NIGERIAN MUSLIMS NETWORK

The Jinn

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IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord and the Cherisher of the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our beloved prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), his household, companions and the followers of the right guidance till the Day of Judgment.

Allah, the Exalted says:

"Glory to Allah Who created in pairs all things that the earth produces(plants) as well as their own kind(mammals or animals) and (other) things of which they have no knowledge". Q36:36.

"He (Allah) has created man from a sperm drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!" Q16:4.

"We created man from sounding clay from mud molded into shape; And the Jinn race We had created before from the smokeless fire". Q15:26

There are still many things in the universe that human beings do not understand and cannot explain. The Creator of everything, Allah, informs us about of some of the things He created so that we can learn and be grateful to Him. It is important that we are aware of the jinns because of the influences they have on us.

Man cannot see the jinn despite the fact that jinns can see and influence man. Different ideologies/religions have different views about this creature, some people worship the jinns directly or indirectly, and some believe that jinns are "fallen angels" while some believe that there is nothing like the jinn. The Holy Quran informs us all we need to know about the jinn so as to be saved from its influence. There are books written by Islamic Scholars to explain what the Quran and the hadith say about the jinn, the most famous of them is Ibn Taymeeyah's Essay on the Jinn translated to English Language by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips.

Some of the jinns are enemies of human beings; they have no duty other than to mislead man from the worship of Allah and whisper evil to man.

"Say: I seek refuge with the Lord and Cherisher of Mankind.  The King (or Ruler) of Mankind. The Allah (or Judge) of Mankind. From the mischief of the Whisperer (of Evil) who withdraws (after his whisper). (The same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind. Among Jinns and among Men." Q114:1-6
 

SATAN IS A JINN AND NOT A FALLEN ANGEL

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, 2nd Edition, jinn (jinni or jinnee) is defined thus: "In Muslim legend, a spirit capable of assuming human or animal form and exercising supernatural influence over men. The jinn has many things in common with man, like feeding, excreting, working, sleeping, reproducing, etc. The characteristics that are of importance are "freewill and accountability before Allah on the Day of Judgment". The angel does not have any of these characteristics. Allah commands the jinn and mankind to "worship Him" (Q51:56), they can choose to disobey Allah but the angel can never disobey Allah. Allah, the Exalted, says:

"O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is Men and Stones over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah but do (precisely) what they are commanded." Q66:6.

Moreover, angel, man and jinn are created from different sources. Allah says:

"We created man from sounding clay from mud molded into shape; And the Jinn race We had created before from the smokeless fire. Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man from sounding clay from mud molded into shape; When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall you down in obeisance unto him". So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together: Not so Iblis (satan), he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.

(Allah) said: "O Iblis! What is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?" (Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man whom thou did create from sounding clay from mud molded into shape". (Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected accursed. And the Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgment".(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised". (Allah) said: "Respite is granted thee till the Day of the Time Appointed".

(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! Because Thou hast put me in the wrong I will make (wrong)fair-seeming to them on the earth and I will put them all in the wrong. Except Thy servants among them sincere and purified (by Thy grace)". (Allah) said: "This (Way of My sincere servants) is indeed a Way that leads straight to Me. For over My servants no authority shall thou have except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee. And verily Hell is the promised abode for them all!" Behold! We said to the angels "Bow down to Adam" They bowed down except Iblis. He(Iblis) was one of the Jinns and he broke the Command of his Lord. Will you then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me? And they are enemies to you! Evil would be the exchange for the wrongdoers!" Q18:50

He (Iblis) said: "Because Thou (Allah) has thrown me out of the way lo! I will lie in wait for them (mankind) on Thy straight way.  Then will I assault them from before them and behind them from their right and their left: nor wilt Thou find in most of them gratitude (for Thy mercies)".

Aisha (RA), the youngest wife of our beloved prophet Muhammad (PBUH), reported that the Prophet said that Angels are created from light, the jinns from the smokeless fire and mankind from what you know, i.e. clay. (Muslim and Ahmad)

Someone may ask: If satan (Iblis) is not an angel why was it in the midst of angels? Well, I do not think the Holy Qur'an say anything on this neither do I know of any hadith on this. However, some scholars like Ibn Kateer in the exegesis of the Holy Qur'an explained that satan (Iblis) was a devoted worshiper of Allah before Adam was created hence it used to be in the midst of the angels since it has characteristics similar to the angels. What is important however is that Allah has specifically mentioned that satan is a jinn. Similarly, not all the jinns are shayatin. Shayatin (singular shaytan or shaitan) are the evil jinns and their leader is satan (Iblis).

The Chapter 72 of the Holy Qura'n is titled "The Jinn" Just as there are believers and non-believers in Allah among mankind so are believers and non-believers in Allah among the jinns. Allah informs us thus:

"Say (Oh! Muhammad): It has been revealed to me that a company of Jinns listened (to the Qur'an).  They say `We have really heard a wonderful Recital! It gives guidance to the Right and we have believed therein: We shall not join (in worship) any (gods) with our Lord. `And exalted is the Majesty of our Lord: He has taken neither a wife nor a son. `There were some foolish ones among us who used to utter extravagant lies against Allah; `But we do think that no man or spirit should say aught that is untrue against Allah. `True there were persons among mankind who took shelter with persons among the Jinns but they increased them in folly. `And they (came to) think as you thought that Allah would not raise up anyone (to Judgment).`And we pried into the secrets of heaven; but we found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. `We used indeed to sit there in (hidden) stations to (steal) a hearing; but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush. `And we understand not whether ill is intended to those on earth or whether their Lord (really) intends to guide them to right conduct. `There are among us some that are righteous and some the contrary: we follow divergent paths. `But we think that we can by no means frustrate Allah throughout the earth nor can we frustrate Him by flight. `And as for us since we have listened to the Guidance we have accepted it: and any who believes in his Lord has no fear either of a short (account) or of any injustice. `Amongst us are some that submit their wills (to Allah) and some that swerve from justice.  Now those who submit their wills they have sought out (the path) of right conduct: `But those who swerve they are (but) fuel for Hell Fire". Q72:1-15

 

EVERY PERSON HAS A COMPANION AMONG THE JINN.

It is important to know that every person in the world has a companion among the jinn (satan) to suggest evil to him/her, the prophets of Allah are not exempted from this. Jesus(PBUH), according to the Bible, was tempted by satan. Allah, the Exalted, says:

"His companion (among the Jinn) will say: "Our Lord! I did not make him transgress but he was (himself) far astray." Q50:27

The above will be the statement of Satan when his victims will accuse him of misleading them on the Day of Judgment.

"Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy evil ones among men and Jinns inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception. If thy Lord had so planned they would not have done it: so leave them and their inventions alone". Q6: 112

And in a hadith by Abu Mu'az:

"Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: There is none amongst you with whom is not an attache (companion) from amongst the jinn (devil). They (the Companions of the prophet) said: Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) with you too? Thereupon 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. (Muslim 6757).

We should also know that the devils among the jinns do their best to mislead mankind in everything. Allah warns us to beware of satan and his strategies.

"Satan makes them promises and creates in them false desires; but Satan's promises are nothing but deception. They (his dupes) will have their dwelling in hell and from it they will find no way of escape". Q4:120-1

"O you people! Eat of what is on earth lawful and good; and do not follow the footsteps of the evil one for he is to you an avowed enemy. For he commands you what is evil and shameful and that you should say of Allah that of which you have no knowledge". Q2: 168-9

 

OVERCOMING SATAN

Well, one may not be able to completely overcome satan but one can definitely reduce its influences to the minimum. The first strategy is to believe in Allah and know that we will be rewarded for good deeds and punished for bad deeds. We should use the freewill Allah has given us to restrain evil. Allah, the Exalted, warns mankind thus:

"O you children of Adam! Let not satan seduce you in the same manner as he got your parents out of the garden stripping them of their raiment to expose their shame: for he and his tribe watch you from a position where you cannot see them: We made the evil ones friends (only) to those without faith". Q7:27

"If a suggestion from satan assail thy (mind) seek refuge with Allah; for He hears and knows (all things. Those who fear Allah when a thought of evil from satan assaults them bring Allah to remembrance when lo! They see (aright)!" Q41:36

We need to be conscious of Allah all the times and engage in the remembrance of Allah to keep shaytan and his armies away from us. Islam teaches that we should say 'Bismillahi rahamani raheem' (in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful) and 'Alihamdulillahi robil alamin' (praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe) at the beginning and end of whatever we do, respectively. And whenever an evil thought comes to our mind we should say Audhu billah mina shaytani rojim (I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed satan).

May Allah give us the strength to overcome the evils of shaytan and its agents.