72. Al-Jinnالجن

The Jinn · Meccan · 28 ayahs · 2 rukus

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

قُلْ اُوْحِیَ اِلَیَّ اَنَّهُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَقَالُوْۤا اِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْاٰنًا عَجَبًا ۟ۙقُلۡ اُوۡحِىَ اِلَىَّ اَنَّهُ اسۡتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ الۡجِنِّ فَقَالُوۡۤا اِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا قُرۡاٰنًاعَجَبًا

Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a band of the jinn listened [to the Quran] and they said, “We have heard a really wonderful recital,

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

یَّهْدِیْۤ اِلَی الرُّشْدِ فَاٰمَنَّا بِهٖ ؕ— وَلَنْ نُّشْرِكَ بِرَبِّنَاۤ اَحَدًا ۟ۙيَّهۡدِىۡۤ اِلَى الرُّشۡدِ فَاٰمَنَّا بِهٖ‌ ؕ وَلَنۡ نُّشۡرِكَ بِرَبِّنَاۤ اَحَدًا

which guides to the right path; so we have believed in it and we will not associate anyone with our Lord—

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّهٗ تَعٰلٰی جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا اتَّخَذَ صَاحِبَةً وَّلَا وَلَدًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّهٗ تَعٰلٰى جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا اتَّخَذَ صَاحِبَةً وَّلَا وَلَدًا

and exalted is the majesty of our Lord—He has taken neither a wife nor a son.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّهٗ كَانَ یَقُوْلُ سَفِیْهُنَا عَلَی اللّٰهِ شَطَطًا ۟ۙوَّ اَنَّهٗ كَانَ يَقُوۡلُ سَفِيۡهُنَا عَلَى اللّٰهِ شَطَطًا

And [now we know] that the foolish among us have been saying outrageous things about God.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّا ظَنَنَّاۤ اَنْ لَّنْ تَقُوْلَ الْاِنْسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَی اللّٰهِ كَذِبًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّا ظَنَنَّاۤ اَنۡ لَّنۡ تَقُوۡلَ الۡاِنۡسُ وَالۡجِنُّ عَلَى اللّٰهِ كَذِبًا

We had supposed that men and jinn would never utter a lie against God.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّهٗ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْاِنْسِ یَعُوْذُوْنَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوْهُمْ رَهَقًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّهٗ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الۡاِنۡسِ يَعُوۡذُوۡنَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الۡجِنِّ فَزَادُوۡهُمۡ رَهَقًا

Some men used to seek refuge with the jinn in the past, but that only increased their insolence.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّوْا كَمَا ظَنَنْتُمْ اَنْ لَّنْ یَّبْعَثَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّهُمۡ ظَنُّوۡا كَمَا ظَنَنۡتُمۡ اَنۡ لَّنۡ يَّبۡعَثَ اللّٰهُ اَحَدًا

They thought, as you did, that God would never raise up anyone from the dead.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 72:1–7

In this world, in addition to human beings and angels, there is another set of creatures known as jinn. Human beings cannot see them but, in the Quran, they have been mentioned at several places. These verses show that among the jinn also there are guided and misguided types. Just as there are foolish leaders who misguide the common people, similarly there are foolish leaders among the jinn, who go on misguiding them with deceitful utterances. So far as the angels are concerned, they are not being put to the test, and thus do not have free will. They simply follow the commands given by God.

وَّاَنَّا لَمَسْنَا السَّمَآءَ فَوَجَدْنٰهَا مُلِئَتْ حَرَسًا شَدِیْدًا وَّشُهُبًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّا لَمَسۡنَا السَّمَآءَ فَوَجَدۡنٰهَا مُلِئَتۡ حَرَسًا شَدِيۡدًا وَّشُهُبًا

“We sought to reach heaven, but found it filled with strong guards and flames—

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّا كُنَّا نَقْعُدُ مِنْهَا مَقَاعِدَ لِلسَّمْعِ ؕ— فَمَنْ یَّسْتَمِعِ الْاٰنَ یَجِدْ لَهٗ شِهَابًا رَّصَدًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّا كُنَّا نَقۡعُدُ مِنۡهَا مَقَاعِدَ لِلسَّمۡعِ‌ ؕ فَمَنۡ يَّسۡتَمِعِ الۡاٰنَ يَجِدۡ لَهٗ شِهَابًا رَّصَدًا

we used to take up a position to listen, but whoever listens now finds a flaming fire lying in wait for him—

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّا لَا نَدْرِیْۤ اَشَرٌّ اُرِیْدَ بِمَنْ فِی الْاَرْضِ اَمْ اَرَادَ بِهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ رَشَدًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّا لَا نَدۡرِىۡۤ اَشَرٌّ اُرِيۡدَ بِمَنۡ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ اَمۡ اَرَادَ بِهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ رَشَدًا

we cannot tell if this bodes evil to those who dwell on earth or whether their Lord intends to guide them.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّا مِنَّا الصّٰلِحُوْنَ وَمِنَّا دُوْنَ ذٰلِكَ ؕ— كُنَّا طَرَآىِٕقَ قِدَدًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّا مِنَّا الصّٰلِحُوۡنَ وَمِنَّا دُوۡنَ ذٰلِكَ‌ؕ كُنَّا طَرَآئِقَ قِدَدًا

Some of us are righteous, while others are not; we follow divergent paths.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّا ظَنَنَّاۤ اَنْ لَّنْ نُّعْجِزَ اللّٰهَ فِی الْاَرْضِ وَلَنْ نُّعْجِزَهٗ هَرَبًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّا ظَنَنَّاۤ اَنۡ لَّنۡ نُّعۡجِزَ اللّٰهَ فِى الۡاَرۡضِ وَلَنۡ نُّعۡجِزَهٗ هَرَبًا

We have realized that we could never thwart God on earth and that we would never be able to thwart Him by flight.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعْنَا الْهُدٰۤی اٰمَنَّا بِهٖ ؕ— فَمَنْ یُّؤْمِنْ بِرَبِّهٖ فَلَا یَخَافُ بَخْسًا وَّلَا رَهَقًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعۡنَا الۡهُدٰٓى اٰمَنَّا بِهٖ‌ ؕ فَمَنۡ يُّؤۡمِنۡۢ بِرَبِّهٖ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخۡسًا وَّلَا رَهَقًا

When we heard the call to guidance, we believed in it. He who believes in his Lord has no fear of loss or of injustice.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُوْنَ وَمِنَّا الْقٰسِطُوْنَ ؕ— فَمَنْ اَسْلَمَ فَاُولٰٓىِٕكَ تَحَرَّوْا رَشَدًا ۟وَّاَنَّا مِنَّا الۡمُسۡلِمُوۡنَ وَمِنَّا الۡقٰسِطُوۡنَ‌ؕ فَمَنۡ اَسۡلَمَ فَاُولٰٓئِكَ تَحَرَّوۡا رَشَدًا‏

Some of us are obedient while others are wrongdoers; it is the obedient who have found the right path,

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَاَمَّا الْقٰسِطُوْنَ فَكَانُوْا لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبًا ۟ۙوَاَمَّا الۡقٰسِطُوۡنَ فَكَانُوۡا لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبًا

but those who are wrongdoers will become the fuel of Hell.” ’

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 72:8–15

The jinn who heard the Quran not only accepted it immediately, but also became its propagators. This shows that whenever a true discourse reaches the ears of living people, it creates a two-fold effect—first, an open-hearted admission of its truth and second, a willingness to propagate its teachings.

وَّاَنْ لَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوْا عَلَی الطَّرِیْقَةِ لَاَسْقَیْنٰهُمْ مَّآءً غَدَقًا ۟ۙوَّاَنْ لَّوِ اسۡتَقَامُوۡا عَلَى الطَّرِيۡقَةِ لَاَسۡقَيۡنٰهُمۡ مَّآءً غَدَقًا

If they had followed the right path, We would have provided them with abundant rain—

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

لِّنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِیْهِ ؕ— وَمَنْ یُّعْرِضْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ رَبِّهٖ یَسْلُكْهُ عَذَابًا صَعَدًا ۟ۙلِّنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيۡهِ‌ ؕ وَمَنۡ يُّعۡرِضۡ عَنۡ ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهٖ يَسۡلُكۡهُ عَذَابًا صَعَدًا

so that We may test them by it—whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord shall be sternly punished.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّ الْمَسٰجِدَ لِلّٰهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوْا مَعَ اللّٰهِ اَحَدًا ۟ۙوَّاَنَّ الۡمَسٰجِدَ لِلّٰهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُوۡا مَعَ اللّٰهِ اَحَدًا

The mosques are for God’s worship—so do not invoke anyone else along with God—

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

وَّاَنَّهٗ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللّٰهِ یَدْعُوْهُ كَادُوْا یَكُوْنُوْنَ عَلَیْهِ لِبَدًا ۟ؕ۠وَّاَنَّهٗ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبۡدُ اللّٰهِ يَدۡعُوۡهُ كَادُوۡا يَكُوۡنُوۡنَ عَلَيۡهِ لِبَدًا

when God’s servant stood up to pray to Him, they pressed close to him in great numbers, almost stifling him.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

قُلْ اِنَّمَاۤ اَدْعُوْا رَبِّیْ وَلَاۤ اُشْرِكُ بِهٖۤ اَحَدًا ۟قُلۡ اِنَّمَاۤ اَدۡعُوۡا رَبِّىۡ وَلَاۤ اُشۡرِكُ بِهٖۤ اَحَدًا

Say, ‘I call only upon my Lord and do not associate anyone else with Him.’

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

قُلْ اِنِّیْ لَاۤ اَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّا وَّلَا رَشَدًا ۟قُلۡ اِنِّىۡ لَاۤ اَمۡلِكُ لَـكُمۡ ضَرًّا وَّلَا رَشَدًا

Say, ‘It is not in my power to cause you either harm or good?’

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

قُلْ اِنِّیْ لَنْ یُّجِیْرَنِیْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ اَحَدٌ ۙ۬— وَّلَنْ اَجِدَ مِنْ دُوْنِهٖ مُلْتَحَدًا ۟ۙقُلۡ اِنِّىۡ لَنۡ يُّجِيۡرَنِىۡ مِنَ اللّٰهِ اَحَدٌ  ۙ وَّلَنۡ اَجِدَ مِنۡ دُوۡنِهٖ مُلۡتَحَدًا

Say, ‘Surely no one can protect me against God, nor can I find besides Him any place of refuge.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

اِلَّا بَلٰغًا مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَرِسٰلٰتِهٖ ؕ— وَمَنْ یَّعْصِ اللّٰهَ وَرَسُوْلَهٗ فَاِنَّ لَهٗ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خٰلِدِیْنَ فِیْهَاۤ اَبَدًا ۟ؕاِلَّا بَلٰغًا مِّنَ اللّٰهِ وَرِسٰلٰتِهٖ‌ ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّعۡصِ اللّٰهَ وَرَسُوۡلَهٗ فَاِنَّ لَهٗ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَاۤ اَبَدًا

My duty is only to convey that which I receive from Him and His messages.’ For those who disobey God and His Messenger there is the fire of hell, wherein they will abide forever.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 72:16–23

The entire system of the present world has been formulated with the aim of putting human beings to the test. Therefore reality is revealed here solely to the extent of conveying the divine message. Had there been no human trial to be considered, and had the concealing veils been removed, the people would have seen that, from the angels to the righteous among the jinn, all acknowledge the god-head of God and the whole universe testifies to this.

حَتّٰۤی اِذَا رَاَوْا مَا یُوْعَدُوْنَ فَسَیَعْلَمُوْنَ مَنْ اَضْعَفُ نَاصِرًا وَّاَقَلُّ عَدَدًا ۟حَتّٰٓى اِذَا رَاَوۡا مَا يُوۡعَدُوۡنَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُوۡنَ مَنۡ اَضۡعَفُ نَاصِرًا وَّاَقَلُّ عَدَدًا‏

When they are confronted by what they have been promised, they will realize who is weaker in helpers and fewer in numbers.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

قُلْ اِنْ اَدْرِیْۤ اَقَرِیْبٌ مَّا تُوْعَدُوْنَ اَمْ یَجْعَلُ لَهٗ رَبِّیْۤ اَمَدًا ۟قُلۡ اِنۡ اَدۡرِىۡۤ اَقَرِيۡبٌ مَّا تُوۡعَدُوۡنَ اَمۡ يَجۡعَلُ لَهٗ رَبِّىۡۤ اَمَدًا‏

Say, ‘I do not know whether what you are promised is imminent, or whether my Lord has set for it a far-off day.’

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

عٰلِمُ الْغَیْبِ فَلَا یُظْهِرُ عَلٰی غَیْبِهٖۤ اَحَدًا ۟ۙعٰلِمُ الۡغَيۡبِ فَلَا يُظۡهِرُ عَلٰى غَيۡبِهٖۤ اَحَدًا

He alone has knowledge of what is hidden. He reveals this to none,

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

اِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضٰی مِنْ رَّسُوْلٍ فَاِنَّهٗ یَسْلُكُ مِنْ بَیْنِ یَدَیْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهٖ رَصَدًا ۟ۙاِلَّا مَنِ ارۡتَضٰى مِنۡ رَّسُوۡلٍ فَاِنَّهٗ يَسۡلُكُ مِنۡۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهٖ رَصَدًا

except the messenger whom He has chosen. He sends down guardians who walk before them and behind them,

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

لِّیَعْلَمَ اَنْ قَدْ اَبْلَغُوْا رِسٰلٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَاَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَیْهِمْ وَاَحْصٰی كُلَّ شَیْءٍ عَدَدًا ۟۠لِّيَـعۡلَمَ اَنۡ قَدۡ اَبۡلَغُوۡا رِسٰلٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَاَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيۡهِمۡ وَاَحۡصٰى كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ عَدَدًا

so that He may know that the messengers have delivered the messages of their Lord. He encompasses all that is with them and He keeps count of all things.

— Tazkirul Quran (En)

Tafseer of 72:24–28

The messenger of Truth is apparently a common man. Therefore, the people who are affected by his call turn upon him. They forget that any action against him amounts to action against God Himself. And who can be successful by taking action against God?