Question
Can jinn be controlled? If they can be controlled, can we control them or not? Please explain the evidence for both cases. Sometimes people say that their child has been possessed by jinn, so how should such a case be treated? Because some people treat through jinn and exorcise them. So how should we treat such patients? Should we summon the jinn and question it, or should we not treat and send these patients to jinn experts? Please provide a complete explanation on this matter.
Answer
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
Jinn are creatures of Allah Almighty
Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
﴿وَالْجَانَّ خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن قَبْلُ مِن نَّارِ السَّمُومِ (٢٧)﴾
“And the jinn We created before from scorching fire.”
﴿وَخَلَقَ الْجَانَّ مِن مَّارِجٍ مِّن نَّارٍ (١٥)﴾
“And He created the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire.”
The accursed Iblis also said:
﴿ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ (١٢) ﴾
“I am better than him. You created me from fire, and him You created from clay.”
Types of Jinn
Among them are some righteous and Muslim, and some wicked and oppressive:
﴿وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ (١١)﴾
“Among us are some righteous people, and among us are some of lower rank.”
﴿وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ ۖ ﴾
“Among us are some Muslims and some unjust.”
Jinn Who Listen to the Quran
Allah Almighty said:
﴿وَإِذْ صَرَفْنَا إِلَيْكَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقُرْآنَ فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوهُ قَالُوا أَنصِتُوا ۖ فَلَمَّا قُضِيَ وَلَّوْا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِم مُّنذِرِينَ (٢٩) قَالُوا يَا قَوْمَنَا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتَابًا أُنزِلَ مِن بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ وَإِلَىٰ طَرِيقٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (٣٠) يَا قَوْمَنَا أَجِيبُوا دَاعِيَ اللَّـهِ وَآمِنُوا بِهِ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُجِرْكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ (٣١) وَمَن لَّا يُجِبْ دَاعِيَ اللَّـهِ﴾
“And when We brought a group of the jinn to you, listening to the Quran, and when they reached the place, they said: Be silent. Then when the Quran was recited, they returned to their people as warners. They said: O our people! We have heard a Book that was revealed after Moses, confirming what was before it. It guides to the truth and to the straight path. O our people! Accept the caller to Allah and believe in him; He will forgive your sins and save you from a painful punishment. And whoever does not accept the caller to Allah, He cannot make him powerless on earth.”
Similarly, He said:
﴿قُلْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا (١)﴾
“Say, it has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened attentively to the Quran, then said, ‘Indeed, we have heard a wondrous Quran.'”
Jinn also cause harm or benefit to humans
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا (٦)﴾
“And that among the humans, some used to seek refuge with some of the jinn, so they increased the jinn’s arrogance.”
﴿وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ يُوحِي بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ الْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ (١١٢)﴾
“Likewise, We made the devil an enemy to every prophet among humans and jinn, who whisper to one another alluring words to deceive.”
﴿ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ قَدِ اسْتَكْثَرْتُم مِّنَ الْإِنسِ ۖ وَقَالَ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُم مِّنَ الْإِنسِ رَبَّنَا اسْتَمْتَعَ بَعْضُنَا بِبَعْضٍ (١٢٨)﴾
“O company of jinn! You had many humans as followers, and among humans, the friends of the jinn will say, ‘Our Lord, we benefited from each other until the time You appointed came.’ Allah will say: Your abode is Hell.”
The jinn under the command of Solomon (peace be upon him)
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ (٣٧) وَآخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي الْأَصْفَادِ (٣٨)﴾
“And also the devils who were all skilled builders and divers, and some others were bound in chains.”
Also He said:
﴿وَمِنَ الْجِنِّ مَن يَعْمَلُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِ ۖ وَمَن يَزِغْ مِنْهُمْ عَنْ أَمْرِنَا نُذِقْهُ مِنْ عَذَابِ السَّعِيرِ (١٢) يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ﴾
“And some jinn worked under their Lord’s command before them, but if any of them disobeyed Our command, We made him taste the punishment of the blazing fire. And Solomon desired what the jinn built for him.”
The Experience of the Prophet ﷺ with the Jinn
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ intended to catch a jinn and was indeed able to do so, but he said:
“I remembered the prayer of my brother Solomon, so I let him go.”
Similarly, Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه also caught a jinn for two nights, but the jinn escaped by reciting Ayat al-Kursi.
Summary of the Discourse
◈ The jinn were brought under control by Solomon (peace be upon him) by the command of Allah.
◈ The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was also able to capture a jinn but released it due to Solomon’s (peace be upon him) prayer.
◈ Nothing certain can be said about those who claim to have control over other jinn.
◈ This servant of Allah, the Self-Sufficient, has no acquaintance or experience with jinn.
◈ Therefore, for treatment, one should rely on the prayers and remembrances from the Quran and Sunnah, not on those claimants who assert treatment through jinn.
واللہ اعلم بالصواب
