The World of Jinn and Its Secrets http://www.islamonline.net/servlet /Satellite?

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QUESTION:

As-Salamu `alaykum. Is there any difference between the demons and the jinn? Please
give me more information about the world of Jinn and tell me more about their
hidden secrets? How can I find more information about them?

ANSWER:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His
Messenger.

Dear brother in Islam, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you
place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render
our work for His Sake.

Answering your questions, we’d like to cite for you the following fatwa issued
bySheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi Muslim lecturer and author, who
states:

“Allah Almighty has created certain creatures, some of them are known to us and
some of them are not.

In his capacity as Allah’s vicegerent on earth, man is ordained by Allah to worship

Him Alone without partners. Consequently, we should not get absorbed in stories
about jinn, as it is not a form of worship.

The Qur’an and Sunnah indicate that jinn exist, and that there is a purpose for
their existence in this life, which is to worship Allah Alone with no partner or
associate. Allah Almighty says:“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans,
except they should worship Me (Alone).”(Adh-Dhariyat: 56)

Scholars are in disagreement over the difference between jinn and demons. Some of
them say that the word jinn goes far to encompass the jinn as well as the demons.
The word also includes believing and unbelieving jinn. Allah Almighty says,“And
among us there are righteous folk and among us there are far from that. We are
sects having different rules.”(Al-Jinn: 11)“And there are among us some who have
surrendered (to Allah) and there are among us some who are unjust. And whoso hath
surrendered to Allah, such have taken the right path purposefully.”(Al-Jinn: 14)

However, the word demon orshaytanis used to refer to the unbelieving ones among the
jinn. Allah Almighty says,“…and the devil was ever an ingrate to his Lord.þ”(Al-
Isra’: 27)

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
things in common, such as the ability to understand and choose between good and
evil. The word jinn comes from the Arabic root meaning “hidden from sight”. Allah
Almighty says:“… Verily he (shaytan) and his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe
see you from where you cannot see them…”(Al-A`raf: 27)

Allah has told us in His Book the essence from which the jinn were created. He
says:“And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame o fire.”(Al-
Hijr : 27) `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Prophet (peace
and blessings be upon him) said:“The angels were created from light, the jinn were
created from fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to
you.”(Reported by Muslim)

Types of jinn

Allah 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-Khushni says that the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him) says:“The jinn are of three types: a type 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 At-Tahawi in
Mushkil Al-’Athar)

The jinn and the sons of Adam

Every individual among the sons of Adam has a jinn who has been appointed to be his
constant companion (qarin). Ibn Mas`ud reports that the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon him) says: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) says:‘There is not one of you who does not have a jinn appointed to be
his constant companion.’They said, ‘And you too, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said,‘Me
too, but Allah has helped me and he has submitted, so that he only helps me to do
good.’” (Reported by Muslim)

Their powers

Allah has given jinn powers that he has not given to humans. Allah has told us
about some of their powers such as the ability to move and travel quickly. One of
the jinn guaranteed to Prophet Sulayman (Solomon, peace and blessings be upon him)
that he would bring the throne of the Queen of Yemen to Jerusalem in a moment,
faster than the time needed for someone to get up from where he was sitting. Allah
Almighty says:“A stalwart of the Jinn said: I will bring it thee before thou canst
rise from thy place. Lo! I verily am strong and trusty for such work. One with whom
was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it thee before thy gaze returneth
unto thee. And when he saw it set in his presence, (Solomon said) This is of the
bounty of my Lord. That He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful.
Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for (the good of) his own soul: and
whosoever is ungrateful (is ungrateful only to his own soul's hurt). For lo! My
Lord is Absolute in independence, Bountiful.”(An-Naml: 39-40)

þThe food and drink of jinn

Ibn Mas`ud reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says:“There
came to me an inviter on behalf of the Jinn and I went along with him and recited
to them the Qur’an.”He (the narrator) said: The Prophet then went along with us and
showed us their traces and traces of their embers. The Jinn asked the Prophet about
their provision and he said:“Every bone on which the name of Allah is recited is
your provision. The time it will fall in your hand it would be covered with flesh,
and (you can have) all the droppings as food for your animals.”The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah 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 (Jinn).”(Reported by Muslim)

The believing jinn may eat any bone on which the name of Allah has been mentioned,
because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not permit them to have
anything on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned – those are for the
unbelieving jinn.
The beasts of the jinn

According to the Hadith reported by Ibn Mas`ud, that we have quoted above, the jinn
asked the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) for provision, and he said to
them:“…and (you can have) all the droppings as food for your animals.”

The dwelling-places of the jinn

The jinn live where we do live on this earth. They are mostly to be found in ruins
and unclean places like bathrooms, dunghills, garbage dumps and graveyards. Hence
the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to take precautions when
entering such places, by reciting theadhkar(mentioning Allah’s Name) prescribed by
Islam.

One of these are reported by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) who
says: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the
toilet, he would say,'Allahumma inni a`udhu bika min al-khubuthi wal-khaba’ith(O
Allah, I seek Refuge with You from all offensive and wicked things [evil deeds and
evil spirits]).'”

Some jinns are Muslims and some are non-Muslims

Allah tells us that some of the jinn said“And there are among us some who have
surrendered (to Allah) and there are among us some who are unjust. And whoso hath
surrendered to Allah, such have taken the right path purposefully.þ”(Al-Jinn: 14)

Protection from harm of jinn

Because jinn can see us while we cannot see them, the Prophet (peace and blessings
be upon him) taught us many ways to protect ourselves from their harm. They are
seeking refuge of Allah from the accursedshaytan, recitingsuratAl-Falaq andsuratAn-
Nas, and reciting the words taught by Allah in the Qur’an. Allah Almighty says,“And
say: My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from suggestions of the evil ones. And I seek
refuge in Thee, my Lord, lest they be present with me.”(Al-Mu’minun: 97-98)

SayingBismillah(in the Name of Allah) before entering one’s home, eating or

drinking, and having intercourse will keep Satan from entering the house or
partaking with a person in his food, drink and sexual activity. Similarly,
mentioning the name of Allah before entering the toilet or taking off one’s clothes
will prevent the jinn from seeing a person in a state of undress or harming him.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of be upon him) says:“To put a barrier that will
prevent the jinn from seeing the`awrahof the sons of Adam, let any one of you say
‘Bismillah’ when entering the toilet.”(Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Strength of faith and religion in general will also prevent jinn from harming a
person, so much so that if they were to fight, the one who has faith would win. Ibn
Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “A man from among the Companions of
Muhammad met a man from among the jinn. They wrestled, and the human knocked down
the jinn. The human said to him, ‘You look small and skinny to me, and your
forearms look like the front paws of a dog. Do all the jinn look like this, or only
you?’ He said, ‘No, by Allah, among them I am strong, but let us wrestle again, and
if you defeat me I will teach you something that will do you good.’ The human said,
‘Fine.’ He said, ‘Recite (the verse):“Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive,
the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth
whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that
intercedeth with Him save by His leave? He knoweth that which is in front of them
and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save
what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary
of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.”(Al-Baqarah: 255) The human
said, ‘Fine.’ He said, ‘You will never recite this in your house but theshaytanwill
come out of it like a donkey breaking wind, and he will never come back in until
the next morning.’” (Reported by Ad-Darami)

For more information see`Aalam Al-Jinn wa Ash-Shayatinby `Umar Sulayman Al-Ashqar.”

Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islam-qa.com

Allah Almighty knows best.