In our study of the Quran which is based on the chronology of the revealed sections, we will start looking into Section Al- Jinn of the Quran; approximated to be the 40th revealed section of the Quran. Our studies have focused on relating the message of the Quran to our practical living right now. We are not looking into the Arabic grammar and rhetoric much which are areas that can be beneficial as well. We are not studying the historical background in which we understand the verses to be revealed at different stages in history during the life of prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Within the historical context, it made sense to the people at that time who lived by it; they didn’t need an interpretation or commentary on the verses as the prophet (pbuh) was with them. The people were just experiencing what the Quran was revealing in its verses according to the living conditions at that time. They did not need any commentary on the verses. None of the companions asked the prophet (pbuh) to study and comment on the verses of the Quran. During the prophet’s (pbuh) time, none of the companions were writing any commentaries on the Quran but they were studying to understand what the Quran is teaching. Some companions made commentaries on some verses after the Prophet passed away in order to share their experience of the Qur’an as it was revealed and their understanding of them to the people who were later generations who did not have the same experience as the companions did. It wasn’t difficult for the first generation that received revelation to see what is going on in the content of the sections of the Quran. For us, the task is not easy as we have to take the same text and apply it to our practical living right now.
We have to appreciate relating the content of the Quran to our practical living within our own conditions, i.e. benefit from the message which is desperately needed while journeying through this world. This aspect of the Quran is not studied much these days as compared to the other aspects such as historical background, judicial rulings, relationship between the Quran and hadith (prophetic sayings) and comparisons with other religious scriptures. The verses related to belief matters have been discussed heavily among early period Muslim scholars with different understandings, some controversial as well. This resulted in people getting tired of them and started focusing more on the grammatical side, rhetoric side, historical background and juridical matters. However, in bringing the message of the Quran to our lives, we see a lot of studies as they relate to the ethical teachings of the verses but not so much on belief. Putting belief into our living right now is not heavily studied. Some references are given here and there but belief is not a principle of the traditional “tafsir” (commentary on the Quran), i.e. how am I going to apply the message related to my understanding of the existence of myself and the universe into my life right now is not a major theme.
We see that in the course of time, changes were happening from one century to the next but the pace of change that we are experiencing right now is tremendous, something along every ten years. We are experiencing major changes in our living every decade where the new generation lives in a very different context of living than before. The generational conflict is more apparent in keeping up with the pace of changes in the way we live. For example, an age gap of ten years between siblings is enough to cause conflicts in understanding each other.
In a non-religious oriented civilization, everyone is enjoying their temporary secular living, no one is disturbed about their living, there is no conflict in understanding each other as long as there is a mutual agreement to seek their worldly enjoyment. Going with the flow of the society does not require anyone to question why they are doing what they are doing. In a believing society, the generational difference and conflicts are taking place heavily where the older generation is frightened with the newer generation which is engaged in a completely different world. Nowadays, there is no believing society deemed better than another as everyone is becoming more self-centered, having self-confidence, having materialistic concerns and worldly happiness under the influence of the worldwide civilization, adopting those values and understanding. Almost everyone is exposed to technology in some form or another and the newer generation is influenced by social media personalities from a very young age. It is incredible where a child as young as two years is holding some screen device to focus on. Although the universe is full of wonderful attractions, the child is glued to screen time. Part of our living in the last ten to fifteen years has become virtual, somewhat in an artificial world. With the generative artificial intelligence systems becoming mainstream, the future seems to change faster. The education landscape for learning is disrupted as the tools are available with all the information needed, there is no longer a need for books and not much motivation to learn. Video gaming and other forms of virtual entertainment thrive in order to keep people busy. Whether these changes are good or not is not the point but to understand that the way people live as a society is changing much faster than before during the last few years. This necessitates a new interpretation of the Quran that is presented addressing each generation at their time according to their living conditions. It is thus becoming harder to present the message of the Quran relevant to our times. The classical sources need to be updated according to the times.
There are great books written over the centuries, volumes of commentaries on the Quran and skimming over tens pages of them probably only one paragraph may seem relevant to the times. How can I expect anyone in their upper teen years to benefit from these sources? I have to see what kind of feelings they have, what they are experiencing so that I can take the message of the Quran and make it relevant to their practical living conditions.
We will start this new section “Al-Jinn” of the Quran and try to make sense of it as much as possible. First of all, we need to put all the previous interpretations which have a background relating to “Jinn stories” which are said to be strange occult creatures on the side, as most of them are complete trash. In fact, we should throw them away. We will try to understand the real existential side of “Jinn’. This will have nothing to do with “Jinn stories” or mentioning certain people talking and working with “Jinn”, they have no reality. It is possible that some people may get in touch with them but that doesn’t justify that the “Jinn” matters be understood with their stories. The prophet (pbuh) also mentioned not to engage with these beings, i.e. do not deal with these matters involving Jinn to play with them as they are respected creatures of God. The time may come and some scientists may try to understand the reality of their level of existence and treat them respectfully and communicate with them. But at the moment the materialist approach of science does not seem to be interested in this aspect of creation; they acknowledge only the things that exist in material terms.
We will look at some verses that would act as the introduction to our topic of section Jinn and see how the Quran deals with Jinn from a general perspective. We will try to get an idea of what the Quran is talking about when mentioning Jinn. The Quran is not hesitant and is sure that there are such beings. We should prepare our minds to study this section and get the concept of Jinn by studying the following verses. To clarify, we are not studying these verses which are very meaningful but we will try to get the general concept of how the Quran deals with existence in such a way that necessitates the existence of angels, spirit, Satan and Jinn alongside with mater and its meaning embodied in itself. We will particularly focus on seeing what kind of creatures Jinns are. Let’s start with the following verse:
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا جَآءَ أَمْرُنَا وَفَارَ ٱلتَّنُّورُ قُلْنَا ٱحْمِلْ فِيهَا مِن كُلٍّۢ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَأَهْلَكَ إِلَّا مَن سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْقَوْلُ وَمَنْ ءَامَنَ ۚ وَمَآ ءَامَنَ مَعَهُۥٓ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌۭ
11:40 When Our command came, and water gushed up out the earth, We said, ‘Place on board this Ark every kind a pair, two of each species, and your own family – except those against whom the sentence has already been passed – and those who have believed,’ though only a few believed with him. two of every pair, a pair two
This is related to the story of prophet Noah and the flood. We will pay attention to the phrase “زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ” is translated as “a pair, two of each species”. Every kind of being will be boarding the ark of Noah, which represents Noah’s message. By following his message, they are saved from the flood. The word “زَوْجَ” means pair, and the word “زَوْجَيْنِ” means a pair consists of two element in it. The word “ٱثْنَيْنِ” doubles the pairs. This means that there are double pairs (which are two). We usually think of this in terms of male and female in creation, including men, animals and plants which go through what is known as pollination but this will mean only ‘زَوْجَيْنِ’. Whereas, the verse says “زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ” i.e. “a pair, two of each species.” Literally “زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ” means “a pair two.” مِن كُلٍّۢ زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ literal meaning of this phrase is “of every kind a pair two.”
The mentioning of two pairs adds some complexity in understanding what is meant by it. We see that the system or order of the universe that is established, in its entirety is perfectly working, there is no discordance, there is no conflict in the order of the universe. The order is such that life is given to some beings and at the same time death is given to other beings. Many stars and galaxies die and new ones abound. From one side the universe is expanding and from another side it is contracting, going into what is referred to as black hole by scientists. In fact, when the stars die, they are transferred into another form of creation, going into the eternal realm. For a believer, it is not going into blackness or darkness but whiteness/light as the star transfers into eternal life. However, the field of science generally does not believe in a Creator as they describe their observations within this universe only. They describe the star as dying and that’s about it. However, we should understand that it is part of the order where the order of the universe never becomes disordered.
The construction of the universe is such we see contradictory conditions but complementing its functioning, i.e. two sides where both attraction and repulsion for example complement each other. This is a challenge for the human mind telling him that this miraculous creation cannot be explained by saying that the order happened by itself, is natural or evolving to adapt itself. There are pairs contradicting, yet complimenting each other where the balance is never lost. The order is established in this way and everything is created within these conditions. One cannot say for example, the bird evolved by itself. In the anatomy of the bird, one finds contradicting, yet complementary elements perfectly working together. We can look at ourselves and see how our eyes are placed and adjusted with a certain distance between them to allow us to see things close and far away with this perfect setup. The way our fingers are placed in both our hands are perfectly arranged although each one is in a contradictory position but perfectly complementary, symmetric to the two sides of the human body. It is impossible to explain this as having evolved. The only way to explain this for human reasoning is to relate them to the creation of an Absolute Being. Being convinced about it as a conscious human being with intellect and feelings. That is what my reality is, to see that everything is balanced as a result of this “زَوْجَيْنِ” (a pair).
We will also look into the word “ٱثْنَيْنِ” which is translated as “two”, we will see what that is as we go step by step in our understanding.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى مَدَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ وَأَنْهَـٰرًۭا ۖ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ جَعَلَ فِيهَا زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ يُغْشِى ٱلَّيْلَ ٱلنَّهَارَ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
13:3 And He is the One Who spread out the earth and placed firm mountains and rivers upon it, and created upon it fruits of every kind in two pairs. He covers the day with night. Surely in this are signs for those who reflect.
This verse gives an example with almost the same words being used as the previous verse we looked at regarding the phrase “زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ”, translated as “every kind in two pairs”. There is an example given here relating to our observation in the universe. The things in the universe are created with pairs such as the creation of night and day. The relationship between the sun, earth and the moon are clear examples for everyone to witness with their naked eyes, without requiring any special knowledge in astronomy. One sees how they are adjusted perfectly in their movements and rotations resulting in what we experience as day and night. They are not fixed like a machine that is human made but the creation is such where everything is continuously changing so that human intelligence cannot say that it is happening randomly or it is natural like this.
Who created this wonderfully functioning universe where everything is precisely adjusted? All this is for a purpose, to let us know that this is not a fixed universe, i.e. the order is not fixed but continuously in motion and changing. For example, the atoms and electrons are continuously changing their position which is not known among many common people. However, everyone can see the position of the sun, the moon and the earth changing at every moment. They are all perfectly adjusted in their change but the order never turns into disorder or chaos. Nothing in the macro or micro world is there any sign of chaotic activity. It is not that there is one order but in each and every thing also is within an order. If I open up an orange, I see that each segment is symmetrically placed. Each juice bubble in it is perfectly symmetrically placed having almost the same size. Why is there beauty? Why does it have such amazing symmetry? It is impossible to attribute this to accident or chance but one can only say “Allah hu Akbar”, God is great. By looking at the work in front of my eyes, I can only describe that such a being must be Absolute in His qualities. I cannot imagine Him but submit my intelligence, reasoning, feelings and all my human qualities including my body that also interacts with His work, to Him.
By giving the example of day and night which shows the creation in pairs. For example: push and pull, attract and repulse, life and death. This creation continuously changes amazingly in balance and symmetry. Although the pairs are opposing and contradicting each other, they are complementary to one another and form this balance. That is how “زَوْجَيْنِ” is being witnessed by me in the universe, which cannot be the work of chance or accident. We witness this everyday while living in this world, there is no way to escape it; no one can make the excuse that I didn’t know. That is the reason some serious scholars refer to the universe as the Quran, direct speech of the Creator of the universe introducing Himself through His work. This universe speaks to me perfectly where I can communicate with it while enjoying the sunlight, the rain, snow, stars, moon, flowers, food, etc. The section Ar-Rahman of the Quran makes one question: “what favors of your Lord do you deny?” and repeats it 31 times in the same Section. Another verse in 2:28 mentions that “How can you deny God?”
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِۦٓ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۢ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًۭا
18:50 Remember when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ and they all prostrated, but not Iblis: he was one of the jinn and he disobeyed his Lord’s command. Are you [people] going to take him and his disciples [followers] as your masters instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What an evil is the exchange for the evildoers!”
We will focus on the underlined section of this verse which mentions Iblis as being one of the jinn that disobeyed his Lord’s command. We understand that there are pairs but will now try to understand why two pairs, or a pair two from the hints in this verse. When it says Iblis was one of the Jinn, it brings to mind the pair concept where the pair of the Jinn would be a pair of humans. The Jinn come in a pair where some of them deviate from acknowledging their Lord and others that do acknowledge, which means that there are believing Jinn and disbelieving Jinn. Just like a human being can be a believing or disbelieving person. Basically, each pair has its own pair. Iblis is the representative of the Jinn disobeying its Lord’s command. The Jinn have two sides where Iblis represents one as being the denier of the Lord’s message and there are his followers in human kind that also deny their Lord’s command. The jinn’s existence of nature is completely different from human existence which means they are contradicting each other but complementing each other. There are pairs in Jinn and also in humans that are interconnected with each other: believing Jinn with believing men, disbelieving Jinn with disbelieving men. This is the miraculous language of the Quran by using “two pairs” in the phrase “زَوْجَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ”.
We are in contact with Iblis, whose name becomes “Satan” on earth in the language of the Quran. Now, Satan would be available in my practical life which would be the followers/disciples of disbelieving Jinn. Jinn and humans have something in common, i.e. with respect to them being believing or disbelieving in their Lord. However, they are of completely different existence than humans which is where they are contradictory counterparts of humans.
The verses we looked at are reminding me that you as a human being have pairs and in each of them is another pair in the form of Jinn, be careful with which one you are aligning yourself with.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
2:34 Remember when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they all prostrated themselves except Iblis, who in his pride refused and [thereupon] became an unbeliever.”
The universe is not like a unicorn but is in pairs. The “wa” in the phrase “وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ” is translated as “thereupon”. In our nature there is no innate element that motivates us to follow the representatives of disbelieving Jinn as represented by “Iblis”, i.e. in our living in this world represented by Satan.
If one takes an arrogant attitude within himself that: “I am not going to submit my existence to something else. I own my mind, my body and am self-sufficient, I can abuse everything as I want.”, then this person becomes an unbeliever. In the presentation of the Quran, Iblis represents the unbeliever. We should be careful not to follow Satan’s disciples in human form such as those that claim that the universe does not need a Creator, and just speculate with their tricky language by using their hypothetical concepts, such as “natural laws” or “random happenings.”
Human beings are created to be pure but we can become arrogant and thus deniers of God. We are given the free will to choose and nothing within us forces us to become unbelievers. On the contrary, every human quality encourages me to be a believer, and to confirm that I have a Creator who is the Creator of the whole universe, the One that I must submit to.
The Quranic pride is that human beings are honored by their Creator to be His guests and I should keep my human honor and submit myself to my Creator. If I understand my reality that I am a created being and honored here by the Host of the universe, then this honor from my Lord should make me prostrate to Him.