What Is Jinn?

IQNA – Jinn is one of creatures of God that is made from fire with its status being lower than that of human beings.

News ID: 3486691

Date: 06 January 2024 - 08:58

Jinns are not visible to the human eyes. They, like humans, have Takleef (obligations) and will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment.

That God ordered Iblis, who was a jinn, to prostrate before Adam (AS), is a reason that humans are superior to jinn.

In the Quran, different characteristics are mentioned for jinn, including the following:

1- It is a being made from fire:

“…and He created the jinn from smokeless fire.” (Verse 15 of Surah Ar-Rahman)

2- Some of them are believers and some are Kafir (unbelievers):

“As for us, some of us are righteous and others are not. We have all followed different ways.” (Verse 11 of Surah Al-Jinn)

3- They have a resurrection:

“However, the deviators from the Truth will be the fuel for hell.” (Verse 15 of Surah Al-Jinn)

4- They used to have knowledge of the unseen but it was later taken away from them:

“We used to sit near by and try to listen to the heavens, but shooting flames now await those who try to do that.” (Verse 9 of Surah Al-Jinn)

5- They made contacts with some humans and with their limited knowledge of some secrets, led them astray:

“Certain human beings sought refuge with certain jinn and this increased the rebelliousness of those jinn.” (Verse 6 of Surah Al-Jinn)

6- Some of them had special powers:

“An efreet (an extremely strong Jinn) among the Jinn replied: ‘I will bring it to you before you rise from your place; I have the strength and am trustworthy.’” (Verse 39 of Surah An-Naml)

7- They have the power to do some things for humans:

“To Solomon the morning course of the wind was a month's journey, and its evening course was also a month's journey. We caused copper to be (as a) molten spring for him. And the jinn, some served him by the permission of his Lord. But as for those amongst them that swerved away from Our Command, We shall let them taste the punishment of the Blaze (the Fire). They made for him whatever he wanted, arches, statues, bowls as basins, and fixed cauldrons. (We said:) ‘Give thanks, House of David and work.’ Yet only a few of My worshipers are thankful.” (Verses 12-13 of Surah Saba)

8- They had been created on earth before the creation of mankind:

“and (created) the Jinn before (the human being) of smokeless fire.” (Verse 27 of Surah Al-Hijr)

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There are a lot of superstition about Jinn among people which are not accurate but the existence of Jinn in the world is acceptable because there is no reason to claim that only the beings that we see exist. Scientists say the beings that humans can perceive with their five senses are a tiny fraction of the beings that exist. Only recently human beings have discovered microscopic creatures. Before that, no one would believe that millions of tiny beings exist in a drop of water or blood that are invisible.

So it is quite possible that there are various beings in the world that we cannot perceive with our senses.

On the one hand, the Quran talks about Jinn and mentions some of their characteristics and on the other hand there is no logical reason to deny their existence.