Jinns: population, status, mosques, messengers, control, witches, possession, visibility?

Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah’s guidance)

1) Undoubtly the creation of the Jinn came before the creation of man, because Allah Ta’ala says,

“And indeed, We created man from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud. And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.” (15:26,27)

This verse clearly states that the Jinn were created before man.

2) Allah Ta’ala created the Jinns for the same purpose as that for which he created mankind.

Allah Ta’ala says,

“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).” (51:56)

On this basis, the Jinns are accountable and subject to commands and prohibitions. Whoever obeys Allah and His Rasul, Allah will enter him in paradise.

On the day of ressurection, Allah Ta’ala will say, addressing the Kuffar of the jinn and mankind, rebuking them:

“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.” (6:130)

They will also be punished in Hell like humans.

“(Allah) will say: “Enter you in the company of nations who passed away before you, of men and jinns, into the Fire.” Every time a new nation enters, it curses its sister nation (that went before), until they will be gathered all together in the Fire. The last of them will say to the first of them: “Our Lord! These misled us, so give them a double torment of the Fire.” He will say: “For each one there is double (torment), but you know not.” (7:38)

In another place, “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.” (7:179)

3) Both are possible.

4) Allah Ta’ala says,

“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.”

Messengers to Jinns were human. Al Suyooti (RH) said, “The majourity of scholars, of the earlier and later generations, say that there has never been a Messenger or prophet among the Jinns. What makes it more likely, that human messengers were also the messengers to the Jinns is what the Jinn said when they heard the Quran.

“And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad SAW) 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. They said: “O our people! Verily! We have heard a Book (this Quran) sent down after Moosa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam).” (46:30)

The message of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is universal and is addressed to both humans and Jinns.

“Say (O Muhammad SAW): “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 (Allah). ” (72:1,2)

5) There is no mention that he made them Muslims. Yes, they were subdued to his control. Allah Ta`ala blessed him with authority over them.

Allah Ta’ala Says,

“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.”

“So, We subjected to him the wind, it blew gently to his order whithersoever he willed,”

“And also the Shayâtin (devils) from the jinns (including) every kind of builder and diver,”

“And also others bound in fetters. “

“[Saying of Allah to Sulaiman (Solomon)]: “This is Our gift, so spend you or withhold, no account will be asked.” (38:35-39)

Allah Ta’ala also says,

” And to Solomon (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. “

“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. “

“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.” (34:12-14)

6) We have not seen shayateen and Jinns, hence we cannot comment on their feet.

7) Verses of the Quraan and du’as for Seeking refuge and effective in repelling the Evil Jinn:

Say ” ‘Audhu billah” (I seek refuge in Allah) and other zikr (remembrance of Allah, Ta’ala) when the evil whisper of Shaitaan comes upon you, such as

1) when becoming angry,
2) having confusing or disobedient thoughts,
3) when approached by arrogants who dispute the Truth of the Ayats of Allah Ta’ala,
4) when about to recite Qur’an,
5) or when in any situation that Quran and Sunnah teaches you is a result of the Shaitaan.

“And if an evil whisper from Shaitan (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.” (Fussilat 41:36)

“And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaitân (Satan) then seek refuge with Allah. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Al-A’raaf 7:200, 201)

Verily, those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious – see V.2:2), when an evil thought comes to them from Shaitân (Satan), they remember (Allâh), and (indeed) they then see (aright).

“Verily, those who dispute about the Ayat (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 Allâh and to obey you]. They will never have it (i.e. Prophethood which Allâh has bestowed upon you). So seek refuge in Allâh (O Muhammad SAW from the arrogants). Verily, it is He Who is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” (Ghaafir 40:56)

“So when you want to recite the Quran, seek refuge with Allah from Shaitan (Satan), the outcast (the cursed one).” (An-Nahl 16:98)

In Al-Muwatta 51.10

Yahya related to me from Malik that Yahya ibn Said said, “When the Messenger of Allah was taken on the Night Journey, he saw an evil jinn seeking him with a torch of fire. Whenever the Messenger of Allah turned, he saw him. Jibril said to him, ‘Shall I teach you some words to say? When you say them, his torch will be put out and will fall from him.’ The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Yes, indeed.’ Jibril said, ‘Say, ‘I seek refuge with the Noble Face of Allah and with the complete words of Allah which neither the good person nor the corrupt can exceed, from the evil of what descends from the sky and the evil of what ascends in it, and from the evil of what is created in the earth and the evil of what comes out of it, and from the trials of the night and day, and from the visitations of the night and day, except for one that knocks with good, O Merciful!”

Audhu bi wajhi’llahi’ l-karim wa bi kalimati’llahi’t-tammati. Allati la yujawazu hunna barra wa la fajir, min sharri ma yanzil min as-sama, wa sharri ma yaruju fiha, wa sham ma dhara’ fi’l-ard, wa sharri ma yakhruju minha, wa min fitani’l-layli wa’n-nahar, wa min tawariqi’l-layli wa’n-nahar illa tariqan yatruq bikhayr ya Rahman!

The Ayat “Al-Kursi” (2:255) is well-known as a means for repelling mischievious jinn…

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). (Al-Baqara 2:255)

In Majmu, vol. 19, p. 55, Ibn Taymiyyah says,

“The numerous people who have experienced these events all confirm the amazing effectiveness of this verse in warding off jinn and breaking their spells. It [editor’s note: ayat al-Kursi] has a great effect in repelling devils from humans, from the possessed and from those picked out by jinn, such as wrongdoers, people with bad tempers, those who follow their desires and lusts, musicians and those who become ecstatic through whistling and clapping. If these verses are read over them with sincerity to Allah, the jinn will leave. It will put an end to the mirages created by the jinn. It will also disclose the falseness of those, the brothers of the jinn, who perform miraculous acts. The jinn inspire their devotees with some knowledge that the ignorant think are miracles that Allah grants His pious servants. In fact, they are simply Shaytaan’s acts of deception over his devotees, of those whom have earned Allah’s wrath and those who have gone astray.”

Narrated An-Nu’man ibn Bashir:

Allah’s Messenger said, “Two thousand years before creating the heavens and the Earth, Allah inscribed a book of which He sent down two verses with which He concluded surat al-Baqarah. The Devil will not come near a house in which they are recited three nights.” [Tirmidhi and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.] (Tirmidhi 2145)

Jinns in the toilet may harm a person or see one undress:

So, mentioning the name of Allah before entering the toilet or taking off your clothes will prevent the jinn from seeing a person in a state of undress or harming him. The Prophet (sallahu alahi wa sallam) says: “To put a barrier that will prevent the jinn from seeing the `awrah of the sons of Adam, let any one of you say ‘Bismillah’ when entering the toilet.” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

You should recite this Du’a before entering toilet.

Reported by Anas ibn Malik (ra) who says: “When the Messenger of Allah (sallalalhu alaihi wa sallam) 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]).'” (Bukhari)

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

Narrated Abu Sa’id al-Khudri :

The Prophet used to seek protection against the Jinn and the evil eye till surahs al-Falaq and an-Nas were revealed. After they were revealed he stuck to them and discarded everything beside them. [Transmitted by Tirmidhi] (Al-Tirmidhi 1019)

Narrated Abu Sa’id al-Khudri:

Allah’s Messenger used to seek refuge in Allah from jinn and the evil eye in men till 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 tradition] (Al-Tirmidhi 4563)

8) They are called Jinns because they conceal themselves from people’s sight.

Allah Ta’ala says,

O Children of Adam! Let not Shaitan (Satan) deceive you, as he got your parents (Adam and Hawwa (Eve)) out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiments, to show them their private parts. Verily, he and Qabeeluhu (his soldiers from the jinns or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see them. Verily, We made the Shayatin (devils) Auliya (protectors and helpers) for those who believe not. (7:27)

Many people in our times and in the past have seen things like that, even though many of those who have seen or heard them did not realize that they were Jinn; they (Jinns) claimed that they were ghosts, angels. The most truthful report of this type is the report that the messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saw the Jinn and that he spoke with them and they with him, that he taught them and recited the Quran to them.

(The world of the Jinns & Devils, by Dr Umar S. Alashqar)

And Only Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.

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Moulana Qamruz Zaman
London, UK