The World of the Jinn and Devils

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Alhamdu'Lillaah
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(2) – The jinn get married and multiply

It seems that the jinn get married. Some of the scholars understood this to be the case based on the aayah in which Allah says of the wives of the people of Paradise:

'with whom no man or jinni has had tamth (sexual intercourse) before them.'

(Qur'aan 55: 56)

Tamth in Arabic means sexual intercourse, and it is said that it means sexual intercourse from which bleeding results (i.e., deflowering).

Al-Safaareeni mentioned a hadith whose isnad requires further examination, which says,


"The jinn produce offspring, just as the sons of Adam produce offspring, but they are greater in number."

Whether this hadith is saheeh or not, the aayah clearly states that the jinn engage in sexual intercourse, and this is sufficient evidence for us.

Our Lord has told us that the Shaytaan has offspring. Allah says rebuking those who take the Shaytaan and his offspring as friends:


'Will you then take him ('Iblees) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you?


(Qur'aan 18: 50)

Qataadah said:


"The children of the Shaytaan produce offspring just as the children of Adam produce offspring, but they are greater in number."


(Laqt al-Marjaan, p. 51)
 

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(3) – The claims of some scholars that the jinn do not eat, drink or get married

Some people claim that the jinn do not eat or drink, or get married. This view is proven false by the evidence that we have quoted above from the Qur’aan and Sunnah.

Some of the scholars suggested that the jinn are of different types, some of whom eat and drink and some do not. Wahb ibn Munabbih said:

“The jinn are of different types. The pure jinn are spirits who do not eat, drink, die or produce offspring. And there are other types who do eat, drink, produce offspring, get married and die. These are the female demons, ghouls, and the like.”

This is narrated by Ibn Jareer.

(Lawaami’ al-Anwaar, 2/222)

What Wahb mentioned requires evidence, but there is no evidence.

Some of the scholars have tried to discuss how the jinn eat, whether that involves chewing and swallowing, or sniffing and inhaling. Discussing such matters is wrong and is not permissible, because we have no knowledge of how they do that, and Allah and His Messenger :saw: have not told us anything about that.
 

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(4) – Marriage between humans and jinn

(If you want to know more about this topic, see Aakaam al-Marjaan,. p. 66)

We still hear that so and so among mankind has married a female jinni, or that a woman from among mankind has married a male jinni. Al-Suyooti mentioned reports from the salaf and the scholars which indicate that marriages between humans and jinn may take place.

(Laqt al-Marjaan, p. 53.).

Ibn Taymiyah says:


"Humans and jinn may get married and may produce children; this happens often and is well known."


(Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 19/39)


Assuming that this could happen, a number of scholars ruled it to be makrooh, such as Al-Hasan, Qataadah, Al-Hakam and Ishaaq. Imaam Maalik (rahimahullaah) did not find any evidence to forbid marriage with the jinn, but he did not approve of the idea, and he gave his reason for that as follows:
"I fear that this may lead to a situation where if a woman is found to be pregnant and is asked,

'Who is your husband?'


- she may reply,

'He is from among the jinn.'

This would cause much mischief."


(Aakaam al-Marjaan, p. 67)

Some people thought that this is not permissible, and they quoted as evidence the fact that Allah has blessed His slaves among mankind by giving them spouses of their own kind:


And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy.

(Qur'aan 30: 21)


Even if such a marriage happened, it would impossible to achieve love and harmony between them, because they are of different types, so the reason for marriage is not there, because they cannot attain the repose and love referred to in the aayah.

Whatever the case, this is something which some people claim happens now and has happened in the past. If it does happen, then it is an aberration. It is very rare that one who does this would ask about the shar’i ruling concerning that, for the one who does that may be forced to do so and may not be able to get out of that situation.

Another indication that it is possible for there to be marriages between humans and jinn is the aayah in which Allah says of al-hoor al-‘iyn in Paradise:

...with whom no man or jinni has had tamth (sexual relations) before them.

(Qur’aan, 55: 56)

This aayah indicates that they are suited equally for humans and jinn.
 

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(5) – The lifespan and death of the jinn

Undoubtedly the jinn – including the devils – will die, because they are included in the aayah,

Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish.

And the Face of Your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever.

Then which of the Blessings of Your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny?

(Qur’aan, 55: 26-28)

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet :saw: used to say:

“A’oodhu bi ‘izzatika alladhi laa ilaaha illa anta, alladhi laa yamoot, wa’l-jinn wa’l-ins yamootoon

I seek refuge in Your Glory, for there is no god except You, Who does not die, but men and jinn will die).’”

(Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 4/1906, no. 2451)

With regard to how long their lives are, we do not know, apart from what Allah has told us about the accursed Iblees, who will remain alive until the Hour begins:

(Iblees) said: ‘Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up (i.e., the Day of Resurrection).’

(Allah) said: ‘You are of those respited.’

(Qur’aan, 7: 14-15)


But with regard to other jinn, we do not know how long their lives are, but they live longer than humans do.

What indicates that they may die is that fact that Khaalid ibn al-Waleed killed the female devil of Al-‘Uzza (the tree which was worshipped by the Arabs), and that a Sahaabi killed the jinn which appeared in the form of a snake, as will be explained in detail below.
 

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(6) – The dwelling-places, gatherings and haunts of the jinn

The jinn inhibit the same earth on which we live, and they tend to gather in greater numbers in ruins and deserted places, and in dirty places such as bathrooms, privies, garbage dumps and graveyards. Hence – as Ibn Taymiyyah says – many of the “shaykhs” who are accompanied by the devils dwell in many of these places.

There are ahaadeeth which forbid praying in bathrooms because of the impurity (najaasah) in such places, and because they are the abode of the devils, and in graveyards because that is a means that leads to shirk.
They often gather in places where they can cause mischief, such as marketplaces. Salmaan advised some of his companions,

“Do not, if possible, be the first person to enter the marketplace, or the last one to leave, because it is the battle-ground of the devils, and in it he sets up his banner.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 4/1906, no. 2451)

The devils stay in the houses in which people live, but they may be expelled by saying Bismillaah, remembering Allah (dhikr) and reciting Qur’aan, especially Soorat al-Baqarah, including Aayat al-Kursi. The Messenger :saw: mentioned that the devils spread out and increase when darkness falls, hence he commanded us to keep our children inside at dusk.

This is a hadith which is agreed upon by Bukhaari and Muslim.

The devils flee from the adhaan, and in Ramadaan the devils are chained up.

The devils love to sit between the shade and the sun, hence the Messenger :saw: forbade sitting there. This is a saheeh hadith narrated in Al-Sunan and elsewhere.
 

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7 – The animals and vehicles of the jinn

According to the hadith of Ibn Mas’ood in Saheeh Muslim, the jinn asked the Messenger :saw: for provision and he said,

“You will have every bone over which the name of Allah has been mentioned; when it falls into your hands it will have plenty of meat on it.

And all droppings are food for your animals.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 3/332, no. 450)

So he told us that they have animals, and that the food of their animals is the dung of the animals of mankind.

Our Lord has told us that the Shaytaan has a cavalry with which he makes assaults on his enemies among the sons of Adam.

Allah says:

And befool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice (i.e. songs, music, and any other call for Allahs disobedience), make assaults on them with your cavalry and your infantry.

(Qur’aan, 17: 64)
 

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Animals which are accompanied by the devils

Among these animals is the camel. The Messenger :saw: said:

“The camel was created from the devils and behind every camel there is a devil.”

Narrated by Sa’eed ibn Mansoor in his Sunan with a hasan mursal isnaad.

(Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2/52)

For this reason the Messenger :saw: forbade praying in the places where camels sit. It is narrated from Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib that the Messenger :saw: said:

“Do not pray in the places where camels sit, for they are from the devils; but pray in the sheep pens, for they are a blessing.”

(Narrated by Abu Dawood. See Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 1/37, no. 169)

It is narrated that ‘Abd-Allah ibn Maghfil said:

“The Messenger of Allah :saw: said:

‘Pray in the sheep pens, and do not pray in the places where camels sit, for they were created from the devils.”

(Saheeh Sunan ibn Maajah, 1/128, no. 623)

These ahaadeeth serve to refute those who say that the reason why we are told not to pray where camels sit is because their urine and dung are najis (impure). The correct view is that the dung and urine of animals whose meat may be eaten is not najis.

Abu’l-Wafaa’ ibn ‘Aqeel wondered about the meaning of the Prophet’s words,

“The black dog is a devil,”

- when it is known that it was born from another dog and that “The camel was created from the devils” even though it was born from another camel.

The answer is that this is by way of likening these animals to devils, because the black dog is the worst and least useful of dogs, and the camel resembles the jinn in its difficult and aggressive nature, just as it may be said: “So and so is a devil” if he is difficult and evil.

(Aakaam al-Marjaan, p. 22; Laqt al-Marjaan, p. 42)

The view of Ibn ‘Aqeel is supported by the fact that living beings in our world are created from water, as Allah says:

And We have made from water every living thing.

(Qur’aan, 21: 30)

- whereas the devils were created from fire.
 

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8 – The abilities and weaknesses of the jinn


(1) The abilities that Allah has given them

Allah has given the jinn abilities which He has not given to humans, and Allah has told us about some of their abilities, which include
 

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(i) The ability to move quickly from one place to another

An ‘ifreet from among the jinn made a promise to the Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan to bring the throne of the queen of Yemen to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) in a period no longer than it took a man to rise from his seat. The one who had knowledge of the book said, I will bring it to you in the twinkling of an eye:

An ‘Ifreet (strong one) from the jinn said: "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place (council). And Verily, I am indeed strong, and trustworthy for such work."

One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: "I will bring it to You within the twinkling of an eye!" Then when he (Sulaymaan) (Solomon) saw it placed before him, he said: ‘This is by the Grace of my Lord.’

(Qur’aan, 27: 39-40)
 

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(ii) They reached space before man did

In the ancient past, the jinn used to ascend to places high up in the heavens, where they would try to eavesdrop on the news of heaven and find out about events before they happened. When the Messenger :saw: was sent, the protection of the heavens was increased:

‘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.’

(Qur’aan, 72: 8-9)

The Messenger :saw: explained how they try to eavesdrop. It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet :saw: told:

“When Allah decrees a matter in heaven, the angels beat their wings in submission to what He says, (with a sound) like a chain beating on a rock. Then when fear is banished from their (angels’) heats, they (angels) say:

‘What is it that your Lord has said?’

They say:

‘The truth. And He is the Most High, the Most Great’ (cf. 34: 23)
So those who are trying to eavesdrop hear it, and those who are trying to eavesdrop are standing one above the other.” – Sufyaan described that by holding his hand upright with the fingers spread apart. – “So he (the listener) hears a word and passes it on to the one who is beneath him, who passes it on in turn, until it reaches the lips of the sorcerer or soothsayer. Sometimes the flaming fire will hit him before he passes it on and sometimes he will pass it on before he is hit, and he tells one hundred lies along with it. Then it is said,

‘Did he not tell us on such and such a day that such and such (would happen)?’

So he is believed for that one word which was heard from heaven.”

(Narrated by Bukhaari in his Saheeh, 8/538, no. 4800)
 

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The myths of the jaahilliyyah

The reason why the flaming fire is thrown from heaven was to put an end to the myths which had been handed down amongst the people of the jaahiliyyah. It is narrated that ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Abbaas said:

“A man from among the Companions of the Prophet :saw:, the Ansaar, told me that whilst they were sitting one night with the Messenger of Allah :saw:, a shooting star fell, giving a lot of light.

The Messenger :saw: said to them,

“What did you use to say during the jaahiliyyah when such a thing happened?

They said,

“Allah and His Messenger know best. We used to say that a great man has been born this night, and a great man has died.”

The Messenger of Allah :saw: said,

“This does not happen because of the birth or death of anyone. But our Lord – blessed and exalted be His name – when He decrees a matter, the bearers of the Throne glorify Him, then the people of the heavens, one below the other, glorify Him, until the tasbeeh reaches the people of this heaven, the first heaven.

Then those who are closest to the bearers of the Throne say to the Bearers of the Throne,

‘What did your Lord say?’

They tell them what He said. Then the people of the heavens ask one another, until the news reaches this heaven, the lowest heaven. Then the jinn try to listen, and they throw it down to their friends, and what they bring in this manner is true, but they add a great deal of lies to it.”

(Narrated by Bukhaari, 6/338, no. 3288)

They may also eavesdrop in a manner that is easier for them than this, which is when the devils listen to the angels who come down to the clouds with the new decrees of their Lord. It is narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet :saw: said:

“The angels speak in the clouds about things that will happen on earth. The devils listen to what is said, then they drop that into the ear of the fortune-teller like dropping something into a bottle, and they add a hundred lies to it.”
 

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(iii) Their knowledge of building and handicrafts

Allah has told us that He subjugated the jinn to His Prophet Sulaymaan, and they used to do a great deal of work for him that required strength, intelligence and skill:

And there were jinn that worked In front of him, by the leave of his Lord, and Whosoever of them turned aside from Our Command, we shall Cause Him to taste of the torment of the blazing Fire.

They worked for Him what He desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places).

(Qur’aan, 34: 12-13)

Perhaps long ago they made discoveries like radio and television. Ibn Taymiyah (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/309) mentioned that one of the “shaykhs” who was in contact with the jinn told him that “the jinn had shown him something shining like water and glass, and they showed him in it the things about which he asked for information. He said,

“So I tell the people about that, and it conveys to me the words of whoever among my companions seeks help through me, and I respond to him, and they convey my response to him.”
 

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(iv) The ability to change shape

The jinn have the ability to take on the form of humans or animals. The Shaytaan came to the mushrikeen on the day of Badr in the form of Suraaqah ibn Maalik, and he promised victory to the mushrikeen. Concerning this the following aayah was revealed:

And (remember) when Shaytaan (Satan) made their (evil) deeds seem fair to them and said, ‘No one of mankind can overcome you this day (of the battle of Badr) and verily, I am your neighbour (for each and every help).

(Qur’aan, 8: 48)

But when the two armies met, and the angels came down from heaven to help, he turned and fled:

But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he ran away and said “Verily, I have nothing to do with you. Verily, I see what you see not. Verily, I fear Allah.”

(Qur’aan, 8: 48)

Abu Hurayrah told an amazing story which is narrated by Bukhaari and others. Abu Hurayrah said:

“The Messenger of Allah appointed me to guard the zakaah of Ramadaan. Then someone came to me and started taking handfuls of food. I took hold of him and said,

‘By Allah, I will take you to the Messenger of Allah :saw:.’

He said,

‘I am in need, and I have children, and I am in urgent need.’

So I let him go. In the morning, the Prophet :saw: asked:

‘O’ Abu Hurayrah, what did your prisoner do last night?’

I said,

‘O Messenger of Allah, he complained of being in urgent need and said that he had children, so I took pity on him and let him go.’

He said,

‘But he is a liar and he will come back.’

I knew that he would come back because the Prophet :saw: had said,

‘He will come back.’

So I lay in wait for him, and he came and started taking handfuls of the food. I took hold of him and said,

‘I will take you to the Messenger of Allah :saw:.’

He said,

‘Leave me alone, for I am in need and I have children. I will not come back.’

So I took pity on him and let him go. In the morning, the Messenger of Allah :saw: asked me,

‘What did your prisoner do?’

I said,

‘O’ Messenger of Allah, he complained of being in urgent need and said that he had children, so I took pity on him and let him go on his way.’

He said,

‘But he is a liar and he will come back.’

So I lay in wait for him the third night, and he started taking handfuls of the food. I took hold of him and said:

‘I will take you to the Messenger of Allah :saw:. This is the third and last time. You say that you won’t come back, then you come back.’

He said,

‘Let me go, and I will teach you some words by which Allah will benefit
you.’

I said,

‘What are they?’

He said:

‘When you go to bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy, Allah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) (Qur’aan, 2: 255) until you reach the end of the aayah. You will continue to have protection from Allah, and no devil will come near you until morning.’ Then I let him go.

The Messenger of Allah :saw: asked me,

‘What did your prisoner do last night?’

I said,

‘O Messenger of Allah, he claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah would benefit me, then I let him go.’

He said,

‘What were they’


I said,


‘He told me:

“When you go to bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy from the beginning to the end, Allah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists) (Qur’aan, 2: 255).”

And he told me,

“You will continue to have protection from Allah, and no devil will come near you until morning.’”

They (the sahaabah) were always keen to do good things. The Prophet said:

“He told you the truth even though he is a liar. Do you know with whom you have been speaking for the last three nights, O’ Abu Hurayrah?’

I said,

‘No.’


He said,

‘That was a devil.’”

(Bukhaari, 4/486, no. 2311, Some of the scholars narrated that the hadith is munqati’, because ‘Uthmaan ibn al-Haytham did not state clearly that he heard it from his shaykh. But the hadith was described as being mawsool by An-Nasaa’i and others. See Fath al-Baari, 4/488)

This devil may appear in the form of a man, or he may appear in the form of an animal: a camel, donkey, cow, dog, or cat and or snake. The form most frequently taken is that of a black dog or cat. The Messenger :saw: said that if a black dog passes in front of one, this invalidates one’s prayer, and the reason he gave for that was that “the black dog is a devil.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 1/365, no. 510)

Ibn Taymiyah said:

“The black dog is the devil of dogs, and the jinn often appear in this form, or in the form of a black cat, because black concentrates more devilish strength in it that other (colours), and it holds the power of heat.”
 

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(v)The Shaytaan flows through the children of Adam like blood flows through his veins

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari and Saheeh Muslim it is narrated that Anas (radhiyAllaahu anh) said:

“The Messenger of Allah :saw: said:

‘The Shaytaan flows through the children of Adam like blood.”

(Bukhaari, 13/159, no. 7171; Muslim, 4/1712, no. 2175)

It is narrated in As-Saheehayn (Bukhaari and Muslim) that Safiyyah bint Huyay, the wife of the Prophet, said:

“The Messenger of Allah :saw: was in i’tikaaf, and I came to visit him at night. I spoke to him, then I got up to leave. He got up to go with me and take me home.”

Her home was in the neighbourhood of Usaamah ibn Zayd (radhiyAllaahu anh). Two men of the Ansaar passed by, and when they saw the Prophet :saw: they hastened on. The Prophet :saw: said:


“Wait a minute, she is Safiyyah bin Huyay.”

They said,

“SubhaanAllaah, O’ Messenger of Allah!”

He said,

“The Shaytaan flows through man like his blood, and I was afraid that he may instil evil thoughts in your hearts.”

Or he said, instil something...”

(Narrated by Bukhaari, 6/336, no. 3281)
 

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(2) Aspects of the weakness of the jinn

Like mankind, the jinn and devils have both strengths and weaknesses.

Allah says:

Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan (Satan).

(Qur’aan, 4: 76)

We will discuss some of the aspects of which Allah and His Messenger have told us.
 

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(i) They have no authority over the righteous slaves of Allah

Allah has not given the Shaytaan any power to force people towards misguidance and kufr:

"Verily! My slaves (i.e the true believers of Islâmic Monotheism), You have no authority over them. and All-Sufficient is Your Lord as a Guardian."

(Qur’aan, 17: 65)

And he (Iblees *! Satan) had no authority over them, except that We might test him, who believes In the Hereafter from Him who is In doubt about it.

(Qur’aan, 34: 21)

What this means is that the Shaytaan has no means of gaining power over them, not by means of proof, or of force. The Shaytaan knows this fact:

[Iblees (Satan)] said: "O My Lord! because You misled Me, I shall indeed adorn the Path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead them all.

"Except Your chosen, (guided) slaves among them."

(Qur’aan, 15: 39-40)

But he is able to gain control of those people who accept his ideas and who follow him willingly:

"Certainly, You shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who follow You of the Ghaawoon (Mushrikûn and those who Go astray, criminals, polytheists, and evil-doers, etc.).

(Qur’aan, 15: 42)

On the Day of Resurrection, the Shaytaan will say to his followers whom he misguided and led to their doom:

‘I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me.’

(Qur’aan, 14: 22)


In another aayah:

His power is only over those who obey and follow him (Satan), and those who join partners with Him (Allah, i.e. those who are Mushrikoon, i.e.,
polytheists).

(Qur’aan, 16: 100)

The power which the Shaytaan has been given over them is the power to deceive, misguide and wield full control over them, so that he pushes them to commit kufr and shirk and he forces them and does not let them leave him, as Allah says:

See you not that We have sent the Shayaateen (devils) against the disbelievers to push them to do evil.

(Qur’aan, 19: 83)

The Shaytaan has no evidence or proof for his power over his friends; rather it is simply the matter of their having responded to his call to them, because it suited their whims and desires and their aims. So they are the ones who have helped him against themselves and enabled their enemy to gain power over them by agreeing with him and following him. When they gave in to him willingly and gave him control over themselves, he was given power over them as a punishment to them. Allah does not give the Shaytaan any authority over a person until the person himself opens the way by obeying him and associating him with Allah. Then Allah gives him authority and power over him.
 

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He is given power over the believers because of their sins

In the hadith it says:

“Allah is with the qaadi (judge) so long as he is not unfair. If he judges unfairly, then He forsakes him and lets the Shaytaan be with him.”

This is narrated by Al-Haakim and Al-Bayhaqi with a hasan isnaad.

(Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2/130)

Abu’l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi (radhiyAllaahu anh) narrated an amazing story from Al-Hasan al-Basri (rahimahullaah). Regardless of how sound it is, it depicts how man is able to defeat the Shaytaan if he is sincere in his devotion towards Allah, and how the Shaytaan overpowers man if he goes astray and sins.

Al-Hasan said: There was a tree which was worshipped instead of Allah. A man came to it and said, I will surely cut this tree down. He came to cut it down, out of anger for the sake of Allah. Iblees came to him in the form of a man and said, What do you want? He said, I want to cut down this tree which is worshipped instead of Allah. He said, if you do not worship it, what harm do those who worship it to you? He said, I will certainly cut it down.

The Shaytaan said to him: Shall I tell you about something that is better for you? Do not cut it down, and you will find two dinars (gold coins) by your pillow every morning. He said, Who is going to give me that? He said, I will give it to you. So he went back, and the next morning he found two dinars by his pillow, but the following morning he did not find anything. He got up angry and went to cut down (the tree). The Shaytaan appeared to him in the same form and said, What do you want? He said, “I want to cut down this tree which is being worshipped instead of Allah. He said, You are lying; there is no way that you can do that.

He went to cut it down, and the Shaytaan threw him to the ground and started strangling him until he almost killed him. He said, Do you know who I am? I am the Shaytaan. The first time you came it was because you were angry for the sake of Allah, and I had no means against you. But when I deceived you with the two dinars, you left the tree alone. When you came back because you were angry about the dinars, I was able to gain power over you.

(Talbees Iblees, 43)

Allah has told us in His Book about a person to whom Allah showed His Signs, and he learned them and understood them, then he forsook all of that, so Allah gave the Shaytaan power over him and he tricked him and misled him, so he became a lesson for others and a story to be told:

And recite (O Muhammad :saw: ) to them the story of him to whom we gave Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), but he threw them away, so Shaytaan (Satan) followed him up, and he became of those who went astray.

And had we willed, we would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. so his description is the description of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. such is the description of the people who reject Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). so relate the stories, Perhaps they may reflect.

(Qur’aan, 7: 175-176)

Its clear that this is the likeness of those who know the truth but reject it, like the Jews who know that Muhammad was sent by his Lord, but they
disbelieved in him.

But with regard to whom Allah was referring to here, some of the scholars said that it was Bal’aam ibn Baa’ooraa, who was righteous but then he became a kaafir. And it is said that it referred to Umayyah ibn Abi’l-Salt, who was one of the prominent religious leaders of the jaailiyyah; he was a contemporary of the Messenger :saw: but he did not believe in him because of destructive envy (hasad). He had hoped that he would be the Prophet who was to be sent. We have no definitive text to tell us with certainty who was referred to in the aayah.

This type of people (the one who was shown the signs of Allah then disbelieved) is a dangerous type, who somewhat resembles the Shaytaan, because the Shaytaan disbelieved after knowing the truth. The Messenger :saw: feared this type for his ummah. Al-Haafiz Abu Ya’la narrated that Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan said:

“The Messenger of Allah :saw: said:

‘What I fear the most for you is a man who reads the Qur’aan until its beauty appears on his face and his cloak is Islam; he continues in this manner until Allah wills that he should shed that cloak and cast it behind him. Then he goes to his neighbour wielding a sword and accuses him of shirk.’

I said,

‘O’ Messenger of Allah, which of them is more deserving of being put to the sword, the accuser or the accused?’

He said,

‘The accuser.’”

Ibn Katheer said: this is a jayyid isnaad.

(See Tafseer ibn Katheer, 3/252)
 

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Alhamdu'Lillaah
Staff member
(ii) How the Shaytaan fears some of the slaves of Allah and flees from them

When a person grows strong in his Islam and faith becomes deeply entrenched in his heart, and he observes the limits set by Allah, then the Shaytaan becomes afraid of him and runs away from him, as the Messenger :saw: said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab: “The Shaytaan is certainly afraid of you, O’ Umar.” (Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 3/206, no. 2913)

He also said,

“I can see the devils among the jinn and mankind running away from ‘Umar.”

(Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhi, 3/206, no. 2914)

In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is narrated from Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas (radhiyAllaahu anh) that the Messenger of Allah :saw: said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (radhiyAllaahu anh):

“By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no devil sees you walking along a path but he takes a different path.”

(Narrated by Bukhaari, 6/339, no. 3294)

This did not apply exclusively to ‘Umar. Whoever is strong in his faith can defeat his Shaytaan and to humiliate him, as it says in the hadith:

“The believer can seize the forelock of his devil as one of you seizes the forelock of his camel whilst travelling.”

This is narrated by Ahmad. Ibn Katheer (Al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah, 1/73) said, after quoting this hadith,

“What is meant by seizing his forelock is defeating him and overwhelming him, as one does with a camel when it runs away then you seize it and overpower it.”

Matters may reach the extent that the Muslim is able to influence his qareen (jinn-companion) and make him become Muslim. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh that Ibn Mas’ood said:

“The Messenger of Allah :saw: said,

‘There is no one among you who does not have a companion from among the jinn and a companion from among the angels assigned to him.’

They said,

‘And you, O’ Messenger of Allah?

He said,

‘And me, but Allah helped me against him and he became Muslim, so he does not tell me to do anything but good.”

(Narrated by Muslim, 4/2167, no. 2814)
 

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Alhamdu'Lillaah
Staff member
Lies told by the Jews about the Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan

The Jews and their followers who use the services of the jinn by means of sihr (witchcraft) say that the Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan used to use the services of the jinn by the same means. More than one of the scholars of the salaf mentioned that when Sulaymaan died, the devils wrote books of witchcraft and kufr, and put them under his throne and said, Sulaymaan used to use services of the jinn by means of these. Some of the Jews said that if it were not right and permissible, then Sulaymaan would not have used it. Then Allah revealed the words:

And when there came to them a Messenger from Allah (i.e., Muhammad :saw:) confirming what was with them, a party of those who were given the Scirpture threw away the Book of Allah behind their backs as if they did not know!

(Qur’aan, 2: 101)

Then He explained that they were following what the devils had given out falsely at the time of King Sulaymaan, and He declared Sulaymaan to be innocent of witchcraft and kufr:

They followed what the shayaateen (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaymaan (Solomon). Sulaymaan did not disbelieve, but the shayaateen (devils) disbelieved.

(Qur’aan, 2: 102)
 

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Alhamdu'Lillaah
Staff member
(iv) Their inability to produce miracles

The jinn are unable to produce miracles like the miracles brought by the Messengers to prove the truth of the message that they brought.
When some of the kuffaar claimed that the Qur’aan was the work of the devils, Allah said:

And it is not the shayaateen (devils) who have brought it (this Qur’aan) down.

Neither would it suit them nor they can (produce it).

Verily, they have been removed far from hearing it.

(Qur’aan, 26: 210-212)

Allah challenges men and jinn alike with the Qur’aan:

Say: ‘If the mankind and the jinn were together to produce the like of this Qur’aan, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they helped one another.’

(Qur’aan, 17: 88)
 
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