Authored by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha (حفظه الله)
Is bone the food of jinn?
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) that the Noble Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), addressing a group of jinn, said:
"لَكُم كُلُّ عَظمٍ ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ يَقَعُ فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ، أَوْفَرَ مَا يَكُونُ لَحْمًا، وَكُلُّ بَعْرَةٍ أَوْ رَوْثَةٍ عَلَفٌ لِدَوَابِّكُمْ، قَالَ: فَلَا تَسْتَنْجُوا بِهِمَا، فَإِنَّهُمَا زَادُ إِخْوَانِكُمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ"
"Every bone upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned, when it falls into your hands, will be more abundant in flesh than before. And every dung or droppings is fodder for your animals."
Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) addressed the humans, saying:
"Do not perform istinja (cleansing) with dung or bones, for these are provisions for your brothers among the jinn."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth No. 450; Sunan al-Tirmidhī, Ḥadīth No. 2595]
It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"ائْتُونِي بِأَحْجَارٍ أَسْتَنْجِي بِهَا، وَلَا تَأْتُونِي بِعَظْمٍ وَلَا رَوْثَةٍ"
"Bring me some stones so I may perform istinja with them, but do not bring me bones or dung."
I (Abū Hurayrah) asked: "Why not bones and dung?"
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied:
"أَتَانِي وَفْدُ جِنِّ نَصِيبِينَ، فَسَأَلُونِي الزَّادَ، فَدَعَوْتُ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَهُمْ أَلَّا يَمُرُّوا بِرَوْثَةٍ وَلَا عَظْمٍ إِلَّا وَجَدُوا عَلَيْهِ طَعَامًا"
"A delegation of jinn from Nasībīn came to me and requested food. I prayed to Allah Almighty that whenever they pass by bones or dung, they may find food upon them."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth No. 3571]
❖ Question:
Is bone the food of jinn?
❖ Answer:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) that the Noble Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), addressing a group of jinn, said:
"لَكُم كُلُّ عَظمٍ ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ يَقَعُ فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ، أَوْفَرَ مَا يَكُونُ لَحْمًا، وَكُلُّ بَعْرَةٍ أَوْ رَوْثَةٍ عَلَفٌ لِدَوَابِّكُمْ، قَالَ: فَلَا تَسْتَنْجُوا بِهِمَا، فَإِنَّهُمَا زَادُ إِخْوَانِكُمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ"
"Every bone upon which the name of Allah has been mentioned, when it falls into your hands, will be more abundant in flesh than before. And every dung or droppings is fodder for your animals."
Then the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) addressed the humans, saying:
"Do not perform istinja (cleansing) with dung or bones, for these are provisions for your brothers among the jinn."
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth No. 450; Sunan al-Tirmidhī, Ḥadīth No. 2595]
It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said:
"ائْتُونِي بِأَحْجَارٍ أَسْتَنْجِي بِهَا، وَلَا تَأْتُونِي بِعَظْمٍ وَلَا رَوْثَةٍ"
"Bring me some stones so I may perform istinja with them, but do not bring me bones or dung."
I (Abū Hurayrah) asked: "Why not bones and dung?"
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied:
"أَتَانِي وَفْدُ جِنِّ نَصِيبِينَ، فَسَأَلُونِي الزَّادَ، فَدَعَوْتُ اللهَ تَعَالَى لَهُمْ أَلَّا يَمُرُّوا بِرَوْثَةٍ وَلَا عَظْمٍ إِلَّا وَجَدُوا عَلَيْهِ طَعَامًا"
"A delegation of jinn from Nasībīn came to me and requested food. I prayed to Allah Almighty that whenever they pass by bones or dung, they may find food upon them."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth No. 3571]
