Praise be to Allaah.
The jinn are part of the creation of Allaah. He created them from fire before He created Adam, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.
And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire”
[al-Hijr 15:26-27]
Just as Adam had descendents, so Iblees had descendents too, as Allaah says of Iblees (interpretation of the meaning):
“Will you then take him (Iblees) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc)”
[al-Kahf 18:50]
Allaah created the jinn and mankind to worship Him. Whoever obeys Him will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Him will enter Hell:
“And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).
I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provision for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask that they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or My creatures).
Verily, Allaah is the All Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong”
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation]
All of the jinn, like mankind, are accountable. Among them there are believers and kaafirs, those who obey Allaah and those who disobey Him, as Allaah tells us that they said:
“‘There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups having different ways (religious sects)’”
[al-Jinn 72:11 – interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn will be rewarded or punished in the Hereafter just like mankind. Allaah tells us that they said:
“‘And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after listening to this Qur’aan), and of us some are Al-Qaasitoon (disbelievers those who have deviated from the Right Path)’. And whosoever has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting to Allaah), then such have sought the Right Path.’
And as for the Qaasitoon (disbelievers who deviated from the Right Path), they shall be firewood for Hell”
[al-Jinn 72:14-15 – interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn and mankind will all be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection before the Lord of the Worlds. None of them will be able to postpone that or flee from it.
“O assembly of jinn and men! If you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! But you will never be able to pass them, except with authority (from Allaah)!”
[al-Rahmaan 55:33 – interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever among the jinn or mankind tries to flee from the Reckoning will never be able to do so, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“There will be sent against you both, smokeless flames of fire and (molten) brass, and you will not be able to defend yourselves
[al-Rahmaan 55:35]
When the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was in Makkah, a group of the jinn came to him; they heard the Qur’aan and were moved by it:
“And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad) a group (three to ten persons) of the jinn, (quietly) listening to the Qur’aan. When they stood in the presence thereof, they said: “Listen in silence!” And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners”
[al-Ahqaaf 46:29 – interpretation of the meaning]
Some of the jinn believed when they heard the Qur’aan, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinn listened (to this Qur’aan). They said: “Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur’aan)!
It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allaah)”’”
[al-Jinn 72:1-2]
Both Adam and Iblees fell into sin, but Adam regretted it and repented, and Allaah accepted his repentance:
“Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful”
[al-Baqarah 2:37 – interpretation of the meaning]
But Iblees refused and was arrogant, so he was one of the disbelievers:
“And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)”
[al-Baqarah 2:34 – interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever disobeys Allaah out of pride and arrogance, among the jinn and mankind, is following the Shaytaan and will be gathered with him in the Fire of Hell if he does not repent, as Allaah said to Iblees:
“(Allaah) said: ‘The truth is — and the truth I say
That I will fill Hell with you [Iblees (Satan)] and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together’”
[Saad 38:84-85 – interpretation of the meaning]
The friends of the Most Merciful (Allaah), among the jinn and mankind, co-operate in righteousness and piety, and the friends of the Shaytaan, among the jinn and mankind, co-operate in sin and transgression. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies — Shayaateen (devils) among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it; so leave them alone with their fabrications”
[al-An’aam 6:112]
The jinn used to have places near the heavens where they would sit to eavesdrop (on the inhabitants of the heavens), but when Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) they were no longer allowed to do that. Whoever among them tries to listen is burned with a flaming fire, as Allaah tells us that the jinn said:
“ ‘And we have sought to reach the heaven; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires.
And verily, we used to sit there in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush’”
[al-Jinn 72:8-9 – interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn are with us on this earth, but by the mercy of Allaah they see us and we do not see them, as Allaah says of Iblees and his tribe (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, he and Qabeeluhu (his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see them”
[al-A’raaf 7:27]
Whoever can see you when you cannot see him, and he is your enemy, is more dangerous. So you must always beware of him and protect yourself from the devils among the jinn and mankind.
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri.
