemen to
Jerusalem in a moment faster than that needed for
a man to get up from where he was sitting. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"An 'ifreet (strong one) from the jinns said: 'I will
bring it [her throne] to you before you rise from
your place (council). And verily, I am indeed strong,
and trustworthy for such work.' One with whom was
knowledge of the Scripture said: 'I will bring it to
you within the twinkling of an eye!' - then when
Sulaymaan saw it placed before him, he said, 'This is
by the Grace of my Lord...'" [al-Naml 27:39-40].

The food and drink of jinn
The jinn eat and drink. Ibn Mas'ood said: "The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: 'Someone from among the jinn called
me, and I went with him and recited Qur'aan for
them.' He took us and showed us the traces of
where they had been and the traces of their fires.
They asked him for food and he said, 'You can have
every bone on which the name of Allaah has been
mentioned that comes into your possession, as
meat, and all the droppings as food for your
animals.' The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, 'So do not use [these things] for
cleaning yourselves [after relieving oneself], for they
are the food and provision of your
brothers.'" (Reported by Muslim, 450).
According to another report: "A delegation of jinn
from Naseebeen came to me, and what good jinn they
are! They asked me for food and I prayed to Allaah
for them, so that they would not pass by bones or
droppings, but they would find food on
them." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3571). The
believing jinn may eat any bone on which the name of
Allaah has been mentioned, because the Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not
permit them to have anything on which Allaah's name
has not been mentioned - those are for the kuffaar
among the jinn.

The dwelling places of jinn
The jinn live on this earth where we do. They are
mostly to be found in ruins and unclean places like
bathrooms, dunghills, garbage dumps and graveyards.
Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) taught us to take precautions when
entering such places, by reciting the adhkaar
(prayers) prescribed by Islam. One of these was
reported by Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased
with him), who said: "When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered
the toilet, he would say, 'Allaahumma innee a'oodhu
bika min al-khubuthi wa'l-khabaa'ith (O Allaah, I
seek refuge with You from the evil ones, male and
female).'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 142; and
Muslim, 375).
Al-Khattaabi explained that khubuth is the plural of
khabeeth (evil or dirty - masculine form), and
khabaa'ith is the plural of khabeethah (evil or dirty
- feminine form), and that what is meant is male
and female shayaateen.

Jinns and their purpose of creation
The jinn are part of the creation of Allaah. He
created them from fire before He created Adam, as
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding)
clay of altered mud.
And the jinn, We created aforetime from the
smokeless flame of fire"
[al-Hijr 15:26-27]
Just as Adam had descendents, so Iblees had
descendents too, as Allaah says of Iblees
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Will you then take him (Iblees) and his offspring as
protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are
enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for
the Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc)"
[al-Kahf 18:50]
Allaah created the jinn and mankind to worship Him.
Whoever obeys Him will enter Paradise and whoever
disobeys Him will enter Hell:
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind
except that they should worship Me (Alone).
I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provision
for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask
that they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or My
creatures).
Verily, Allaah is the All Provider, Owner of Power, the
Most Strong"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 - interpretation]
All of the jinn, like mankind, are accountable. Among
them there are believers and kaafirs, those who obey
Allaah and those who disobey Him, as Allaah tells us
that they said:
"'There are among us some that are righteous, and
some the contrary; we are groups having different
ways (religious sects)'"
[al-Jinn 72:11 - interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn will be rewarded or punished in the Hereafter
just like mankind. Allaah tells us that they said:
"'And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted
to Allaah, after listening to this Qur'aan), and of
us some are Al?Qaasitoon (disbelievers those who
have deviated from the Right Path)'. And whosoever
has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by
submitting to Allaah), then such have sought the
Right Path.'
And as for the Qaasitoon (disbelievers who deviated
from the Right Path), they shall be firewood for
Hell"
[al-Jinn 72:14-15 - interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn and mankind will all be brought to account
on the Day of Resurrection before the Lord of the
Worlds. None of them will be able to postpone that
or flee from it.
"O assembly of jinn and men! If you have power to
pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth,
then pass beyond (them)! But you will never be able
to pass them, except with authority (from Allaah)!"
[al-Rahmaan 55:33 - interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever among the jinn or mankind tries to flee
from the Reckoning will never be able to do so, as
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"There will be sent against you both, smokeless
flames of fire and (molten) brass, and you will not
be able to defend yourselves
[al-Rahmaan 55:35]
When the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) was in Makkah, a group of the jinn came
to him; they heard the Qur'aan and were moved by
it:
"And (remember) when We sent towards you
(Muhammad) a group (three to ten persons) of the
jinn, (quietly) listening to the Qur'aan. When they
stood in the presence thereof, they said: "Listen in
silence!" And when it was finished, they returned to
their people, as warners"
[al-Ahqaaf 46:29 - interpretation of the meaning]
Some of the jinn believed when they heard the
Qur'aan, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): 'It has been revealed to me
that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinn
listened (to this Qur'aan). They said: "Verily, we
have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur'aan)!
It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed
therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything
with our Lord (Allaah)"'"
[al-Jinn 72:1-2]
Both Adam and Iblees fell into sin, but Adam
regretted it and repented, and Allaah accepted his
repentance:
"Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his
Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily,
He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance),
the Most Merciful"
[al-Baqarah 2:37 - interpretation of the meaning]
But Iblees refused and was arrogant, so he was one
of the disbelievers:
"And (remember) when We said to the angels:
'Prostrate yourselves before Adam.' And they
prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was
proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient
to Allaah)"
[al-Baqarah 2:34 - interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever disobeys Allaah out of pride and arrogance,
among the jinn and mankind, is following the
Shaytaan and will be gathered with him in the Fire
of Hell if he does not repent, as Allaah said to
Iblees:
"(Allaah) said: 'The truth is - and the truth I say
That I will fill Hell with you [Iblees (Satan)] and
those of them (mankind) that follow you, together'"
[Saad 38:84-85 - interpretation of the meaning]
The friends of the Most Merciful (Allaah), among the
jinn and mankind, co-operate in righteousness and
piety, and the friends of the Shaytaan, among the
jinn and mankind, co-operate in sin and
transgression. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And so We have appointed for every Prophet
enemies - Shayaateen (devils) among mankind and
jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a
delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had
so willed, they would not have done it; so leave them
alone with their fabrications"
[al-An'aam 6:112]
The jinn used to have places near the heavens where
they would sit to eavesdrop (on the inhabitants of
the heavens), but when Allaah sent His Messenger
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) they were no longer allowed to do that. Whoever
among them tries to listen is burned with a flaming
fire, as Allaah tells us that the jinn said:
" 'And we have sought to reach the heaven; but
found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires.
And verily, we used to sit there in stations, to
(steal) a hearing, but any who listens now will find
a flaming fire watching him in ambush'"
[al-Jinn 72:8-9 - interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn are with us on this earth, but by the mercy
of Allaah they see us and we do not see them, as
Allaah says of Iblees and his tribe (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Verily, he and Qabeeluhu (his soldiers from the jinn
or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see
them"
[al-A'raaf 7:27]
Whoever can see you when you cannot see him, and
he is your enemy, is more dangerous. So you must
always beware of him and protect yourself from the
devils among the jinn and mankind.
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad
ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri.

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