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Revised Article on Jinn

Started by Layth, November 04, 2006, 12:54:40 AM

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Layth

Peace,

I have had the opportunity to re-write the Jinn article based on some exchanges on the subject and better analysis.

http://free-minds.org/articles/satan/jinn.htm

Who are the Jinn?

All cultures and peoples, without exception, have beliefs and experiences of the existence of extraterrestrial beings be they called \"ghosts, spirits, aliens, demons, etc.\" In the Arabic culture, these extraterrestrial beings have been given the name \"Jinn\" and are believed to be invisible creatures that possess superhuman powers and even the ability to possess human beings.

While the above paragraph would be written off as \"non-sense\" or \"tall tales\" by most modern critics, we are confronted with a clear reason for examination since God\'s Scripture indeed confirms the existence of these extraterrestrial beings known as Jinn!

\"I did not create the Jinn and the humans except to serve Me.\" (51:56)

This article will attempt to examine the concept of Jinn using the light of the Quran to understand what and who these creatures are.

Jinn Created From Fire

\"He created the human from a clay, like pottery. And the Jinn He created from a smokeless fire.\" (55:14-15)

\"And We have created man from a clay hardened and shaped. And the Jinn, We created him before that from the flames of fire.\" (15:26-27)

The first clue we are given about the Jinn is the nature of their composition. God tells us that these beings are created from a \'smokeless fire\' whereas man is created from mud/clay.

Science tells us that the Earth was nothing but a volcanic mass of fire when it was first created, and that water, which is the core element for biological life, did not appear on this planet until after it had cooled for many millions of years. Therefore, if the creation and evolution of man began with the presence of water on Earth, then it is reasonable to assume that the creation of the Jinn began when the Earth was still a hot fiery mass many millions of years ago.

In-fact, the description the Quran gives of Jinn being made from a \'smokeless fire\' fits perfectly with the energy matter known as \"Plasma\" that makes up 99% of the known universe.



\"Plasma is by far the most common form of matter known. Plasma in the stars and in the tenuous space between them make up over 99% of the visible universe and perhaps most of that which is not visible. On earth we live upon an island of \"ordinary\" matter. The different states of matter found on earth are solid, liquid, and gas. We have learned to work, play, and rest using these states of matter. Sir William Crookes, an English physicist, identified another, more fundamental, state of matter in 1879. In 1929, Nobel Laureate Irving Langmuir gave this state a name, plasma. He borrowed the term from medical science because the matter with which he worked resembled life itself. It formed cells through bifurcation and often acted in a complicated and unpredictable manner. Plasma is defined as an assemblage of charged particles called electrons and ions that react collectively to forces exerted by electric and magnetic fields.\"

http://public.lanl.gov/alp/plasma/ubiquitous.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_(physics)

Jinn Travel Space

\"And we touched the heavens, but found it full of powerful guards and projectiles. And we used to sit in it in places of listening, but anyone who sits now finds a projectile seeking him.\" (72:8-9)

The Quran tells us that Jinn used to move freely about in the galaxy until God restricted their movement to our universe only. As we are talking of energy/plasma beings, then it is reasonable to understand this movement across space at the speed of light or greater since the Jinn are not subject to the restrictions that biological organism are subject to (air, water, gravity, etc.).

Jinn Invisible to Human Eye

\"O Children of Adam, do not let the devil afflict you as he evicted your parents from the paradise; he removes from them their garments to show them their lusts. He and his tribe see you from where you do not see them. We have made the devils as allies for those who do not believe.\" (7:27)

\"But the devil whispered to him, he said: \'O Adam, shall I lead you to the tree of immortality and a kingdom which will not waste away?\'\" (20:120)

We are told by the Almighty that, while Jinn are able to see us, we are not able to see them with the naked eye. However, the Jinn are able to communicate \"whisper\" into the human mind as long as the host allows such contact to occur.

Jinn and Human Rivalry

\"And We created you, then We shaped you, then We said to the Angels: \'Yield to Adam;\' so they yielded except for Satan, he was not of those who yielded. He said: \'What has prevented you from yielding when I have ordered you?\' He said: \'I am far better than him, You created me from fire and created him from clay!\'\" (7:11-12)

While the Jinn were created long before mankind to uphold God\'s commands and serve Him alone, the Jinn had failed in their task and the mantle of responsibility was passed on from the Jinn to the humans by God\'s decree.

The Jinn, being able to travel the galaxy and eavesdrop, were able to listen to God\'s command that was issued to His angels informing them of the new authority given to the being called \"man\". This knowledge resulted in an exchange between the Jinn (represented by Satan) and the Almighty whereby the Satan seeks permission to remain on Earth and prove that mankind is not fit for the task and is no better than his people.

God\'s Conditions Upon Jinn

\"And we touched the heavens, but found it full of powerful guards and projectiles. And we used to sit in it in places of listening, but anyone who sits now finds a projectile seeking him.\" (72:8-9)

\"And entice whoever you can of them with your voice, and mobilize all your forces and men against them, and you may share with them in their money and children, and promise them.? But the devil promises nothing but deceit. \'As for My servants, you will have no power over them.\' And your Lord suffices as a Caretaker.\" (17:64-65)

Although God grants Satan his request to remain on Earth with humans, the following conditions are placed upon the Jinn: 

1. Jinn can no longer move about in the galaxy and eavesdrop, they are now restricted to movement in this universe only.

2. Jinn can only whisper/entice the humans that allow themselves to be influenced (i.e. humans may invoke God\'s protection from the whispers/influence of the Jinn).

Good Jinn & Bad Jinn

\"And among us are those who are good doers, and some of us are opposite to that, we are in many paths. And we acknowledge that we cannot escape God on Earth, nor can we escape Him if we run. And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it. So whoever believes in his Lord, then he will not fear a decrease in reward, nor a burdensome punishment. And among us are those who submitted, and among us are the compromisers. As for those who have submitted, they have sought what is correct. And as for the compromisers, they are firewood for Hell.\" (72:11-15)

After having related the negative history between mankind and Jinn, it is imperative to note that the Jinn (with the exception of Satan) were given a chance by the Almighty to reflect upon their decision and to repent to God before the Day of Judgment approaches. Indeed, according to the events in sura 72, many Jinn have already repented and accepted to follow the way of God rather than follow the arrogance of Satan and be punished for eternity with him.

Solomon and the Jinn

\"And for Solomon the wind was given, traveling one month coming and one month going, and We caused a spring of tar to flow for him. And from among the Jinn are those that worked for him by his Lord\'s leave; and any one of them who turns from Our commands, We shall cause him to taste the retribution of the Fire. They made for him what he desired of enclosures, and statues, and pools of deep reservoirs, and heavy pots. ?O family of David, work to show thanks.? Only a few of My servants are appreciative. Then, when We decreed death for him, nothing informed them of his death until a worm kept eating from his staff, so when he fell down, the Jinn realised that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in the humiliating retribution.\" (34:12-14)

The most famous story of the Jinn is that of the prophet Solomon and the power he was given by God over them. The story reveals many things about these beings which can be summarized as follows:

- Jinn and humans can communicate;

- Jinn do not follow human will/instructions unless forced by God to do so;

- Jinn can affect the material world (i.e. they can move physical items or even craft objects);

- Jinn do not follow the same concept of time as humans (i.e. Jinn can stay for days without moving as evidenced by the Jinn not noticing Solomon\'s death until a worm finished eating its way through his staff for the staff to break).


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Conclusion

1. Jinn are beings made of energy \"Plasma\" that is derived from smokeless fire;
2. Jinn were created before mankind to serve God and uphold his commands;
3. Jinn were able to travel the galaxy and listen-in on God\'s commands to His angels;
4. Jinn failed in the task of upholding God\'s commands and were replaced in authority by mankind;
5. Satan pleaded with God to remain on Earth and prove that mankind is unworthy;
6. God granted Satan\'s request, with restriction on the movement of Jinn to this universe only;
7. Jinn camp is split between those who repented to God and those who insist on Satan\'s way;
8. Human messengers are sent not only to revert mankind, but also to revert Jinn;
9. Jinn may whisper to all humans, except those who invoke God\'s protection;
10. Jinn may move physical objects, possess artistic as well as construction abilities.


`And when God Alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are filled with aversion; and when others are mentioned beside Him, they rejoice!` (The Quran 39:45)

Arnold Yasin

Peace,

I highly disagree with this theory, that is completely formed from sunni ideas, where the hadith are abonded but the idea on the word Jinn is still sustained. As long as the word jinn is approached as a title of a species, the Quran will remain closed in many of its messages to mankind....

This is my conclusion after a long study on the word jinn and its uses in the Quran:

http://19.org/index.php?id=91,417,0,0,1,0

maxq

I do not agree with your theory with regards to Jinn Layth...

The concept of the now-traditional jinn theory was derived from dust devils (the baby siblings of Tornados) ... Since people in deserts of Arabia saw this phenomenon manipulating the the dust and whirling it in the air, they started to associated this pseudo-body with a "being that was hidden" implying jinn, and was more of an idea of story tellers and gypsies to make money...

In fact, it was ONE of the meanings and not THE ONLY meaning. One of the original meanings of jinn also implied NOMADS and CAVEMEN since they were rarely seen by the INS or city/urban dwellers. The concept that jinns are actually living beings with the kind of implication that they whisper into mans heart or cause damage is a completely superstitios belief. Why would Allah say "Now indeed, it is We Who have created man and We know the whispering that goes on within his mind (all the intricacies of his thought process), for, We are nearer to him than his Vena cava." Where have the jinn disappeared from this ayah if it is the jinns and shayaateen who whisper in our hearts?

Also, when people were sick and had fever, witch-doctors to make money used to declare that these patients have been possessed by a jinn since the body feels like it's on fire. You can see this superstitious belief still prevelent in romote areas of Afghanistan, Somalia and other developing countries where mullahs are called in to recite the Quran for people who have fever since they are belived to have been possessed by jinn and reading the Quran will compell the jinn to leave the body. If the fever is viral and the patient cures overtime, it is believed that the jinn has left the body and if the patient dies in case of a severe bacterial infection induced fever, then it is declared that "It is the Will of Allah".

Another case is that of psychosis and schizophrenia, where people suffering from such symptoms were (and are) dubbed possessed by jinns/demons and were (and are) tortured until they are compelled to say "I am Leaving"...

Such people need medical and psyciatric help!

"Fire free of smoke" refers to the chaotic nature of us humans that we do not see when we are under its influence (hence the word jinn: hidden). Since the intent in this ayah of Al-Rahman was to illustrate that the fire from which jinns are created is metophoric, actually implying chaos/chaotic/primal nature, we are given the indication that it is free from smoke.

Are we made of clay and water only? The implication cannot be solely literal... similar to the way Allah says "We created man out of haste"...

Why are these pseudo-metaphores used in the Quran? They are meant to indicate the physical/apparent and hidden nature of living beings created, principally man himself. I am saying pseudo since we are partly water, our cells are held together by clay and various other organic and inorganic compounds and salts. Besides, the way our brain works is quite interesting too since it works with electrical disharges, something that is *chaotic* in nature.

Now I know someone can say that, oh the Quran says the kuffaar used to worship jinns, but again the implication is that they worshiped products of their fantasies ond chaotic/selfish desires.

Unless we are not aware of the fire/chaos inside of us, how are we supposed to control it and become higher beings? The jinn-being theory completely negates our ability to evolve...

Also, their are many forms of energy, plasma being the most crude one since it contains matter particles (plasma is just ignited gas)... Morever, plasma can been seen... in fact, infrared and ultraviolet, and other particle radiotions like neutron and neutrino emissions are invisible but it does not imply they are hidden. If something is hidden, then it could mean it is out of phase from the 4-dimensional time-space, meaning more dimensions exist. A hyper-dimensional (4+) universe is not concivable unless you resort to the String Theory.
בשס האלה השדי והרחס - האלה ור השמים והארץ

Layth

Peace,

I can never subscribed to the `Jinn are humans or human emotions` argument since it fails to hold water when all relevant verses on the subject are examined. Jinn are clearly distinct beings that existed even before the creation of mankind as per the testimony on the Quran.

Are we made from clay or mud? Indeed the human being is comprised of water and minerals. Similarly, the Jinn is comprised from the stuff that exists in fire `energy or plasma`.
`And when God Alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are filled with aversion; and when others are mentioned beside Him, they rejoice!` (The Quran 39:45)

Arnold Yasin

Peace,

Layth, this is the problem, you believe it can only be 'emotions' or beings. It is or-or with you. It has to be a title for something, pointing to one thing. It is not, it is a general description used for several things. It is used for nomads, dead people, legends, man-made idols, rulers, foreign tribes, human psyche, prehistoric man and so on. It is a description just like the the term 'walking being', does walking being refer to one species? No it does not, it refers to ANYTHING that walks. Similair is that with jinn, meaning something concealed/hidden or rarely seen. Does this refer to one thing only? No, it refers to ANYTHING concealed/rarely seen. I hope you keep you openminded and read my article in the link above. It will explain it all. This is not something new. Ancient commentators also said the same thing for centuries. But this knowledge got ignored the last 600 years. Jinn is not a title, but a description of an attribute which can be shared by many things and beings.

BOOST

Peace Layth

I agree with your article. Based on the Quran Alone, without injecting conjecture, your article defines precisely what jinn are.

If one wants to add conjecture, then one could come up with countless other possibilities. But based solely on quran, you are right on target.

Thanks for the well-articulated and well-researched article.

Lobster

peace
I agree with Maxq and Arnold. If "jinn" are invisible beings, how come we havn't got any evidence of their existence?
but forget about proof.
If our lives are controlled by outside forces (like the jinn), how can we be held responsible? how do we improve ourselves when we do not control the jinn?
Regardless of what the Quran says, the idea that there are invisible beings that affect our lives and choices fails to hold water when it's examined using logic.
`What lies before us and what lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us.` - Emerson

'Phoenix! You are in Hot water, maybe you should change your name to Lobster.' - Khalil

Layth

Peace,

QuoteIf our lives are controlled by outside forces (like the jinn), how can we be held responsible? how do we improve ourselves when we do not control the jinn?

Nowhere does God tell us that we are `controlled`. We are told that we have free will and that Jinn are allowed to `whisper/suggest` to us. Adam was not controlled to eat from the tree, it was merely a sugegstion that he acted upon.

QuoteRegardless of what the Quran says, the idea that there are invisible beings that affect our lives and choices fails to hold water when it\'s examined using logic.

No, what the Quran says is most relevant as we are told that one of the tenants of being rightoues is to believe in the `unseen/unkown`. If God tells us so and so then I would accept it as fact knowing that proof may not be available to me now or maybe beyond my ability to grasp (e.g. Angels exist, yet you and I have not seen them).

QuoteLayth, this is the problem, you believe it can only be \'emotions\' or beings. It is or-or with you. It has to be a title for something, pointing to one thing. It is not, it is a general description used for several things. It is used for nomads, dead people, legends, man-made idols, rulers, foreign tribes, human psyche, prehistoric man and so on. It is a description just like the the term \'walking being\', does walking being refer to one species? No it does not, it refers to ANYTHING that walks. Similair is that with jinn, meaning something concealed/hidden or rarely seen. Does this refer to one thing only? No, it refers to ANYTHING concealed/rarely seen. I hope you keep you openminded and read my article in the link above. It will explain it all. This is not something new. Ancient commentators also said the same thing for centuries. But this knowledge got ignored the last 600 years. Jinn is not a title, but a description of an attribute which can be shared by many things and beings.

I keep an open mind on everything I read. Where I stop is when I read something that I know contradicts the information given in the Quran...Therefore, when I read that Jinn mens human beings, I automatically reject everything else because it contradicts the information that Jinn were created before man, that Satan was a Jinn, and that Jinn could travel to the outerheavens and listen in of what God tells His angels.

 
`And when God Alone is mentioned, the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter are filled with aversion; and when others are mentioned beside Him, they rejoice!` (The Quran 39:45)

Arnold Yasin

Peace,

QuoteI keep an open mind on everything I read. Where I stop is when I read something that I know contradicts the information given in the Quran...Therefore, when I read that Jinn mens human beings, I automatically reject everything else because it contradicts the information that Jinn were created before man, that Satan was a Jinn, and that Jinn could travel to the outerheavens and listen in of what God tells His angels.

Again you approach jinn as a title that can mean only one thing. The jinns that were created before us, were the prehistoric man as they are hidden/concealed by time and death, this is why they are called jinn=concealed. Shaitan means something distanced from Allah, and can be anything. It is again not a title of a person or being. It is a description of something/someone distanced from Truth and progress. Iblis comes from BaLaSa and refers to the rebeliion side of mankind, which is a jinn=concealed for our psyche, it is a malikah=something that has control nand it is a shaitan=something that is distanced from Truth. You see these are not titles, but descriptions of attributes. The words jinn, malikah and shaitan describe the qualities of that object or person.

As for listening the outerheavens, this is a metaphor for astrology and the people who believe in these conjectures. The shooting flames their jinn=concealed for man's senses=desires will recieve is the requital they will meet when pursuing such nonsense.

You are not openminded on this as i have repeated the same thing several times, and still you answer with that it doesn't fit, because you keep approaching jinn as a title and not as a common description of a quality an object or person might have.

Jinn is not a title, it means something concealed/hidden for man's senses or something rarely seen.  This doesn't refer to one thing or one species. It refers to anything hidden by time, death, horizon, land, distance, thoughts, status of a person. So it refers to man-made idols as they are jinn=not seen, as they are illusions that are not real. It refers to prehistoric man as they are jinn=concealed by time. It refers to people as Buchari or Shafi who are worshipped as if they were alive, but they are in reality jinn=concealed by time and death. It refers to human emotions as these are jinn=concealed by psyche. It refers to people in authority as kings and religious leaders who are jinn=hidden by status and lifestyle being different from the ordinary man. It refers to personifications of powers of nature which are malikah, in control, and are worshipped, but they are in relaity jinn=not seen, as these personifications are illusions, man made and not real; this is why the malikah defend themselves when being accused of being worshipped where they say:"they worshipped the jinn, not us", which means they worshipped what they believed represented us, but in reality was an illusion, not true and real, thus jinn=not seen.

When you translate the word instead of keeping it as a title where the original meaning is ignored, it will become much more clear. As long as you approach it as a title, the Quran will remain blocked in many of it's meanings.


Lobster

QuoteI keep an open mind on everything I read. Where I stop is when I read something that I know contradicts the information given in the Quran...Therefore, when I read that Jinn mens human beings, I automatically reject everything else because it contradicts the information that Jinn were created before man, that Satan was a Jinn, and that Jinn could travel to the outerheavens and listen in of what God tells His angels.
peace

Why would the jinn have to travel to outerspace to listen to God when God is closer to us than our jugular vein? See, the contradiction in your approach Layth?

And why would God tell us to believe in something which we cannot possibly verify? the Quran is NOT a test of faith. It's a book of guidance. How does the existence of angels help us in any way?

If satan whispers to you, that is the same as destructive thoughts entering your head (no matter what way you look at jinn, it's the same). Do you see how this could be figurative language?
`What lies before us and what lies behind us is nothing compared to what lies within us.` - Emerson

'Phoenix! You are in Hot water, maybe you should change your name to Lobster.' - Khalil