Surah 72. Al-Jinn

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Verses [Section]: 1-19[1], 20-28 [2]

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Quran Text of Verse 1-1972. Al-Jinn Page 57272. Al-Jinnبِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِقُلْSayاُوْحِیَIt has been revealedاِلَیَّto meاَنَّهُthatاسْتَمَعَlistenedنَفَرٌa groupمِّنَofالْجِنِّthe jinnفَقَالُوْۤاand they saidاِنَّاIndeed weسَمِعْنَاheardقُرْاٰنًاa Quranعَجَبًاۙamazing یَّهْدِیْۤIt guidesاِلَیtoالرُّشْدِthe right wayفَاٰمَنَّاso we believeبِهٖ ؕin itوَ لَنْand neverنُّشْرِكَwe will associateبِرَبِّنَاۤwith our Lordاَحَدًاۙanyone وَّ اَنَّهٗAnd that HeتَعٰلٰیExalted isجَدُّ(the) Majestyرَبِّنَا(of) our LordمَاnotاتَّخَذَHe has takenصَاحِبَةًa wifeوَّ لَاand notوَلَدًاۙa son وَّ اَنَّهٗAnd that heكَانَusedیَقُوْلُ(to) speakسَفِیْهُنَاthe foolish among usعَلَیagainstاللّٰهِAllahشَطَطًاۙan excessive transgression وَّ اَنَّاAnd that weظَنَنَّاۤthoughtاَنْthatلَّنْneverتَقُوْلَwill sayالْاِنْسُthe menوَ الْجِنُّand the jinnعَلَیagainstاللّٰهِAllahكَذِبًاۙany lie وَّ اَنَّهٗAnd thatكَانَ(there) wereرِجَالٌmenمِّنَamongالْاِنْسِmankindیَعُوْذُوْنَwho sought refugeبِرِجَالٍin (the) menمِّنَfromالْجِنِّthe jinnفَزَادُوْهُمْso they increased themرَهَقًاۙ(in) burden وَّ اَنَّهُمْAnd that theyظَنُّوْاthoughtكَمَاasظَنَنْتُمْyou thoughtاَنْthatلَّنْneverیَّبْعَثَwill raiseاللّٰهُAllahاَحَدًاۙanyone وَّ اَنَّاAnd that weلَمَسْنَاsought to touchالسَّمَآءَthe heavenفَوَجَدْنٰهَاbut we found itمُلِئَتْfilled (with)حَرَسًاguardsشَدِیْدًاsevereوَّ شُهُبًاۙand flaming fires وَّ اَنَّاAnd that weكُنَّاused (to)نَقْعُدُsitمِنْهَاthere inمَقَاعِدَpositionsلِلسَّمْعِ ؕfor hearingفَمَنْbut (he) whoیَّسْتَمِعِlistensالْاٰنَnowیَجِدْwill findلَهٗfor himشِهَابًاa flaming fireرَّصَدًاۙwaiting وَّ اَنَّاAnd that weلَاnotنَدْرِیْۤwe knowاَشَرٌّwhether evilاُرِیْدَis intendedبِمَنْfor (those) whoفِی(are) inالْاَرْضِthe earthاَمْorاَرَادَintendsبِهِمْfor themرَبُّهُمْtheir Lordرَشَدًاۙa right path وَّ اَنَّاAnd thatمِنَّاamong usالصّٰلِحُوْنَ(are) the righteousوَ مِنَّاand among usدُوْنَ(are) other thanذٰلِكَ ؕthatكُنَّاWeطَرَآىِٕقَ(are on) waysقِدَدًاۙdifferent وَّ اَنَّاAnd that weظَنَنَّاۤ[we] have become certainاَنْthatلَّنْneverنُّعْجِزَwe will cause failureاللّٰهَ(to) Allahفِیinالْاَرْضِthe earthوَ لَنْand neverنُّعْجِزَهٗwe can escape Himهَرَبًاۙ(by) flight وَّ اَنَّاAnd thatلَمَّاwhenسَمِعْنَاwe heardالْهُدٰۤیthe Guidanceاٰمَنَّاwe believedبِهٖ ؕin itفَمَنْAnd whoeverیُّؤْمِنْۢbelievesبِرَبِّهٖin his Lordفَلَاthen notیَخَافُhe will fearبَخْسًاany lossوَّ لَاand notرَهَقًاۙany burden 72. Al-Jinn Page 573وَّ اَنَّاAnd that weمِنَّاamong usالْمُسْلِمُوْنَ(are) Muslimsوَ مِنَّاand among usالْقٰسِطُوْنَ ؕ(are) unjustفَمَنْAnd whoeverاَسْلَمَsubmitsفَاُولٰٓىِٕكَthen thoseتَحَرَّوْاhave soughtرَشَدًا (the) right path وَ اَمَّاAnd as forالْقٰسِطُوْنَthe unjustفَكَانُوْاthey will beلِجَهَنَّمَfor Hellحَطَبًاۙfirewood وَّ اَنْ لَّوِAnd ifاسْتَقَامُوْاthey had remainedعَلَیonالطَّرِیْقَةِthe Wayلَاَسْقَیْنٰهُمْsurely We (would) have given them to drinkمَّآءًwaterغَدَقًاۙ(in) abundance لِّنَفْتِنَهُمْThat We might test themفِیْهِ ؕthereinوَ مَنْAnd whoeverیُّعْرِضْturns awayعَنْfromذِكْرِthe Remembranceرَبِّهٖ(of) his LordیَسْلُكْهُHe will make him enterعَذَابًاa punishmentصَعَدًاۙsevere وَّ اَنَّAnd thatالْمَسٰجِدَthe masajidلِلّٰهِ(are) for Allahفَلَاso (do) notتَدْعُوْاcallمَعَwithاللّٰهِAllahاَحَدًاۙanyone وَّ اَنَّهٗAnd thatلَمَّاwhenقَامَstood upعَبْدُ(the) slaveاللّٰهِ(of) Allahیَدْعُوْهُcalling (upon) Himكَادُوْاthey almostیَكُوْنُوْنَbecameعَلَیْهِaround himلِبَدًاؕ۠a compacted mass

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Translation of Verse 1-19In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

(72:1) Say, (O Prophet), it was revealed to me that a band of jinn attentively listened¹ to (the recitation of the Qur'an) and then (went back to their people) and said:

(72:2) “We have indeed heard a wonderful Qur'an² which guides to the Right Way; so we have come to believe in it, and we will not associate aught with Our Lord in His Divinity”;³

(72:3) and that “He – exalted be His Majesty – has not taken to Himself either a wife or a son”;⁴

(72:4) and that “the foolish among us⁵ have been wont to say outrageous things about Allah”;

(72:5) and that “we had thought that men and jinn would never speak a lie about Allah”,⁶

(72:6) and that “some from among the humans used to seek protection of some among the jinn, and thus they increased the arrogance⁷ of the jinn”;

(72:7) and that “they thought, even as you thought, that Allah would never raise anyone (as a Messenger)”;⁸

(72:8) and that “we tried to pry (the secrets of) the heaven, but we found it full of terrible guards and shooting meteors”;

(72:9) and that “we would take up stations in the heaven to try to hear but anyone who now attempts to listen finds a shooting meteor in wait for him”;⁹

(72:10) and that “we do not know whether evil is intended for those on the earth, or whether their Lord intends to direct them to the Right Way”;¹⁰

(72:11) and that “some of us are upright and some of us are otherwise for we follow widely divergent paths”;¹¹

(72:12) and that “we thought that we will neither be able to frustrate Allah on earth, nor frustrate Him by flight”;¹²

(72:13) and that “when we heard the teaching of the Right Way we came to believe in it; he who believes in His Lord shall have no fear of suffering loss or being subjected to any injustice”;¹³

(72:14) and that “among us some are Muslims (Those who have submitted to Allah), and some of us are deviant. So those who became Muslims found the Right Course;

(72:15) but those who deviated from the Truth, will be the fuel for Hell.”¹⁴

(72:16) If¹⁵ people were to keep firmly to the Right Way, We would have vouchsafed them abundant rain¹⁶

(72:17) so that We might try them through this bounty.¹⁷ Whoso turns away from the remembrance of his Lord,¹⁸ He will cause him to suffer a grievous chastisement;

(72:18) and that “mosques belong to Allah, so do not invoke anyone with Him”;¹⁹

(72:19) and when Allah's servant²⁰ stood up to call on Him, they well-nigh swarmed him.

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Commentary

1. This shows that the jinn on this occasion were not visible to the Prophet (peace be upon him). Nor did he know that they were listening to his recitation of the Qur’an. Instead, he was informed of the incident Tater through revelation. In connection with this great incident, ‘Abdullah ibn. ‘Abbas has also stated that: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not recite the Qur’an before the jinn, nor did he see them.” See Muslim (K. al-Salat, Bab al-Jahr bi al-Qira‘ah), Tirmidhi (K. al-Tafsir, Surah al-Jinn), Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Musnad, 23, 310), Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, (Tafsir, 1, 252).

2. The jinn spoke of the Qur’an as “Qur’anan ‘Ajaba” or the “wonderful reading” (the literal meaning of ‘Qur’an’ is something that is read time and again), for prior to this they had no idea about it, and this was the first time they became overwhelmed by it, without realizing that the recitation they were listening to was the Qur’an itself. The intensive form of the Arabic word ‘ajab is employed here in order to underscore the feeling of amazement experienced by the jinn. What they meant was that in terms of its language and its contents, it was something unprecedented.

One thus learns that the jinn not only listen to human conversation, but understand their language thoroughly, though they may not be the master of all human languages. It is likely that they are familiar with the local languages of their respective regions. It is nonetheless clear that this particular group of jinn were so well versed in Arabic that they not only followed the lofty contents of the Qur’an, they appreciated its inimitable stylistic features as well.

3. This brings to light the following points: (i) The jinn do not deny the existence of God and His Lordship, (ii) There are polytheists among them who like men take others as partners of God. This particular group of jinn that listened to the Qur’an were among the polytheists. (iii) Messengers and divine scriptures have not been sent down among the jinn. The believing jinn are those who accept the divine message preached by the Messengers raised from among the human beings and the scriptures brought by them. The same fact is confirmed in verses 29-31 of Surah al- Ahqaf, for those jinn who listened to the Qur’an were among the followers of the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him). After listening to the Qur’an, this particular group of jinn asked their community members to believe in the Qur’an which confirms the previous scriptures. Surah al-Rahman also points to the same fact as its entire subject matter emphasizes that the addressees of the Prophet’s message are both the human beings and jinn.

4. From this event, two things could be deduced: (i) Either the group of jinn were from the Christian faith or followers of a certain religion that ascribed the spouse and children to God. (ii) Moreover, it appears that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was at that time reciting a Qur’anic passage which alerted them to the error in their articles of faith. After listening to the Qur’an, they realized that itis the height of ignorance and disrespect to ascribe a spouse and children to someone as majestic and exalted as God.

5. The word safihuna (“the foolish among us”) here could have both a singular and plural meaning. If we take the word “foolish” to refer to an individual, it would denote Iblis. And if it is considered to be a plural, it would denote a group of foolish jinn who made such statements.

6. What misled them was their belief that no human being or jinn could dare to forge a lie about God. On listening to the Qur’an, however, they realized that the foolish among them were liars as well.

7. Ibn ‘Abbas reports that in the days of Jahiliyyah, when the Arabs spent the night in a desolate valley, they cried aloud: “We seek protection from the jinn who is the owner of this valley.” Several reports of that period bear out a similar message. For example, when their supply of water and fodder was exhausted, the nomad Bedouins sent a member of their team to find out whether such a supply is available. On locating the place, before camping at this new place, they cried out: “We seek protection from the Lord of this valley against every adversity.” Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (Tafsir, 23, 322-324) and Tafsir of Ibn Kathir (8, 239). They believed that the jinn were in charge of all desolate places and if they stayed there without invoking their protection, they would be harmed by them. The believing jinn are alluding to this very thing in their observation that man, in spite of being God’s vicegerent on earth, became so frightened of the jinn that they had to seek their protection, rather than the protection of God. This has increased the jinn’s arrogance, wickedness and oppression of human beings. By this they also became more foolish and bold in their error and disbelief.

8. “That God would never raise anyone” is open to two possible meanings: (i) One meaning is that which we have mentioned in the translation of the text, “They thought even as you thought, that Allah would never raise anyone (as a Messenger).” (ii) “God will not raise anyone after death”. In keeping with the comprehensive meaning of the word it may be said that like the human beings, the community of jinn at that time also rejected the doctrines of Messenger ship and the Resurrection. However, the verse which follows indicates that the first meaning mentioned above is more pertinent. In this context, the believing jinn here are informing the polytheistic jinn that their conjecture that God will not raise any Messenger is completely wrong. The gates of heaven which have been shut upon them is the clear indication that the Messenger has already been sent by God.

9. This shows that these jinn noticed that strict measures had been taken in the heavens to prevent them from prying on any secrets of heaven. They therefore tried to find out what has happened or is about to happen on earth that required such strict secrecy to be maintained.

However, the arrangements they found were too stringent to allow them any opportunity to eavesdrop, for whenever anyone makes such an attempt, a “shooting meteor is in wait for him.” (verse 9)

10. One thus learns that such extraordinary arrangements are made in either of these two situations: (i) If God has decreed His punishment against the human beings in the scheme of God, the jinn should not get any inkling of this lest they may foretell this to their ally human beings. (ii) When God sends down His Messenger, extraordinary security measures are taken to ensure that no tampering is done by any devil. Nor can they learn beforehand what divine revelation is being conveyed to the Messenger. The jinn affirm that when they observed strict security in the heavens and saw the downpour of shooting meteors, it made them curious to ascertain whether God had suddenly afflicted some people with His punishment or had sent down His Messenger somewhere. While they were conducting this enquiry, they listened to the wonderful recitation which guided them to the straightway. Then they realized that God had not punished anyone. Rather, He had sent down His Messenger for guiding the creation to the straight path. (For details see Towards Understanding the Qur'an, vol. IV, Surah al-Hijr 15: nn. 8-12, pp. 284-286; vol. IX, Surah al-Saffat 37: n. 7, p. 283 and Surah al-Mulk 67: n. 11.)

11. From the moral point of view, there are both good and evil among the jinn. In the dominion of belief, far from being the adherents of a single faith, they are divided and follow various religions. By stressing this, they persuaded their community members that they definitely stood in need of guidance. They could not dispense with this need.

12. The jinn’s belief that they could neither frustrate God on earth nor flee from it led them to the path of success. They feared God and were also conscious that if they disobeyed, they would not be able to avert His chastisement.

Therefore, when they heard God’s Word which directed them to the right way, they did not have the audacity to cling to the erroneous | beliefs that had been spread among them by the ignorant members of their society. They could not do so because they had come to know the truth.

13. Injustice means rewarding someone less than what he deserves.

It would be patently wrong if he is not given any reward at all and is punished more than what is due or to punish an innocent person.

Believers have no fear of suffering any such loss or being subjected to any injustice by God.

14. This might prompt one to ask: “The jinn, according to the Qur’an itself, are created out of fire. How then can Hellfire torment them?” In response, one can point to a parallel case. Man, according to the Qur’an, is created out of the clay, and yet he is hurt if a lump of clay is hurled at him. True, man’s body is composed of the elements from clay, yet his body assumes an independent and different entity of blood and flesh and is liable to be hurt by things made of the same elements. Similarly, though the jinn are created from fire, they have a body of their own which is subject to burning by fire. (For details see Surah al-Rahman 55: n. 15.)

15. This marks the end of the observations of the jinn and the beginning of the comments of God the Almighty.

16. The same truth is highlighted in verse 12 of Surah Nuh, that if people seek Allah’s pardon, He will bless them with plenty of rain. (For details see Surah Nuh 71: n. 12.) The abundance of rain typifies the abundance of divine bounty. For life depends upon water. Without water, there cannot be any habitat. Nor can the basic needs of human beings be met without it. The same holds true for the flourishing of industry which is contingent upon water.

17. The trial consists in watching whether they remain grateful or not after being blessed with divine bounties. It is also to be seen whether they properly utilize or abuse the blessings granted to them.

18. Turning away from the remembrance of his Lord means man’s rejection of guidance and advice sent down by God or his outright refusal to listen to any remembrance of Him or to turn away from worshipping Him.

19. The Qur’an commentators generally explain the Qur’anic expression masajid as the place of worship. Taken in this sense, the verse means that no one other than God is to be worshipped there. According - to Hasan al-Basri, the entire earth is a place of worship. The verse thus indicates that polytheism should not be committed anywhere on God’s earth. His stance is premised on the Prophet's remark: “The entire earth has been made as a place of worship and attaining cleanliness for me. (al-Kashaf, 6, 231) In the opinion of Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, masajid signifies man’s body parts such as his hands, knees, feet, and forehead which are involved in prostration. (Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, 8, 244) The verse thus highlights that it is God Who has created these body parts and hence these should not be used for prostrating before anyone other than Him.

20. God’s servant alludes, to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).