Question: Does jinn exist? Also, please explain the Islamic ruling on treatment through magic and exorcism of jinn.
Answer: The existence of jinn is established through the continuous reports of the Prophets (peace be upon them), and it is also known that they are living beings, intelligent, and capable of acting according to their will. They have been commanded to do good and forbidden from evil. They do not have any specific physical attributes or size as some atheists claim. Since the matter of jinn is continuously proven through the Prophets (peace be upon them), everyone, both special and general, accepts it as a continuous report. Therefore, it is impossible for any group that claims affiliation with the Messengers to deny their existence.
From the Book, Sunnah, and consensus of the Ummah, it is absolutely clear and evident that jinn exist and they were created from the flame of fire. Just as the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent as a messenger to humans, similarly, he was also sent as a messenger to the jinn. Among the jinn, there are both good and bad people. Those who possess the trait of devilishness continuously create various kinds of whispers and dangers to mislead humans. In such cases, humans should recite Ta’awwudh (seeking refuge) and seek protection from Allah Almighty.
In society, the common situation is that young girls complain of jinn. Often, when parents do not agree to the marriage preferred by the girl, she starts complaining of the shadow of jinn, and the parents, worried, turn to exorcists who come and touch the young girl and also charge money. This business is at its peak. Most exorcists are thirsty for money and women. Then they create various dramas to fulfill their purpose. When the girl’s marriage is arranged with someone she likes, the matter of jinn ends.
Some narrations explicitly mention the entry of jinn into humans. For example, it is narrated from Sayyidina Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both):
“Once, I traveled with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He would not go to relieve himself until he disappeared and was not visible. We descended into a barren field with no trees or mountains. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘O Jabir! Put water in your vessel and then come with us.’ Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that we started walking until we were no longer visible. We reached a barren field with no trees or mountains. Suddenly, two trees appeared, about four hands apart. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘O Jabir! Go to this tree and say: The Messenger of Allah commands you to join your companion (the other tree) until I sit behind you (to relieve myself).’ Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said so, and the tree turned towards it. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sat behind the two trees to relieve himself. Then the two trees returned to their places. We mounted with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he was among us as if birds were shading us. A woman came before the Prophet (peace be upon him) with her child and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Indeed, my son is seized by Satan three times a day.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) took the child, placed him between himself and the front part of his camel, and said: ‘Enemy of Allah, be humiliated, I am the Messenger of Allah. Enemy of Allah, be humiliated, I am the Messenger of Allah.’ He said this three times, then returned the child to the woman. When we completed our journey and passed that place, the woman came before us with her child and two rams she was leading. She said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Accept a gift from me, by the One Who sent you with truth! Since then, the devil has not returned.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Take one ram and return the other.’ ”
In the chain of this narration is Ismail bin Abdul Malik. Imam Abu Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him), Imam Nasai, Imam Ibn Hibban, Imam Abu Dawood, Imam Muhammad bin Ammar, Imam Aqili, Imam Dulabi, Imam Abu al-Arab al-Qayrawani, and Imam Ibn Shaheen (may Allah have mercy on them) have declared it weak.
In a long narration from Ya’li bin Murrah al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him):
“During travel, a woman came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) with a child who was possessed by jinn. The Prophet (peace be upon him) held his nose and said: ‘Go away, indeed I am Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah.’ Then we set out on our journey. When we returned, passing by the water place, the woman came with a camel and milk. The Prophet ordered to return the camel and told the companions to drink the milk, which they did. He asked the woman about the child, and she said: ‘By the One Who sent you with truth! We have not seen any restlessness in him since then.’ ”
In its chain is Ata bin al-Saib, who had confusion in narration, and Muammar’s narration is after this confusion. Abdullah bin Hafs is an unknown narrator.
Regarding Ata’s confusion, see:
And about Abdullah bin Hafs’s ignorance, see:
This narration is in Mustadrak Hakim
through Ahmad bin Abdul Jabbar from Yunus bin Bukair from A’mash from al-Munhal bin Amr from Ya’li bin Murrah. But in this chain, Ahmad bin Abdul Jabbar is present. Imam Abu Hatim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “It is not strong.”
Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Ahzarmi said: “He used to lie.” Hakim himself said: “It is not strong according to the hadith scholars.” Imam Abu Ahmad bin Adi said: “The people of Iraq agree on its weakness.” In short, this narration is weak.
Also, there is Tadlees (concealment) by A’mash in its chain, and the narration is Mu’anna’an (broken).
This narration is also narrated in Musnad Ahmad
through Abdullah bin Numair from Uthman bin Hakim from Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz from Ya’li bin Murrah, and this Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz is unknown.
If this Abdul Rahman is meant to be Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Uthman bin Hanif al-Ansari, then the chain is not broken because he died in 162 AH. He was over 70 years old, born around 95 AH, and there is no evidence of his meeting with Ya’li bin Murrah al-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with her son and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Indeed, my son has madness, and it seizes him at the time of morning and evening meals, and he harms us.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) softened his chest and prayed. He vomited once, and a blackish-yellowish thing came out of his stomach, then he ran away.”
At the end of the narration in Musnad Ahmad and Tabarani, it is mentioned that the child was cured.
↰ But in its chain is Farqad al-Sanji. According to the majority of hadith scholars, Farqad bin Ya’qub al-Sanji Abu Ya’qub is a weak narrator.
Such narrations are also narrated from Matar bin Abdul Rahman al-A’naq from Hind bin al-Wazi’, from al-Wazi’s chain.
↰ But the authenticity of Hind Umm Aban bint al-Wazi’ is not known. A narration is also narrated from Uthman bin Abi al-As, mentioned by Allama Haithami (may Allah have mercy on him).
He said that in its chain is Uthman bin Basar, whom I do not recognize, and the rest of the narrators are trustworthy.
However, a sound narration in this chain is mentioned by Imam Ibn Majah in his Sunan, where Uthman bin Abi al-As said: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) appointed me as the agent in Ta’if, something started to happen to me during prayer to the extent that I did not know which prayer I was performing. When I saw this situation, I went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). He said: ‘O son of Abi al-As!’ I said: ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah!’ He said: ‘What is it that has come to you?’ I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Something comes to me during prayer to the extent that I do not know which prayer I am performing.’ He said: ‘That is Satan; come closer.’ I came closer and sat on my toes. He placed his hand on my chest and put saliva in my mouth and said: اُخْرُجْ عَدُوَّ اللهِ ‘Enemy of Allah, leave.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did this three times, then said: ‘Return to your work.’ Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) swore: ‘I do not think that after that he ever interfered with me.'”
This hadith was also declared authentic by Allama Albani (may Allah have mercy on him).
↰ From this, it is understood that Satan enters the human body, which is why the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: اُخْرُجْ عَدُوَّ اللهِ “Enemy of Allah, leave.”
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The entry of jinn into the human body is agreed upon by the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah.”
Allah Almighty says:
الَّذِيْنَ يَأْكُلُوْنَ الرِّبَا لَا يَقُوْمُوْنَ إِلَّا كَمَا يَقُوْمُ الَّذِيْ يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ مِنَ الْمَسِّ
“Those who consume usury will not stand except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity.”
And in an authentic hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Satan circulates in the human body as blood circulates.”
Abdullah bin Ahmad Ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “I asked my father (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal): ‘Many people say that no jinn enters the body of the possessed (one ridden by jinn).’ He said: ‘O my son! Those people lie. It is Satan himself who speaks these lies through their tongues.'”
At one place, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Some ignorant and misguided people who do not have knowledge have denied this matter. For example, a group among the Mu’tazilah such as al-Jubba’i and Abu Bakr al-Razi have denied the entry of jinn into the body of the possessed, but they do not deny the existence of jinn.”
For further details, see: “The Reality of Magic”
by Ghazi Uzeer Mubarakpuri (may Allah preserve him), published by Maktabah Dar al-Salam.
If any person is afflicted by satanic whispers, he should treat it according to the Shariah, have firm belief in Allah Almighty, rely and trust only in Him, and sincerely supplicate to Him, recognizing that He alone is the Owner of benefit and harm, and seek refuge from the devils by reciting Ta’awwudh. Allah Almighty has instructed the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to seek refuge as follows:
﴿وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِيْنِ ٭ وَأَعُوْذُ بِكَ رَبِّ أَنْ يَحْضُرُوْنِ﴾
“And say: O my Lord! I seek refuge in You from the evil suggestions of the devils, and I seek refuge in You, O my Lord, lest they be present with me.”
Similarly, after obligatory prayers, recite adhkar (remembrances), the adhkar of sleeping and waking up, and when entering the restroom:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّيْ اَعُوْذُبِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ
And at times of anger and when a donkey brays, recite اَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيْمِ.
In short, if a person continues to recite Ta’awwudh at various times, Allah Almighty will surely grant healing. Do not fall prey to those who perform satanic acts, or exorcists who grab the head or vein of non-mahram women to expel jinn. They will ruin your honor and wealth. May Allah Almighty protect from all kinds of satanic tricks and devilish actions. (Ameen!)
Marriage and procreation among jinn
Question: Is there marriage and procreation among jinn?
Answer: Among devils and jinn, like humans, there is marriage, cohabitation, and procreation, as Allah Almighty has stated in the Qur’an:
فِيْهِنَّ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرْفِ لَمْ يَطْمِثْهُنَّ إِنْسٌ قَبْلَهُمْ وَلَا جَانٌّ
“Among them will be maidens restraining their glances, whom no man or jinn before them has touched.”
Imam Al-Baghawi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains the meaning of لَمْ يَطْمِثُهُنَّ as لَمْ يُجَامِعُهُنَّ, meaning that neither jinn nor humans have ever had intercourse with them.
Imam Baydawi (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote:
فِيْهِ دَلِيْلٌ عَلَيٰ اَنَّ الْجِنَّ يَطْمِثُوْنَ
“This verse is evidence that jinn also engage in intercourse.”
Thus, it is clear that among jinn, like humans, there is marriage and intercourse, and Allah Almighty has also mentioned the offspring and progeny of Satan in the Qur’an. Allah Almighty says:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوْا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوْا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ أَفَتَتَّخِذُوْنَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِيْ وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِيْنَ بَدَلًا
“And when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ they prostrated, except for Iblis; he was of the jinn and disobeyed the command of his Lord. Do you then take him and his descendants as allies instead of Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange.”
From this verse, it is established that Satan also has offspring. Therefore, it is understood that among jinn, there is also cohabitation, marriage, and procreation just like humans.
