Class 1 ‘The Jinn’

Class 1
THE JINN

All praise is due to Allah, the One who cures and gives health, the One who benefits and harms, the One, the Majestic, the One who is unique in His Oneness. He is the One who creates and to Him all things return. He created everything with His power, and arranged all affairs by His will. We testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and we testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. He conveyed the message, fulfilled his obligation, and strove for the sake of his Lord, so may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, companions and all those who follow him until the Last Day. 

Indeed the conscious and familiar world is known to a person’s soul; he is accustomed to it, and hence is only surprised by that which is new or strange. On the other hand a person is driven to explore that which is unknown and unseen to him, and for this reason the world of the jinn is a world that the soul wishes to learn about, and to know what has been mentioned regarding it from the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and that which the scholars have mentioned in their books. It is for this reason that some scholars dedicated books to this topic and in particular to the possession of people by the jinn. Allah says:

”And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the jinn,                      but they (jinn) increased them (mankind) in sin and transgression”.                                                                 (Surah Jinn, verse 6)

From that which is well known and accepted is that a person is vulnerable to dangers and illnesses; very few people live their whole lives without afflictions. These afflictions do not befall a person except by the will of Allah, and due to His infinite wisdom which may or may not be known to the afflicted. For every affliction there is reward if that person is patient and seeks the reward from Allah. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said:

“How amazing is the affair of the believer. Verily, all his affairs are good for him;                                                if some good comes to him he is grateful and that is better for him,                                                                     and if some evil befalls him he is patient and that is better for him.”                                                                        (Muslim)

However, this affliction may be prevented or lifted or eased by the will of Allah; this occurs when the Muslim takes the necessary steps to prevent such afflictions from befalling, We will learn about this in the course InShaAllah.

Why we should learn about this topic

This topic has its important, especially since the jinn are a living and intellectual creation who live with us on this earth and mix with us in our lives. For this reason they have been mentioned in the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Indeed, the Qur’an has dedicated a whole Surah to them. This course then, is like a foundation in this topic. In it we have tried to mention everything with its evidence and we have left out that which is exaggerated by people and has no truth to it.

Indeed the knowledge of the plans and plots of Shaytan and his army from the impious and the evil jinn is a means of protecting oneself from their harm. This is done by fearing Allah and turning to Him, obeying His commands and refraining from His prohibitions, and reciting the necessary adhkar.

There is an increasing amount of people who are afflicted by psychological illnesses, epilepsy, magic and the evil eye. The consequences of these afflictions place the afflicted and their family in a very difficult situation.

The need to strengthen our faith (Iman) and our connection with Allah, for there is no refuge except with Allah, no dependence except upon Him, and no cure except from Him alone, for He is the one who possesses all cures, as He says: “And when l am ill, it is He who cures me”. (Surah al-Shu’ara’, verse 80)

JINN – The Reality

The world of the jinn is a different one from the worlds of mankind and the angels, but the jinn are similar to men in that they have intellect, willpower, and the ability to choose whether to do good or bad. They like men are also ordered with the worship of Allah alone, as Allah says:

And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone). (Surah al-Dhariyat, verse 56)

The jinn differ from men in their nature and appearance. Their reality is that they are intellectual spirits with willpower like men, but with no physical substance. They are hidden from our senses, and cannot be seen in their true form, nor upon their true nature, but they have the ability to take different forms. They eat, marry, have offspring, and will be held to account for their actions in the hereafter.

Imam al-Shawkani said: “They are an intellectual and hidden being that is mostly from fire.” Also, it is not possible to see them in the original form in which they were created. Allah says: “O children of Adam! Let not shaytan deceive you as he got your parents (Adam and Hawwa) out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiments, to show them their private parts. Verily, he and his tribe see you from where you cannot see them. Verily, We made the shayatan Awliya (protectors and helpers) for those who believe not”. (Surah al-A’raf, verse 27)

The jinn are less honourable and lower in standing than men

Shaykh Abu Bakr al-Jazairl said: Indeed the jinn, even the pious from amongst them are less honourable and lower in standing than men, for the Creator the Most High, has emphasised the honour of mankind in Surah al-Isra’: And indeed We have honoured the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with al-Tayyibat (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment. (Surah al-Isra’, verse 70)

This prestige has not been mentioned for the jinn in any of the Holy Books, nor by the tongue of any of the Messengers, so from this, it is known that man is of a higher standing than jinn. This is also shown through the way the jinn feel weak and inferior in the presence of men. However, when men seek refuge with the jinn they feel superior and proud because of the way men glorify them, but the truth is the opposite; they only increase in tyranny and disbelief, as Allah mentions concerning them:

“And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the jinn, but they (jinn) increased them (mankind) in sin and transgression”. (Surah Jinn, verse 6)

Another proof for this is that when men seek assistance from them and swear by them they immediately answer this call, due to the weakness and inferiority they feel in the presence of the righteous son of Adam who believes in Allah and worships Him alone. As for those of mankind who disbelieve in Allah, then the righteous of the jinn are better than them.

Indeed, the disbelievers are more astray than cattle, as Allah says: “They are only like cattle-nay, they are even further astray from the Path”. (Surah al-Furqan, verse 44)

The Reason they are called Jinn

They are known as jinn because they are invisible and hidden from the naked eye. They see men but men do not see them, as Allah says: Verily, he and his tribe see you from where you cannot see them. (Surah al-A‘raf, verse 27)

The point being that men cannot see the jinn in their original form, however they may see them in other forms, such as certain animals.

When were the Jinn Created?

The jinn were created before mankind as is mentioned in the clear text of the Qur’an:

And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud. And the jinn,                                      we created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.                                                                                         (Surah al-Hijr, verse 26-27)

The Origin of their Creation

Allah created the jinn from fire, as this is what has been revealed in the Qur’an:

• “And the jinn, we created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire”. (Surah al-Hijr, verse 27)
• “ And the jinn: He created from a smokeless flame of fire.” (Surah al-Rahman, verse 15)

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The angels were created from light, and the jinn from the smokeless flame of fire and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” (Muslim)

The Types of Jinn

It has been reported in a hadith that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The jinn are of three types: a type which flies in the air, a type which are snakes and dogs and a type which resides and wanders.” (Hakim & al-Bayhaqi, authentic)

If one wishes to refer to a particular or single jinn he says: “jinni” and if he is referring to those of the jinn who live with people he says: “amir” and if he is discussing those of the jinn who present themselves to children he says: “arwah” they are evil and impious they are known as: “shaytan” and if they increase in their evil they are: “marid” and if it has the ability to move rocks etc it is: “ 

Ibn Taymiyyah said: “The jinn take the forms of men and animals, so they come in the appearance of snakes and scorpions and other than it, and in the form of camels, cows, sheep, horses, mules, donkeys and in the form of birds and men.”

He also says: “…and the jinn take its appearance often, meaning a black dog, likewise the appearance of a black cat, for the colour black agrees more with the strength of shaytan than other colours, and it also has hotness to it.”(Majmi Fatawa, vol. 19, p. 52)

Have the Jinn been Ordered to Follow the Shariah of Islam?

The only religion accepted by Allah is Islam, and the message of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the final and everlasting message. It is a message for both mankind and the jinn, hence they have been ordered to follow it. From them are both believers and disbelievers, as Allah says:

• There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary, we are groups having different ways (religious sects) (Surah Jinn, verse 11)
• This is the Hell which the Mujrimun (polytheists, criminals, sinners) denied. They will go between it (Hell) and the fierce boiling water! Then which of the blessings of your Lord will you both (jinn and men) deny? (Surah al-Rahman, verses 43-45)

The Prophet ﷺ conveyed this message to the jinn and warned them, as Allah has mentioned in His Book: And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad) a group (three to ten persons) of the jinn, (quietly) listening to the Qur’an. When they stood in the presence thereof they said: “Listen in silence!” and when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners. (Surah al-Ahqaf, verse 29)

The purpose of creation for mankind and the jinn is the worship of Allah alone, as He says: “And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).” (Surah al-Dhariyat, verse 56)

So from this it is known that the believing jinn will enter Paradise just like the believers from mankind, and their disbelievers will enter the Fire like the disbelievers from mankind. This has been mentioned by Allah in the Qur’an: But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two gardens (i.e. in Paradise) (Surah al-Rahman, verse 46)

Also ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud R.A. said,: “We were with the Prophet ﷺ one night, and we lost sight of him, so we searched for him in the valleys and mountain passes. We thought he had been kidnapped and spent the worst night a (group of) people can spend. The following morning he returned, and we said to him: ‘O Messenger ofAllah, we lost sight of you, then began to search for you but could not find you, and ended up spending the worst night a (group of) people can spend.’ He ﷺ replied: ‘A caller from the jinn came to me, so I went with him and recited the Qur’an to them.’ Ibn Masud continued: So he took us and showed us the traces and signs of them and their fire. They had asked him for provisions, so he said: ‘For every bone over which the name of Allah is mentioned, it will be for you the most plentiful ofmeat, likewise the droppings of animals for your animals.’ He ﷺ said: ‘Do not clean yourselves with them, for they are food for your brothers.” (Muslim, Sharh al-Nawawi)

The Dwellings of the Jinn and where they are Found

Some people believe that the jinn live underground, but what is correct is that they live on the face of the earth. They have many places of dwelling, however they are most commonly found in the following places:

1. Valleys, mountain passes, wildernesses and deserts – we have already mentioned the hadith of Ibn Mas’ud above, and how the Prophet ﷺ met the jinn in these kinds of places and preached Islam to them.

2. Rubbish heaps, bins and places where food is generally found.

3. Toilets – due to the hadtth of Zayd ibn Arqam, in which the Prophet ﷺ said: “Verily these spaces are occupied, so when one of you wants to relieve himself then let him say: (the below)”. (Abu Dawood)

(بِسْمِ اللَّهِ)

اللَّهُـمَّ إِنِّي أَعُـوذُ بِـكَ مِـنَ الْخُـبْثِ وَالْخَبَائِث

(Bismil-lah) allahumma innee aAAoothu bika minal-khubthi wal-khaba-ith

(In the name of Allah). O Allah, I take refuge with you from all evil and evil-doers.

4. Caves, cleaves and burrows – for it is narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Do not urinate into a burrow. ” Qatadah was asked: “Why is it disliked to urinate into a burrow?” He replied: “It is said they are the dwellings of the jinn.” (An-Nisaii)

5. In people’s houses – these jinn are referred to as “amir’. The evidence for this is the story of the young man who found a jinni in his house in the form of a snake. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed in Madtnah there are a number ofjinn who have accepted Islam, so whoever sees one of these ‘amirs then let him ask it to leave thrice. Ifit appears to him after this then let him kill it, for verily it is a devil (shaytan). ” (Muslim)

6. Camel pens – this is reported in the hadith of Abu Hurairah R.A. that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Pray in sheep pens but do not pray in camel pens.”(Tirmidhi) Another narration states “…for verily they (i.e. the camels) have been created from the shayatin. ” (Ahmad)

7. Abandoned places.

8. Graveyards. Ibn Taymiyyah stated: “…and this is why they are commonly found in ruins, wildernesses, and in places of filth such as toilets, and where rubbish is found. This is why those who co-operate with the shayatin increasingly go to these places which are the shelters of the shayatin.”

9. Market places – this is because sins such as lying, cheating, women uncovering etc. are common in these places. For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ advised Salman R.A.: “If you are able, do not be the first to enter the market, nor the last to leave it for verily it is the battlefield of shaytan and in it his flag is raised.” (Sahih Muslim)

Times when the Jinn Spread

On the authority of Jabir R.A., the Prophet ﷺ said: 

• “When it is the beginning of the night, withhold your children for indeed it is during this time the shayatin disperse, so when a portion of the night passes then leave them, close the doors and mention the name ofAllah, for indeed shaytan cannot open a closed door. Tie the mouth of your water-skins and mention the name of Allah, and cover your vessels and mention the name of Allah. Cover them even by placing something across it, and extinguish your lights. ” (Bukhari)
• “Do not send your cattle and your children out once the sun has set until the blackness of the evening disappears, for indeed the shayatin spread once the sun has set until the blackness of the evening disappears.” (Sahih Muslim)

These are the places in which the jinn dwell, and the times in which they spread, so if a person passes by any of these places or comes across one of these times then he should protect himself by reciting the appropriate du’as. These will be mentioned in the upcoming classes Insha Allah.

In the upcoming classes we will learn about

• Protection from the Jinn.
• Possesion.
• Seeking Cure.
• Magic
• Amulets, Fortune tellers & Sooth Sayers,
• FAQs.
• Tawakkul Allah and maintaining balance.

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TIPS OF TEST

1. Do not have to memorise the ayahs or hadeeths word for word and their references, but remember their meanings and the msg being given.
2. Remember the places they stay

ASSIGNMENT

There will be an Assignment Question asked in the Test. Marks will be given based on the following: –

1. Invite atleast 15 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 7 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)

Note:

1. Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
2. It does not whether people join or not, our job is to invite.

2. Talk about any 3 topics from this week’s classes with atleast 3 people. 7 Marks.

3. Pray for the Ummah, pray for the ease of all the poor & oppressed Muslims and pray that Allah make us all strong in imaan and give us the hidayah to work for the aakhirah and to help each other. – 2 Marks