Authored by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (حفظه الله)
Can jinn be killed?
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) states:
Just as it is not permissible to unjustly kill a human being, likewise, it is not permissible to unjustly kill a jinn, because it is not permissible to commit oppression against even a disbeliever — and killing is an act of oppression.
Allah Almighty states:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّـهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
"O you who believe! Be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do."
[Sūrah al-Mā’idah: 8]
Jinn also appear in the form of household snakes. In such cases, the snake should be instructed to leave for three days. If it leaves, well and good. But if it remains after that, it may be killed. If it was a real snake, then a snake has been killed; and if it was a jinn, then it wrongfully appeared in snake form to instill fear in humans and thereby deserved the consequence. In any case, jinn cannot be killed without legitimate cause.
It is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
"إِنَّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ جِنًّا قَدْ أَسْلَمُوا، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ شَيْئًا فَآذِنُوهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنْ بَدَا لَكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَاقْتُلُوهُ، فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ شَيْطَانٌ"
"Indeed, some jinn in Madinah have accepted Islam. So, if you see one of them (i.e., in the form of a snake), notify it for three days. If it appears again after that, then kill it — for it is a Shayṭān."
[Mukhtaṣar Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth No. 2236]
❖ Question:
Can jinn be killed?
❖ Answer:
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) states:
Just as it is not permissible to unjustly kill a human being, likewise, it is not permissible to unjustly kill a jinn, because it is not permissible to commit oppression against even a disbeliever — and killing is an act of oppression.
Allah Almighty states:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّـهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
"O you who believe! Be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do."
[Sūrah al-Mā’idah: 8]
Jinn also appear in the form of household snakes. In such cases, the snake should be instructed to leave for three days. If it leaves, well and good. But if it remains after that, it may be killed. If it was a real snake, then a snake has been killed; and if it was a jinn, then it wrongfully appeared in snake form to instill fear in humans and thereby deserved the consequence. In any case, jinn cannot be killed without legitimate cause.
It is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
"إِنَّ بِالْمَدِينَةِ جِنًّا قَدْ أَسْلَمُوا، فَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ شَيْئًا فَآذِنُوهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَيَّامٍ، فَإِنْ بَدَا لَكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَاقْتُلُوهُ، فَإِنَّمَا هُوَ شَيْطَانٌ"
"Indeed, some jinn in Madinah have accepted Islam. So, if you see one of them (i.e., in the form of a snake), notify it for three days. If it appears again after that, then kill it — for it is a Shayṭān."
[Mukhtaṣar Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth No. 2236]
