473. How can the jinn be punished with fire, when they themselves were created from fire?
Answer:
Allah the Exalted says:
«وَالْجَانَّ خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن قَبْلُ مِن نَّارِ السَّمُومِ»
“And the jinn We had created before from the fire of scorching wind.”
Also, Allah the Exalted says:
«وَخَلَقَ الْجَانَّ مِن مَّارِجٍ مِّن نَّارٍ»
“And He created the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire.”
And Allah the Exalted says:
«قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ»
“He said: What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you? He said: I am better than him; You created me from fire and You created him from clay.”
Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«خلقت الملائكة من نور، وخلق الجان من مارج من نار، وخلق آدم مما وصف لكم»
“The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam (peace be upon him) was created from that which has been described to you (i.e., clay).”
From the evidences of the Qur’an and Hadith it is known that man is created from clay, yet the one who looks at a human sees a body composed of flesh and blood; he is not clay either. In summary, the origin of the jinn and devils is fire, and in reality they are now not in the state of fire, just as the origin of the children of Adam is clay, and in reality they are now not clay.
Now that you know this, also know that just as the children of Adam can be harmed by clay and it is possible to punish them with clay, similarly it is possible to harm and punish the jinn and devils with fire. This entire matter is because the children of Adam have been transformed from the element of clay, and the devils from the element of fire. The Prophet ﷺ said:
«لو رأيتموني وإبليس فأهويت بيدي فما زلت أخنقه حتى وجدت برد لعابه بين أصبعي هاتين»
“If you had seen me and Iblis, and I seized him with my hand and kept choking him until I felt the coolness of his saliva between these two fingers of mine.”
I say that the coolness of his saliva is clear evidence of the change from his fiery element.
