Does word jinn have 2 definitions in Quran?

[Akhti Aminah]

Some sources are of the opinion that jinn in Quran has 2 references. First definition to the paranormal, and second definition to humans of tribal areas or hardworking foreigners.  Is this opinion supported by the Quran?  Please give details.

[Ruhi_Rose]

No it’s not supported by the Noble Quran. 

Some modernists like Free Minders etc. do not want to accept the supernatural powers of The Almighty and thus they don’t want to believe in those things created by Allah which are beyond the human mind to comprehend.  Such people ignore the assertion of The Almighty when He states “Kun Faya Kun” (Be and it is) .. that’s how easy it is for Allah Almighty to create anything He wishes in a fraction of a second or quicker.

Let us analyze this aspect with references to the Noble Quran.

First focus on the following Verses of Surah Saba.

“And unto Solomon (We gave) the wind, whereof the morning course was a month's journey and the evening course a month's journey, and We caused the fount of copper to gush forth for him, and (We gave him) certain of the jinn who worked before him by permission of his Rab. And such of them as deviated from Our command, them We caused to taste the punishment of flaming Fire.”  34:12  Saba.

“They made for him what he willed: synagogues and statues, basins like wells and boilers built into the ground. Give thanks, O House of David! Few of My bondmen are thankful.”  34:13  Saba.

“And when We decreed death for him, nothing showed his death to them save a creeping creature of the earth which gnawed away his staff. And when he fell the jinn saw clearly how, if they had known the Unseen, they would not have continued in despised toil.”   34:14  Saba.

Jinn here refers to a group of living beings (paranormal jinn) who claimed to have known the unseen and consequently also misguided others with this wrong belief. This group of living beings presumed that Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) would live forever. But when Prophet Sulaiman finally died and they saw his lifeless body, it was proven to them that their presumption was wrong and they did not know the unseen which is only known to Allah Almighty.

In various Quran Verses Allah mentions that the disbelievers regarded the jinn as the associates of Allah. For example read the following Verses.

“Yet they ascribe as partners unto Him the jinn, although He did create them, and impute falsely, without knowledge, sons and daughters unto Him. Glorified be He and High Exalted above (all) that they ascribe (unto Him).”  6:100 Al Anam.

“And they imagine kinship between him and the jinn, whereas the jinn know well that they will be brought before (Him).”  37:158  As-Saffat.

“And indeed (O Muhammad) individuals of humankind used to invoke the protection of individuals of the jinn, so that they increased them in revolt against Allah);”  72:6  Al-Jinn.

One of the beliefs of the disbelievers was that they thought the jinn knew the unseen and the hidden.  Thus Allah has stated this event to repudiate the false notions of disbelievers that the Jinn do not know the unseen. These jinn were not humans, and the human pagans were deceived by them.

Modernists presume these jinn to be tribal people (humans) of the mountains who were subdued by Prophet Solomon and thus they worked and toiled for him. But it is obvious from the Quranic narration that these beings were not humans otherwise their subservience to Prophet Sulaiman by working so hard for him would not have been anything extraordinary because humans working for other humans is a common occurrence.


Now let us take a look at some Verses from Surah An-Naml to prove that the jinn who worked for Prophet Solomon were the paranormal jinn and not humans.

“He said: O chiefs! Which of you will bring me her throne before they come unto me, surrendering?”  27:38  An Naml.

“A stalwart of the jinn said: I will bring it to you before you can rise from your place.  Indeed, I verily am strong and trusty for such work.”  27:39  An Naml.

“One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it to you before your gaze returns unto you.”   27:40  An Naml.

Saba is the ancient name of what’s today called Yemen which at that time was ruled by a pagan woman.  Prophet Sulaiman was living in the region of Palestine which is at least 1,500 miles away from Yemen. Particularly in those times this was a very big distance as there were no cars nor trains nor airplanes.

As described in Verse 27:39, one of the jinn promised to bring the throne of the queen to Prophet Sulaiman in a few seconds.  Needless to say, to fetch something as heavy as a throne from such a huge distance in such a short time is impossible for any human being.  Even a high speed airplane would take much longer.  Moreover, the throne was in a palace which must have certainly been well-guarded. It would be impossible for a human being to get that throne without being seen and prevented.   But jinn aren’t only very quick but can also go unperceived by human eyes, thus making it possible for the task to be accomplished in a second or two without any resistance.

The term ‘jinn’ in Arabic does not have two definitions.  It has only one definition, that is, the species created of smokeless fire by Allah Almighty.     This is the nature of jinn, not humans, and both these species have been created by Allah Almighty as per His rules.   



Related post:
Surah Saba, interpretations. 

[Akhti Aminah]

Jazek'Allah khairan.  Very informative.   What words does the Quran mention to define the jinn in verses 34:12 and 27:39 ?    will appreciate if u kindly clarify that for me.

[N. Truth Seeker]

The word stated in Verses 34:12 and 27:39 of the Noble Quran for the jinn is the same, " الْجِنِّ " (al-jinni).  This refers to the jinn made of smokeless fire.  You can check it yourself.  The Quran makes no statements nor any references on these creatures being humans.  That is only a groundless presumption and an opinion of a few modern time interpreters.

[Akhti Aminah]

ok, thanks very much.

[Habib Adil]

Good read and thought provoking.   I would like your opinion on a particular point here.  When the jinns worked so diligently for Solomon, was he aware that they were jinns and not humans?    Was it so that at specific times in this dunya, mostly ancient times, the jinns mixed with the company of humans more frequently than at later times?  At present times we wouldn’t see jinns meddling with humans in such a wide scale and working for humans as devotedly.  What I mean is, was human-jinn relation different in earlier times?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Whether or not Prophet Solomon (pbuh) was aware cannot be determined by us.  That is known to Allah Almighty only.   However, by the will of Allah, it's possible that Prophet Solomon might have known.

In regard to your second query, there is no evidence neither in the Noble Quran nor in our practical lives to suggest that jinn were closer to humans in earlier times compared to now.  Jinn have always been discreet figures.   Jinn may not necessarily always appear in the paranormal manner.  There can be times when any human being may casually see another ‘person’ (whether man or woman) and that person may be a jinn, not a human, and the human who sees them would not know that.  But Allah knows it.

Most importantly, The Almighty has narrated this fact in the Noble Quran for two reasons.
 
1)    To elucidate His favor on Prophet Solomon because the jinn did some very significant works for him based on their speed, invisibility and energy.
 
2)   To refute the fake belief of pagans who associated the jinn with The Almighty and presumed that the jinn had knowledge of the unseen -  an enormous falsehood.  Jinn are just a different species of living beings created by Allah with some characteristics different from humans, and the characteristics of both jinn and humans are bestowed on them by Allah Almighty only.   

[Habib Adil]

Thank u sister.  It is good to read explanations coming from Quranic analysis and not someone quoting hadees after hadees to answer questions, and if i ask them how can i rely on these hadees then that is taken as a cardinal sin.