The Jinn (Genies) - Who, What, Where and How?

CONTENTS Introduction Proof of Existence of Jinns Sects Hierarchy Of Jinn (fig1) Distribution (fig2) Names Presence - Walk - Throne Death & after death Reward & Punishment Magic of Jinn’s Missiles A bit of sound advice Invocations( Duas ) Exorcism Solutions

Introduction

All praises be to the majestic creator Allah! He who created man from dry clay and Jinn from smokeless fire and made them invisible to the naked eye and from among them righteous and others astray.
To all those who have the desire to seek a sound knowledge, a balanced clear cut description and manifest guidance regarding the inhabitants of the realm’s of the unseen.
Extracted and presented from the most authentic of sources – The Holy Quraan (undoubted revelation of Allah the master and creator of the Universes) and the Ahadith (prophetic traditions) of the Final Messenger .

Protecting the vulnerable from the deceptions of fables, fairy tales and pitfalls of misconception and unsound ideologies, which are rife due to the fabricated transmissions of this knowledge, which prevail from the tongues of the malicious people of this nation. These indecent people are urged into this act of Immorality by witnessing the desire and zeal of those who seek to quench their endless thirst and be enlightened in matters, which concern us human beings as a whole.
As Allah says in the Quraan: -

“And so we have appointed for every Prophet enemies Shayatin (devils) among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speeches as a delusion (or by way of deception) If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it; so leave them alone with their fabrications.”(C 06: V112)
There is no denying of the fact that there exists an unseen world beyond this material world possessing its own properties and no doubt belief in the existence of the unseen is a momentous integral of a Muslims beliefs, the pinnacle to which is solely believing in the creator and sustainer Allah. However, many dangers maybe faced along their voyage to discover and disclose, which must be combated and confronted with the spiritual strength of pure Tawheed only holding firm to that which has come from the lord of the worlds.

Proof of Existence
  Jinn are also a part of Allah’s creation, separate from mankind and angels, sharing with man certain qualities such as: intelligence, discrimination, freedom and the power to choose between good and bad, true and false, right and wrong. They are distinct in certain essentials the most important of which is their origin since the basic substance of jinn’s is not the same as the basic substance of man.There are empirical proofs of the existence of the Jinn in the Qur’aan and Ahadith.
As Allah has stated in the Quraan: -
“ I have only created jinn and man that they may serve me.” (C 51: V 56)
“And the jinn He created from, a smokeless flame of fire.” (C 55: V 15)
 “And indeed: We created man from dried (sounding) clay and altered mud. And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire.”(C15: V 26-27)
“ Say: it has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened” (C 72: V 01)
“Say: If the mankind and the jinn gathered to produce the like of this Quraan, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.”(C 17: V 88)
“And (remember) when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.” So they prostrated themselves except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the Jinn; he disobeyed the command of his Lord. (C 18: V 50)
Muslim and al-Tirmidi relate the hadith from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah  said, ‘Shaytan is present in all you do. He is even present when you eat. When you drop a morsel, he takes it. One should clean it off and eat it and not leave it for shaytan. When you finish you should lick your fingers. No-one knows in which part of his food the blessing lies.’
Sects
  The Prophet  was sent on a universal mission to all Jinn and Man. Just as humans some responded positively accepting the call towards righteousness and others did not rejecting the invitation to eternal bliss.Allah tells us: -
There are among us some that are righteous and some the contrary; we are groups having different ways (religious sects).(C 72: V 11)
And (remember) when we sent towards you (Muhammad  ) a group (three to ten persons) of the jinn, (quietly) listening to the quraan.  When they stood in the presence thereof, they said: “Listen in silence!” And when it was finished, they returned to their people as warners. (C 46: V 29)

 

“And of us some are Muslims (Who have submitted to Allah after listening to the quran), and of us some are Al-Qasitun(disbelievers- who have deviated from the right path)’. And whosoever has embraced Islam, then such has sought the Right path.”And as for the Qasitun, they shall be firewood for hell, (C 72: V 14-15)

“So on that day no questions will be asked of man or jinn as to his sins, (because they have already been known from their faces either white(dwellers of Paradise-true believers of IslamicMonotheism) or black dwellers of hell-polytheists; disbelievers, criminals).”                                            (C 55: V 39)

“If they had believed in Allah, and went on the Right way We would surely, have bestowed water (rain) in abundance.”(C 72: V 16)

There are also a number of Ahadith of the Messenger of Allah  telling us about the types of Jinn. He has said, ‘There are three types of jinn. One type flies through the air.
Another type consists of snakes and dogs. A third type is based in one place but travels about.’(Related by al-Hakam, at-Tabrani and al-Bayhaqi.)
  Names
  Theologians of the Arabic language have given a variety of names to jinn.Jinni: used to refer to one type of jinn.
Amir: (Resident jinn): used to mean that he is one of those who live with people.
Shaytan: used for jinni that has become malicious and wicked.
Ifrit: used for a jinni that is more powerful and stronger than a Shaytan.
As has been stated in the Quran on the occasion when Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) said, “He said:”O chiefs! Which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me surrendering themselves in obedience?” A ifrit (strong one) from the jinn said:”I will bring it to you before you rise from your place. And verily, I am indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work.” (C 27: V 38-39)
This statement made by the ifrit bears testimony to the vast capacities and extraordinary powers granted to him by Allah. Indeed making a claim to bring the throne of Bilkees from Yemen to Jerusalem in the presence of the greatest emperor of all time and that in a matter of hours shows the self-confidence he had in his immense strength.
Jinn: used as a genralisation derived from the root word ijtinan because of their being concealed from sight.
As Allah says, ‘Surely he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you see them not.’(C 07: V 27)
Presence
  Shaytan is most frequently present at nightfall. The prophet  has stated in a hadith “As night comes in and it is dusk, then keep your children in for Shaytan gather at that time. When an hour of the time goes by, then let them out. Close the doors and mention the name of Allah. Shaytan does not open a closed door.(Al Bukhari relates from Jabir Bin Abdullah.)Walk
The Messenger  of Allah said, None of you should walk with just one sandal. Shaytan walks with one sandal.’(Muslim, Abu Da ud, at-Tirmidi and ibn Majah all mention it.)
Throne
The throne of iblis is in the sea. Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal relates that Jabir said that the prophet  said, ‘Iblis places his throne on the sea. Then he sends forth his armies.The nearest of them to him in rank is the greatest in sedition (corruption of a state).One of them comes and says, “ I did such-and-such.”He says, “You did not do anything.”Then another comes and says, “I did not leave him until I split him from his wife.” He brings him near-or clasps him-and says, “You did well.”
Death & after death
  There is no doubt that the jinn do inevitably die after all they fall into what Allah says,‘All that dwells upon the earth perishes, yet still abides thew face of your Lord, majestic splendid. So which of your Lord’s bounties will you two (jinn and men) deny?’(C 55: V 26-28)
In a hadith the Prophet  said in his prayer, ‘I seek refuge in Your might. There is no god but you, O you who do not die! The jinn and men die.’(Al-Bukhari relates it.)
One report mentions the killing of the shaytan Al-uzza (the tree which the Arabs worshipped in the time of ignorance) by Khalid ibn Walid.

There are also the Companions who killed a jinn that had taken the form of a viper.
Regarding the duration of their lives our only indication concerning this matter is in what Allah says,
(Iblis) ‘He said, “allow me respite until the day they shall be raised.” (Allah) “He said you are among those who are respited.” ’ (C 07: V 14-15)
This verse indicates that others besides iblis have been given respite possibly jinn’s too but by no means does this indicate that all of them have been given respite.
see also: The Little Devils
Reward & Punishment
  There are many proofs regarding this issue the clearest of which are found in the words of Allah,But for him who fears the standing before his Lord, there will be two gardens (in paradise).

(C 55: V 46)

And for all, there will be degrees according to that which they did, that He (Allah) may recompense then in full for their deeds. And they will not be wronged. (C 46: V 19)But surely, We shall cause those who disbelieve to taste a severe punishment, and certainly, We shall requite (repay) them the worst of what they used to do.

This is the recompense of the enemies of Allah: the Fire.Therin will be for them the eternal home, a deserving for that they used to deny Our ayah (signs, revelations, etc.) (C 41: V 27-28)
Allah has threatened the rebellious & rejecters with the Fire. How therefore can those who do obey not enter the gardens which we are caused to yearn for when described to us in the profound words of Allah, The Just The Wise.
Magic of Jinn’s
  People are scared of Magic and are swift in categorizing any calamity as a magical influence or evil eye. Unfortunately many believe Jinns can tell the future and have made them as personal guides or assistants and in this way misuse their relationship. Muslims are to be guided by the Quran & hadith not Jinn whether good or evil.Allah says: - Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Maula (Lord, Helper and protector).” And in Allah let the believers put their trust.                                                                                                        (C 09: V 51)
They have nothing to offer us besides promises of false hopes. Through their smartness cunningness glamorization and spiritual illusions they manage to deceive many innocent Muslims.
Allah says,
Shaytan makes them promises, and creates in them false hopes, but Shaytan promises are nothing but deception. (C 04: V 120)
MissilesThey try to steal information from outside the earth’s orbit but are hit by meteorites and killed. What information the survivors manage to acquire is then wrongly related, wording is twisted, misleading and usually out of context.
Allah says, and indeed we have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as) missiles to drive away the Shayatin, (C 67: V 05)
Allah also says, 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 Allah)! (C 55: V 33)
Their main aim and objective is to break and fragmentize society and gradually deviate them from the guided masses within the society. Shaytan knows very well that the family is the foundation and a vital element in maintaining a stable society as is apparent from the previous hadith (under subtitle Throne). Establishing problems in the family and creating friction between its members would be in the right direction to wreck the stability of the family. Leaving them more and more vulnerable to the dangers that face the Muslims of this day and age.

A bit of sound advice

The weak and ill-hearted have been psychologically captured in the lures of Shaytan. To protect our selves a few recommendations of our pious predecessors should be taken into consideration; which should truthfully be pre requisites in our lives anyway.
1. Regular in five time obligatory prayers and practice on whatever Islamic knowledge is possessed.
2. Recite Ta-awuz (auzu billah) in abundance.
3. Recite Quraan daily with Ta-awuz & Tasmiyah (Bismillah).
4. Never have jealousy for anyone else.
5. Never have an evil eye against others.
6. Never Believe or trust those who claim to practice magic.
7. Never be involved in Magic or Magicians.
8. Assign full faith and trust in Allah the Most Magnificent creator, sustainer and protector.
The evil eye is a mental or physical condition of instability that over powers the person affected. This can be caused by another human or jinn.
There is a sound hadith to prove this from Umm Salama, that the prophet  saw a slavegirl in her house with yellowness in her face.He said, ‘Use a spell for her. She has been afflicted by the evil eye.’(Al Bukhari relates it in the Book of Medicine)
Al-Bukhari relates from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet  said, ‘The evil eye is real and
The Prophet  forbade tattooing.’
To prevent oneself from evil eyes or satanic jinns, that may have you misrender Allah, who takes care of us every second of our life, we must look at the verses in Surah Fussilat wherein Allah reminds us of our commitments, about himself being our protector and receiving protection from satanic Jinns.
“In the case of those who say “Our Lord is Allah”, and further, stand straight and steadfast, The angels descend on them “Fear ye not!”(They suggest),”Nor grieve! But receive The glad tidings of the garden (of Bliss) That which ye were promised!
“We are your protectors in this life and in the hereafter: Therein you shall have all that your inner selves shall desire; therein you shall have all for which you ask.(C 41: V 30-31)
And if an evil whisper from Shaytan tries to turn you away then seek refuge in Allah.Verily he is the All-Hearer All-Knower.(C 41 :V 36)

Invocations ( Duas )

The scholars have prescribed many invocations. These invocations have been derived from Quran and Ahadith, some of which are for specific occasions. Here are a only a few:
1.Protection from Shaitan
It is narrated by Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah  said, Whoever says La Ilaha-Illa llah Wahdahu La sharika lahu, Lahul mulk wa Lahul Hamd, wa Huwa ‘Alaa kulli shy-inn Qadeer. 100 times daily will get the reward for freeing 10 captives; he will get 100 blessings, 100 mistakes will be wiped out, it will be a protection for him/her from Shaitan all that day till the night. No one will get a better reward except who did more than that.
2.Al- Mutawazain
Seek refuge on a daily basis by reading Surah Al Falaq & Surah An naas (the two chapters of the holy Quran with the sequential numbers 113 and 114).
3.Fear Loneliness & insomnia
It is narrated by Umar ibn Shu aib through his father from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah  said,When someone is in a state of fear when sleeping he should say: I seek refuge with the whole words of Allah from his anger, His punishment and wickedness of people; and I seek refuge from the pricking of satans, and from their presence; therefore, no harm will hit him.
4.Nightmare
Jabir narrated that the messenger of Allah  said, “When someone sees unpleasant dreams, he should spit to his left three times should seek refuge in Allah from the outcast Shaitan. Then he should turn to the other side of his sleep”.
 (Reported by Muslim,Abu Dawood,Nasaee and Ibn Majah).
5.Matrimonial Relationship
Ibn Abbas narrated that the prophet  said,'When one of you comes to his wife he should say Bismillah!…O Allah! Protect us from Shaitan and protect our offspring from him too.' (Bukhari and Muslim)
6.Entering the House
Jabir says, I heard the prophet  saying,When a person enters his house and he remembers Allahs name, as well as when he eats, Shaitan says: there is no way that we can inhabit and sleep here or eat at this house . However when he enters the house without remembering Allah, Shaitan says we have a place to live tonight; and if he does not remember the name of Allah at the time of eating, Shaitan says we have tonight a place to stay and food to eat. (Sahih Muslim)
7.Entering the Lavatory
This place is the most inhabited of all the places in the house. Therefore the prophet  advised the Muslims to make a Dua before entering the washroom.
It is narrated from Anas that when the Prophet  intended  to enter the washroom he would say, “In the name of Allah, O Allah I seek refuge in you from the males and females (of shaitans).

Exorcism

Is the act or ceremony of Exorcising. Exorcise means to expel, purify, cast out, drive out. In this context the meaning would be 1. To cast out an evil spirit by invocation 2. To free a person of evil spirits. A person who practices these rituals is called an Exorcist.
Sometimes some weak people may be haunted or possessed by Jinn.Those who failed to protect themselves or did not know how to do so are most liable to be harmed. Then, instead of the preventive measures curative approaches may have to be used. These procedures used to free the possessed have been well documented by Ahadith, seerah and Quran.

Beating the Possessed Person

Some times it is difficult to get rid of shaitan from the body of the possessed. By reading Qur’an or by requesting the devil to get out, may not be enough. Hence, one (quaified) has to curse the devil and beat the person while reading Qur’an.
Curing a possessed person and the removal of the jinn may require the afflicted individual be beaten many times. Such beating will fall on the jinn while the possessed human does not feel these blows on his body. When a demented person regains consciousness he would be a witness to those around him that he did not feel the pain of the beating. At the same time there will be no effect or any trace mark from the beating on the body.
It was reported in the Musnad of Ahmad and the Sunan of  Abu Dawood that a narration from Umm Az – Zaari. Ibn  Aamir  Al –Abdee, went to the messenger  with a son of his who was insane. He narrated:
When we reached Allah’ s Messenger  , I  said : “ I have with me a son who is insane whom I have brought for you to pray to Allah for .” the Messenger  said :
“Bring him to me. “ So I went to get him from the group of riding animals . I took off his travelling clothes and put on good clothes , and took him by the hand back to the Messenger of Allah  .He said :  “ Bring him closer to me and turn his back to me.”  He then grabbed his garment and began to beat him on his back so much so that I saw the whiteness of his armpits. While doing so he said :  “ Get out enemy of Allah !  Enemies of Allah get out! “ The boy then began to gaze in a healthy manner quite different from his earlier gaze. Allah’s messenger  then sat him down directly in front of him , called for some water for him and wiped his face , then he prayed for him. After the messenger of Allah ‘s prayer there was none in the delegation better than him.

Cursing or Demanding the Jinn to Get Out

The other method used by the Prophet  of Allah is the idea of cursing the Jinn to leave the victim. It has been reported by Abu Dardaa in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet   stood up in prayer and he heard him say:
I seek refuge in Allah from you (Shaitan). I curse you by Allah’s curse. I curse you by Allah’s curse. I curse you by Allah’s curse.

Solutions

Holding Fast To The Muslim Community
It is well known that Shaytan is with those who oppose the community. For that reason , the Muslim must keep to the Muslim community because that will keep him far from the errors and snares of shaytan.
     The Messenger of Allah  Said ,’Whoever of you desires the heart of the Garden should cling to the community. Shaytan  is with the solitary person and further off from a couple.. ‘(At – Tirmidhi and Ahmad ibn Hanbal transmit it. At-Tirmidhi says that is a sound good Hadith.)
     The Messenger of Allah  also said , ‘ The hand of Allah is over the community. Shaytan is with the one who opposes the community .(Ibn Sa’id transmits it )
The final safe Haven A fortified fortress of knowledge
The Messenger of Allah  said , “One faqih (an expert in Islamic jurisprudence)  is stronger against Shaitan than a thousand aabid(worshipers). Knowledge should be important for the believers in all aspects of life However the importance of knowledge in opposing Shaitan can be well illustrated in the following story Related by Ibn Abass:

‘The shaitans say to Iblis, “Master we delight in the death of a man of knowledge more than we rejoice in that of a man of worship. We are harmed by the man of Knowledge, but not harmed by the man of worship.”

‘Iblis says,“come on, let’s go.”So of they go to a man of worship and tell him they want to ask him a question. Iblis says, “Can your Lord put the world inside an egg?” “The worshipper replies, “I don’t know.”
‘Iblis says to shaitans, “ don’t you see there is disbelief in his answer?
‘Then they go to a man of knowledge, who is joking in his circle of companions and say, “We want to ask you a question.”’He says, “Ask.”Iblis says to him, “ can your Lord put the world inside an egg?” ‘He says, “Yes.” ‘Iblis asks “How?” ‘The man of knowledge says,
“His command when he desires a thing is that He says to it, ‘BE!’AND IT IS.” (C 36: V 82)
Iblis says to the shaitans, “Don’t you see that the worshiper has no effect beyond himself while this man of knowledge estranges much of the world from me?”’