سُوْرَةُ الْجِنِّ
Surah Al-Jinn (72) — Ayah 1
قُلْ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْءَانًا عَجَبًا ﴿1﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinn listened (to this Qur’ân). They said: ‘Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur’ân)!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُلْ
qul
Say
أُوحِىَ
ūḥiya
It has been revealed
إِلَىَّ
ilayya
to me
أَنَّهُ
annahu
that
ٱسْتَمَعَ
is'tamaʿa
listened
نَفَرٌۭ
nafarun
a group
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلْجِنِّ
l-jini
the jinn
فَقَالُوٓا۟
faqālū
and they said
إِنَّا
innā
Indeed, we
سَمِعْنَا
samiʿ'nā
heard
قُرْءَانًا
qur'ānan
a Quran
عَجَبًۭا
ʿajaban
amazing
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) set out with a group of his companions intending to go towards the market of ‘Ukaz. (This was at the time) when the devils were prevented from (listening to) the news of the heavens, and (when they went up to listen to the news) flaming fire was thrown at them. When those devils could not listen to the news of the heavens and returned to their people, they were asked: “What is the matter?” They replied: “A barrier has been placed between us and the news of the heavens, and flaming fire is thrown at us.” Their people said: “The reason for the barrier between you and the news of the heavens must be some newly occurring matter, so travel throughout the east and west of the earth and see what is the thing that has become a barrier between you and the news of the heavens.” So those who set out towards Tihamah reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he was at Nakhlah and intended to go to the market of ‘Ukaz. At that time, he was leading his companions in the morning prayer. When they heard the Qur’an, they listened attentively and said: “By Allah! This is the very thing that has become a barrier between you and the news of the heavens.” On this occasion, when they returned to their people, they said: “O our people! « اِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْاٰنًا عَجَبًا (1) يَّهْدِيْۤ اِلَى الرُّشْدِ فَاٰمَنَّا بِهٖ وَ لَنْ نُّشْرِكَ بِرَبِّنَاۤ اَحَدًا » [ الجن : 2,1 ] ‘Indeed, we have heard a wondrous Qur’an, which guides to the right path, so we have believed in it, and we will never associate anyone with our Lord.’” So Allah Almighty revealed these verses to His Prophet: « قُلْ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيَّ» and the conversation of the jinn was revealed to him (the Prophet) by way of revelation. [ بخاري، الأذان، باب الجہر بقراءۃ صلاۃ الصبح : ۷۷۳۔ مسلم : ۴۴۹ ]
(Ayah 2,1) ➊ {قُلْ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيَّ اَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ … :} From this verse, it is understood that the jinn believed after hearing the Qur’an, and all their conversation with each other was made known to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) through revelation. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: [ مَا قَرَأَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَی الْجِنِّ وَ مَا رَآهُمْ ] [ مسلم، الصلاۃ، باب الجھر بالقراءۃ في الصبح… : ۴۴۹ ] “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) neither recited the Qur’an before the jinn nor saw them (they came to him when he was at Nakhlah and heard the Qur’an at that time).” Yes, after that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) met the jinn several times and recited and taught them the Qur’an, as is narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), the summary of which is that one night the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was absent from the companions, and they spent that night in great anxiety. While searching, they met him when he was coming from the direction of Hira. Upon being asked, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَتَانِيْ دَاعِي الْجِنِّ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَهُ فَقَرَأْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنَ ] “A caller from among the jinn came to me, so I went with him and recited the Qur’an to them.” Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “Then he took us and showed us their traces and the traces of their fires.” [ مسلم، الصلاۃ، باب الجہر بالقراءۃ في الصبح… : ۴۵۰ ] Similarly, once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surah Rahman before the jinn, and at: « فَبِاَيِّ اٰلَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبٰنِ » (So which of the favors of your Lord will you both deny?) they kept responding: [ لاَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ نِعَمِكَ رَبَّنَا نُكَذِّبُ فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ] [ ترمذي، التفسیر، باب ومن سورۃ الرحمٰن : ۳۲۹۱، وقال الألباني صحیح ] “We do not deny any of Your favors, O our Lord! And to You alone belongs all praise.”
➋ In these verses, the disbelievers of Quraysh are reproached that despite listening for so long, the Qur’an has had no effect on you, nor have you been purified from the filth of polytheism, whereas this is such an exalted, effective, and wondrous Book that this group of jinn, upon hearing it, immediately accepted faith and declared to abandon polytheism forever, even though the rebelliousness of the jinn is well known.
➌ It is also understood that the jinn know the languages spoken among humans; at the very least, those jinn understood the subtleties of the eloquence and rhetoric of the Arabic language so well that they called the Qur’an wondrous and immediately believed in it.
➍ The jinn, like humans, are addressed by the Shari’ah, and their messengers are the same as those of humans. In the Qur’an or Hadith, there is no mention of any prophet from among the jinn; on the contrary, in the surah under commentary, it is clearly mentioned that the jinn believed in the Qur’an, and in Surah Ahqaf, it is said that they said, “We have heard a Book revealed after Moses.” (See Ahqaf: 30) This shows that they considered Moses (peace be upon him) their messenger. All the verses of Surah Rahman, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reciting it before the jinn, and their responses are also evidence of this. The same is understood from Surah Anbiya (8,7).
➎ There are also polytheists among the jinn, as these jinn were polytheists and abandoned polytheism after hearing the Qur’an. It is understood that at that time the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was reciting such verses from which they realized the evil of polytheism.
(Ayah 2,1) ➊ {قُلْ اُوْحِيَ اِلَيَّ اَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ … :} From this verse, it is understood that the jinn believed after hearing the Qur’an, and all their conversation with each other was made known to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) through revelation. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: [ مَا قَرَأَ رَسُوْلُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَی الْجِنِّ وَ مَا رَآهُمْ ] [ مسلم، الصلاۃ، باب الجھر بالقراءۃ في الصبح… : ۴۴۹ ] “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) neither recited the Qur’an before the jinn nor saw them (they came to him when he was at Nakhlah and heard the Qur’an at that time).” Yes, after that, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) met the jinn several times and recited and taught them the Qur’an, as is narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), the summary of which is that one night the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was absent from the companions, and they spent that night in great anxiety. While searching, they met him when he was coming from the direction of Hira. Upon being asked, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [ أَتَانِيْ دَاعِي الْجِنِّ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَهُ فَقَرَأْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنَ ] “A caller from among the jinn came to me, so I went with him and recited the Qur’an to them.” Ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “Then he took us and showed us their traces and the traces of their fires.” [ مسلم، الصلاۃ، باب الجہر بالقراءۃ في الصبح… : ۴۵۰ ] Similarly, once the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surah Rahman before the jinn, and at: « فَبِاَيِّ اٰلَآءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبٰنِ » (So which of the favors of your Lord will you both deny?) they kept responding: [ لاَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ نِعَمِكَ رَبَّنَا نُكَذِّبُ فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ ] [ ترمذي، التفسیر، باب ومن سورۃ الرحمٰن : ۳۲۹۱، وقال الألباني صحیح ] “We do not deny any of Your favors, O our Lord! And to You alone belongs all praise.”
➋ In these verses, the disbelievers of Quraysh are reproached that despite listening for so long, the Qur’an has had no effect on you, nor have you been purified from the filth of polytheism, whereas this is such an exalted, effective, and wondrous Book that this group of jinn, upon hearing it, immediately accepted faith and declared to abandon polytheism forever, even though the rebelliousness of the jinn is well known.
➌ It is also understood that the jinn know the languages spoken among humans; at the very least, those jinn understood the subtleties of the eloquence and rhetoric of the Arabic language so well that they called the Qur’an wondrous and immediately believed in it.
➍ The jinn, like humans, are addressed by the Shari’ah, and their messengers are the same as those of humans. In the Qur’an or Hadith, there is no mention of any prophet from among the jinn; on the contrary, in the surah under commentary, it is clearly mentioned that the jinn believed in the Qur’an, and in Surah Ahqaf, it is said that they said, “We have heard a Book revealed after Moses.” (See Ahqaf: 30) This shows that they considered Moses (peace be upon him) their messenger. All the verses of Surah Rahman, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reciting it before the jinn, and their responses are also evidence of this. The same is understood from Surah Anbiya (8,7).
➎ There are also polytheists among the jinn, as these jinn were polytheists and abandoned polytheism after hearing the Qur’an. It is understood that at that time the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was reciting such verses from which they realized the evil of polytheism.
