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Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
JINN
Ibn Abdul Barr, according to the scholars of language Jinn can be classified into 5 types.
1. Jinni- Those jinn that are purely of themselves. They are sometimes called "genie" in English, but Muslims should stay away fromt his term due to the superstitious connotations.
2. Aamar (plural Amaar)- Jinn that live amongst mankind.
3. Arwaah- Those that antagonize the young.
4. Shaitan (plural Shayateen)- The evil ones that antagonize humans.
5. Afreet- Those that cause even more harm and become strong.
These are just categories to describe them, as we might say that humans are teachers, engineers, housewives, etc.
Questions or comments regarding the topic.
Q. How strong can the jinn get?
A. Insha'Allah let's discover the answer through the discussion and come back to this later in the class.
Q. Is there any such thing as a Muslim jinn?
A. Yes, Insha'Allah. A jinn who submits to Allah's Will.
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 861. Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah. Allah's Messenger (SAW) came out to his companions and recited Surah ar-Rahman (55) from the beginning to the end, but they remained silent. Thereupon he said: I recited this before the Jinn on the night of Jinn, and their response was better that that of yours. When I came to these words: 'Then which of the favours of your Lord do you deny?' They said: Our Lord, there is nothing that we deny of They favour; to Thee is praise due. (Tirmidhi reported and said: This is a gharib hadith)
Also Surah 72:14
Q. Is it possible for a jinn to be in a Muslim home? Why or whynot?
A. Evil jinn can be in a Muslim home that's why we say Bismillah when we enter.
Let's better understand the answer to this question through an example. If I have a neighbor that I don't know can I, as a Muslim, just walk into her house? No. Now, let's say that I'm a Muslim who has had a past problem of stealing. I shouldn't enter the neighbor's house, but that doesn't mean that I never will, uninvited.
Well, Jinn have similar (not exactly the same) rules governing their behavior. They are not supposed to enter a house uninvited, and a Muslim Jinn as well as other jinn would, Insha'Allah obey this rule. However, although we are Muslim we can still invite them into our homes by such things as entering upon mysticism.
Q. Can Jinn tell what you are thinking?
A. Insha'Allah no. This is part of some spooky superstition that they try to fool people with. They basically only know what you give them.
REGARDING HOW STRONG THEY ARE...
Surah 27:39-40. "Ifrit" is the same as the fifth category Afreet. This is an example of their strengths or abilities, such as "jinn speed". This is the ability to travel back and forth in a 'split second', and can even travel toward's the heavens (72:8-9). They were once able to go to the lowest level of heaven and listen, but now a flame stops them. Some may say that these are "powers", but we must never look at it mystically. We should look at the Jinn as 'cousins' or similar but different creation. They have many weaknesses and are simply *different* from us.
CREATED DIFFERENTLY...
Q. What are Jinn created from?
A. Smokeless fire (Surah 15:27)
Q. What is mankind created from?
A. Clay (6:2) (15:26, 28)
AN EXAMPLE OF SUPERSTITIOUS THINKING...
Before the ayah (Surah 72:8-9) were revealed people believed that when they saw a shooting star an important person had died.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 5.206. Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar I never heard 'Umar saying about something that he thought it would be so-and-so, but he was quite right. Once, while 'umar was sitting, a handsome man passed by him, 'Umar said,"If I am not wrong, this person is still on his religion of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance or he was their foreteller. Call the man to me." When the man was called to him, he told him of his thought. The man said," I have never seen such a day on which a Muslim is faced with such an accusation." 'Umar said,"I am determined that you should tell me the truth." He said,"I was a foreteller in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance." Then 'Umar said."Tell me the most astomishing thing your female Jinn has told you of." He said,"One day while I was in the market, she came to me scared and said,'Haven't you seen the Jinns and their despair and they were overthrown after their defeat (and prevented from listening to the news of the heaven) so that they (stopped going to the sky and) kept following camel-riders (i.e. 'Arabs)?'"...
From this hadith we recognize that there are levels of the Heavens that the Jinn used to go to listen to information, and that the Jinn whisper to people.
Muslims must understand that it is important to learn about the Jinn in order to avoid becoming superstitious, and we must NEVER call upon them to help us in any way. If the shaytaan jinn doesn't have power to do things over you, then the Muslim jinn wouldn't either.
REGARDING WEAKNESSES...
Surah 4:76. Al-Israa (17:65) They have no influence over a pious worshipper. Also Saba 20-21 which also has the meaning that Satan has no means of mastery over the pious. Shaytaan recognizes this as seen in Al-Hijr 39-40. His mastery is over humans and jinn who are pleased with his ideas and who are pleased to follow and obey him. See al-Hijr 42.
"His power is only over those who obey and follow him (satan), and those who join partners with Him (Allah)." Al-Mahl (16:100)
SHAYTAAN VS JINN...
We should remember that not all jinn are shayateen anymore than all people are. When people say shaytaan it means Satan, but in English when people use Satan they are often referring to one specific devil. Therefore, shaytaan would best translate as 'devils' or 'demons'. Iblis is the best translation of the English 'Satan' because it is a specific Jinn being referred to, but of course we know the non-muslim and muslim concept of devils and satan are different.
Jinn are sometimes called devils, but this isn't entirely fair. Jinn tend toward doing mischief, while mankind's general tendence is to do Jinn can be troublemakers without being a shaytaan. How? Well, the shayateen reject Islam and are enemies to it. So think of some people who may be violent in nature. This is a characteristic they fight against and at the same time they may be Muslim, as can Jinn. You can simply be a disobedient muslim jinn or muslim human.
Our goal here should be to recognize the jinn as different beings, and some are our Muslim brothers and sisters. So, we should not fear them anymore than we should fear mankind.
Q. Who can see Jinn?
A. Donkeys.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.522. Narrated by Abu Huraira, The Prophet said,"When you hear the browing of cocks, ask for Allah's Blesssings for (their crowing indicates that) they have seen an angel. And when you hear the braying of donkeys, seek refuge with Allah from Satan for (their braying indicates) that they have seen a Satan."
Shayateen are also called Taaghut (4:76) meaning any false object of worship. "Those who believe, fight in the Cause of Allah, and those who disbelieve, fight in the cause of Taghut (satan etc.). So fight you against the friends of Satan; Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Satan." (Al-Nisa 76)
Q. Can a human be a shaytaan?
A. Yes.
Q. Do Jinn die?
A. Everything dies except Allah. Surah 55:25-27. We do not, however, know about their lifespan.
REGARDING SAYING BISMILLAH...
You say Bismillah before you kill something. One reason for this is that is gives the jinn the opportunity to leave before being killed. You should also say Bismillah before pouring boiling water because you could accidently pour it on a jinn who may not be paying attention or sleeping, etc.
The reason for concern is that jinn are prone to overeacting to what they see as offenses, such as you tread in what they see as their space. They are often quick to anger, and can be vengeful. We don't know how they feel, but we know that we can affect them. This is in part of whole due to why we say Bismillah before entering a empty building or a house, as jinn families may have already moved in.
CONCLUSION...
Ayatul Kursi (2:255) is a means of repelling evil jinn. You can hear a recording at
http://www.website2u.com/MOL/audio/2_255.rm
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 2173. Narrated by Jubayr ibn Nufayr Allah's Messenger (SAW) said, "Allah finished Surah al-Baqarah with two verses which I have been given from His treasure which is under the Throne; so learn them and teach them to your womenfolk, for they are a blessing, a means of a approach (to Allah) and a supplication."
Ibn Taimiya, majmu, Vol 19 pg 55 "The numerous people who have experienced these events all confirm the amazing effectiveness of this verse in warding off jinn and breaking their spells. It [editor's note: ayat al-Kursi]has a great effect in repelling devils from humans possessed and from those picked out by jinn, such as wrongdoers, people with bad tempers, those who follow their desires and lusts, musicians and those who become estatic through whistling and clapping. If these verses are read over them with sincerity to Allah, the jinn will leave. It will put an end to the mirages created by jinn. It will also disclose the falseness of those, the brothers of the jinn, who perform miraculous acts. The jinn inspire their devotees with some knowledge that the ignorant think are miracles that Allah grants His pious servants. In fact, they are simply Shaytaan's acts of deception over his devotees, of those whom have earned Allah's wrath and those who have gone astray."
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When you recite Ayatul Kursi we shouldn't do it over and over as if the more we say it the more protection we receive. We should recite it only as many times as it takes for us to say it with sincerity and understanding, and then repeat it if we so choose. Our recitation should be done with trust in Allah SWT and awareness of Qadar(predestination). Not with any type of superstitious belief that something 'magical' will happen on the 99th recitation of dhikr (or any other number).
When you are afraid say, "La ilaha ilAllah". Say it, think it, feel it and believe it.
Jinn who do evil things do so to instill fear, and to eventually lead to the worship and dependence on them.
Subahana kalla humma wa bihamdik. Ash hadu Allah ilaaha illa ant. Astaghfiruka wa atuubu ilaik.
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