Characteristics of Jinn
10-12-1999 | IslamWeb
Question:
Do the Muslim Jinn harm people? Is Iblis the father of jinns as we are the children of Adam? What are Jinn and Iblis called in English? What do jinns eat and drink?
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. Jinns are among Allah's creatures. They are asked to worship Allah. Allah Says (Interpretation of meaning): {I have only created Jinns and men, that they may serve me}. [51:56] There are some righteous Jinns and some the contrary. Allah Says (Interpretation of meaning): {There are among us some that are righteous and some the contrary, we follow divergent paths}.[72:10] Also, some of them are Muslims, others are not. Allah Says (Interpretation of meaning): {Amongst us are some that submit their wills (to Allah) and some that swerve from justice. Now, those who submit their wills - they have sought out the path of right conduct. But those who swerve, they are but a fuel for Hell-fire}.[72:14] Their Muslims are like human being's Muslims, some of them are very pious, and others are sinners who harm themselves as well as others. They eat and drink. Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: (When the person enters his home and mentions the name of Allah while entering as well as before eating, the Devil says to its friends: You can't spend the night here neither can you have dinner. But if he enters, and does not mention the name of Allah when entering, and before eating, the Devil says: "You have obtained where to sleep and something to eat) narrated by Muslim. Their Muslims eat what remains from the food that was eaten by human beings and on which Allah's name was mentioned. It is narrated in a sound Hadith that the Jinns asked Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) some provisions for themselves and for their animals. He said: (You have each bone on which Allah's name was mentioned, it becomes better than before the Human beings ate it, and all the animal's dung is forage for your animals). Iblis or the Devil is not the father of the Jinn. But he is one of them. Allah Says (Interpretation of meaning): {They prostrated except Iblis. He was one of the Jinns and he broke the command of his Lord}.[18:49] They were first created from fire. Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "the angels were created from light, the Jinns were created from fire and Adam was created from what was described to you". As for the English names of Jinns they are called: Jinn- Demons- Fairies. Allah knows best.