Belief in the existence of jinns

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Belief in the existence of jinns

Prof. Mustafa Muslim, co-author professor Fathy Muhammad Az-Zughby



First, definition of jinns in the Arabic ********:
The origin of the word "jinn" is covering something as Allah (Glory be to Him) said: "When the night covered him over with darkness." [Surat Al An`am: 76]. And the meaning of "Jinan" is the heart because it is covered. Al Janin is the fetus as long as it is still in the womb of his mother, so "jinn" means covering and hiding.[1]
The definition of jinns idiomatically means invisible creatures that are created from Fire and ready for shaping in different ugly and pretty shapes and can cause exotic actions.
Second, the creation of jinns:
They are created from fire before man was created from clay where the Glorious Qur'an mentioned that. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: "And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud. * And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire." [Surat Al Hijr: 26 - 27].
The Satan himself said to his Lord: "You created me from fire, and him You created from clay." [Surat Al A`raf: 12].
It was mentioned in the previous Hadith: "Angels were created from light and jinns were created from a smokeless flame of fire."
The difference between jinns and devils:
The difference between jinns and devils is that the word "jinns" includes the believer and disbeliever, the obedient and the disobedient. Allah (may He be Exalted) said on the tongue of jinns in Surat Al jinns: "There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups having different ways (religious sects). * And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allâh, after listening to this Qur'ân), and of us some are Al-Qâsitûn (disbelievers who have deviated from the Right Path)'. And whosoever has embraced Islâm (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting to Allâh), then such have sought the Right Path. * And as for the Qasitun (disbelievers who deviated from the Right Path), they shall be firewood for Hell." [Surat Al Jinn: 11 - 15].
As for the word "devils," it is given to the disbelievers of jinn only, and the single form is devil derived from "Shatana" i.e., went away or from "Shâta" i.e., was burnt because he was created from Hell-Fire, and "Shayatin" i.e., devils are the demons of jinn.[2] Iblis (Satan) is the father of devils and demons.
Third, jinns are Mukallaf (person meeting the conditions to be held legally accountable for their actions): If the word "Jinn" includes the believer and disbeliever, the obedient and disobedient as we said, the meaning is they meet the conditions to be held legally accountable for their actions. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: "And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone)." [Surat Az-Zariyat: 56].
Allah sent to them Messengers: "O you assembly of jinn and mankind! Did not there come to you Messengers from amongst you, reciting to you My Verses and warning you of the meeting of this Day of yours? They will say: We bear witness against ourselves." [Surat Al An`am: 130].
The Messenger (peace be upon him) was also sent to them where Allah (Glory be to Him) challenged them with the miraculousness of the Qur'an. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Say: If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur'ân, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another." [Surat Al Isra': 88].
The address in Surat Ar-Rahman is directed to both humans and jinns. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: "We shall attend to you, O you two classes (jinns and men)! * Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny? * 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 Allâh)!" [Surat Ar-Rahman: 31 - 33].
A group from jinns listened to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) while he was reciting the Glorious Qur'an then they believed in the Qur'an and called their people to faith. Allah (may He be Exalted) said: "And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad peace be upon him) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the jinns, (quietly) listening to the Quran, when they stood in the presence thereof, they said: Listen in silence! And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners." [Surat Al Ahqaf: 29].
Surat Al Jinn was revealed and started with Allah's Saying: "Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinns listened (to this Quran). They said: 'Verily! We have heard a wonderful Recital (this Quran)! * It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allâh)." [Surat Al Jinn: 1 - 2].
Fourth, jinns do not know Ghayb (the Unseen):
If it was circulated that jinn know the unseen, Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) explained that the knowing of the unseen is only in the hands of Allah, and no one is able to know it except whom Allah gives permission. Allah (Glory be to Him) said: "(He Alone is) the All-Knower of the Ghayb (Unseen), and He reveals to none His Ghayb (Unseen). * Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen (He informs him of unseen as much as He likes), and then He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him." [Surat Al Jinn: 26 - 27].
Allah said on the tongue of jinns: "And we know not whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends for them a Right Path." [Surat Al Jinn: 10].
Indeed, jinns whom Allah subjugated to Sulayman (peace be upon him) did not know about his death but after he had fallen down. Allah (may He be Exalted) said: "Then when We decreed death for him [Sulaiman (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." [Surat Saba': 14].

[1] See Mufradat Al Fazh Al Qur'an of Al Asfahany, p. 203 - 204, Dar Al Qalam in Damascus 1418 AH - 1997 AD.

[2] See the previous source, p. 454.