72:7 Al-Jinn (The Jinn)

{ وَأَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّوا كَمَا ظَنَنْتُمْ أَنْ لَنْ يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَدًا } أي: فلما أنكروا البعث أقدموا على الشرك والطغيان.

أي لن يبعث الله بعد هذه المدة رسولا. قاله الكلبي وابن جرير.

Which was revealed in Makkah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

(In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

The Jinns listening to the Qur'an and Their Belief in It

Allah commands His Messenger to inform his people that the Jinns listened to the Qur'an, believed in it, affirmed its truthfulness and adhered to it. So Allah says,

قُلْ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَقَالُواْ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْءَانَاً عَجَباً يَهْدِى إِلَى الرُّشْدِ

(Say: "It has been revealed to me that a group of Jinn listened. They said: `Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation! It guides to the right path"') meaning, to what is correct and success.

فَـَامَنَّا بِهِ وَلَن نُّشرِكَ بِرَبِّنَآ أَحَداً

(and we have believed therein, and we shall never join anything with our Lord.) This position (that they took) is similar to what Allah said,

وَإِذْ صَرَفْنَآ إِلَيْكَ نَفَراً مِّنَ الْجِنِّ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقُرْءَانَ

(And when We sent towards you a group of the Jinns listening to the Qur'an.) (46:29) We have already presented the Hadiths that have been narrated concerning this, so there is no need to repeat them here. Concerning Allah's statement,

وَأَنَّهُ تَعَـلَى جَدُّ رَبِّنَا

(And He, exalted be the Jadd of our Lord,) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning Allah's statement,

جَدُّ رَبِّنَا

(the Jadd of our Lord,) "This means, His actions, His commands and His power." Ad-Dahhak reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said, "Allah's Jadd is His blessings, His power and His favor upon His creation." It has been reported from Mujahid and `Ikrimah that they said, "It (Jadd) is the magnificence of our Lord." Qatadah said, "Exalted is His magnificence, His greatness and His command." As-Suddi said, "Exalted is the command of our Lord." It has been reported from Abu Ad-Darda', Mujahid and Ibn Jurayj that they said, "Exalted is His remembrance (Dhikr)."

The Jinns Affirmation that Allah does not have a Wife and Children

Allah says,

مَا اتَّخَذَ صَـحِبَةً وَلاَ وَلَداً

(He has taken neither a wife nor a son.) meaning, far exalted is He above taking a mate and having children. This means that when the Jinns accepted Islam and believed in the Qur'an they professed Allah's magnificence above having taken a spouse and a child (or a son). Then they said,

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ شَطَطاً

(And that the foolish among us used to utter against Allah that which was an enormity in falsehood.) Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and As-Suddi, all said,

سَفِيهُنَا

(the foolish among us) "They were referring to Iblis."

شَطَطًا

(that which was an enormity in falsehood.) As-Suddi reported from Abu Malik that he said, "This means a transgression." Ibn Zayd said, "A great injustice." The foolish (Safih) also carries the meaning of everyone in the category who claims that Allah has a spouse or a son. This is why Allah says here,

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا

(And that the foolish among us used to utter) meaning, nd He, eeA ? The Jinns Affirmation that Allah does not have a Wife and Children Allah says,

مَا اتَّخَذَ صَـحِبَةً وَلاَ وَلَداً

(He has taken neither a wife nor a son.) meaning, far exalted is He above taking a mate and having children. This means that when the Jinns accepted Islam and believed in the Qur'an they professed Allah's magnificence above having taken a spouse and a child (or a son). Then they said,

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى اللَّهِ شَطَطاً

(And that the foolish among us used to utter against Allah that which was an enormity in falsehood.) Mujahid, `Ikrimah, Qatadah and As-Suddi, all said,

سَفِيهُنَا

(the foolish among us) "They were referring to Iblis."

شَطَطًا

(that which was an enormity in falsehood.) As-Suddi reported from Abu Malik that he said, "This means a transgression." Ibn Zayd said, "A great injustice." The foolish (Safih) also carries the meaning of everyone in the category who claims that Allah has a spouse or a son. This is why Allah says here,

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا

(And that the foolish among us used to utter) meaning, before his acceptance of Islam.

عَلَى اللَّهِ شَطَطاً

(against Allah that which was an enormity in falsehood.) meaning, falsehood and a lie. Thus, Allah says,

وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن تَقُولَ الإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِباً

(And verily, we thought that men and Jinn would not utter a lie against Allah.) meaning, `we did not think that humans and Jinns would join each other in lying about Allah by attributing a spouse and a son to Him. So when we heard this Qur'an we believed in it and we knew that they (Jinns and men) had been lying about Allah in this matter.'

Among the Causes of the Transgression of the Jinns were that Humans sought Refuge with Them

Allah says,

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادوهُمْ رَهَقاً

(And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the Jinn, but they increased them in Rahaq.) meaning, `we used to think that we had some virtuous status over mankind because they used to seek refuge with us whenever they (men) would settle in a valley or any place in the wilderness, the open country steppes and other places.' This was the custom of the Arabs in the pre-Islamic days of ignorance. They used to seek refuge with the greatest Jinn of a particular place so that no harm or evil would afflict them. Like one would do if he entered into the land of his enemies, in the vicinity of a great and powerful man, he would seek the protection and guardianship of that man. So when the Jinns saw that the humans were seeking refuge with them due to their fear of them, they increased them in Rahaq which means fear, terror and fright. They did this so that the people would be more afraid of them and seek refuge with them even more. As Qatadah said concerning this Ayah,

فَزَادوهُمْ رَهَقاً

(but they increased them in Rahaq.) means, "the Jinns were courageous and increased in insolence against them." As-Suddi said, "A man used to set out with his family (on a journey) until he came to a piece of land where he would settle. Then he would say, `I seek refuge with the master (Jinn) of this valley from the Jinns, or that myself, my wealth, my child or my animals are harmed in it."' Qatadah said, "When they sought refuge with them instead of Allah, the Jinns would overcome them with harm because of that." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from `Ikrimah that he said, "The Jinns used to fear humans just like humans fear them, or even worse. So whenever humans would come to a valley the Jinns would flee. So the leader of the people would say, `We seek refuge with the leader of the inhabitants of this valley.' So the Jinns said, `We see these people fleeing from us just like we flee from them.' Thus, the Jinns started coming near the humans and afflicting them with insanity and madness." Thus, Allah said,

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادوهُمْ رَهَقاً

(And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the Jinn, but they increased them in Rahaq.) meaning, in sin. Abu `Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Zayd bin Aslam, all said,

رَهَقاً

(in Rahaq) "This means in fear." Mujahid said, "The disbelievers would increase in transgression." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَأَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّواْ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن لَّن يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَداً

(And they thought as you thought,) means, "the Jinns were courageous and increased in insolence against them." As-Suddi said, "A man used to set out with his family (on a journey) until he came to a piece of land where he would settle. Then he would say, `I seek refuge with the master (Jinn) of this valley from the Jinns, or that myself, my wealth, my child or my animals are harmed in it."' Qatadah said, "When they sought refuge with them instead of Allah, the Jinns would overcome them with harm because of that." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from `Ikrimah that he said, "The Jinns used to fear humans just like humans fear them, or even worse. So whenever humans would come to a valley the Jinns would flee. So the leader of the people would say, `We seek refuge with the leader of the inhabitants of this valley.' So the Jinns said, `We see these people fleeing from us just like we flee from them.' Thus, the Jinns started coming near the humans and afflicting them with insanity and madness." Thus, Allah said,

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادوهُمْ رَهَقاً

(And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the Jinn, but they increased them in Rahaq.) meaning, in sin. Abu `Aliyah, Ar-Rabi` and Zayd bin Aslam, all said,

رَهَقاً

(in Rahaq) "This means in fear." Mujahid said, "The disbelievers would increase in transgression." Concerning Allah's statement,

وَأَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّواْ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن لَّن يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَداً

(And they thought as you thought, that Allah will not send any Messenger.) meaning, Allah would never send a Messenger after this long period of time. This was said by Al-Kalbi and Ibn Jarir.

And they namely the jinn thought just as you O humans thought that an softened in place of the hardened form that is to say annahu God would never raise anyone after his death.

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِ‌جَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِ‌جَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَ‌هَقًا ﴿6﴾

(...and that some people from human beings used to seek refuge with some peoples of the Jinn, and thus they increased them (the Jinns) in arrogance, [ 72:6] '

This verse describes the situation that it was customary for people in the Days of Ignorance that when they halted in a valley in the course of a journey, they sought refuge in the Jinn leader of that valley from the foolish mischief-makers of his nation believing that the leader of the valley will protect them. This made the Jinn think that they are better than human beings. That is why, they seek refuge in their leader but this increased the wickedness of the Jinn.

Rafi` Ibn ` Umair's ؓ Islam on account of the Jinn

Mazhari cites in his Tafsir that it is reported in Hawatif-ul-Jinn through his chain of narrators on the authority of Sayyidna Said Ibn Jubair ؓ that the Holy Prophet's ﷺ Companion Rafi` Ibn ` Umair ؓ recounts an incident of his embracing the Islamic faith, thus:

'One night I was travelling in a desert. Suddenly I was overcome by sleep. So, I alighted from my camel, and before I went off to sleep I uttered the following formula in keeping with the custom of my people:

انِّی اعوذ بعظیم ھٰذا الوادی من الجنّ

"I seek refuge in the leader of the Jinn of this valley from the foolish mischief-makers of his nation."

I saw in my dream that there is a sword in a person's hand who wants to place it on my camel's chest. I woke up in a shock and looked around in all directions, but found nothing. So, I said to myself that this was some Shaitanic nightmare. It was not a true dream and fell back into deep sleep and became completely oblivious to my surrounding. I experienced the same dream again. I got up and looked all around the camel, but found nothing. This time, however, I found the camel shivering. I went back to my place and slept away and saw the same dream. I awoke and found my camel tossing about restlessly. Then I saw a youngster in whose hand was a weapon. This was the same person whom I had seen attacking the camel the first time. I saw he was holding the hand of an old man who is stopping him from attacking the camel. Just then three wild zebras appeared. The old man said to the youngster, 'Choose any one of these zebras, and let go this man's camel.' The youngster took one of the zebras and took leave. The old man then looked at me and said, 'You fool, when you seek refuge in a valley, and you fear any danger from the jinn or devils, recite thus:'

اعوذ باللہ ربِّ محمّد من ھول ھٰذا الوادی

"I seek refuge in Allah, the Lord of Muhammad, from the horrors of this valley. Do not seek refuge in any Jinn because that time is gone when human beings used to seek refuge in Jinn."'

I asked him who that person was. He replied that he was the Arabian Holy Prophet ﷺ ، neither eastern nor western. He was raised with his Prophetic mission on a Monday. I asked him where he lived. He replied that he lived in Yathrib which is an area where dates grow abundantly. As soon as the morning dawned, I set for Madinah and urged my mount to move faster and faster until I reached Madinah. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ saw me, he recounted to me the entire episode before I could tell him anything. He invited me to the call of Islam and I embraced the Islamic faith.

Having narrated this story, Sayyidna Said Ibn Jubair ؓ said that the following verse was revealed in this connection. وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِ‌جَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِ‌جَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ (and that some people from human beings used to seek refuge with some people of the Jinn…72:6)