Djinn

TheGuy wrote: I want to learn more about Djinn.  There are numerous resources for learning about Angels, but I have yet to really find anything about Djinn, and I would like to learn more about their history and current status.

Well, Jinn are the only other beings apart from Humans who have a 'freewill' i.e. they have the ability to do both good & bad according to their whims. There are good Jin (Muslims) and bad Jinns. Maybe you should google up "Jinn" to find islamically relevant info.

Only Hazrat Sulaiman (pbuh) the Prophet had the ability to communicate with and rule over Jinn - in their natural form.

Also, if possible, I would like to find a Sahir(I assume this is what someone is called who communicates with Djinn, though that isn't clear to me) that speaks English.  I have many questions, and would like to learn more about Djinn, so any help or guidance in what direction to proceed would be appreciated.  Thanks for your time.

Are you a muslim ? If so, it is futile and useless to go into things like that. It is not islamically encouraged to visit Sahirs and try and contact/communicate with supernatural beings. Infact it is discouraged.
Why do you wanna do that anyway? Just curious.

PS: Most (if not all) "Sahirs" or soothsayers are just Quacks. So you'd be wasting your time anyway.




Edited by Chrysalis - 28 December 2009 at 6:28am

Hi Guy,
very interesting topic you started and its true that there is very little but very clear information given to us about them (the Djinn). What we are told of the Djinn is that the Shaitan (Satan) was from  the Djinn and we have been told very clearly to resist and stay away from him and his council.
Because of Djinn being invisble to us we are unable to physically locate them while the Djinn must be able to see us!  According to the Quran God gave Shaitan who was a Djinn respite till the End to misguide and deceive those who would listen to him and follow him to disobey and deny their maker and accountability except those who believe and guard themselves against him.
Thus far this is the most of what I know of Djinn from the Quran.
As we know from the Quran that Djinn have free will, there are those of Djinn who are on the right guidance. As far as communicating with Djinn, we see that only prophet Solomon was given djinn under his command and he was able to communicate and to put them to any use by Allah's commands.
 
34:12....and there were jinns that worked in front of him (Solomon), by the leave of his Lord,..

Why we are discouraged to communicate with them simply because Allah has warned us of it: 

72:6 "...True, there were persons among mankind who took shelter with persons among the jinns, but they increased them in folly."

Hasan



Edited by honeto - 29 December 2009 at 5:42pm

TheGuy wrote: Well, that's like asking me why I would want to talk to God or another human being or an angel?  Other beings exist, so why not get to know them?  If they have free will, and they exist in a different state than humans, they have a different perception of reality/creation.  I feel it would be useful to communicate with them.

Sorry, meant to reply earlier, but somehow my post got erased.

It would only be useful IF you could communicate with them. I honestly don't think that "Djin Communications 101" exists. Hence is a bit futile.

The Djin don't seem to be too eager to contact us ! Maybe its all for the best. . .

"Talking to God" and other humans is different - because it is actually possible.

Anyway - in Islam, although we recognize the existence of Djin, we have not been told or taught any means to communicate with them. So, sorry cannot be of much help there. I don't think its possible either. (Prophets like Solomon (pbuh) aside)

I already have done a search for Djinn online, there isn't much information on them available, as I stated in my first post.

Try doing a "Qur'an Search" on some Quran website, type in "Jinn" - hopefully you'll get some verses that talk of Jinn. There is also a whole chapter in the Qur'an, called "The Jinn".

I wonder why you made the comment, "It is not islamically encouraged to visit Sahirs and try and contact/communicate with supernatural beings."?  It seems to me, the Quran makes it clear that they are NOT supernatural, they are made of the essence of Fire as we are of the essence of Earth(at least our bodies) which makes them natural beings.  So, they exist the same as we do, just in a different kind of body.  That doesn't make them supernatural.  Also, even if it's not encouraged, that doesn't mean it's "wrong" or something?  And, who is doing this discouraging?  And, why?

Well, generally speaking - in Islam - we are told to keep away from "futile" ventures, and focus on things that matter. (i.e. effect our Deen (faith/religion) or Duniya (worldly matters). Also we humans have a tendency to get overtly obsessed with such matters concerning "Spirits" or "Magic" or "contacting Jinn" . . . which kind of shifts our priorities and focus from other things, that as humans should take our main priority.

Well, okay we won't use the term supernatural - maybe its not the correct term even though they do have powers & characteristics that seem to be beyond that of "natural forces" on earth. E.g superhuman strength etc etc.

By "its not encouarged" I was bieng a bit cautious since I did not have any sources at the moment to back up what I said (like a hadith or quran verse). Will post once I come across some. I based what I said on the general gist of Islam (that I am aware of). Scholars have also said similar things.

As for "who does the discouraging" - Allah does the discouraging & encouraging in Islam, and if something has not been explicitly mentioned, Scholars form an opinion based on original Islamic sources such as the Qur'an & Hadith.

I assume what you say about Sahirs is correct, as there are many ppl in the business of deception, though I'm sure there is someone somewhere who knows enough about them to share something.  Or, maybe some writings somewhere.

I highly doubt that. But oh well. . .




Edited by Chrysalis - 31 December 2009 at 1:29am

Ok, but "fortune-teller" doesn't = Djinn necessarily, so I have to completely disregard that as extraneous information.

I sense that the interpretation is negative, but if you actually read the text it doesn't seem negative?  Maybe I am just an optimist.  "helped me against him" doesn't mean he was necessarily evil?  Maybe he was deliberately sent to test resolve or something, and a human needs to overcome that? 

I'm starting to get the impression that the Islamic faith treats Djinn as Christians treat Angels, they exist, but not really cause no one ever sees or hears from them and those that do are loony or something.  :P

You made an interesting point about focusing on what matters, but that's kinda subjective, what matters to one man may not matter that much to another.  I am like Solomon, I seek to be wise, and you can only really be wise by understanding many things which also includes the unseen like Djinn and Angels and etc.

I haven't actually read the Quran.. does it differentiate between angels and demons like the Bible.. or demons are fallen angels in that as well?  That may help clarify things.

My question after you post, Chrysalis, is why would every man be appointed a Jinn?  That makes me more curious.