Jinn (demons?) According to Islam

Jinn, Demons, Ghosts, Spirits
In Islam

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By Dr. Umar Al-Ashqar

The Origin of the Jinn

The jinn are NOT fallen angels.

They were created from a smokeless flame of fire. The first recorded jinn to be disobedient was Iblis. Disbelieving, disobedient jinn and humans are known as shayateen (satans).

The Noble Qur'an - Ar-Rahmaan 55:15

15. He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery. And the jinns did He create from a smokeless flame of fire.

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Hijr 15:26-42

26. And indeed, We created man from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud.
27. And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.
28. And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: "I am going to create a man (Adam) from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud.
29. "So, when I have fashioned him completely and breathed into him (Adam) the soul which I created for him, then fall (you) down prostrating yourselves unto him."
30. So, the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together.
31. Except Iblîs (Satan), - he refused to be among the prostrators.
32. (Allah) said: "O Iblîs (Satan)! What is your reason for not being among the prostrators?"
33. [Iblîs (Satan)] said: "I am not the one to prostrate myself to a human being, whom You created from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud."
34. (Allah) said: "Then, get out from here, for verily, you are Rajîm (an outcast or a cursed one)." [Tafsîr At-Tabarî]
35. "And verily, the curse shall be upon you till the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection)."
36. [Iblîs (Satan)] said: "O my Lord! Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected."
37. Allah said: "Then, verily, you are of those reprieved,
38. "Till the Day of the time appointed."
39. [Iblîs (Satan)] said: "O my Lord! Because you misled me, I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead them all.
40. "Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them."
41. (Allah) said: "This is the Way which will lead straight to Me."
42. "Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who follow you of the Ghâwîn (Mushrikûn and those who go astray, criminals, polytheists, and evil-doers, etc.).

Sulayman's Experience With The Jinn

Allah made all the jinn subservient to the Prophet Sulaimaan (Solomon), a gift from Allah which will never be granted to another after him.

The Noble Qur'an - Saad 38:35-39

35. He said: "My Lord! Forgive me, and bestow upon me a kingdom such as shall not belong to any other after me: Verily, You are the Bestower."
36. So, We subjected to him the wind, it blew gently to his order whithersoever he willed,
37. And also the Shayâtin (devils) from the jinns (including) every kind of builder and diver,
38. And also others bound in fetters.
39. [Saying of Allah to Sulaimân (Solomon)]: "This is Our gift, so spend you or withhold, no account will be asked."

The Noble Qur'an - Saba' 34:12-14

12. And to Suleiman (We subjected) the wind, its morning (stride from sunrise till midnoon) was a month's (journey), and its afternoon (stride from the midday decline of the sun to sunset) was a month's (journey i.e. in one day he could travel two months' journey). And We caused a fount of (molten) brass to flow for him, and there were jinns that worked in front of him, by the Leave of his Lord, and whosoever of them turned aside from Our Command, We shall cause him to taste of the torment of the blazing Fire.
13. They worked for him what he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of Dâwud (David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful.
14. Then when We decreed death for him [Sulaimân (Solomon)], nothing informed them (jinns) of his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his stick, so when he fell down, the jinns saw clearly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have stayed in the humiliating torment.

The Noble Qur'an - An-Naml 27:17-19

17. And there were gathered before Sulaimân (Solomon) his hosts of jinns and men, and birds, and they all were set in battle order (marching forwards).
18. Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaimân (Solomon) and his hosts crush you, while they perceive not."
19. So he [Sulaimân (Solomon)] smiled, amused at her speech and said: "My Lord! Inspire and bestow upon me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favours which You have bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds that will please You, and admit me by Your Mercy among Your righteous slaves."

Every human has a partner Jinn

Hadith - Sahih Muslim 6757, Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, similar narration 6759 by 'Aisha, r.a. Allah's Apostle May Allah's peace and blessings be on him said:

There is none amongst you with who is not an attached from amongst the jinn (devil).
They (the Companions) said: "O messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), with you also?"
He said:
"Yes, but Allah helps me against him and so I am safe from his hand and he does not command me but for good".

Distancing Oneself

Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported the Prophet, peace be upon him, said,

Hadith (in the collection of) Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, Dawud, al-Hakim and al-Baihaqi:

Qatadah related from 'Abdullah ibn Sarjas who said,"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade urination into a hole."
Qatadah said,
"What is disliked about urinating into a hole?"
He said,
"It is the residence of the jinn."
[Ibn Khuzaimah and Ibn as-Sakin classified it as sahih]

More About the Jinn

Hadith - Sahih Bukhari 4:533,
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah May Allah be pleased with him The Prophet May Allah's peace and blessings be on him said,

"Cover your utensils and tie your water skins, and close your doors and keep your children close to you at night, as the Jinns* spread out at such time and snatch things away. When you go to bed, put out your lights, for the mischief-doer (i.e. the rat) may drag away the wick of the candle and burn the dwellers of the house."
*Ata said, "The devils" (instead of the Jinns).

Hadith - Sunan of Abu Dawood, Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri,

Muhammad ibn Abu Yahya said that his father said he and his companion went to Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, to pay a sick visit to him.
He said:
Then we came out from him and met a companion of ours who wanted to go to him. We went ahead and sat in the mosque. He then came back and told us that he heard Abu Sa'id al-Khudri say:
The Apostle of Allah May Allah's peace and blessings be on him said:
Some snakes are jinn. So when anyone sees one of them in his house, he should give it a warning three times. If it returns (after that), he should kill it, for it is a devil.

Hadith - Al-Muwatta 54.33

...The snake stirred on the end of the spear and the youth fell dead. No one knew which of them died first, the snake or the youth. That was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said,
"There are jinn in Medina who have become Muslims. When you see one, call out to it for three days. If it appears after that, then kill it, for it is a shayton (devil)".

Hadith - Muwatta, 49.21

...Shaytan does not open a locked door or untie a tied knot, or uncover a vessel.

Hadith - Tirmidhi #350

Allah's Messenger, peace be on him, said:
Don't cleanse yourself with dung or with bones for that is the food of your brothers from amongst the Jinn.
[Transmitted by Tirmidhi, Nasa'i with this exception that he did not make mention of: The Food of your brothers from amongst the jinn.]

The Noble Qur'an - Ar-Rahmaan 55:56

56. Wherein both will be those (maidens) restraining their glances upon their husbands, whom no man or jinn yatmith-hunna (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them.

Hadith - Abu Dawood 1046, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib

Ali, may Allah have mercy on him, said on the pulpit in the mosque of Kufah:
When Friday comes, the devils go to the markets with their flags, and involve people in their needs and prevent them from the Friday prayer. ...

Allah will fill Hell with jinns and men all together

The Noble Qur'an - As-Saffat 37:158

158. And they have invented a kinship between Him and the jinns, but the jinns know well that they have indeed to appear (before Him) (i.e. they will be brought for accounts).

The Noble Qur'an - Hud 11:119

119. Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy (the follower of truth - Islâmic Monotheism) and for that did He create them. And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled (i.e. His Saying): "Surely, I shall fill Hell with jinns and men all together."

The Noble Qur'an - Al-An'aam 6:130, 131

131. O you assembly of jinns and mankind! "Did not there come to you Messengers from amongst you, reciting unto you My Verses and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours?" They will say: "We bear witness against ourselves." It was the life of this world that deceived them. And they will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelievers. This is because your Lord would not destroy the (populations of) towns for their wrongdoing (i.e. associating others in worship along with Allah) while their people were unaware (so the Messengers were sent).

The Noble Qur'an - Al-A'raaf 7:179

179. And surely, We have created many of the jinns and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones.

Fortune-tellers/Soothsayers

Hadith - Al-Bukhari 7.657, Narrated 'Aisha, may Allah have mercy on her, said,

Some people asked Allah's Apostle (saw) about the foretellers. He said,
"They are nothing."
They said, O messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! Sometimes they tell us of a thing which turns out to be true."
Allah's Apostle said,
"A Jinn snatches that true word and pours it into the ear of his friend (the foreteller) (as one puts something into a bottle). The foreteller then mixes with that word one hundred lies."

Muslim Jinn

The Noble Qur'an - Adh-Dhaariyaat 51:56

56. And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).

Hadith - Tirmidhi #861, Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah, Tirmidhi reported and said, 'This is a gharib hadith (strange narration)':

Allah's Messenger May Allah's peace and blessings be on him came out to his companions and recited Surah ar-Rahman (chapter 55) from the beginning to the end, but they remained silent.
Thereupon he said:
I recited this before the Jinn on the night of Jinn, and their response was better than that of yours. When I came to these words: Then which of the favours of your Lord do you deny?' They said: Our Lord, there is nothing that we deny of Your favour; to You is all praise due."

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Jinn 72:1-14

1.Say (O Muhammad May Allah's peace and blessings be on him): "It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinns listened (to this Qur’an). They said: 'Verily! We have heard a wonderful Recital (this Qur’an)!
2.'It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allah).
3.'And exalted be the Majesty of our Lord, He has taken neither a wife, nor a son (or offspring or children).
4.'And that the foolish among us [i.e. Iblîs (Satan) or the polytheists amongst the jinns] used to utter against Allah that which was wrong and not right.
5.'And verily, we thought that men and jinns would not utter a lie against Allah.
6.'And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the masculine among the jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind) in sin and disbelief.
7.'And they thought as you thought, that Allah will not send any Messenger (to mankind or jinns).
8.'And we have sought to reach the heaven; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires.
9.'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.
10.'And we know not whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends for them a Right Path.
11.'There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups each having a different way (religious sect, etc.).
12.'And we think that we cannot escape (from the punishment of) Allah in the earth, nor can we escape (from the punishment) by flight.
13.'And indeed when we heard the Guidance (this Qur’an), we believed therein (Islâmic Monotheism), and whosoever believes in his Lord shall have no fear, either of a decrease in the reward of his good deeds or an increase in punishment for his sins.
14.'And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allah, after listening to this Qur’an), and of us some are Al-Qâsitûn (disbelievers those who have deviated from the Right Path)'. And whosoever has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting to Allah), then such have sought the Right Path."

Shaytaan

The Noble Qur'an - Al-An'aam 6:112

112. And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayatin (devils) among mankind and jinns, 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.

Know your enemy...

The Noble Qur'an - Faatir 35:6

6. Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.

The Noble Qur'an - Az-Zukhruf 43:62

62. And let not Shaitan (Satan) hinder you (from the right religion, i.e. Islamic Monotheism), Verily, he (Satan) to you is a plain enemy.

Shaitan tells you to fear people instead of Allah...

The Noble Qur'an - Az-Zukhruf 43:62

62. It is only Shaitân (Satan) that suggests to you the fear of his Auliyâ' [supporters and friends (polytheists, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in His Messenger, Muhammad May Allah's peace and blessings be on him)], so fear them not, but fear Me, if you are (true) believers.

The jinn's power is to Whisper/Deceive

The Noble Qur'an - An-Naas 114

1. Say: "I seek refuge with (Allah) the Lord of mankind,
2. "The King of mankind,
3. "The Ilâh (God) of mankind,
4. "From the evil of the whisperer (devil who whispers evil in the hearts of men) who withdraws (from his whispering in one's heart after one remembers Allah),
5. "Who whispers in the breasts of mankind,
6. "Of jinns and men."

The Noble Qur'an - Al-An'aam 6:128

128. And on the Day when He will gather them (all) together (and say): "O you assembly of jinns! Many did you mislead of men," ...

The Noble Qur'an - Al-'Anaam 6:112

112. And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayatin (devils) among mankind and jinns, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception)....

The Noble Qur'an - An-Nahl 16:99-100

99. Verily! He has no power over those who believe and put their trust only in their Lord (Allah).
100. His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and those who join partners with Him (Allah).
[i.e. those who are Mushrikûn - polytheists - see Verse 6:121]

The Noble Qur'an - Ibrahim 14:22

22. And Shaitan (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, so you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.)."

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Israa' 17:61-65

61. And [mention] when Allah said to the angles, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He (the devil) said, "Should I prostrate to one You created from clay?"
62. [the devil] said, "Do You see this one whom You have honored above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few."
63. [Allah] said, "Go, for whoever of them follows you, indeed Hell will be the recompense of you – an ample recompense.
64. And incite [to senselessness] whoever you can among them with your voice and assault them with your horses and foot soldiers and become a partner in their wealth and their children and promise them." But Satan does not promise them except delusion.
65. Indeed, over My [believing] servants there is for you no authority. And sufficient is your Lord as Disposer of affairs.

Supplication for one afflicted by whisperings in prayer or recitation...

Hadith - Sahih Muslim 5463, Narrated Uthman ibn Abul'As, may Allah be pleased with him, that:

Uthman, may Allah have Mercy on him, came to Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him, and said:
Allah's Messenger, the Satan intervenes between me and my prayer and my reciting of the Qur'an and he confuses me.
Thereupon Allah's Messenger, peace be upon him said:
That is (the doing of the Satan) who is known as Khinzab, and when you perceive its effect, seek refuge with Allah from it and spit (this is a dry spit in the air) three times to your left.
I did that and Allah dispelled that from me."

Seeking refuge in the Jinn

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Jinn 72: 6-7

6. 'And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the masculine among the jinns, but they (jinns) increased them (mankind) in sin and disbelief.
7. 'And they thought as you thought, that Allah will not send any Messenger (to mankind or jinns).

The Noble Qur'an - Ibrahim 14:22

22. And Shaitân (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, so you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allah (by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.)."

The Noble Qur'an - Al-An'aam 6:100-102

100. Yet, they join the jinns as partners in worship with Allah, though He has created them (the jinns), and they attribute falsely without knowledge sons and daughters to Him. Be He Glorified and Exalted above (all) that they attribute to Him.
101. He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.
102. Such is Allah, your Lord! Lâ ilâha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakîl (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian, etc.) over all things.

The Noble Qur'an - Al-An'aam 6:128
And on the Day when He will gather them (all) together (and say): "O you assembly of jinns! Many did you mislead of men," and their Auliyâ' (friends and helpers, etc.) amongst men will say: "Our Lord! We benefited one from the other, but now we have reached our appointed term which You did appoint for us." He will say: "The Fire be your dwelling place, you will dwell therein forever, except as Allah may will. Certainly your Lord is All Wise, All Knowing."

Seeking Refuge from the Evil Jinn

Say " 'audhu billah" (I seek refuge in Allah) and other dhikr (remembrance of Allah) when the evil whisper of shayton (the devil) comes upon you, such as:

* when you get angry,
* if you have confusing or disobedient thoughts,
* when arrogant people come to you, who dispute the Truth of the ayats of Allah
* when about to recite Qur'an,
* or when in any situation that the Quran and Sunnah teaches you is a result of the shaitan.

The Noble Qur'an - Fussilat 41:36

And if an evil whisper from Shaitân (Satan) tries to turn you away (O Muhammad SAW) (from doing good, etc.), then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.

The Noble Qur'an - Al-A'raaf 7:200, 201

200. And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is Hearing and Knowing.
201. Indeed, those who fear Allah (Allah's punishment) – when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.

The Noble Qur'an - Ghaafir 40:56

56. Verily, those who dispute about the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, without any authority having come to them, there is nothing else in their breasts except pride [to accept you (Muhammad SAW) as a Messenger of Allah and to obey you]. They will never have it (i.e. Prophet hood which Allah has bestowed upon you). So seek refuge in Allah (O Muhammad SAW from the arrogants). Verily, it is He Who is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.

The Noble Qur'an - An-Nahl 16:98

98. So when you want to recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from shayton (satan), the outcast (the cursed one).

Hadith - Al-Muwatta 51.4.10 Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said,

Say Bismillah and then the du'a (supplication) below before entering the toilet area...

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi 358, Narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib

Allah's Messenger May Allah's peace and blessings be on him said:
The screen between the eyes of Jinn and the private parts of the sons of Adam as one of them enters the privy is that he should say: In the name of Allah.
This hadith was transmitted by Tirmidhi and he said: It is a gharib hadith *(strange) and its isnad *(chain of narration) is not sound.

[Bismillahi] Allahumma inna 'audhu bika minal khubthi wal khabaa'ith.
[By the Name of Allah]. Oh Allah, I seek protection in You from unclean spirits, male and female.
[Abu Dawud 4/264, Ahmad 2/389]

The ayah "Al-Kursi" (2:255) is well-known as a means for repelling mischievous jinn:

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Baqarah 2:255

225. Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Ever, Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. neither slumber, nor sleep overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
(Ayat-ul-Kursi).

Hadith - Tirmidhi #2173, Narrated Jubayr ibn Nufayr [Darimi transmitted it in mursal form].
Allah's Messenger May Allah's peace and blessings be on him said,

Ibn Taymiyya, Majmu’, vol. 19, p. 55

Hadith - Tirmidhi #2145, Narrated An-Nu'man ibn Bashir
Allah's Messenger May Allah's peace and blessings be on him said,

Make du'a (supplication) such as the following:

The Noble Qur'an - Al-Baqarah 2:286
Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawlâ (Patron, Supporter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people."

Recite Surah Al-Falaq (Chapter 113) and An-Nas (Chapter 114)..

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi 1019, Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

The Prophet May Allah's peace and blessings be on him used to seek protection against the Jinn and the evil eye till surah al-Falaq and an-Nas were revealed.
After they were revealed he stuck to them and discarded everything beside them.
[Transmitted by Tirmidhi]

Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi 4563, Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri

Allah's Messenger May Allah's peace and blessings be on him used to seek refuge in Allah from jinn and the evil eye in men until the Mu'awwidhatan came down, after which he made use of them and abandoned everything else.
[Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan gharib (good chain of narration but strange) tradition]

Learn More About the Jinn 

Can we see the jinn? Do they have a real form?

How did Allah create the jinn?

Protection from the jinn

Learning more about the jinn

The difference between jinn & devils

And Allah is the All-Knower!

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