Angels and Jinn in This World

By Fethullah Gulen

Angels and jinn can assume different forms and shapes and appear in this world. Here, we observe movement from the visible to the invisible: Water evaporates and disappears into the atmosphere, solid matter becomes a liquid or a gas (steam), and matter becomes energy (nuclear fission). Likewise, we observe movement from the invisible to the visible: Gases become fluids, evaporated water becomes rain (as well as snow or hail), and energy becomes matter. Similarly, intangible thoughts and meanings in our minds can appear in the tangible form of letters and words in essays and books. In an analogous way, such invisible beings (to us) as angels, jinn, and other spirit entities can become visible.

We read in Qur’an 19:17 that the spirit that Allah sent to Mary (the mother of `Isa [Jesus]), and whom Muslim scholars say is Angel Jibreel (Gabriel), appeared before her as a man. When Jibreel came to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), he sometimes came as a man, in the shape of a Companion named Dihyah. For example, he came following the end of the Battle of the Trench and told the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah, you have taken off your armor but we, the angels, have not yet done so. Allah orders you to march upon the Banu Quraizhah.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Once Jibreel came as a man dressed in white and, in order to instruct the Companions in religion, asked the Prophet such questions as, What is belief? What is Islam? What is ihsan (excellence or perfection of virtue)? When is the Day of Judgment? (Muslim)

Like angels and jinn, Satan (who is a jinn) can appear in different forms. It is narrated that before the Battle of Badr, he appeared to the Quraishi leaders as an old man from Najd and advised them. Likewise, a Companion guarding Ramadan’s Zakah caught a disguised Satan trying to steal some items. Satan entreated the Companion to release him, which he did twice. On the third time, the Companion tried to take him to Allah’s Messenger. But Satan appealed, “Release me, and I’ll tell you how you can secure yourself against me.” The Companion asked what that was, and Satan replied that it was Ayat Al-Kursi (Al-Baqarah 2:255). When informed of this, Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) commented, “That one is a liar, but (on that occasion) he told the truth.” (Bukhari)

The Qur’an relates that a group of jinn listened to Allah’s Messenger recite the Qur’an and, when they returned to their people, said, [O people! Surely we listened to a Book that has been revealed after Moses, affirms what precedes it, and guides to right and the Straight Path] (Al-Ahqaf 46:30). The surah continues with what they thought about what they had heard. Some traditions tell us that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) recited parts of the Qur’an and preached his message to the jinn.

References : 

By Fethullah Gulen

http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/MagicAndJinn/Topic_02/02.SHTML

*Excerpted with some modifications from: http://en.fgulen.com

** Fethullah Gulen is an influential Turkish Muslim intellectual who inspired a series of social activities, including a transnational education and business network, inter-faith dialogue forums, and multi-cultural encounters. His official Web site is http://en.fgulen.com/

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Satan and Humanity

By Fethullah Gulen

The jinn we know as Satan was created from fire. Before his obedience and sincerity were tested through Adam, he had been in the company of angels, acting and worshiping as they did. Unlike angels, however, who cannot rebel against God (At-Tahrim 66:6), Satan was free to choose his own path of conduct. When God tested him and the angels by commanding them to prostrate before Adam, the seeds of his self-conceit and disobedience blossomed and swallowed him. He replied in his vanity, (I am better than him. You created me from fire, whilst him you did create of clay) (Saad 38:76).

Why was Satan created? Satan was created for important purposes. If Satan, who continually tries to seduce us, did not exist, our creation would be meaningless and futile. God has innumerable servants who cannot rebel and thus do whatever they are told. In fact, the existence of an absolute Divine Being Who has many beautiful names and attributes requires, not because of some external necessity but because of the essential nature of His names, that His names be manifest.

God gave us free will so that we could know good from evil. In addition, He gave us great potentials. Our development of these potentials and our struggle to choose between good and evil make us experience a constant battle in our inner and outer worlds. Just as God sends hawks upon sparrows so that the latter will develop their potential to escape, He created Satan and allowed him to tempt us so that our resistance to temptation will raise us spiritually and strengthen our willpower. Just as hunger stimulates human beings and animals to further exertion and discovery of new ways to be satisfied, and fear inspires new defenses, Satan’s temptations cause us to develop our potentials and guard against sin.

There is an infinitely long line of spiritual evolution between the ranks of the greatest prophets and saints down to those of people like Pharaoh and Nimrod; therefore it cannot be claimed that the creation of Satan is evil. Although Satan is evil and serves various important purposes, God’s creation involves the whole universe and should be understood in relation to the results, not only with respect to the acts themselves. Whatever God does or creates is good and beautiful in itself or in its effects. For example, rain and fire are very useful but can cause great harm when abused; therefore, one cannot claim that the creation of water and fire is not totally good. It is the same with the creation of Satan. His main purpose is to cause us to develop our potential, strengthen our willpower by resisting his temptations, and then rise to higher spiritual ranks.

To the argument made by some that Satan leads many people to unbelief and subsequent punishment in Hell, I would reply with the following:

First, although Satan was created for many good, universal purposes, many people may be deceived by him. But Satan only whispers and suggests; he cannot force you to indulge in evil and sin. If you are so weak that his false promises deceive you and you allow yourself to be dragged down, you earn the punishment of Hell by misusing an important God-given faculty that enables you to develop your potential and raise to the highest rank. You must use your free will, which makes you human and gives you the highest position in creation, properly, and to further your intellectual and spiritual evolution. Otherwise, you must complain about being honored with free will and therefore about being human.

Second, as quality is much more important than quantity, we should consider qualitative, as opposed to quantitative, values when making our judgment. For example, 100 date seeds are worth only 100 cents if they are not planted. If only 20 out of 100 seeds grow into trees due to the other 80 being destroyed by too much water, can we argue that it is evil to plant and water the seeds? I think all of us can agree that it is wholly good to have 20 trees in exchange for 100 seeds, since 20 trees will produce 20,000 seeds.

Again, 100 peacock eggs may be worth a couple of dollars. But if only 20 eggs hatch and the rest do not, who will say that it is wrong to risk 80 eggs being spoiled in return for 20 peacocks? On the contrary, it is wholly good to have 20 peacocks at the expense of 80 eggs, for those 20 peacocks will lay even more eggs.

It is the same with humanity. By fighting Satan and their evil-commanding selves, many “worthless” people have been lost in exchange for thousands of prophets, millions of saints, and billions of men and women of wisdom and knowledge, sincerity and good morals. All of these people are the sun, moon, and stars of the human world.

References : 

By Fethullah Gulen

http://www.islamonline.net/English/In_Depth/MagicAndJinn/Topic_02/03.SHTML

* Excerpted with some modifications from: http://en.fgulen.com

** Fethullah Gulen is an influential Turkish Muslim intellectual who inspired a series of social activities, including a transnational education and business network, inter-faith dialogue forums, and multi-cultural encounters. His official Web site is http://en.fgulen.com/

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Demonic Visions

Demonic Visions: A Chapter from Ibn Taymiyyah's Essay on the Jinn

Abridged, annotated and translated by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips. Based on Eedah ad-Dalaalah fee 'Umoom ar-Risaalah, from volume 19 of Majmoo' Al-Fataawaa (A Collection of Religious Rulings); volume 35 of Majmoo' Al-Fataawaa and Ibn Taymeeyah's classic, Al-Furqaan Bayna Awliyaa ar-Rahmaan wa Awliyaa ash-Shaytaan



THE AUTHOR

Ahmad ibn 'Abdul-Haleem ibn Taymeeyah was born in the town of Harran [near Edessa, in what was once Northern Iraq, but is now called Orfa and is a part of Turkey], in the year 1263 CE. His father was a leading scholar of the Hanbalite school of Islamic law and so was his grandfather, who authored Muntaqaa al-Akhbaar, the text of ash-Shawkaanee's Hadeeth classic Nayl al-Awtaar.

Ibn Taymeeyah mastered the various disciplines of Islamic study at an early age and read extensively the books of the various sects and religions in existence at that time. Much of his time and effort was spend defending the orthodox Islamic position against a tidal wave of deviation which had swept over the Muslim nation. Consequently, he faced many difficulties from both the prominent sectarian scholars of his time and from the authorities who supported them. His clashes with them led to his imprisonment on numerous occasions. Ibn Taymeeyah also fought, not only against internal enemies of Islaam, but also against its external enemies by both his Fatwaas (Islamic legal rulings) and his physical participation in battles. His ruling allowing the taking up arms against groups which recognized the Shahaadataan (declaration of faith) but refused to uphold some aspects of the fundamental principles of Islaam, greatly affected the resistance movement against the Tartars who had declared their acceptance of Islaam but did not rule according to divine law. During these struggles he wrote countless books and treatises demonstrating his extensive reading and knowledge, not only of the positions of the early scholars, but also those of the legal and theological schools which had subsequently evolved.

Ibn Taymeeyah also had a major effect on the open-minded scholars of his day, most of whom were from the Shaafi'ite school of law. Among the most famous of his students were IBN KATHEER, ADH-DHAHABEE and IBN AL-QAYYIM. The author died in 1328 while in prison in Damascus for his Fatwaa against undertaking journeys to visit the graves of saints [Ibn Taymeeyah's ruling was based on the authentic statement reported by Abu Hurayrah wherein the Prophet Muhammad (saws) said, "Do not undertake a journey except to three masjids; this masjid of mine, Masjid al-Haraam (Makkah) and Masjid al-Aqsaa (Bayt al-Maqdis)." Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. His Fatwaa had been distorted by his enemies to say that he forbade visiting the Prophet Muhammad's (saws) grave.

CHAPTER THREE: DEMONIC VISIONS

Those involved in incantations and oaths often swear by some devils to help them against others. Sometimes the evil Jinn fulfil their request but frequently they do not, especially when the Jinn against whom help is sought is honored among them. Neither the one chanting incantations nor his incantations have any power to force the devils to help them. The reciter of incantations earnestly entreats a being whom he considered great - which may or may not be the case - to harm others who may conceivably be greater. In the case where someone entreats the Jinn to harm someone whom the Jinn hold in high esteem, they will ignore him. In fact, it may prevent them from even responding at all. Their situations is quite similar to that of humans except that human beings are generally more intelligent, truthful, just and trustworthy while the Jinn tend to be ignorant, untruthful, oppressive and treacherous.

The point is that though the oaths and incantations of devil-worshippers may contain statements of idolatry and disbelief, they are frequently ineffective against the Jinn. When requested to kill or apprehend another Jinn who has possessed a human, the Jinn will often mock those who make the request by falsely giving them the impression that they killed or detained the offending Jinn. This is especially so in cases where humans believe in the illusions created by the Jinn. The Jinn usually communicate by either visions or voices ["The gleaning of hidden information by way of visions and voices has been well documented among clairvoyants and mediums. 'A medium' may be defined as a person through whose agency or through whose orgainsm there are received communications ostensibly from deceased human beings or other discarnate or remote entities. In what is called 'clairvoyant mediumship' -now popularly known as channelling- the meduim 'sees' or 'hears' the deceased friends and relatives of persons persent and relays messages from them. Generally speaking, the experiences concerned seem not to have the distinctness of ordinary perception but are rather a seeing or hearing 'in the mind's eye' or ear. Sometimes, however, the figures seen or voices heard may attain as hallucinatory vividness; the medium's experience then resembles that of one who witnesses an apparition." (Benjamin B. Wolman. ed., Handbook of Parapsychology, New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1977, pp, 579-580)] with those seeking information among the idol-worshippers, Christians, Jews, and heretical Muslims driven astray by the devils.

JinnS may take the form of a live picture portraying whatever the sorcerers and fortunetellers wish to know about. When these deviants see the image of what they sought, they then inform other humans about it. Some of them may know that the image is actually an illusion, while others may be deluded into believing that they are actually wintessing the real scene. JinnS may also make humans hear the voice of those whom they call upon who are far away. Such cases are frequent among idolaters, Christians, Jews and ignorant Muslims who seek refuge in those whom they consider holy. When some devotees call on their spiritual masters for help saying, "Oh my Lord so and so!" the Jinn will address them in the voice of their masters. When the masters answer their request, the Jinn, in turn, answer the devotees in the masters' voice. This has happened to many people some of whom are known to me. The devils will often respond while talking the form of the one besought, whether dead or alive, even if he is unaware of those who call on him. Those committing Shirk in this fashion believe that the person beseeched has actually replied when in fact it is the Jinn replying. This frequently happens to Christians who call on those whom they edify, whether dead or alive, like George or other holy figures [ROME, Feb 24 1989 (AFP) - A retired Italian roadman Renato Baron claims that he has been seeing and talking to the Virgin Mary for nearly three years now. Visions by Baron and about THIRTY others have attracted tens of thousands of people from Italy, France, Belgium, and West Germany to a hill near Venice, causing huge traffic jams. Ambridge, Pennsylvania - A small Roman Catholic Church in a western Pennsylvania mill town is preparing for a deluge of pilgrims after a reported Good Friday miracle in which the eyes of a statue of Christ suddenly closed. The Rev. Vincent Cvitkovic, a Franciscan friar, and many of his parishoners reported that the eyes of a life-size statue which depicts the crucified Christ, which have been open for 60 years, closed during a prayer meeting. (The Times, Monday, April 10th 1989, no. 63, 364, p.8) In 1981 a group of five children were playing on a hill just outside of a village in the Yugoslavian Republic of Bosnia - Herzegovina called Medugorje when a vision of a beautiful woman claiming to be the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared before them. Since 1981 some seven to eight million pilgrims from different countries, cultures and Christian traditions have climbed up the holy hill of Medugorje. At 7:30 every evening pilgrims and tourists anxiously crowd around the dark rectory of a nearby church staring at the stream of light which will signify that once more the children, who still gather there daily, are having their private audience with the Blessed Mother. (IRF, Newsletter of the International Religious Foundation, Inc., Vol II, No. 6, Nov-Dec 1987, pp 1-2). Divine grace (salvation) is felt to be especially potent in places visited by Jesus Christ or Saints or by Mary; where they have appeared in visions. Major pilgrimage centers include Lourdes where visions of the Virgin Mary were first seen in 1858 and where healing has been occuring since that time. (John R. Hinnells, ed., Dictionary of Religions, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books Ltd., 1984, p. 284)].

It also occurs to heretical Muslims who call on the dead or those not present, and the devils take the form of the one called upon even without him realizing it. I know of many cases where this has occurred and the people called upon have told me that they did not know that they were called upon, though those beseeching them for help saw their images and were convinced that it was the actual person. More than one person has mentioned that they called on me in times of distress, each telling a different story about how I have responded. When I told them that I never answered any of them nor did I know that they were calling on me, some said that it must have been an angel. I told them that angels do not benefit those committing SHIRK and that it was actually a devil trying to further misguide them. Sometimes the Jinn will take the form of those admired and stand at 'Arafat, and those who believe well of him will think that he actually stood in 'Arafat. Many others have also been actually carried by the devils to 'Arafat and other sacred places. In such cases they pass the Meeqaat (boundaries that may not be crossed while on Hajj, around Makkah) without formally entering the state of Ihraam, or performing many of the obligatory rites of Hajj like making the Talbeeyah (chant of response to God's call) or circulating the Ka'bah, and walking between the mounts of Safaa and Marwah. Among them are some who do not even pass through Makkah, others who stand at 'Arafat without performing the pre-requisite rite of casting stones at the Jamaraat etc.

It is by these and other similar feats that Satan leads seemingly pious people in misguidance. Sincere devotees among heretics are in this way enticed to do acts wich are prohibited (Haraam) or despised (Makrooh) in the religion. Satan is able to make such misdeeds appealing to them by convincing them that they are among the Karaamaat (supernatural or quasi-miraculous feats) of the righteous. However they are, without a doubt, Satanic deceptions because Allaah cannot be worshipped by any religious injunction which is neither compulsory (Waajib) nor recommended (Mustahabb). Whoever performs an act of worship which is neither Waajib nor Mustahabb believing that it is so, has been deceived by Satan. Even if it is decreed that such a person will be forgiven due to his good intention and striving, the act itself is still unacceptable to Allaah [An example may be seen in the mistaken belief held by some that a man's head must be covered while he is in formal prayer - Salaah - as is the case among Jews or that a woman's hair to be covered while reading the Qur'aan. However, the Prophet saws did not order that it be done nor recommended it but merely followed the customs of his people during that time.]. Such acts are not among the things with which Allaah honors His pious servants who are close to Him, as there is no honor in performing prohibited (Haraam) or despised (Makrooh) acts [Such is the case of the celebration of the Prophet's saws birthday - 'Eed Meelaad an-Nabee - which probably began among ignorant Muslims trying to outdo or at least compete with the Christians's celebrations of Christmas. Meelaad celebrations are a form of innovation - Bid'ah - in religion which has been forbidden by the Prophet saws who said: "Whoever innnovates in this affair ouf ours - i.e. Islaam - something which does not belong to it will be rejected. - Reported by 'Aa'eshah and collected by Al-Bukaaree and Muslim].

Divine honor lies in protecting one whom Allaah loves from such acts and preventing him from doing them. For, committing misdeeds debases one who does them and does not in any way favor him, even if he is not punished for doing them. Doing despised or Haraam acts MUST decrease the spiritual level of both the one who does them as well as his followers who praise such acts and glorify him. For, heaping praise on prohibited and despised acts, and honoring the one who does them is definitely a form of deviation from the path of Allaah. The more and more a man innovates in the religion as a result of independent judgement (Ijtihaad), the further he becomes from Allaah, because innovation (Bid'ah) removes him from Allaah's path; the divine path of "those who Allah has blessed from among the prophets, the sincerely truthful, martyrs and righteous" [An-Nisaa 4:69] unto the path of "those with whom Allaah is angry and those who have gone astray" [Al-Faatihah 1:7]. Ibn Taymeeyah mentioned the following [This begins a segment from vol.35 of Ibn Taymeeyah's compendium, Majmoo' al-Fataawaa.] historical incident concerning al-Hallaaj [Al-Husain ibn Mansoor al-Hallaj (858-922 CE) studied under the eminent Sufi teachers of his time (Tustaree, 'Amr Makee and Junaid) then broke with them and went out into this world to preach asceticism and mysticism in Khurasan, Ahwaz, Fars, India and Turkistan. On his return to Baghdad from Makkah in 908, many were attracted by his teachings, and disciples rapidly gathered around him. He taught that the five pillars of Islaam may be replaced by other works. He also taught about the existence of an uncreated Divine spirit (Rooh Naatiqah) which becomes united with the created spirit of the ascetic through desire of and submission to suffering. In his teachings the Saint (Walee) became the living and personal witness of God (H.A.R. Gibb and J.H. Kramers, Encyclopedia of Islam, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1st ed., 1953, pp 127-80). Consequently he stated in his book: "If you do not recognize God, at least recognise His sign, I am the creative truth -Ana al-Haqq-, because through the truth, I am eternal truth. My friends and teachers are Iblees (Satan) and Pharaoh. Iblees was threatened with Hellfire, yet, he did not recant. Pharaoh was drowned in the sea, yet he did not recant, for he would not acknowledge anything between him and God (i.e. Hallaaj felt that Iblees' refusal to prostrate to Aadam and Pharaoh's statement "I am your Lord, most High" were correct!). And, I, though, I am killed and crucified and though my hands and feet are cut off; I do not recant." - Kitaab al-Tawaaseen, Massignon Press, Paris, 1913, vi, 32.

The leading scholars from all orthodox schools of Islamic law as well as the leading Shi'ite scholars and some of his former Sufi teachers declared him a heretic and he was subsequently executed due to his refusal to retract his claim to be the personification of God on earth.] and a group of his followers, "Some of them requested some sweets from al-Hallaaj, so he got up and went to a spot a short distance away, then returned with a plateful of sweets. It was later discovered that it had been stolen from a candy shop in Yemen and carried by a devil to that area." Ibn Taymeeyah went on to say, "Incidents similar to this have happened to others who, like al-Hallaaj, also achieved the pinnacle of satanic states, and we know of quite a few such people in our time as well as other times. For instance, there is a person presently residing in Damascus whom the devil used to carry from the Saaliheeyah mountain to villages around Damascus. He would appear out of the air and enter the windows of houses in which people were gathered to witness his 'miraculous entrance.'"

Ibn Taymeeyah also quoted another mystic master who admitted that he used to fornicate with women and sodomise young boys. The former mystic master said, "A black dog ["Abu Dharr reported: The Messanger of Allaah said: 'When any one of you stands for prayer it should be towards something that shields him equivalent (in height) to the back of a saddle, otherwise his prayer will be broken by passing of a donkey, a woman or a black dog.' I asked 'O Abu Dharr, what is the difference between a black dog, a red dog and tan-colored dog?' He replied, 'O son of my brother, I also asked Allaah's Messanger as you are asking me, and he said: 'The black dog is a devil.'" (Saheeh Muslim and all other in the six Saheeh books with the exception of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree)] with two white spots between his eyes would come to me and say, 'Verily such and such a person has made an oath by you and he will come to you tomorrow to inform you about it. I have already fulfilled his need for your sake.' [When questioned during his trial, the infamous New York City mass murderer of the seventies, "Son of Sam", claimed that a dog used to come in backyard of his house and tell him to kill his victims. It was assumed by the court and his psychiatrists that he was mentally deranged and the dog a figment of his imagination.] The person would then come to him the next day and the Sufi master would reveal the details of his oath to him and how it was fulfilled. The Sufi master went on to say, 'I used to walk about the city and a black pole with a light on top of it would lead the way.' " Ibn Taymeeyah said, "When the Sufi master repented and began to pray, fast, and avoid the forbidden, the black dog went away." He also narrated the following about another mystic master who had the aid of devils whom he would despatch to possess people: "When the family of the possessed would come to him seeking a cure, he would send a message to his demon companion and they would leave the possessed persons, as a result, the Shaykh would be given many dirhams for his services. Sometimes the Jinn would bring him dirhams and food which they stole from people, so much so that the Shaykh would request dates from his devils and they would take them from beehives in which some poeple had hidden their dates. When the beehive owners would look for their dates they would find them gone."

About yet another mystic, Ibn Taymeeyah relates, "There was a Shaykh knowledgeable in the religious sciences and Qur'anic recitation to whom the devils came and eventually managed to seduce. They told him that Salaah was no longer required of him and that they would bring him whatever he wished. As soon as he complied with their wishes, they began to bring him a variety of sweets and fruit. This continued until he was advised to repent by some scholars that he visited who were firmly following the Sunnah. He subsequently repented and repaid the owners of the sweets for what he ate while under the influence of the Jinn." He then went on to say, "Many of those who call on Shaykhs in time of need saying, 'O master so and so, or Shaykh so and so, fulfill my need' have seen an image of the Shaykh saying, 'I will fulfill your need and put your heart at ease,' then it fulfills their needs or repels their enemies. In such cases it is a devil taking the Shaykh's form when they committed Shirk by associating partners with Allaah and calling on others beside Him." Ibn Taymeeyah then went on to enumerate similar instances involving himself saying, "I know of many such incidences even among a group of my companions who called on me in times when they were struck by calamities. One was afraid of the Romans and another of the Tatars. Both of them mentioned that they called out to me, they saw me in the air and I repelled their enemies for them. I informed them that I did not hear their cries no did I repel their enemies. It was a devil taking my appearance to seduce them when they associated partners with Allaah the Almighty. Similar incidents have also happened to the students of my contemporaries among the scholars, whereby some of their students have sought refuge in them and have seen them fulfill their needs. The scholars have also denied doing so and indicated that it was in fact the work of devils." [Majmoo' Al-Fataawaa, Vol. 35, pp. 112-116]

In another book, Ibn Taymeeyah said, "I know people whom the plants greet and inform them of their beneficial ingredients, however it is, in fact, Satan who has entered the plants and spoken to them. I also know of others to whom stones and trees speak saying, "Congratulations, Oh friend of Allaah" and when the people recite Aayatul-Kursee it stops. I am acquainted with yet others who have gone bird-hunting and the sparrows addressed them saying, "Take me so that the poor may eat me." Such are cases of the evil Jinn possessing the birds in the same way that others who, while in their house with the doors and vice versa [Many of those in our times who have claimed what is known as 'out-of-body experiences' or 'astral-travel' have recorded in vivid detail incidences simialr to those mentioned by Ibn Taymeeyah. Others have met beings which claimed to be guides, guardian spirits or their higher selves. However, the common thought which links most of these experiences is the ultimate expression of idolatry: that man is God, as was expressed by Al-Hallaaj and countless others before and after him.] He may even be taken through the closed city gates and back again swiftly by the Jinn. Lights may shine on him or someone looking like his friend may call on him but, if he recites Aayatul-Kursee continually, it will all dissappear." He also said, "Some mystics have also said that the Jinn showed them something shiny like water and glass in which images or pictures of whatever they sought information would appear and they in turn wold inform people." Ibn Taymeeyah mentioned other instances and then concluded by saying, "This is a so vast a topic that if I were to mention all that I knew, it would fill a very large volume." [Ibn Taymeeyah, Al-Furqaan Bayna Awliyaa ar-Rahmaan wa Awliyaa ash-Shaytaan, pp. 87-92]

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FAQ on Jinn

Question 1:  Who are the jinn?

The jinn are among the creatures that Allah (swt) created. Allah (swt) created angels, jinn, mankind, animals, plants and others. Jinn have some qualities like human beings. These qualities are intellect, discrimination, freedom, and the power to choose between right and wrong, between true and false, as well as between good and bad.

Question 2:  When did Allah (swt) create the jinn? 

Allah (swt) created the jinn before Adam (pbuh) was created. Both were created in heaven and lived in paradise. One may read in Surah Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) [Qur'an, 15:26-27]. However, nothing was mentioned about the duration of time of the jinn's creation before Adam (pbuh).

Question 3:  What are jinn created from?

Jinn are created from fire of hot wind [Qur'an, 15:27]; and from smokeless fire [Qur'an, 55:15]. They were originally made from fire and then molded and shaped in the form and shape that Allah (swt) wanted them to be. This means that they do not anymore possess their fiery nature. It is not known therefore, their final shape, form, and chemical composition. Since we cannot see them, therefore, it is not easy to do any analysis of their chemical nature. In contrast, mankind was created from soil, mud, and clay. They were molded as human beings. Our final form is no more mud or clay.

Question 4:  Do jinn have bodies?

Yes and no! It depends upon the information that one has. One group of scholars believe that jinn do not have bodies of their own. They also do not inhabit bodies of other creatures. However, they do exist independently by themselves. Therefore, they do not know how they exist without bodies: smoke, flame, fire or what?

The other group of scholars do believe that jinn do have bodies either definite or subtle. If their bodies are definite then they have some density; otherwise, if they are subtle, then they are so fine that our weak eyes cannot see them. One may read Surah Al-A'raf (The Heights) [Qur'an, 7:27]. Even if they are subtle they should have weight and density similar to that of the air itself.

Question 5:  Do jinn die?

Yes. Jinn do die. As long as they are creatures created by Allah (swt), they should die. They are creatures that marry, produce children, eat, drink, and die like all other creatures in the universe. One may read Qur'an Surah Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful) [Qur'an, 55:26-28].

Question 6:  Do the jinn feel envy of us?

Yes. There are two types of evil eye: human and the jinn. One has to read regularly 'A'oozu Billahi Minash-shaitanir Rajeem. Also, by reading Ayah Al-Kursi and Al-Mu'awwazatain, one will be protected from the evil eyes of both the jinn and mankind.

Question 7:  Are there messengers and prophets from within the community of jinn?

Yes. Allah (swt) has sent prophets and messengers to jinn from within the jinn community. Also, Allah (swt) sent Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to mankind, to jinn, and to other creatures. In Surah Al-An'am (The Cattle), Allah (swt) explains that He sent messengers to men and to jinn. See Qur'an [6:130].

Question 8:  Do jinn have different religions, sects and denominations?

In Surah Al-Jinn (Ch. 72), Allah (swt) informs us that some jinn accepted Islam, while others refused. Those who refused have deviated, and developed for themselves different methods, different ways of life, and different religions, sects and denominations.

Question 9:  Do jinn marry and have children?

Yes. Jinn do marry and they do have children. The way they marry is not known to us yet. We may be able to know the future if Allah (swt) wants us to know.

People never knew about microbes, viruses, and the unseen micro creatures. Now we are able to know many things about their life cycles, their life duration, their methods of duplication or reproduction: sexually and asexually. The mere fact that we do not know how the jinn marry and reproduce does not negate their being married and reproduced. The Qur'an stipulates in Surah Al-Kahf (18:50) that they have offsprings. Similarly, the Qur'an states in Surah Al-Rahman (55:56) that jinn and human beings never touched (married) the ladies of paradise.

Question 10:  Can human beings and jinn inter-marry? 

Yes and no. It depends upon how one looks at it. It is a known fact in the Qur'an in Surah Al-Israa' (17:64) that jinn may share with us our wealth and our children. The Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) reconfirms this concept when he says that when a man has marital relationship with his wife, he should mention the name of Allah (swt). He should seek refuge in Allah (swt) from the outcast shaitan. Otherwise, shaitan folds himself up in the man's urethra and shall have sexual relations along with him.

Moreover, when a man goes to his wife while she is in her menses, shaitan precedes him. She shall conceive and will bring forth a sterile person (Mukhannath). Such a sterile person is considered to be child of the jinn.

Question 11:  Do jinn have animals as pets?

Yes. Jinn do have animals or beasts of their own. The Prophet (pbuh) mentioned that every piece of dung is fodder for the beasts of the jinn. However, we do not know what type of beasts the jinn have. The same thing is to be said as to the varieties of beasts, their number, their shape, their size, their weight and so on.

Question 12:  Do jinn have homes of their own?

Yes. The jinn do have homes. They live all over the planet earth. However, there are special places that one may find them in abundance and on a regular basis. These are deserts, ruins, places of impurities such as dunghills, bathrooms and graveyards. They live in houses of human beings too. For those who enter their houses mentioning the name of Allah (swt), the jinn cannot have a place to stay overnight in that house. If the people of the house mention the name of Allah (swt) before eating, then the shaitan will not be able to eat with them.

Question 13:  Is it true that animals see jinn and angels? 

Yes. Animals do see angels and shaitan. When a rooster sees an angel, it starts crowing. However, when a donkey starts braying it is seeing a jinn.

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All about Jinn Part 2

Who are the Jinn?

The Jinn are a part of Allah's creation separate from man and the angels, but they share certain qualities with man, like intellect, discrimination, freedom, and the power to choose between true and false, right and wrong.

Qur?anic ayahs indicate the existence of the jinn:

?I only created the jinn and man to worship me.?

Qur?an 51:56

Also in Surah al - Anaam it states:

?Oh assembly of Jinn and man, have messengers from among you not come to you, explained our signs and warned you about meeting this Day of yours? They say, 'We bear witness on ourselves.?

Qur?an 6:130



The Prophet (saws) said:

?There are 3 types of Jinn, one type flies through the air, another consists of snakes and dogs , the third type is based in one place but travels about.?

Tabarani, and Bahaqi

The jinn are created with free will, living on earth in a world along with us, and are invisible to human eyes in their normal state.

The Qur?an states that jinn were created from fire, for instance:

?We created Jinn from smokeless fire?.

Qur?an 55:15

Smokeless fire means the tips of flames.

The Prophet (saws) said that the angels were created from light and the Jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from clay. (Al Tabarani, Baihaqi)

So you may ask, If the jinn are created from fire how can fire burn fire?

Well what is meant is that like human origin is from clay and mud the origin of jinn is also from fire.

The proof of this is in a hadith related by Imam Ahmad.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) got up one morning to pray fajr, and I was praying behind him. He recited and he became confused in the recitation. When he finished the prayer, he said, 'If you could have only seen me grabbing Iblis and how I kept on throttling him until I felt the coolness of his spittle between my thumb and index finger. If it had not been for the supplication of Sulayman, morning would have found him tied to one of the pillars of the mosque so that the children of Madina could have played with him.

Bukhari

The jinn also have the power to take on the form of human beings, birds, animals, and other things, they see you yet we see them not.

This verse in the Qur?an shows,

?Surely he (shaytan) sees you, he and his tribe from where you see them not.?

Qur?an 7:27

What are the names of the Jinn?

Jinni: Is a term used by the Arabs to refer to one Jinn.

Amir: (Resident Jinn) used to mean that he is one of those who lives with people.

Shaytan: Used for a Jinni who is malicious and has become wicked.

Ifrit: Used for a Jinni who is stronger and more powerful than a shaytan.

The throne of Iblis is on the sea.

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him 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. One of them comes and says, "O did such and such", He Says, "You did not do anything" Then another comes and says, "I did not leave him until I had split him from his wife" He brings him near and says "You did well".

Muslim & Ahmad

Do they marry and have children?

Yes they marry and have children, the Qur?an says:

?What, do you take him and his offspring to be your friends apart from Me when they are an enemy to you??

Qur?an 18:50

This indicates that they marry for the sake of offspring (children and family)

The Jinn live all over the earth, although they are found mostly in deserts, ruins, and places of impurity like, bathrooms and graveyards.

They are frequently found in places where they can cause a lot of mischief and corruption, like in markets. That is why the Prophet, (saws) gave some advise t o one of the companions, saying:

"If possible, do not be the first to enter the market nor the last to leave it. It is the battleground of shaytan and he raised his barrier there.

Muslim

Saying, 'In the name of Allah before all our actions drives him away from our houses?.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) says:

'When a man mentions the name of Allah on entering his house and when he eats, shaytan says to his troops "you have no place to spend the night and no supper", When the man mentions Allah on entering but does not when he eats, he says "You have supper but no place to spend the night". If he does not mention the name of Allah when he enters, shaytan says, "You have got a place to spend the night and supper.?

Sahih

References : 'Jinn' by Mustafa Ashour The Jinn (Demons) by Ibn Taymeeyah, translated by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips.

Lessons/jinn2

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All about Jinn Part 1

The above is the root meaning of the word Jinn. The existence of the Jinn is firmly established by the Qur?an and the authentic Sunnah and the consensus of the Scholars (Ijma?) It suffices to say that the word Jinn and its derivatives occur more than 29 times in the Qur?an. A related word ?shaytan? and its plural ?shaytana? together occur more than 80 times. In fact, there is an entire Surah called Surah Al-Jinn, which speaks in clear explicit terms about the Jinn.

The reality which we have to affirm is that the Jinn live in an established world unseen to us. They eat and drink, and procreate. Similar to Humans, some are righteous while others are not.

The Jinn were created before the creation of mankind. There origin is from fire. The Qur?an verified these facts in Surah Al-Hijr:

?And verily, We created mankind from sounding clay of altered smooth mud and the jinn We created from smokeless fire.?

Qur?an 15:26-27

The creation was also reported by Ibn Abbas (ra):

?Two thousand years before (mankind) was created, there were Jinn on (the Earth), and they caused corruption on it and shed blood. Then Allah sent against them a troop of Angels who beat them and cast them away to islands in the seas. So, when Allah said: ?I am placing (mankind) generations after generations on Earth,? They (the Angels) said, ?Will You place therein one who will cause corruption and shed blood? (Al Baqarah, 2:30), That is: Just as those Jinn did?? Then Allah said: ?I know that which you do not know.??

Al-Hakim

We can not ordinarily see the Jinn, unless they take a material form, which is usually in an unpleasant or ugly form such as a snake or a black dog, as opposed to angels who take pleasant and handsome forms. They can also take a human form. For example: In the battle of Badr, a kind of Jinn known as Ibliss, assumed the form of a man named Suraqah Ibn Malik, and urged the disbelievers to move forward to the battle, saying:

?There is none who can overcome you today?

Qur?an 8:48

Then Al lah sent the Angel Jibreel against him and when Ibliss saw him, he cried out to the disbelievers: ?I have nothing to do with you ! I see that which you do not see ! I fear Allah, and Allah is severe in retribution,? and then he fled.

There are 3 types of Jinn as described in the following authentic Hadith:

The Prophet Muhammed (saws) said:

?There are 3 types of Jinn; One type flies through the air, another type consists of snakes and dogs. A third is based in one place but travels about.?

Tabarani and Buhaqi

Jinni:Is a term used by the Arabs to refer to one Jinn.

The 3 types of Jinn are as follows:

1 Amir: (Resident Jinn) used to mean that he is one of those who lives with people.

2 Shaytan: Used for a Jinni who is malicious and has become wicked.

3 Ifrit: Used for a Jinni who is stronger and more powerful than a Shaytan.

The way of life for the Jinn is just like Human Beings. For Example: they are accountable for their actions, just as Human Beings are.

Allah says in the Qur?an:

?I created Jinn and Mankind only in order that they might worship Me.?

Qur?an 51:56

There are believers amongst them, who will be rewarded, and disbelievers, who will be punished, as they admit in the following verse from the Qur?an:

?And indeed there are amongst us, Muslims and amongst us, wrongdoers. As for those who accept Islam, they have sought out the right path. And, as for the wrongdoers, they will be firewood for Jahannam.?

Qur?an 72:14-15

Whenever Allah sent a Prophet to mankind, the Jinn of that time could also receive his message. Thus, some Jinn came to Prophet Muhammed (saws) one night and he recited Qur?an to them, and taught them about Islam.

Muslim

They eat and drink, and have fiqh regulations similar to ours. Just as we eat meat of animals slaughtered in the name of Allah, so do the believers among the Jinn . In addition, the Jinn are allowed to eat the bones of such animals.

With regard to this, the Prophet (saws) has instructed us not to use ani mal bones for istinja (i.e. to clean the private parts after relieving one?s self).

The Jinn also have conjugal relations; as evident from this verse:

?Therein (in heaven) are (women) of modest gaze, whom neither human being nor Jinn have touched before.?

Qur?an 55:56

Another verse establishes that they beget children:

?Will you then take (Ibliss) and his offspring as protectors in preference to Me, although they are an enemy to you??

Qur?an 18:50

The Jinn, as any other living creature, will also die. This is mentioned in the Qur?an:

?Allah will say, ?Enter you in the company of nations who passed away before you, of men and Jinn, into the Fire.?

Qur?an 7:38

Ibliss, however, has been given respite up to the Day of Resurrection.

?Allah said, you are, then, among those given respite up to the day of the time known (and appointed).?

Qur?an 38:81-82

Ibliss is the Jinn who disobeyed Allah?s command to prostrate to Adam (as), and was consequently expelled from Heaven. Allah had promised him eternal Hell, but he had asked Allah to give him time before going to Hell to win over Adam?s descendants as their followers. Allah had granted him time, and Ibliss has worked towards the destruction of mankind ever since. Shaytan is the term used to refer to Ibliss and other disbelieving Jinn.

Ibliss has his throne in the sea, and he sends out his dispatchments of shaytan to aggravate people. The dearest of them to him is the one who causes the most fitna (tribulation).

One of his workers comes and tells him ?I did not leave (my victim) until I brought about separation between him and his wife.? Ibliss draws him near and says to him, ?Yes, You (are the best).?

Muslim

Because of this evil nature of the shaytan, the term ?shayatan? is also used for those disbelieving human beings who are active in corrupting and fighting righteousness. Allah has said:

Thus, have We made, for every Prophet, an enemy, the shaytan of mankind and Jinn, inspiring one another with, adorned spe ech by way of deception.?

Qur?an 6:112

One of the shaytan?s endeavours in their attempt towards human destruction is to go up to the heaven?s and eavesdrop any news to carry on to earth. This news will be passed on to the fortune-tellers.

A?isha (ra) said that she asked the Prophet (saws) about how it is that the fortune-tellers sometimes foretell something which turns out to be true. He replied, that?s the word of truth that the Jinn manages to catch, and so he comes and whispers in the ear of the fortune-teller, and to one truth he adds one hundred lies.

Bukhari and Muslim

Man is always accompanied by a Jinn, who tries to incite him to evil, but the Prophet (saws) was protected from this harm.

On the authority of Ibn Mus?ud the Messenger of Allah (saws) said:

?There is not any one of you except that he has been assigned his companion from among the Jinn and his companion from among the Angels.? They the Companions said, ?Even you, O Messenger of Allah,? He replied ?Even me, except that Allah has helped me against the Jinn, so that I am unharmed, and so he orders me to do nothing but good.?

Muslim

Thus terrible thoughts may sometimes occur to us, but we are not responsible for these prompting?s provided, we neither allow them to take root within us, nor act upon them. The fact that we recognise them as evil is itself a sign of faith. It is possible for a Jinn to enter human beings and possess them as Allah says:

?Those who consume interest (riba) do not arise except as the one whom Satan has driven to madness by his touch.?

Qur?an 2:275

Seek protection from the Jinn. In an Authentic hadith related by Bukhari and Muslim, The Prophet (saws) has instructed us to recite some supplications to protect ourselves from the harm of Satan. These include:

1. Before having sexual intercourse, we should say:

?Bismillah, Allahumma jannibnash-shaytina wa jannibish-shaytina ma razaqtana.?

In the name of Allah. O Allah! Spare us from Satan and repel Satan from what you prov ide us with.

Then, if a child is conceived, Satan will never harm him.

2. The shaytan like to frequent filthy areas such as toilets. Thus we should ensure that we recite the sunnah supplication (narrated by Al Bukhari and Muslim) before entering the toilet:

?Allahumma inni a?uthu bika minal-khubthi wal-khaba?ith.?

O Allah! I seek refuge with you from male and female devils.

3. Reciting Ayat al Kursi (the verse of the throne in Surat Al Baqarah, 2:255) at bedtime ensures that no devil comes close to you until the morning.

Related by Bukhari

4. Saying:

?La ilaha illallahu wah-dahu la sharika lahu; lahul-mulku wa lahul-hamdu wa-hawa?ala kulli shay?in qadir.?

There is no God but Allah, alone, without any partner, His kingdom, and His is the praise, and He has power over all things.

100 times in the morning provides protection till the evening.

Bukhari & Muslim

In General, frequent remembrance of Allah and obedience to Him provide immunity from the Shaytan.

Allah Says:

?Whoever withdraws himself from the remembrance of (Allah) most gracious, We assign to him a Shaytan to be his comrade.?

Qur?an 43:36

In another verse Allah says:

?Satan has no authority over those who believe and place trust in their Lord.?

Qur?an 16:99

Amongst the things that will keep the believer far away from falling into the snares of Shaytan is to refrain from excess in glances, words, food and socialising with people. By these four doors Shaytan gains power over the son of Adam and obtains what he wants from him.

As for looking, the Messenger of Allah (saws) said:

?Do not follow a glance with a glance. You are allowed the first but not the second.?

Narrated in the Musnad (Hadith Book) of Ahmad B. Hanbal (Sahih)

As for excess words, the Prophet (saws) said:

?Part of the excellence of a Man?s Islam is that he leaves what does not concern him.?

Ahmad

As for excess food, the Prophet (saws) said:

?A man does not fill a worse vessel than his belly.?

Ahmad

Luqman the sage used to say to his son, ?My son, when the intestines are full, reflection goes to sleep, wisdom falls silent, and the limbs cease to worship.?

As for excessive socialising, it is a chronic disease which attracts evil. How frequently are socialising and company empty of blessings ! How often do the sow enmity ! How often they plant rancor in the heart and as long as it remains in the heart it erodes firm mountains of good action! Excessive socialising contains loss for this world and the next world. The slave must only indulge in that amount of socialising which in necessary.

One of the greatest fortresses which protect the believer against Shaytan is Knowledge.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said:

?One Faqih (Someone learned in Religious matters) is stronger against Shaytan than a thousand worshippers.?

Tirmidhi

The importance of knowledge for the believer in opposing Shaytan is well illustrated by the following story related by Ibn Abbass:

The Shaytan says to Ibliss, ?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 with knowledge, but not harmed by the man of worship.?

Ibliss says, ?Come on, lets go.? So off they go to a man of worship and they come to him while he is worshipping and tell him they want to ask him a question. Ibliss says, ?Can your lord put this world inside an egg??

?The worshipper replies, ?I don?t know.? Ibliss says to the Shaytans, ?Don?t you see there is disbelief in his answer??

They then go to a man of knowledge in his circle joking with his companions and say, ?We want to ask you a question.?

He says, ?Ask? so Ibliss says to him, ?Can your Lord put this world inside an egg??

He replies, ?Yes.?

Ibliss asks, ?How??

The man of knowledge says,?His command when He desires a thing that He says to it ?Be? and it is.?(Qur?an 36:82)

Ibliss says to the Shaytans ?Don?t you see that, the man (the worshipper) does not have any effect beyond himself, while this man (the man of knowledge) estranges much of the world from me??

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 (saws) 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 the couple.?

Timidhi and Ahmad

The Messenger of Allah (saws) also said:

?The hand of Allah is over the community. Shaytan is with the one who opposes the community.?

Ibn Sa?id

References: The Jinn (In the Qur?an and Sunnah) by Mustafa Ashour The Article on The Jinn by Abu Al Hasan (Al Jumuah Magazine)

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The Belief in Angels

Angels are beings created by light.
A?isha (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saws) said:

?Angels were created from light, Jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you (in the Qur?an and Sunnah)...?

Related by Muslim

The belief in Angels (al-Mala?kah) is the second article of faith in Islam. Allah says:

?The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. All believe in Allah, His Angels and His Messengers.?

Qur?an:Al Baqarah 2:285

It is obligatory, and infact an essential part of faith to respect all of the Angels. Therefore, it is unthinkable for Muslims to have any animosity towards any of the Angels, let alone cursing them. Any such action is considered an act of Kaffir (disbelief).

Some Jews once came to the Prophet (saws) and told him that they had five questions for him. If He could answer the questions satisfactorily, they would be his followers.

The Prophet (saws) answered the first four to their satisfaction, and then they asked him the final question; ?There is not any Prophet, except that he has an angel assigned to him as a companion, who brings him news from Allah. So tell us who is your companion ?? The Prophet (saws) replied, ?Jibreel, (as).? They said, ?That is the one who brings down war, fighting and punishment - our enemy. If only you had said Mika?el, who brings down mercy, rain and vegetation, it would have been that we follow you!? Then Allah revealed the reply:

?Say: Who is an enemy to Jibreel? For, it is he who brought it (this Qur?an) down to your hearts, by Allah?s permission, confirming that which was before it, and as a guidance and a mercy to the believers. Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and to His Angels, and to His Messengers, and (in particular to) Jibreel and Mika?el, then let him know that Allah is an enemy to the disbeliever.?

Qur?an :Al Baqarah 2:97-98 Related by Ahmad, Al-Timidhi and Al-Nasa?i

The Nature of Angels

Angels are beings created from light.

A?shah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saws) said:

?Angels were created from light, jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you (in the Qur?an and Sunnah).?

Related by Muslim

They do not have desires of their own, neither do they eat or drink. They are honored servants of Allah, and never disobey Him.

They are perpetually in service, in prostration, in a standing posture, or through various other forms of worship.

Allah says:

?Those who are before him are not scornful of worshipping Him, nor do they tire or get bored. They glorify Him night and Day: they do not halt.?

Qur?an: Al-Anbiya 21:19-20

And also:

?They are honored servants, who do not precede Him in speech, and they act according to His command. He knows what is ahead of them, and they do not intercede, except for those whom He approves.?

Qur?an: Al-Anbiya 21:26-27

Angels are also described as having wings:

?Praise be to Allah, the Originator of the Heavens and the Earth, the creator of angels having wings - two, three and four.?

Qur?an: Fatir 35:1

However, we should not try to guess the nature or form of these wings. Certainly, there is no basis in Islam, for the corrupt notion, prevalent in the west, that angels are like beautiful little girls with a pair of wings on their backs. We should also be careful that our children are not exposed to those books which contain such misleading pictures, so that they don?t grow up with an incorrect concept of angels.

The angels do not have a gender. They do not procreate, Allah has denounced those who regard them as female. Indeed to do so is the way of the disbelievers.

?Those who do not believe in the Hereafter, surely name the angels with female names.?

Qur?an: Al-Najm 53:27

The pagan Arabs, for example, called the angels; daughters of Allah, despite the fact that they themselves were disdainful of female offspring, and were so ashamed of them that they were inclined to bury their daughters alive. Allah (swt) thus condemns these ignorant beliefs and practices:

?Or has He (Allah) taken, out of that which He created, daughters, and honored you with sons ? And, when one of them receives tidings of that which He sets up as a likeness to Allah Most Gracious (i.e. of a girl) his face becomes dark and gloomy and fill of grief....And they consider the angels, who are worshippers of Allah, to be females. Did they witness their creation ? Their testimony shall be recorded, and they will be asked.?

Qur?an: Al-Zakhraf 43:16,17,19

Can Angels be Seen??

Prophets can see angels in their natural form. Al-Bukhari recorded that A?ishah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (saws) saw the Angel Jibreel (as) twice in his natural form. However, ordinary people (i.e. non-Prophets) cannot see them unless they (angels) take on a visible form. Angels can indeed take a material form, such as that of handsome man.

An example of this is found in the Qur?an where Allah sent angels to give Prophet Ibrahim (as) glad tidings of a son, and then to assist the Prophet Lut (as). Lut?s (as) people, being homosexuals, lusted after these angels, but Allah destroyed the depraved sinners.

Allah says:

?And verily, there came our Messengers to Ibrahim with glad tidings. They said ?salaam? (i.e. greetings of peace). He answered, ?salaam...?

Qur?an: Hud 11:69-83

Also, in the Qur?an, there is the incident in which the angel Jibreel (as) came to Maryam the mother of Isa (as) to inform her that she would miraculously give birth to Isa (as).

Allah says:

?Then we sent to her our Spirit (angel Jibreel) and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects...?

Qur?an: Maryam 19:17-21

Lastly there is the famous ?Hadith Jibreel? related by Muslim, in which angel Jibreel came to the Prophet (saws) in the form of a man, and asked him about Islam, Iman and Ihsan. This was done in public view, an d its purpose was to teach the people about their religion.

The Duties of Angels

Angels have various duties, with each having a well defined role.

The Qur?an says:

?And there is not any among us, except that has a known position. And we are indeed the ones who glorify Allah.?

Qur?an: Al-Saffat 37:164-166

Angels thus teach us the benefits of specialization. So, in the Islamic society, some members must specialize in the Qur?an and its sciences, others in medicine, still others in agriculture and so on and so forth, so that the Muslim community becomes efficient and well balanced. Similarly, in the home, the responsibilities are divided. While the man is responsible primarily for supporting the family financially, the woman has an important role in the upbringing of the children, although she is by no means confined to only this task.

Only Allah knows all the details and roles of all the angels:

?...And none know the hosts of your Lord except He...?

Qur?an: Al-Muddaththir 74:31

Nevertheless, He has told us about some of these angels through the Qur?an and the Sunnah.

The Names and Roles of Some Angels

Only a few angels are mentioned in the Qur?an and the Sunnah, Others are mentioned either by specific names or by role or their general nature of serving and worshipping Allah.

Among those mentioned are:

* Jibreel - This is the most distinguished of the angels, and is entrusted with carrying revelation to the Prophets. This includes bringing the Qur?an to Prophet Muhammed (saws), which is referred to in the following:
?And it is surely the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The trusted Spirit has brought it down to your heart, in order that you might be one of the warners, in clear Arabic speech.?

Qur?an: Al-Shu?ara 26:192-195

Angel Jibreel (as) is also called ?the Holy Spirit?, as mentioned in the Qur?an:

?And we gave Isa, son of Maryam, clear proofs, and supported him with Ruh-al-Qudus (holy spirit ie. Jibreel).?

Qur?an: Al- Baqarah 2:253

* Mika?el - The one entrusted with the sustenance of creatures, and is also one of the most prominent angels.

* The Recorders - These are two angels who accompany every human being and record his deeds. One of them stays on the right side and he records only good deeds. The other stays on the left side and records only bad deeds.
The one on the right (the generous one - He records good deeds and is so named because each good deed is rewarded ten times over or even more.

?And indeed, there are over you scribes, generous and recording. They know what you do.?

Qur?an: Al-Infitar 82:10-12

These angels record our deeds, words, and thoughts. Allah says regarding mankind:

?He utters not any word except that there is with him an observer, ready.?

Qur?an: Qaf 50:18

The system of recording of deeds is detailed in Hadith Qudsi. Narrated by Abdullah ibn Abbas in which he narrates from his Lord:

?Indeed, Allah has defined the good and the evil deeds, and then explained them. So, whoever had the thought to do a good deed, but did not do it, Allah writes it for him as a complete good deed, while if he actually did it. Allah writes it for him as ten good deeds, or up to seven hundred fold, or even many times more. And, if he had a thought to do an evil deed, but dispelled the thought and did not do it. Allah writes it for him as a complete good deed, while if he entertained the thought and acted on it, Allah writes it as a single evil deed.?

Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

The one on the left - The recorder of evil deeds: He is simply called the recorder, because each evil deed counts as only one act.

* The Gaurdians - They are angels who protect us from whatever evil Allah wills to save us from.
?For each (person) there are angels in succession in front of him and behind him, who guard him by Allah?s command.?

Qur?an: Al-Ra?d 13:11

The succession of angels referred to is clarified in a Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, which tells us that the angels of the day and the angels of the night succeed one another, meaning that they perform their duties in shifts. At the time of Fajr (dawn) and Asr prayers, both the angels of the night and the angels of the day are present. Then, the angels of the night ascend, and their Lord asks them, although he is the All-Knowing. ?How did you leave my servants ?? They say, ?We came to them while they were praying, and when we left while they were praying,.? The Fajr prayer, then, is of special blessing, and we should take great care to perform it on time, and to recite long portions of the Qur?an for:

?Indeed, the recitation of Fajr is witnessed?

Qur?an: Al-Isra 17:78

ie. It is witnessed by the angels of the night and day.

The protecting angels only leave us when we have the call of nature and when we are have sexual relations with our spouses, and so we should recite the appropriate supplications from the Sunnah prior to performing these acts.

Also, it must be noted that angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or pictures (of animals and Humans). Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

* The Angel of Death - He is entrusted with taking the souls of all creatures in the universe.
?Say: The Angel of Death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought to your lord.?

Qur?an: Al-Sajdah 32:11

There are angels with him who torture the wrongdoers at the time of death:

?If only you could see, when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieve, the angels are beating their faces and their backs.?

Qur?an: Al-Anfal 8:50

* Munkar and Nakeer - They are the two angels in charge of questioning people in their graves about their faith.
* Ridwan and Malik - They watch over Heaven and Hell. The custodian of Heaven is called Ridwan, while that of Hell is named Malik. Hell has nineteen angels who watch over it.
?Over it (Hell) are nineteen (angels)?

Qur?an: Al-Muddaththir 74:30

There are angels who welcome the believers into heaven, greeting them with peace:

?And angels shall enter unto them from every gate saying: ?salaam alaykum? (peace be upon you for that you persevered in patience ! Excellent indeed is the final home.?

Qur?an: Al-Ra?d 13:23-24

Eight angels will carry the arsh which is Allah?s greatest creation, on the Day of Judgment:

?And the angels will be on its sides, and eight angels will that Day, bear the throne of your Lord above them.?

Qur?an: Al-Haqqah 69:17

References : 
written by Abu Al-Hassan in Al Jumuah 8/2
http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/angels.html
lessons\angels.rtf

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The World of Jinn

Throughout history man has always had a deep attraction for the supernatural and the unseen. The existence of a world parallel to our own has always fascinated people. This world is commonly referred to as the spirit world, and almost every set of people have some concept of one. With some people, these spirits are no more then the souls of dead people- or ghosts. With others, spirits are either the forces of good or the forces of evil - both battling against one another to gain influence over humanity. However, both of these explanations are more in tune with folk tales and fantasy. The true explanation of such a world comes from Islam. Like every other way, Islam also claims to explain this realm of the unseen. It is from this realm that Islam explains to us about the world of the Jinn. The Islamic explanation of the Jinn provides us with so many answers to modem day mysteries. Without the knowledge of this world, the Muslims would become like the non-Muslims and be running around looking for any old answer to come their way. So, who or what are the Jinn?

Existence

The Jinn are beings created with free will, living on earth in a world parallel to mankind. The Arabic word Jinn is from the verb 'Janna' which means to hide or conceal. Thus, they are physically invisible from man as their description suggests. This invisibility is one of the reasons why some people have denied their existence. However, (as will be seen) the affect which the world of the Jinn has upon our world, is enough to refute this modern denial of one of Allah's creation. The origins of the Jinn can be traced from the Qur'an and the Sunnah. Allah says:

"Indeed We created man from dried clay of black smooth mud. And We created the Jinn before that from the smokeless flame of fire" 
(Surah Al-Hijr 15:26-27)

Thus the Jinn were created before man. As for their physical origin, then the Prophet (saws) has confirmed the above verse when he said: "The Angels were created from light and the Jinn from smokeless fire" [1]. It is this description of the Jinn which tells us so much about them. Because they were created from fire, their nature has generally been fiery and thus their relationship with man has been built upon this. Like humans, they too are required to worship Allah and follow Islam. Their purpose in life is exactly the same as ours, as Allah says:

"I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me" 
(Surah Ad-Dhariyat 51:56)

Jinns can thus be Muslims or non-Muslims. However, due to their fiery nature the majority of them are non-Muslims. All these non-Muslim Jinns form a part of the army of the most famous Jinn, Iblis- the Shaytan[2]. Consequently, these disbelieving Jinns are also called Shaytans (devils). As for the Jinns who become Muslims, then the first of them did so in the time of the Prophet (saws) when a group of them were amazed by the recitation of the Qur'an. Allah orders the Prophet to tell the people of this event:

"Say (O' Muhammed): It has been revealed to me that a group of Jinn listened and said; 'Indeed we have heard a marvellous Qur'an. It guides unto righteousness so we have believed in it, and we will never make partners with our lord'"
(Surah Al-Jinn 72:1-2)

In many aspects of their world, the Jinn are very similar to us. They eat and drink, they marry, have children and they die. The life span however, is far greater then ours. Like us, they will also be subject to a Final Reckoning by Allah the Most High. They will be present with mankind on the Day of Judgement and will either go to Paradise or Hell.

Abilities

That which clearly distinguishes the Jinn from mankind, are their powers and abilities. Allah has given them these powers as a test for them. If they oppress others with them, then they will be held accountable. By knowing of their powers, we can often make sense of much of the mysteries which go on around us. One of the powers of the Jinn, is that they are able to take on any physical form they like. Thus, they can appear as humans, animals trees and anything else. Over the last few years the interest in the subject of aliens and UFO's has become heightened. Programmes such as the X-files and the Outer limits have increased the popularity of the theory that aliens exist. Thousands of people have sighted strange looking creatures all over the world. These sightings however, have still not proven substantially that aliens exist. Rather - and it seems more plausible all the sightings of such creatures were just Jinns parading in different forms. So the next time you see something that looks like E.T, its most probably just a wicked Jinn trying to scare and confuse you!

The ability to possess and take over the minds and bodies of other creatures is also a power which the Jinn have utilised greatly over the centuries. This however, is something which has been prohibited to them as it is a great oppression to possess another being. Human possession is something which has always brought about great attention. But the true knowledge of this subject is rare amongst the people. Over the last 3 decades the subject of possession has become very commercialised. During the 70's films such as The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby were used to educate people about possession. However, because such institutions (the film industry) were heavily influenced by Christianity, knowledge of the subject was non-existent. Rather then educate people about Jinn possession, films such as The Exorcist just tended to scare the living daylights out of us![3] Only through Islam can we understand such a phenomena. We know as Muslims, that Jinns possess people for many reasons. Sometimes it is because the Jinn or its family has been hurt accidentally. It could be because the Jinn has fallen in love with the person. However, most of the time possession occurs because the Jinn is simply malicious and wicked. For this reason we have been told by the Prophet (saws) not to loiter in those places where the Jinns reside, e.g. graveyards, ruins, deserts, market places etc. We have also been commanded to recite the Qur'an frequently in our houses as the Prophet (saws) said: "Indeed, the shaytan flees from the house in which Surah Al-Baqarah (the 2nd chapter of the Qur'an) is recited" [4].

If a person does become possessed, then the name of Allah has to be used in expelling the Jinn. If we look at the practice of the Prophet and his companions, we find many duas (supplications) to exorcise the Jinn. All these duas invoke Allah to help the possessed person. How contrary this is to many modern-day exorcists. Many exorcists, Muslim and non-Muslim, often invoke the names of others besides Allah to exorcise the Jinn[5]. When the Jinn does leave, these people believe that their way was successful. However, this is a ploy of the Jinn, as it knows that if it obeys the exorcist, then it has succeeded in making him worship others besides Allah i.e. commit shirk. The Jinn often returns when the exorcist leaves, as it knows that nothing except the words of Allah can stop it from oppressing others.

It is not only humans which are possessed, but also animals, trees and other objects. By doing this, the evil Jinn hope to make people worship others besides Allah. The possession of idols is one way to do this. Not so long ago the world-wide phenomenon of Hindu idols drinking milk, shocked the world. From Bombay to London, Delhi to California, countless idols were lapping up milk. Ganesh[6] the elephant god, Hanuman the monkey god and even Shiva lingam, the male private organ(!), all seemed to guzzle down the milk as if there was no tomorrow! Unfortunately people were taken in by this (including Muslims) and many flocked to feed (?) the Hindu gods. Anyone who knows about Jinn possession, will undoubtedly know that this is a classic attempt to make people commit shirk. And it worked, as many people started to worship these lifeless pieces of wood and marble. Anyone with half a brain would say to themselves, 'why on earth does a god need to be fed?!! Surely if Ganesh, Hanuman or Shiva were divine then they wouldn't need feeding?' However, such common sense seemed to be lacking as the Jinns played havoc with these gullible people.

The Occult

Through their powers of flying and invisibility, the Jinn are the chief component in occult activities. Voodoo, Black magic, Poltergeists, Witchcraft and Mediums can all be explained through the world of the Jinn. Likewise, so can the illusions and feats of magicians. Because the Jinn can traverse huge distances over a matter of seconds, their value to magicians is great. In return for helping them in their magic, the Jinns often ask for the magicians to sell their souls to them and even to Iblis. Thus the magicians take the Jinn and Iblis as lords besides Allah. In our day, some of the feats performed by magicians and entertainers are without doubt from the assistance of the Jinn.

One of the most frequent activities associated with the Jinn, is fortune telling. Before the advent of the Prophet (saws) fortune-tellers and soothsayers were wide spread. These people would use their associates from the Jinn to find out about the future. The Jinns would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the Angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the Future which they heard from Allah. The Jinns would then inform the fortune-tellers. This is why before the time of the Prophet (saws) many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions. However, upon the Prophet's arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the Angels, and any Jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars):

"And We have guarded it (the heavens) from every accursed devil, except one who is able to snatch a hearing and he is pursued by a brightly burning flame"
(Surah Al-Hijr 15:18)

The Prophet (saws) also said: "They (the Jinn) would pass the information back down until it reaches the lips of a magician or forrtune-teller Sometimes a meteor would overtake them before they could pass it on. If they passed it on before being struck, they would add to it a hundred lies" [9]. Thus, it is clear from this as to how fortune-tellers get predictions of the future right. It is also evident as to why they get so many wrong. Men like Nostradamus[10] are an example, as some of his predictions of the future were correct whilst many were completely wrong. Unfortunately, the amount of fortune telling which occurs amongst the Muslims is also increasing. By visiting Muslim lands such as Morocco, one is able to see as to how much inter Jinn-fortune-teller activity there really is. If you look up at the sky on a clear night in Morocco, you will see the heavens ablaze with shooting stars! A clear display of the devils being chased away from the heavens.

Fortune-tellers also operate through the Qareen. The Qareen is the Jinn companion which is assigned to every human being. It is this Jinn which whispers to our base desires and constantly tries to divert us from righteousness. The Prophet (saws) said:"Everyone of you has been assigned a companion from the Jinn. The companions asked: Even you O' Messenger of Allah? And the Prophet replied: Even me, except that Allah has helped me against him and he has submitted. Now he only tells me to do good" [11]. Because the Qareen is with a person all his life, it knows all that has happened to the person from the cradle to the grave. By making contact with the Qareen, the fortune-teller is thus able to make out that it is he who knows about the person. He looks in his crystal ball or the palm of a person and proceeds to amaze him with knowledge which no one else knows[12]. The severity of going to a fortune-teller is such that the Prophet (saws) said: "The prayer of one who approaches a fortune-teller and asks him about anything, will not be accepted for forty days or nights" [13] and: "Whosoever approaches a fortune-teller and believes in what he says, has disbelieved in what was revealed to Muhammed" [14]

The effects of the Jinn are not just limited to fortune-tellers. Other activities such as oujia boards and seances, which are used to contact the dead, are manipulated by the Jinn. 'Are you there Charlie? Speak to us Charlie!!' are the sort of words spoken by anxious relatives (names are obviously different!) seeking to make contact with their loved ones. And it is when the Jinn starts to talk and communicate as 'Charlie', that the people are truly fooled[15].

One of the biggest manipulations of the Jinn is through visions. Through these visions the Jinns are more likely to lead people away from the worship of Allah then any other way. When a person sees a vision in front of his eyes it is something which is very hard to explain away. Only by having knowledge of the world of the Jinn and conviction in Allah, can a person fight such a trial. The countless numbers of visions of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary over the centuries has been a popular choice for the devils. It almost seems as if leading Christians astray is the most easiest trick for the Jinns! Not only are Christians fooled by these visions, but often the Jinns possess and begin to talk from their voices. To the Christians this is known as the tongues of the Angels and thus a proof for their faith. However, the amount of unintelligible nonsense and rubbish which is heard is a clear proof that this is in fact the tongues of the devils! For other people, visions of their parents or relatives are commonplace. By taking on the form of peoples parents, the Jinns can convince people that the souls of dead people still mix with the people of the earth. This is why so many people believe in ghosts.

The onslaught of satanic visions has also hit the Muslims. Many Muslims claim to have seen visions of the Prophet Muhammed (saws) and even Allah! By doing this, Shaytan is able to lead astray the weak Muslims. Through such visions, Muslims are often told that the commands of Islam are not applicable to them. The Jinns tell them that Prayer, Fasting, Hajj etc. are not obligatory for them. It is a great deception and unfortunately one which has been very effective. The extent of satanic visions still continues to this day. The recent death of Diana Princess of Wales sparked off great love and adoration for this woman. In fact the grief of the British people was such, that it was as if Diana was something divine. No sooner had the mourning of Diana reached its peak, that visions of her were already being seen at Hampton Court Palace! If these visions did occur, the desire of Iblis and his army of Jinn to capitalise on this event, was evident. Such visions are clear attempts by Iblis to lead mankind away from the path of Allah [16].

The world of the Jinn is one which is both sinister and intriguing. By knowing of this world we can explain many of the mysteries and issues which bother us. By doing this we can avoid the extremes which the people have gone to; nothing being more extreme then worshipping others besides Allah. By learning the Tawheed of Allah, we defend ourselves from these hidden allies of Iblis:

"Indeed he (Iblis) and his tribe watch you from a position where you cannot see them"
(Surah Al-A'raf 7:27)

Maybe there is a Jinn sitting in the corner of your room right now, or even one behind you. If so, then how will you deal with this creation of Allah? Learn Islam properly and you will be able to deal with all of Allah's creation - and not just the Jinn. By becoming true Muslims and followers of Islam, the fear of Iblis, Jinns and anything else will leave us - nothing will touch the Believer unless Allah wills.

Footnotes

1 Reported by Muslim - Eng. Trans. Vol. 4, p.1540, No.7134
2 It must be remembered that Iblis is a Jinn and not an Angel. The concept of the Devil being a fallen Angel is from Christianity and not Islam.
3 In fact when The Exorcist was first shown on cinema, it was so scary that many people fainted and one even died!
4 Authentic - Reported by Tirmidhee
5 Whilst Christians invoke the name of Jesus, many Muslims invoke the name of pious Muslim saints! The rituals which are conducted by many Muslims are more akin to voodoo then the exorcism practised by the Prophet and his companions!!
6 Ganesh, the elephant headed deity, seemed to be the biggest drinker! In fact it didn't just stop at milk. At the time of these occurrences, a woman in India decided to see if Ganesh would drink anything else - so she offered him whiskey!! And Lo and behold Ganesh drank the Whiskey!!! Suffice to say, the woman was kicked out of India.
7 The ship which was recovered was more then 50 years old. It subsequently caught alight and was conveniently destroyed.
8 Authentic - Reported by Tirmidhee
9 Reported by Bukhari - Eng. Trans. Vol.7, p.439, No.657
10 Michel de Nostradamus was a famous French soothsayer of the 16th century.
11 Reported by Muslim - Eng. Trans. Vol.4, p.1472, No.6757
12 The classic example of how fortune tellers can be wrong is the case of Diana, Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed. Both went to see a fortune teller who told Diana that she would live a long and happy life. A few weeks later, on August 31st 1997, Diana and Dodi Fayed were dead. After this the fortune tellers flew for cover, as their evil art showed its decadence.
13 Reported by Muslim - Eng. Trans. Vol.4, p.1211, No.5540
14 Authentic - Reported by Ahmed
15 Ouija boards are so misleading, that people have even managed to get in touch with the spirit of Jack the Ripper!!
16 An informative book on the world of the Jinn is Ibn Taymeeyah's Essay on the Jinn translated by Abu Ameenah Bilal Phillips.



References :

Invitation to Islam, Issue 4, January 1998

Note this article was edited in April 07 to remove some offensive material that was deeemed unislamic as well

http://www.islamawareness.net/Jinn/itjinn.html

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