History of Humans, Jinn and The Devil (Iblees)

God created Angels first. They are made of light, have no gender or free will, and must obey and worship God. God then created jinn. Jinn are made of smokeless fire, have free will to do good or bad, and are supposed to worship Allah (Quran 51:56). The Devil (Iblees) was a jinni (singular, masculine form of jinn) who worshiped Allah (God). He was the most righteous of all the jinn, so much so that he was elevated to a high position amongst the Angels. 

Allah then created Adam, the first human, from clay or earth (Quran 15:26-27). Allah ordered everyone (Angels and jinn including Iblees) to bow down before Adam. Iblees didn’t want to bow down because he felt that he was superior to Adam as Iblees was made from fire and Adam from clay. God then cursed Iblees but Iblees begged Allah to spare him from punishment until the Day of Judgment. Allah agreed. In revenge, Iblees then vowed to misguide humans. Adam was living in Heaven. Allah then created Eve (Hawwa), a female human. God told Adam and Eve to enjoy Paradise and eat whatever they wanted except for the fruit of a particular tree. Iblees was also in Paradise and whispered into the hearts of Adam and Eve to eat from the forbidden tree. 

Adam and Eve ate from that tree and in doing so, God forced them down from Heaven to stay on earth for a while until they and their descendants (mankind) are resurrected on the Day of Judgment where each individual, including jinn, will either go to Heaven or Hell, based on their actions and belief in the world.

Proof of Jinn Existence

Jinn are mentioned in the Quran several times. There’s even a chapter called Jinn.

وَٱلۡجَآنَّ خَلَقۡنَـٰهُ مِن قَبۡلُ مِن نَّارِ ٱلسَّمُومِ (٢٧) وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقُۢ بَشَرً۬ا مِّن صَلۡصَـٰلٍ۬ مِّنۡ حَمَإٍ۬ مَّسۡنُونٍ۬ (٢٨

As for the Jann (the first Jinn), We had created him earlier from the fire of the scorching wind.  (27) Recall when your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to create a human being from a ringing clay made of decayed mud. (28) – (15/27-28)

وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ (٥٦

I did not create the Jinn and the human beings except for the purpose that they should worship Me. (51/56)

وَخَلَقَ ٱلۡجَآنَّ مِن مَّارِجٍ۬ مِّن نَّارٍ۬ (١٥

And created Jann (father of the Jinn) from a smokeless flame of fire. (55/15)

قُلۡ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسۡتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا قُرۡءَانًا عَجَبً۬ا (١

Say, “It has been revealed to me that a group from Jinn has listened (to the Qur’an), and said (to their people), ‘Indeed we have heard an amazing Recital Qur’an) (72/1)

قُل لَّٮِٕنِ ٱجۡتَمَعَتِ ٱلۡإِنسُ وَٱلۡجِنُّ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَأۡتُواْ بِمِثۡلِ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡقُرۡءَانِ لَا يَأۡتُونَ بِمِثۡلِهِۦ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بَعۡضُہُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ۬ ظَهِيرً۬ا (٨٨

Say, “If all the humans and jinn join together to produce anything like this Qur’an, they will not (be able to) come up with anything like it, even if they assist one another. (17/88)

Jinn and Human Similarities

Jinn and humans share many similarities including:

• each have a brain
• each were created to worship Allah
• each have free will to do either good or bad
• each live and die
• each will be judged on the Day of Judgment
• each will abide in Heaven or Hell depending on their actions and beliefs
• in the world, there are some that are good and some that are bad
• each are gendered and can procreate
• like humans, some jinn are Muslim and some follow other religions
• jinn have characteristics like being happy, strong, sad, poor, etc
• each eat and drink, however jinn also eat bones and animal feces

Jinn and Human Differences

• Jinn can see humans but not vice verse (except for select gifted humans who can see jinn)
• Jinn are made of smokeless fire
• Jinn live much longer than humans – some living 1000 years
• Jinn have many more offspring than human numbering in the tens or hundreds
• Jinn are shapeshifters and can change shape such as into animals and humans
• Satan is a jinn who has two horns

The 3 Types of Jinn

According to a hadeeth by al-Hakim, at-Thabrani and al-Bayhaqi in Shahihul Jami’ 3/85, “There are three types of jinn.

• One type flies through the air.
• Another type consists of snakes and dogs.
• A third type is based in one place but travels about.”

Iblees, The Chief Devil / Satan

Iblees is the name of the jinn who disobeyed Allah when ordered to bow down to Adam. Iblees is The Devil. Iblees, like other jinn, have descendants.

وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأَدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنۡ أَمۡرِ رَبِّهِۦۤ‌ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ ۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ ۥۤ أَوۡلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمۡ لَكُمۡ عَدُوُّۢ‌ۚ بِئۡسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلاً۬ (٥٠

Recall, when We said to the angels, “Prostrate yourselves before ’Adam.” So, they prostrated themselves, all of them but Iblees (Satan). He was of the Jinn, so he rebelled against the command of his Lord. Do you still take him and his progeny as friends instead of Me, while they are enemy to you? Evil is he as substitute (of obedience to Allah) for wrongdoers. (50) – Al Kahf: 50

According to the following hadeeth, Iblees’ throne is in the sea and the highest ranking devil is one that causes divorce.

Imam Ahmed bin Hanbal relates that Jabir said that the prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) Peace and salutations be upon Him. said, ‘Iblees places his throne on the sea. Then he sends forth his armies. The nearest of them to him in rank is the greatest in sedition (corruption of a state).One of them comes and says, “ I did such-and-such.”He says, “You did not do anything.”Then another comes and says, “I did not leave him until I split him from his wife.” He brings him near-or clasps him-and says, “You did well.”

Some Animals Can See Jinn

According to the following hadeeth, among them are dogs and donkeys.

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: ‘‘If you hear the barking of a dog or the braying of a donkey by night, then seek refuge in Allaah from the devil because they see what you do not see.’’ [Ahmad and Abu Daawood].

Jinn Can Enter and Flow in Humans

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘The Shaytan flows through the son of Adam as the blood flows through his veins.’” (Bukhari and Muslim)

Where Jinn Live

According to various hadeeth, following are some places jinn live:

• Markets
• Restrooms
• People’s homes
• Bodies of water / seas and oceans
• Holes and cracks in the earth
• Deserts, valleys, alleys, and abandoned places

Jinn Colors

Jinn can be many different colors and can change color. Evil, non-Muslim jinn are black in color. Muslim jinn are white. When a healer does ruqyah on a possessed individual and converts the jinn from being a non-Muslim to being a Muslim, the jinn’s color changes from non-white to white. The color of the jinn is important in the healing process.

Causes of Jinn to Enter or Possess a Human

• Love
  Jinn can fall in love with humans and consequently possess them
• Revenge
  Humans can accidentally and unknowingly hurt jinn by, for example, stepping on or throwing out hot water on a place where a jinn happens to be.
• Summon
  People can summon jinn by performing rituals that call jinn to then or by going to a black magic practitioner.
• Black Magic
  Someone may do black magic or pay someone to do black magic on a target victim. The black magic often is accompanied by a jinn which is sent to the target victim.
• Inheritance
  If a parent has a jinn for personal needs and the parent dies, the parent’s kids will inherit the jinn.

Types of Jinn Interference

• Total
  e.g. when a jinn interferes totally with one’s body, e.g. their entire nervous system
• Partial
  e.g. when a jinn interferes or hurts a part of one’s body, e.g. their hand, leg, knee, etc.
• Long Term
  when a jinn interferes and stays in a person’s body for a very long time
• Short Term
  e.g. when a jinn interferes with a person for a short period of time, e.g. when getting a nightmare

Fortune-Tellers & Knowledge of the Future

One of the most frequent activities associated with jinn is fortune telling.  Before the advent of the Prophet Muhammad, fortune-tellers and soothsayers were widespread.  These people would use their associates from the jinn to find out about the future.  The jinn would go to the lowest heaven and listen to the angels conversing amongst themselves about events of the future which they heard from God.  The jinn would then inform the fortune-tellers.  This is why before the time of the Prophet many fortune-tellers were very accurate in their predictions.  However, upon the Prophet’s arrival the heavens were guarded intensely by the angels and any jinn who tried to listen was attacked by meteors (shooting stars).

إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنۡيَا بِزِينَةٍ ٱلۡكَوَاكِبِ (٦) وَحِفۡظً۬ا مِّن كُلِّ شَيۡطَـٰنٍ۬ مَّارِدٍ۬ (٧) لَّا يَسَّمَّعُونَ إِلَى ٱلۡمَلَإِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ وَيُقۡذَفُونَ مِن كُلِّ جَانِبٍ۬ (٨) دُحُورً۬ا‌ۖ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ۬ وَاصِبٌ (٩) إِلَّا مَنۡ خَطِفَ ٱلۡخَطۡفَةَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُ ۥ شِہَابٌ۬ ثَاقِبٌ۬ (١٠

Verily, We have decorated the nearest sky with an adornment, the stars, (6) And (have made them) a security against every rebellious devil. (7) They cannot listen to the Upper Realm and are hit from every side (8) To be driven off, and for them there is a lasting punishment; (9) However, if one snatches a little bit, he is pursued by a bright flame.  (10) (37/6-10)

The Prophet also said:

“They (the Jinn) would pass the information back down until it reaches the lips of a magician or fortune-teller. Sometimes a meteor would overtake them before they could pass it on.  If they passed it on before being struck, they would add to it a hundred lies” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari).

Thus, it is clear from this as to how fortune-tellers get predictions of the future sometimes right.

Qareen & Knowledge of Other People

Fortune-tellers also operate through the Qareen.  The Qareen is the jinn companion which is assigned to every human being.  It is this jinn which whispers to our base desires and constantly tries to divert us from righteousness.

The Prophet said: “Every one of you has been assigned a companion from the jinn.  The companions asked: Even you O’ Messenger of God?  And the Prophet replied: Even me, except that God has helped me against him and he has become a Muslim.  Now he only tells me to do good” (Saheeh Muslim).

Because the Qareen is with a person all his life, it knows all that has happened to the person from the cradle to the grave.  By making contact with the Qareen, the fortune-teller is thus able to make out that it is he who knows about the person. When you do ruqyah on a possessed person and speak to the jinn, you can ask the jinn questions. For example, if you ask a question about someone by showing the jinn a picture of that person, the jinn can almost instantly get the answer to your question by first asking the subject’s Qareen.

Follower Jinn

A jinn may voluntarily follow and interfere with a human’s life for both good and bad. Bad jinn may try to ruin your life and good jinn may protect you from bad people.

• Example of a Bad Follower Jinn
  For example, if you live in a haunted house, the jinn may feel that you are invading its space even though that’s obviously not your intention since humans can’t see jinn. Nevertheless, some jinn are evil (and dumb) enough to not care and try to scare you to leave. Even after you decide to move out, the jinn may follow you every now and then and harass you, e.g. ruin your relationships, marriage(s), work life, etc.
• Example of a Good Follower Jinn
  • Religious People
    If you are very religious, some pious jinn may be attracted to you and follow you. You will most likely not feel they are following you and they will most likely not interfere with your life.
  • Black Magic Survivor
    If you have been a victim of black magic and an exorcist removes the jinn from you, some jinn may decide to come back to you after leaving. Some are good jinn and they may decide to follow you because they know that you may have a desire to help others who are victims of black magic.
  • Exorcist
    Exorcists who remove jinn from black magic victims can sometimes get some follower jinn. Some of the jinn that leave the patient’s body may be attracted to the exorcist because they see that the exorcist is helping others. Of course, these jinn who leave the patient’s body have become good jinn.
  • Inherited
    Sometimes, each family member of an entire family may get a good follower jinn because they inherited them from their parents. The parents may have or have had good follower jinn and the jinn may feel that they should also follow (and possibly protect) their descendants.

Jinn Statistics

During some jinn catching sessions, I asked different jinn some questions regarding statistics. According to a few jinn, as of 2016 approximately 60% of the human population is affected by black magic and/or voluntary jinn interference. The number of jinn in the world is approximately 17 times the number of humans.