Only Allah Knows the Time of the Day of Judgment Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 25-28

 

English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 25-28 

72:25 Say, ‘I know not whether that which you are promised is near, or whether my Lord will appoint for it a term.

72:26 He is the All-Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone,

72:27 save to a messenger whom He has chosen; then He makes before and after him watchers,

72:28 that He may know that they have conveyed the Messages of their Lord. And He is fully aware of all that with them and He has counted the number of all things.

Relationship with the Previous Part 

The disbelievers used to ask Messenger Muhammad about the time of the Day of Judgment. Ayah [24] says, 72:24 Until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in respect of helpers and fewer in respect of numbers. It is known that the disbelievers will ask when the punishment of Allah will befall them. Therefore, Allah, Exalted be He, has commanded Messenger Muhammad to tell that that Allah is the All-Knower of the unseen and He does not disclose the knowledge thereof to anyone.

Tafsir

72:25 Say, ‘I know not whether that which you are promised is near, or whether my Lord will appoint for it a term.

O noble Messenger Muhammad, say to the disbelievers, ‘I do not know whether the punishment that Allah has promised would befall you is near, or whether He will appoint for it a term. I do not know when Allah’s punishment will befall you. Only Allah knows when the punishment will befall and when the Day of Judgment will take place.’

The intended meaning is that the punishment of Allah will certainly befall the disbelievers; however, only Allah knows its appointment. 

72:26 He is the All-Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone,

72:27 save to a messenger whom He has chosen; then He makes before and after him watchers,

Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] does not know when the punishment of Allah will befall the disbelievers and when the Day of Judgment will take place. Only Allah, Exalted be He, knows the unseen, and He does not disclose the knowledge of the unseen to anyone save to a messenger whom He has chosen. He makes him know some of the unseen to be miracles for him and proofs of his prophethood. Then, Allah makes before and after His messenger watchers to guard him against the evil of the devils to prevent them from eavesdropping on the news of the unseen. 

In other words, Allah, Exalted be He, is the only knower of the unseen and He discloses some of the news of the unseen to His Prophets and Messengers and He makes watchers before and after them to prevent the devils from eavesdropping on the revelation that He would reveal to them.

This ayah is evidence that magic and soothsaying are forbidden because the magicians and soothsayers claim that they know the news of the unseen, which is a sheer lie. No one knows the news of the unseen except Allah. He, out of His wisdom, discloses some of its news to His Prophets and Messengers.

Then He makes before and after him watchers,

The intended meaning is that Allah makes watchers for His messengers and prophets from all sides, but the front and behind sides are mentioned because dangers attack man usually from these two sides.

Abdul Allah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said, ‘72:26 He is the All-Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone, save to a messenger whom He has chosen; Allah, Exalted be He, makes His messengers know some of the news of the unseen by revelation. However, He does not make anyone know the preordainment.’ 

Ad-Dahak, may Allah have mercy on him, said, ‘72:27 save to a messenger whom He has chosen; then He makes before and after him watchers. When a revelation from Allah would come to Prophet Muhammad, watchers from the angels would be sent with the revelation to guard it against the devils lest the devils should take the form of the angels.’ 

72:28 that He may know that they have conveyed the Messages of their Lord. And He is fully aware of all that with them and He has counted the number of all things.

The scholars of Tafsir have different opinions about the antecedent of the pronoun ‘He’ in Ayah [28]. 1) That Messenger Muhammad may know that the angel Gabriel conveyed the revelation of Allah to him. 2) That Messenger Muhammad may know that the Messengers of Allah, who came before him, conveyed the message of Allah to their people and that Allah guarded His messages. 3) That the disbelievers may know that the messengers of Allah conveyed the message of their Lord. 4) That Allah, Exalted be He, may know that the messengers conveyed His messages when they would convey them in real life though He, Exalted be He, knows everything before it takes place. 5) That the Prophet of Allah may know that the messengers of Allah came to him and not to others. 

After mentioning the opinions of the scholars, Imam Muhammad Ibn Jarir At-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, said, ‘The correct opinion is that ‘That Messenger Muhammad may know that the messengers, who came before him, conveyed the message of Allah to their people.’ 

Thus, the meaning of Ayah [28] will be as follows: That Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] may know that the messengers of Allah, who came before him, were similar to him concerning conveying the message of Allah truthfully. And that Messenger Muhammad may know that he was protected from the evil of the jinn, just as the Messengers of Allah, who came before him, were protected from their evils. And that Messenger Muhammad may know that Allah, Exalted be He, is fully aware of all that with the messengers and He has counted the number of all things perfectly.

Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 25-28

• Only Allah, Exalted be He, knows the unseen, and He may make His messengers with whom He is pleased know some of the unseen by revelation, which is a miracle confirming their truthfulness. 

• Allah, Exalted be He, protects His messengers from the jinn and the devils lest they should eavesdrop on the revelation of Allah.

• Allah, Exalted be He, informed His Messenger Muhammad that He protected the divine revelation that he might know that the messengers before him were like him concerning conveying the message of Allah truthfully to their people.

• Allah, Exalted be He, is fully aware of all things and nothing is hidden from His perfect knowledge.

The Noble Quran English Translation of Surah Al-Jinn

Some Information about the World of the Jinn

The Principles of the Message of Messenger Muhammad

The Noble Quran Juz Tabarak English Translation and Tafsir Kindle Edition

 

The Principles of the Message of Messenger Muhammad

 

English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 16-24 

72:16 If they go straight on the path, We would give them to drink water in abundance

72:17 that We may test them thereby. And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will make him enter severe torment. 

72:18 And the mosques are for Allah; so invoke not anyone along with Allah.

72:19 And when the slave of Allah stood up invoking his Lord, they almost swarmed upon him.

72:20 Say, ‘I invoke my Lord only and do not worship anyone along with Him.’

72:21 Say, ‘Indeed, I possess no power for you to do you harm nor guide you rightly.’

72:22 Say, ‘Surely no one shall protect me from Allah, and I shall find besides Him no refuge, 

72:23 except conveyance from Allah and His messages. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger – for him, surely the Fire of Hell abiding therein forever.’

72:24 Until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in respect of helpers and fewer in respect of numbers.

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous parts mention some information about the world of the jinn. This part mentions more information about the world of the jinn. It informs about the importance of performing the prayer in mosques. In addition, it confirms that Messenger Muhammad invites people to worship Allah alone and that he cannot benefit or harm anyone. Only Allah can bring benefit and ward off harm from people.

Tafsir

72:16 If they go straight on the path, We would give them to drink water in abundance

72:17 that We may test them thereby. And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will make him enter severe torment. 

If those who follow the path of misguidance among human beings and the jinn adhere to the right path by worshipping Allah alone, obeying His commands, and avoiding His prohibitions, Allah will give them to drink water in abundance and provide them with plenty of blessings. Allah will give them such blessings to test them so that their attitudes toward Allah’s blessings will be clear. Those who will be thankful for Allah’s blessings will be distinguished from those who deny them.

The ayah mentions water specifically because it is the basic source of life on earth.

Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] said, ‘By Allah, it is not poverty that I fear for you, but I fear that the life of this world will be opened up with its wealth for you as it was opened up for those who were before you. Then, you will compete with one another over it as they competed with one another. Thus, it will destroy you as it destroyed them.’ 

And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will make him enter severe torment. 

As for those who turn away from the remembrance of his Lord, and disobey His commands, Allah will make him enter severe torment, which he can never escape.

72:18 And the mosques are for Allah; so invoke not anyone along with Allah. 

Allah, Exalted be He, commands his Messenger Muhammad to say to people, ‘It is revealed to me that the mosques where the prayer and worship of Allah are practiced are only for Allah; so do not invoke anyone along with Allah. You must worship alone and perform the prayer there only for His sake in the mosques.’

Qatada, may Allah be pleased with him said, ‘The Jews and the Christians used to worship other gods besides Allah when they enter their churches and synagogues. Therefore, Allah commanded His Messenger Muhammad to use the mosques for worshipping Him alone.’ 

 The mosques are described as being for Allah to show their great status with Allah.

72:19 And when the slave of Allah stood up invoking his Lord, they almost swarmed upon him. 

When Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] stood up to worship and invoke Allah, the jinn almost swarmed upon him to listen to the recitation of the Quran because they were amazed by how sincerely he worshipped Allah as they did not see someone who did as he did and did not hear something similar to the Quran before.

The jinn crowded around Messenger Muhammad when he was praying and reciting the Quran because they were amazed at his prayer, the beauty of his voice when reciting the Quran, and how his companions followed his model in his prayer. 

Abdul Allah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said about the following ayah: 72:19 And when the slave of Allah stood up invoking his Lord, they almost swarmed upon him. ‘When the jinn heard Messenger Muhammad reciting the Quran, the jinn crowded around him because they were eager to hear his recitation. Therefore, they gathered around him, but he did not know about their presence until the angel Gabriel told him about them.’ 

The scholars of Tafsir mention the following opinions about those who gathered around Messenger Muhammad. 1) When Messenger Muhammad was praying, the jinn almost swarmed upon him to listen to the recitation of the Quran. 2) When the jinn returned to their people, they described how the companions of Messenger Muhammad gathered around him, namely, they obediently imitated when he was praying. 3) When Messenger Muhammad invited the jinn and human beings to worship Allah alone, they swarmed upon him to put an end to his message. 

After mentioning the opinions of the scholars, Imam Muhammad Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said, ‘The correct opinion is that the Arabs swarm upon Messenger Muhammad to prevent him from spreading the Islamic message. That is because [72:19 And when the slave of Allah stood up invoking his Lord, they almost swarmed upon him.] after this ayah [72:18 And the mosques are for Allah; so invoke not anyone along with Allah. 

72:20 Say, ‘I invoke my Lord only and do not worship anyone along with Him.’

O noble Messenger Muhammad, say to those swarmed upon you, ‘I invoke my Lord only, worship Him alone, and rely on Him alone. I do not worship anyone besides my Lord. Allah is my Lord and He only deserves sincere worship.’

72:21 Say, ‘Indeed, I possess no power for you to do you harm nor guide you rightly.’

 O noble Messenger Muhammad, say to the disbelievers, who refused to follow the right path, ‘Indeed, I possess no power for you. I can neither harm you nor benefit in any matter related to the religion or the life of this world. I am only a human being like you to whom Allah has revealed His revelation. All matters are in the hands of Allah.

72:22 Say, ‘Surely no one shall protect me from Allah, and I shall find besides Him no refuge, 

Noble Messenger Muhammad, says to the disbelievers, ‘Surely, no one shall protect me from the punishment of Allah if He wanted to punish me, and I shall find besides Allah no refuge to whom I may turn for protection.’

72:23 except conveyance from Allah and His messages. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger – for him, surely the Fire of Hell abiding therein forever.’

O noble Messenger Muhammad, say to the disbelievers, ‘I have neither harm nor benefit for you. I cannot force you to believe in Islam. I only can truthfully and diligently convey the messages of my Lord to you. As for guiding to the right path, it is only in the hands of Allah. He, Exalted be He, guides whom He wants to the right path, and leaves astray whom He wants according to His will and wisdom.’

And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger – for him, surely the Fire of Hell abiding therein forever.’

The ayah mentions the recompense of those who disobey the commands of Allah. The Fire of Hell will be their punishment wherein they will abide forever, suffering its severe torment.

72:24 Until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in respect of helpers and fewer in respect of numbers.

In this ayah, the disbelievers are warned of severe punishment because they ridicule and abuse the believers.

The disbelievers will keep on their wrong attitude by insisting on disbelieving in the Oneness of Allah, stubbornness, and denying the occurrence of the Day of Judgment. However, when they see that which they are promised, namely, punishment in the life of this world and the Hereafter, they will know who is weaker in respect of helpers and fewer in respect of number. When the disbelievers face the painful punishment of Allah, they will know who is weaker, they or the believers. They will also who is fewer in respect of number, they or the believers.

The believers will definitely be stronger and have more number while the disbelievers will be weak and fewer in number when the punishment of Allah befalls them.

The false hopes of the believers will end on the Day of Judgment. They will have no righteous deeds that will cause them to enter Paradise by the bounty and mercy of Allah. They will also have no helpers or supporters who may protect them from the severe punishment of Allah. They will only find the evil fruits of their wickedness.

 

Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 16-24

• Following the right path by worshipping Allah alone and obeying His commands leads to happiness in the life of this world and the Hereafter.

• Comfortable life and abundant blessings are tests from Allah to make clear those who are thankful for the blessings of Allah and those who are ungrateful.

• Mosques are places for praying and remembering Allah, Exalted be He. Allah alone should be worshipped therein.

• When the jinn heard Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] reciting the Quran, they swarmed upon him as they heard a marvelous Quran. Likewise, the disbelievers swarmed over Messenger Muhammad to prevent him from spreading the message of Islam.

• The duty of Messenger Muhammad is to invite people to worship Allah alone, but he cannot force them to be believers. He cannot also bring benefit or ward off harm from himself or others. If he should disobey Allah, no one can protect him from the punishment of Allah.

• Messenger Muhammad is responsible for conveying the message of Islam and he is not responsible for guiding people to the right path.

• Severe punishment in Hell is awaiting the disbelievers, who disobey Allah and worship other gods besides Him.

• When the disbelievers face the punishment that Allah has prepared for them, they will know who is weaker in respect of helpers and who is fewer in respect of number, they or the believers.

English Translation of Surah Al-Jinn

Some of the Jinn Believe in the Oneness of Allah and the Quran

Some Information about the World of the Jinn

The Noble Quran Surah Maryam English Translation and Tafsir Kindle Edition

 

Some Information about the World of the Jinn

English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 8-15 

72:8 And we sought to reach haven, but we found it filled with strong guards and shooting stars.

72:9 And we used to sit there in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a shooting star in wait for him.

72:10 And we know not whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends guidance for them.

72:11 And there are among us some that are righteous and some of us are otherwise; we are groups following different ways.

72:12 And we think that we can never escape from Allah on earth and we can never escape from Him by flight.

72:13 And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it; and whoever believes in his Lord, he shall fear neither loss nor oppression.

72:14 And there are among us some that are Muslims and some of us are unjust. So whoever has submitted –those are who have sought the right path.

73:15 And as for the unjust, they shall be firewood for Hell. 

Relationship with the Previous Part

The previous part mentions some information about the jinn. This part continues speaking about the same topics and gives more information about the world of the jinn.

Tafsir

72:8 And we sought to reach haven, but we found it filled with strong guards and shooting stars.

The ayah mentions what the jinn say when they came near heaven and tried to eavesdrop on the conversation there.

The jinn say, ‘We sought to reach heaven to eavesdrop on the conversation there as we used to do before we believe in the Oneness of Allah and the Quran, but we found it filled with strong guards and shooting stars to prevent us from eavesdropping.’

If one of the jinn tries to eavesdrop on the conversation in heaven a shooting star will be sent against him. Thus, he will be burned.

Said Ibn Jubayr, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ‘The jinn used to eavesdrop on the conversation in heaven. Then, shooting stars were sent against them. Thus, they said, ‘There is something that  has happened in heaven because of something that has happened on earth.’ Therefore, they set out to find out the reason. They found Messenger Muhammad leading his companions in Al-Fajr prayer after coming out of Okaz market. Thus, they went to their fellows among the jinn to inform them about the matter.’ 

 72:9 And we used to sit there in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a shooting star in wait for him.

The jinn say, ‘And we used to sit in heaven in positions where we could hear the conversation there. However, whoever listens now there will find a shooting star in wait for him to burn him.’ 

The intended meaning is that the jinn confirm their belief in the Oneness of Allah and Messenger Muhammad and motivate their fellows among the jinn to follow their example. 

Imam Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, said, ‘Allah, Exalted be He, mentions that when He sent Muhammad as His Prophet and Messenger and revealed the Quran to him, heaven was filled with strong guards that all its parts were guarded. The devils were expelled from heaven and were unable to reach the positions where they used to sit to eavesdrop on the conversation in heaven to prevent them from eavesdropping on the revelation of the Quran and taking it to the soothsayers. Thus, the matter would be unclear and the truth would be unknown. This indicates Allah’s bounty and mercy on His slaves and His great ability to guard His revelation. Therefore, the jinn say, ‘72:8 And we sought to reach haven, but we found it filled with strong guards and shooting stars.72:9 And we used to sit there in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a shooting star in wait for him.’ 

72:10 And we know not whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends guidance for them.

In this ayah, the jinn acknowledge that they do not know the news of the unseen. Only Allah knows the unseen and the seen and nothing in this universe is hidden from Him, Exalted be He.

The jinn say, ‘We do not know whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends guidance for them by guarding heaven and preventing us from eavesdropping on its news.’

The jinn’s statement indicates their decent manner as they attribute guidance to Allah and do not attribute evil openly to Allah, Exalted be He. Thus, they combine decent a manner with sound belief by believing in the Oneness of Allah.

72:11 And there are among us some that are righteous and some of us are otherwise; we are groups following different ways.

The jinn say, ‘There are among us some that are righteous, who believe in the Oneness of Allah, do not worship any god besides Him, and obey His commands, and among us some that are disobedient to the commands of Allah. We are groups that follow different ways and have different levels of righteousness.’

In other words, the jinn describe their conditions. They mention that some of them are righteous and some are unrighteous. They have different attitudes and characters in the life of this world.

72:12 And we think that we can never escape from Allah on earth and we can never escape from Him by flight.

 In this ayah, the jinn acknowledge the perfect ability of Allah and that they can never escape from His authority.

The jinn say, ‘After believing in the Oneness of Allah, we believe that we can never escape from the authority of Allah on earth and we can never escape from Him in any other place no matter where it may be. We are under the power and authority of Allah everywhere.’

In other words, the jinn expressly admit the perfect power and authority of Allah, and that they can never escape from Him anywhere in the universe.

72:13 And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it; and whoever believes in his Lord, he shall fear neither loss nor oppression.

The jinn say, ‘When we heard the guidance of the Quran inviting us to follow the right path, we immediately believed in it. Whoever believes in his Lord and what He reveals to His Messenger Muhammad, he shall fear neither loss by decreasing his reward, nor oppression by increasing his sins. Rather, he shall be recompensed justly for all his deeds and rewarded immensely for his righteous deeds.’

The intended meaning of the ayah is affirming the perfect justice of Allah and that no one will be treated unjustly. 

72:14 And there are among us some that are Muslims and some of us are unjust. So whoever has submitted –those are who have sought the right path.

The jinn say, ‘There are among us some that are Muslims, who submit to Allah and worship Him alone, and some of us are unjust, who follow the path of misguidance. Whoever has submitted to Allah and obeyed His commands –those are who have sought the right path leading to happiness in the life of this world and the Hereafter.’

73:15 And as for the unjust, they shall be firewood for Hell. 

 As for the unjust, who follow the path of misguidance, they shall be firewood for Hell, where they will suffer severe and lasting punishment. They deserve such painful torment because they disobey Allah.

Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 8-15

• After sending Muhammad as the Messenger of Allah, the jinn were prevented from eavesdropping on the news of heaven. Strong guards from the angels are put in to prevent them from reaching the news of heaven and shooting stars were sent against them if they eavesdropped on the news of heaven.
• The jinn could not understand why heaven was guarded strongly. They did not know whether evil was intended for the inhabitants of the earth, or whether Allah wanted guidance for them. 
• Before sending Muhammad as the Messenger of Allah, some of the jinn were righteous and others were otherwise. They followed different ways and have different attitudes and beliefs in the life of this world. 
• The jinn admitted they could never escape from the punishment of Allah in heaven or earth because the authority and power of Allah are perfect.
• The jinn’s immediate belief in Messenger Muhammad after listening to the recitation of the Quran is proof that he has been sent to both human beings and the jinn.
• Whoever believes in the Oneness of Allah, obeys His commands, and avoids His prohibitions will never fear decreasing his righteous deeds or injustice by increasing his sins. Allah is just and He will recompense all creatures justly.
• Some of the jinn have submitted to the commands of Allah and believed in His Oneness, while others are rebellious wrongdoers, who will suffer severe punishment in Hell on the Day of Judgment.

Introduction to Tafsir of Surah Yusuf

Some of the Jinn Believes in the Oneness of Allah and the Quran

The Noble Quran Surah Maryam English Translation and Tafsir Kindle Edition

  

 

Some of the Jinn Believe in the Oneness of Allah and the Quran

 

English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 1-7

72:1 Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened to the Quran, and said, ‘Truly, we have heard a wondrous Quran.

72:2 It guides to the right path, so we believe in it. And we shall never worship anyone besides our Lord.

72:3 And we believe that He, Exalted be the glory of our Lord, has taken neither a wife nor a son.

72:4 And the foolish among us used to say outrageous lies against Allah. 

72:5 And we thought that men and jinn would never speak a lie against Allah.

72:6 And there were some men, who used to take refuge with certain men of the jinn, but they increase them in wickedness.

72:7 And they thought as you thought that Allah would never resurrect anyone.

Tafsir

72:1 Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened to the Quran, and said, ‘Truly, we have heard a wondrous Quran. 

72:2 It guides to the right path, so we believe in it. And we shall never worship anyone besides our Lord.

Abdul Allah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, reported that Messenger Muhammad neither recited the Quran to the jinn nor did he see them. He set out with some of his companions to the market of Okaz. The jinn were prevented from eavesdropping on the news of heaven and shooting stars were sent against them. Then, the devils returned to their people and said, ‘What is the matter with you?’ They said, ‘We have been prevented from listening to the news of heaven, and shooting stars have been sent against us.’ Their people said, ‘Nothing has prevented you from listening to the news of heaven except for something that has happened. Thus, go to the eastern and western parts of the earth and find out what has happened.’ Then, they went forth to the eastern and western parts of the earth to find out what prevented them from listening to the news of heaven. Some of the jinn went to the region of Tihamah. They found Messenger Muhammad in a place called Nakhla while he was going to the market of Okaz. He was leading his companions in the morning prayer. When they heard the recitation of the Quran, they listened to it. Then, they said, ‘This is the reason that prevented you from eavesdropping on the news of heaven.’ Thereupon, they returned to their people and said, ‘O our people, ‘72:1 Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened to the Quran, and said, ‘Truly, we have heard a wondrous Quran.72:2 It guides to the right path, so we believe in it. And we shall never worship anyone besides our Lord.’ 

Allah, Exalted be He, commanded Messenger Muhammad to inform people what the jinn did when they heard the recitation of the jinn. This indicates that the matter is important and deserves attention and compliance from the listeners. 

O noble Messenger Muhammad, ‘Say, It has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened to the recitation of the Quran. After listening to it, they said to their people, ‘Truly, we have heard a wondrous Quran that guides to the right path. Therefore, we have believed in it and we shall never worship other gods besides Allah.’

The intended meaning is inviting the disbelievers of Makkah to believe in the message of Islam just as the jinn have believed in it, and informing them that the message of Islam is for both human beings and the jinn.

Imam Al-Qurtubi said, ‘The scholars differ about the origin of the jinn. It was narrated from Al-Hassan Al-Basri that the jinn are the children of Satan and the human beings are the children of Prophet Adam. Some of the jinn are believers while others are disbelievers, and they will be rewarded for their righteous deeds and punished for their sins. The believers among the jinn are allies of Allah and the disbelievers among them are devils.’ 

Allah, Exalted be He, informs that the jinn can perform hard work. Allah subjugated the jinn for Prophet Solomon [peace be upon him] to make whatever thing he wanted, such as places of worship and statues. He also informs that some of the jinn are believers in the Oneness of Allah and some of them are rebellious, among which is Satan. Followers of all creeds have no disagreement on the existence of the jinn, and they acknowledge it just like the Muslims. However, they disagree about their nature, and there is no correlation between the existence of something and acknowledging facts about it, nor between its existence and seeing it with the senses. The reality of many existing matters are still unknown, their secrets are veiled, and many of them cannot be perceived by the senses. The soul, which there is no doubt about its existence in men and animals, no one knows its nature and no one sees it. Only some of its attributes and effects are known. 

Allah, Exalted be He, sent Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] to the jinn just as He sent him to human beings. He called the jinn to believe in the Oneness of Allah, warned them of disobeying the commands of Allah, invited them to believe in the Quran, and informed them that they would be called to account for their deeds on the Day of Judgment just as human beings would be called to account for their deeds. Some of the jinn are believers while some of them are disbelievers. All this information is explicitly mentioned in the Quran and authentic Prophetic narrations.

72:1 Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened to the Quran, and said, ‘Truly, we have heard a wondrous Quran.

The jinn described the Quran as wondrous, which indicates that they were extremely affected by it,  and impressed by its great, masterful composition, and its marvelous meanings. Therefore, they declared believing in it without any hesitation. 

Then, surah Al-Jinn mentions what the jinn said after listening to the Quran and believing that Allah revealed it.

72:3 And we believe that He, Exalted be the glory of our Lord, has taken neither a wife nor a son.

 The jinn said, ‘We have believed in Allah and His Prophet and Messenger Muhammad. He, Exalted be the glory of our Lord, has the most perfect names and attributes. He has never a partner in His kingdom; He has taken neither a wife nor a son.’

This statement by the jinn refutes the claim of the disbelievers, who allege that the angels are the daughters of Allah, Exalted be He.

In sum, the jinn confirm and believe in the Oneness of Allah, and declare that Allah, Exalted be He, has neither wife nor a son.

72:4 And the foolish among us used to say outrageous lies against Allah. 

The foolish in the ayah may refer to Satan or the disbelievers among the jinn. 

The jinn say, ‘We glorify Allah and confirm that He, Exalted be He, is free from all outrageous lies that they used to say about Him. We affirm that our Lord is free from having any partner, a wife, or a son. These outrageous statements are sheer lies against Allah, Exalted be He.’

72:5 And we thought that men and jinn would never speak a lie against Allah.

This statement of the jinn mentions why they disbelieved in the Oneness of Allah, Exalted be He. 

After listening to the recitation of the Quran and believing in the Oneness of Allah, the jinn say, ‘We followed our fellows among the jinn. They were disbelievers in the Oneness of Our Lord, Allah. We followed them because we thought that men and jinn would never speak a lie against Allah, Exalted be He. We never thought that no creature could dare to say a lie against Allah and claim that He has a partner, a wife, or a son. We believe that our Lord, Allah, is free from having any partner in His kingdom.’

72:6 And there were some men, who used to take refuge with certain men of the jinn, but they increase them in wickedness.

Some men used to take refuge with the jinn when they traveled and alighted at a particular place. This action of the men made the jinn increase in wickedness and wrongdoing. 

 Abdul Allah Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, said, ‘When some men slept at a particular valley during the time of ignorance, he used to say, ‘I seek refuge with the great master of this valley.’ Thus, the jinn increased in wrongdoing.’ 

The ayah refers to the widespread corruption during the ignorance era before the advent of Islam. Some people used to believe that the jinn were able to benefit and harm them. Therefore, they used to seek refuge with the jinn to protect themselves from the evil of the jinn, which was a wrong practice. 

72:7 And they thought as you thought that Allah would never resurrect anyone.

The believers among the jinn denounce the attitude of the disbelievers towards the resurrection on the Day of Judgment.

The jinn said, ‘Men thought as you, the jinn, thought that Allah would never resurrect anyone after death for reckoning and that Allah would not send a messenger to invite people to worship Him alone.’

This assumption of the jinn and men that there will be no resurrection after death for reckoning is wrong; rather, the Day of Judgment and resurrection on that day will certainly take place. The believers will be rewarded and the disbelievers will be punished on that day.

Learned Lessons from Surah Al-Jinn Ayah 1-7

• Mentioning the story of the jinn has many benefits, among which are the following: demonstrating that the jinn are required to perform Shariah obligations just like people, some of the jinn are believers while others are disbelievers, Messenger Muhammad was sent to both men and the jinn, and the jinn hear and understand the speech and language of men.

• The jinn believed when they heard the recitation of the Quran and determined not to worship any god besides Allah, Exalted be He.

• The jinn confirm that Allah is One and has no partner, wife, or son.

• The jinn denounced the outrageous claim of their fellows among the jinn about Allah.

The Noble Quran, English Translation of Surah Al-Jinn

English Translation of Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Al-Jinn

The Noble Quran Tafsir Surah an-Nahl Ayah 70

The Noble Quran Surah an-Nahl English Translation and Tafsir 

Surat Al-Jinn (The Jinn) | Mishary Rashid Alafasy | 

Introduction to English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Jinn

This article presents a brief introduction to the English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Al-Jinn. 

Name of the Surah 

This surah is called Al-Jinn because it speaks about some of the conditions of the jinn. When the jinn heard the recitation of the Quran, they immediately believed in it.

Surah Al-Jinn gives the reader a clear image of the world of the jinn. It mentions that some of them are righteous while others are wicked, that they do not know the unseen as only Allah knows it, that they are accountable for their deeds and will be rewarded or punished according to their deeds, that they cannot benefit or harm anyone, and that they are under the control of Allah. 

Surah Al-Jin was revealed in Makkah. It contains twenty-eight ayah.

Relationship between Surah Noah and Al-Jinn

In surah Noah, which comes before surah Al-Jinn according to the arrangement of the written copy of the Quran, al-Mushaf, the disbelievers are commanded to seek forgiveness from Allah so that they will be given abundant rain. Surah Al-Jinn mentions that if the disbelievers follow the path of guidance, they will be given abundant rain.

Both surahs refer to heaven. Surah Noah mentions that Allah has created seven heavens one upon another. Surah Al-Jinn mentions that there are strong guards in heaven to prevent the jinn from eavesdropping. 72:8 And we sought to reach haven, but we found it filled with strong guards and shooting stars.  

Surah Noah mentions that the people of Noah were drowned because of their sins. Surah Al-Jinn mentions that whoever disobeys Allah will enter Hell where he will remain forever suffering its severe punishment. 72:23 And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger – for him, surely the Fire of Hell abiding therein forever.’

Most Important Topics Discussed in Surah Al-Jinn 

Surah Al-Jinn discusses two important topics, namely, informing about facts related to the world of the jinn, and instructions to Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon] as to what he should do about inviting people to Islam.

Surah Al-Jinn begins by informing about the story of the jinn who believed in the Oneness of Allah after listening to the recitation of the Quran from Messenger Muhammad when he was praying.

72:1 Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a company of the jinn listened to the Quran, and said, ‘Truly, we have heard a wondrous Quran.

72:2 It guides to the right path, so we believe in it. And we shall never worship anyone besides our Lord.

Then, the surah enlightens about the exaltation and glorification of Allah and worshipping Him alone by the jinn. 

72:3 And we believe that He, Exalted be the glory of our Lord, has taken neither a wife nor a son.

72:4 And the foolish among us used to say outrageous lies against Allah. 

72:5 And we thought that men and jinn would never speak a lie against Allah.

Then, surah Al-Jinn mentions some attempts of the jinn to eavesdrop on what happens in heaven to know the news of the upper world. It also says that they are prevented from eavesdropping by the presence of angel guards in heaven and burning them by shooting stars after sending Muhammad as Messenger of Allah. 

72:8 And we sought to reach haven, but we found it filled with strong guards and shooting stars.

72:9 And we used to sit there in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a shooting star in wait for him.

After that, the surah mentions that the jinn are divided into two parties, the believers and the disbelievers. It gives good news to the believers among them of happiness in the life of this world and the Hereafter. It warns the disbelievers among them of severe punishment. 

Then, surah Al-Jinn refers to how the jinn gathered around Messenger Muhammad when they heard him reciting the Quran.

72:19 And when the slave of Allah stood up invoking his Lord, they almost swarm upon him.

Then, the surah mentions some instructions to Messenger Muhammad commanding him to sincerely convey the message of Islam to people, and never worship other gods besides Allah. It also informs that Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him] cannot bring benefit to himself nor ward off harm let alone to other people, that no one can help him protect him from the punishment of Allah if he disobeys the commands of Allah, and that he does not know when the punishment of Allah will befall the disbelievers.

72:20 Say, ‘I invoke my Lord only and do not worship anyone along with Him.’

72:21 Say, ‘Indeed, I possess no power for you to do you harm nor guide you rightly.’

Finally, surah Al-Jinn is concluded with confirming that only Allah knows the unseen and that He alone knows everything about the creatures.

72:26 He is the All-Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone,

72:27 save to a messenger whom He has chosen; then He makes before and after him watchers,

72:28 that He may know that they have conveyed the Messages of their Lord. And He is fully aware of all that with them and He has counted the number of all things.

The Noble Quran English Translation of Surah Al-Jinn

Tafsir Ibn Kathir, English Translation, Surah Al-Jinn

Introduction to English Translation and Tafsir of Surah Noah

The Noble Quran Surah an-Nahl English Translation and Tafsir