Al-Jinn ( ar, الجن, “The

Jinn Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources) – are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic ...

”) is the 72nd chapter (

sūrah A ''surah'' (; ar, سورة, sūrah, , ), is the equivalent of "chapter" in the Qur'an. There are 114 ''surahs'' in the Quran, each divided into '' ayats'' (verses). The chapters or ''surahs'' are of unequal length; the shortest surah (''Al-Ka ...

) of the

Quran The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , ...

with 28 verses ( āyāt). The name as well as the topic of this chapter is

jinn Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources) – are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic ...

. Similar to

angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles ...

s, the jinn are beings invisible to the naked human eye. In the Quran, it is stated in that humans are created from the earth and jinn from smokeless fire. Although ''Al-Jinn'' is a

Meccan surah The Meccan surat are, according to the timing and contextual background of supposed revelation (''asbāb al-nuzūl''), the chronologically earlier chapters (''suwar'', singular ''sūrah'') of the Qur'an. The traditional chronological order attribu ...

, it is generally agreed that it was revealed much later than any other sura contained in ''

Juz' A ''juzʼ'' (Arabic: جُزْءْ, plural: ''ajzāʼ'', literally meaning "part") is one of thirty parts of varying lengths into which the Quran is divided. It is also known as para (پارہ/পারা) in Iran and the Indian subcontinent. The ...

Tabāraka -lladhi'' (which covers surahs 67 to 77).

Abdullah Yusuf Ali Abdullah Yusuf Ali, CBE, MA, LL.M, FRSA, FRSL (; ur, عبداللہ یوسف علی‎; 14 April 1872 – 10 December 1953) was an Indian-British barrister who wrote a number of books about Islam including an exegesis of the Qur'an. A sup ...

says that it is "tolerably certain" that ''Al-Jinn'' was revealed around 2 B.H. when Muhammad was evangelising near present-day

Ta'if Taif ( ar, , translit=aṭ-Ṭāʾif, lit=The circulated or encircled, ) is a city and governorate in the Makkan Region of Saudi Arabia. Located at an elevation of in the slopes of the Hijaz Mountains, which themselves are part of the Sarat M ...

Maulana Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; ar, محمد علي‎; 1874 – 13 October 1951) was an Indian writer, scholar, and leading figure of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. Biography Ali was born in Murar, Kapurthala State (now in Ludhiana district, Punja ...

agrees with the date of around 2 B.H., saying that this surah was revealed at a time when opposition to the Prophet's message was reaching a climax.Ali, Maulana Muhammad; ''The Holy Qur’an: Arabic Text, Translation and Commentary''; p. 1106

Summary

:1-2 Certain of the genii converted to Islam by hearing the Quran :3-7 The folly of men and genii in ascribing offspring to God :8-9 Genii prying into heavenly secrets are driven away with fiery darts :10-14 Different classes of genii, some Muslims and others infidels :15-18 Believing genii rewarded in Paradise, the unbelievers punished in hell :19 The genii pressed upon Muhammad to hear the Quran :20-24 Muhammad can only publish what hath been revealed to him :25-26 The judgments of God shall overtake the unbelievers :27-28 God revealeth his secrets to his apostles only

Exegesis

2 Jinn recant their belief in false gods

In the second verse the jinn recant their belief in false gods and venerate

Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mon ...

for his

monotheism Monotheism is the belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God. Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxfo ...

. The jinn apologize for their past

blasphemy Blasphemy is a speech crime and religious crime usually defined as an utterance that shows contempt, disrespects or insults a deity, an object considered sacred or something considered inviolable. Some religions regard blasphemy as a religio ...

and criticize mankind for either neglecting them or encouraging their disbelief.

7 Islamic Judgement Day, Qiyamah

The Judgement in verse 7, and the punishment in verse 25, are both references to the

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

Judgement Day The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Reckoning, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, Doomsday, Day of Resurrection or The Day of the Lord (; ar, یوم القيامة, translit=Yawm al-Qiyāmah or ar, یوم الدین, translit=Yawm ad-Dīn, ...

Qiyamah In Islam, "the promise and threat" () of Last Judgment, Judgment Day ( ar, یوم القيامة, Yawm al-qiyāmah, Day of Resurrection or ar, یوم الدین, italic=no, Yawm ad-din, Day of Judgement), when "all bodies will be resurrected" fr ...

20-22 Monotheism among the Jinn is reaffirmed

Verses 20-22 are especially important as

Monotheism Monotheism is the belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God. Cross, F.L.; Livingstone, E.A., eds. (1974). "Monotheism". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (2 ed.). Oxford: Oxfo ...

(

tawhid Tawhid ( ar, , ', meaning "unification of God in Islam (Allāh)"; also romanized as ''Tawheed'', ''Tawhid'', ''Tauheed'' or ''Tevhid'') is the indivisible oneness concept of monotheism in Islam. Tawhid is the religion's central and single m ...

) among the Jinn is reaffirmed and the inescapable wrath of

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

is emphasized.

25-28 Qiyamah is known only to God

Verses 25-28 establish that

is known only to God, and that God takes into account all the deeds of a man when judging him.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Islamic mythology

Exorcism in Islam