The Jinn of Nasibain

The Jinn of Nasibain
(From the Jinn of the Island)

“Say (O Muhammad Sallallahu alayhi wassallam): “It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinns listened (to this Quran). They said: ‘Verily! We have heard a wonderful Recital (this Quran)! ‘It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allah).” [Surah al-Jinn, 72:1-2]

“And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the jinns, (quietly) listening to the Quran, when they stood in the presence thereof, they said: “Listen in silence!” And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners. They said: “O our people! Verily! We have heard a Book (this Quran) sent down after Musa (Moses), confirming what came before it, it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam). O our people! Respond (with obedience) to Allah’s Caller (i.e. Allah’s Messenger Muhammad SAW), and believe in him (i.e. believe in that which Muhammad SAW has brought from Allah and follow him). He (Allah) will forgive you of your sins, and will save you from a painful torment (i.e. Hell-fire). And whosoever does not respond to Allah’s Caller, he cannot escape on earth, and there will be no Auliya’ (protectors) for him besides Allah (from Allah’s Punishment). Those are in manifest error.” [Surah al-Ahqaf, 46:29-32]

The mention of these Jinns involves a severe reprimand to the Quraysh in particular, and to the Arabs in general. While the Arabs were slow to accept Islam and have faith, the Jinns mentioned above raced to accept Iman, which made them better than the disbelieving Arabs.

From the moment they heard the Quran, those Jinns revered it and believed in it. And they returned to their fellow Jinns as warner and callers to Islam. In stark contrast to the Jinns were the disbelieving Arabs, who disbelieved even though the Quran was revealed in their language, even though they knew that Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) was illiterate: he could neither read nor write which was another proof that the Quran had to have come from Allah Subhanahu ta’ala.

Ibn Masud was there on the night in which the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) met with the Jinns. The Jinns that met with the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) were actually from the Arabian Peninsula, and in Ad-Durr Al-Manthur it is mentioned that some say they were seven in number and were from the dwellers of Nasibain.

It is narrated by Abdullah ibn Masud that: “AbuZayd quoted Abdullah ibn Masud as saying that on the night when the jinn listened to the Quran the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “What is in your skin vessel?” He said: “I have some nabidh.” He (Sallallahu alayhi wassallamt) said: “It consists of fresh dates and pure water.” Sulayman ibn Dawud reported the same version of this tradition on the authority of AbuZayd or Zayd. But Sharik said that Hammad did not mention the words “night of the jinn.”” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book #1, Hadith #0084]

In another narration, Abdullah ibn Masud says that: “A deputation of the jinn came to the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) and said: “O Muhammad, forbid your community to cleans themselves with a bone or dung or charcoal, for in them Allah has provided sustenance for us. So the Prophet (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) forbade them to do so.” [Sunan Abu Dawud, Book #1, Hadith #0039]

– At-Tafisr Al-Munir; 29/164
– Ad-Durr Al-Manthur; 6/270
– Safwatut-Tafasir; 3/457
– At-Tabari; 2/347