Juz 29: Al-Mulk to Al-Mursalāt
Section 14 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
14. The World of Jinn and Their Response to the Quran
Surah Al-Jinn, the 72nd surah of the Quran with its 28 verses, provides a fascinating glimpse into the unseen realm of the jinn – intelligent beings created from fire who, like humans, possess free will and religious accountability. This Makki surah is distinctive in its revelation about this parallel creation and their response to the divine message.
The surah begins with Allah (swt) commanding the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to relay what was revealed to him about an extraordinary event:
قُلْ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا
“Say, 'It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened (to the Quran) and said: Indeed we have heard an amazing Quran.'”
This incident occurred when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was reciting Fajr prayer near a place called Nakhlah, east of Makkah. A group of jinn from the Nasibeen tribe was passing by, attempting to discover what cosmic change had altered their ability to access the heavens. Upon hearing the Quran's recitation, they were immediately captivated by its message.
The surah reveals that, like humans, jinn are religiously diverse with varying levels of commitment to truth:
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ كُنَّا طَرَائِقَ قِدَدًا
“And among us are righteous ones, and among us are others who are below that. We have been (divided into) different ways.”
This verse confirms the existence of righteous jinn alongside those who deviate from truth. Further evidence of their religious diversity appears in verse 3, where some jinn profess belief in Allah's oneness:
وَأَنَّهُ تَعَالَىٰ جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا اتَّخَذَ صَاحِبَةً وَلَا وَلَدًا
“And [we believe] that exalted is the majesty of our Lord; He has not taken a wife or a son.”
This statement suggests they were refuting beliefs held by other jinn who may have adopted concepts similar to Christian doctrines.
The surah also explains why jinn could no longer access the heavens as they previously did:
وَأَنَّا لَمَسْنَا السَّمَاءَ فَوَجَدْنَاهَا مُلِئ
“and that we sought (to reach) the sky, but we found it filled with stern guards and flames,” (72:8)