The Essay About the Jinn
A'oodhu billaahi minash-Shaytaanir-Rajeem
Bismillaahir-Rahmaan nir-Raheem
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"IBN TAYMEEYAH'S ESSAY ON THE JINN (DEMONS)", Abridged,
Annotated and Translated by Abu Ameenah Bilal PHILLIPS.
Based on "Eedah ad-Dalaalah fee 'Umoom ar-Risaalah", from volume
19 of "Majmoo' Al-Fataawaa" (A Collection of Religious Rulings);
volume 35 of "Majmoo' Al-Fataawaa" and Ibn Taymeeyah's classic,
" Al-Furqaan Bayna Awliyaa ar-Rahmaan wa Awliyaa ash-Shaytaan."
Note: All remarks that are bracketed in the text are made by
Bilal Phillips
THE AUTHOR
Ahmad ibn 'Abdul-Haleem ibn Taymeeyah was bron in the town of
Harran [near Edessa, in what was once Northern Iraq, but is now
called Orfa and is a part of Turkey.], in the year 1263 CE. His
father was a leading scholar of the Hanbalite school of Islamic
law and so was his grandfather, who authored Muntaqaa
al-Akhbaar, the text of ash-Shawkaanee's Hadeeth classic Nayl
al-Awtaar.
Ibn Taymeeyah mastered the various disciplines of Islamic study
at an early age and read extensively the books of the various
sects and religions in existence at that time. Much of his time
and effort was spend defending the orthodox Islamic position
against a tidal wave of deviation which had swept over the
Muslim nation. Consequently, he faced many difficulties from
both the prominent sectarian scholars of his time and from the
authorities who supported them. His clashes with them led to
his imprisonment on numerous occasions. Ibn Taymeeyah also
fought, not only against internal enemies of Islaam, but also
against its external enemies by both his Fatwaas (Islamic legal
rulings) and his physical participation in battles. His ruling
allowing the taking up arms against groups which recognized the
Shahaadataan (declaration of faith) but refused to uphold some
aspects of the fundamental principles of Islaam, greatly
affected the resistance movement against the Tartars who had
declared their acceptance of Islaam but did not rule according
to divine law.
During these struggles he wrote countless books and treatises
demonstrating his extensive reading and knowledge, not only of
the positions of the early scholars, but also those of the legal
and theological schools which had subsequently evolved. Ibn
Taymeeyah also had a major effect on the open-minded schoars of
his day, most of whom were from the Shaafi'ite school of law.
Among the most famous of his students were IBN KATHEER,
ADH-DHAHABEE and IBN AL-QAYYIM. The author died in 1328 while
in prison in Damascus for his Fatwaa against undertaking
journeys to visit the graves of saints [Ibn Taymeeyah's ruling
was based on the authentic statement reported by Abu Hurayrah
wherein the Prophet Muhammad (saws) said, "Do not undertake a
journey except to three masjids; this masjid of mine, Masjid
al-Haraam (Makkah) and Masjid al-Aqsaa (Bayt al-Maqdis)."
Collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. His Fatwaa had been
distorted by his enemies to say that he forbade visiting the
Prophet Muhammad's (saws) grave.
CHAPTER THREE: DEMONIC VISIONS
Those involved in incantations and oaths often swear by some
devils to help them against others. Sometimes the evil JINN
fulfil their request but frequently they do not, especially when
the JINN against whom help is sought is honored among them.
Neither the one chanting incantations nor his incantations have
any power to force the devils to help them. The reciter of
incantations earnestly entreats a being whom he considered great
- which may or may not be the case - to harm others who may
conceivably be greater. In the case where someone entreats the
JINN to harm someone whom the JINN hold in high esteem, they
will ignore him. In fact, it may prevent them from even
responding at all. Their situations is quite similar to that of
humans except that human beings are generally more intelligent,
truthful, just and trustworthy while the JINN tend to be
ignorant, untruthful, oppressive and treacherous.
The point is that though the oaths and incantations of
devil-worshippers may contain statements of idolatry and
disbelief, they are frequently ineffective against the JINN.
When requested to kill or apprehend another JINN who has
possessed a human, the JINN will often mock those who make the
request by falsely giving them the impression that they killed
or detained the offending JINN. This is especially so in cases
where humans believe in the illusions created by the JINN. The
JINN usually communicate by either visions or voices ["The
gleaning of hidden information by way of visions and voices has
been well documented among clairvoyants and mediums. 'A medium'
may be defined as a person through whose agency or through whose
orgainsm there are received communications ostensibly from
deceased human beings or other discarnate or remote entities.
In what is called 'clairvoyant mediumship' -now popularly known
as channelling- the meduim 'sees' or 'hears' the deceased
friends and relatives of persons persent and relays messages
from them. Generally speaking, the experiences concerned seem
not to have the distinctness of ordinary perception but are
rather a seeing or hearing 'in the mind's eye' or ear.
Sometimes, however, the figures seen or voices heard may attain
as hallucinatory vividness; the medium's experience then
resembles that of one who witnesses an apparition." (Benjamin B.
Wolman. ed., Handbook of Parapsychology, New York, Van Nostrand
Reinhold Company, 1977, pp, 579-580)] with those seeking
information among the idol-worshippers, Christians, Jews, and
heretical Muslims driven astray by the devils. JINNS may take
the form of a live picture portraying whatever the sorcerers and
fortunetellers wish to know about. When these deviants see the
image of what they sought, they then inform other humans about
it. Some of them may know that the image is actually an
illusion, while others may be deluded into believing that they
are actually wintessing the real scene. JINNS may also make
humans hear the voice of those whom they call upon who are far
away. Such cases are frequent among idolaters, Christians, Jews
and ignorant Muslims who seek refuge in those whom they consider
holy. When some devotees call on their spiritual masters for
help saying, "Oh my Lord so and so!" the JINN will address them
in the voice of their masters. When the masters answer their
request, the JINN, in turn, answer the devotees in the masters'
voice. This has happened to many people some of whom are known
to me. The devils will often respond while talking the form of
the one besought, whether dead or alive, even if he is unaware
of those who call on him. Those committing Shirk in this
fashion believe that the person beseeched has actually replied
when in fact it is the JINN replying. This frequently happens
to Christians who call on those whom they edify, whether dead or
alive, like George or other holy figures [ROME, Feb 24 1989
(AFP) - A retired Italian roadman Renato Baron claims that he
has been seeing and talking to the Virgin Mary for nearly three
years now. Visions by Baron and about THIRTY others have
attracted tens of thousands of people from Italy, France,
Belgium, and West Germany to a hill near Venice, causing huge
traffic jams.
Ambridge, Pennsylvania - A small Roman Catholic Church in a
western Pennsylvania mill town is preparing for a deluge of
pilgrims after a reported Good Friday miracle in which the eyes
of a statue of Christ suddenly closed. The Rev. Vincent
Cvitkovic, a Franciscan friar, and many of his parishoners
reported that the eyes of a life-size statue which depicts the
crucified Christ, which have been open for 60 years, closed
during a prayer meeting. (The Times, Monday, April 10th 1989,
no. 63, 364, p.8)
In 1981 a group of five children were playing on a hill just
outside of a village in the Yugoslavian Republic of Bosnia -
Herzegovina called Medugorje when a vision of a beautiful woman
claiming to be the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared before them.
Since 1981 some seven to eight million pilgrims from different
countries, cultures and Christian traditions have climbed up the
holy hill of Medugorje. At 7:30 every evening pilgrims and
tourists anxiously crowd around the dark rectory of a nearby
church staring at the stream of light which will signify that
once more the children, who still gather there daily, are having
their private audience with the Blessed Mother. (IRF, Newsletter
of the International Religious Foundation, Inc., Vol II, No. 6,
Nov-Dec 1987, pp 1-2).
Divine grace (salvation) is felt to be especially potent in
places visited by Jesus Christ or Saints or by Mary; where they
have appeared in visions. Major pilgrimage centers include
Lourdes where visions of the Virgin Mary were first seen in 1858
and where healing has been occuring since that time. (John R.
Hinnells, ed., Dictionary of Religions, Middlesex, England:
Penguin Books Ltd., 1984, p. 284)]. It also occurs to heretical
Muslims who call on the dead or those not present, and the
devils take the form of the one called upon even without him
realizing it. I know of many cases where this has occurred and
the people called upon have told me that they did not know that
they were called upon, though those beseeching them for help saw
their images and were convinced that it was the actual person.
More than one person has mentioned that they called on me in
times of distress, each telling a different story about how I
have responded. When I told them that I never answered any of
them nor did I know that they were calling on me, some said that
it must have been an angel. I told them that angels do not
benefit those committing SHIRK and that it was actually a devil
trying to further misguide them.
Sometimes the Jinn will take the form of those admired and stand
at 'Arafat, and those who believe well of him will think that he
actually stood in 'Arafat. Many others have also been actually
carried by the devils to 'Arafat and other sacred places. In
such cases they pass the Meeqaat (boundaries that may not be
crossed while on Hajj, around Makkah) without formally entering
the state of Ihraam, or performing many of the obligatory rites
of Hajj like making the Talbeeyah (chant of response to God's
call) or circulating the Ka'bah, and walking between the mounts
of Safaa and Marwah. Among them are some who do not even pass
through Makkah, others who stand at 'Arafat without performing
the pre-requisite rite of casting stones at the Jamaraat etc.
It is by these and other similar feats that Satan leads
seemingly pious people in misguidance. Sincere devotees among
heretics are in this way enticed to do acts wich are prohibited
(Haraam) or despised (Makrooh) in the religion. Satan is able
to make such misdeeds appealing to them by convincing them that
they are among the Karaamaat (supernatural or quasi-miraculous
feats) of the righteous. However they are, without a doubt,
Satanic deceptions because Allaah cannot be worshipped by any
religious injunction which is neither compulsory (Waajib) nor
recommended (Mustahabb). Whoever performs an act of worship
which is neither Waajib nor Mustahabb believing that it is so,
has been deceived by Satan. Even if it is decreed that such a
person will be forgiven due to his good intention and striving,
the act itself is still unacceptable to Allaah [An example may
be seen in the mistaken belief held by some that a man's head
must be covered while he is in formal prayer - Salaah - as is
the case among Jews or that a woman's hair to be covered while
reading the Qur'aan. However, the Prophet saws did not order
that it be done nor recommended it but merely followed the
customs of his people during that time.]. Such acts are not
among the things with which Allaah honors His pious servants who
are close to Him, as there is no honor in performing prohibited
(Haraam) or despised (Makrooh) acts [Such is the case of the
celebration of the Prophet's saws birthday - 'Eed Meelaad
an-Nabee - which probably began among ignorant Muslims trying to
outdo or at least compete with the Christians's celebrations of
Christmas. Meelaad celebrations are a form of innovation -
Bid'ah - in religion which has been forbidden by the Prophet
saws who said: "Whoever innnovates in this affair ouf ours -
i.e. Islaam - something which does not belong to it will be
rejected. - Reported by 'Aa'eshah and collected by Al-Bukaaree
and Muslim]. Divine honor lies in protecting one whom Allaah
loves from such acts and preventing him from doing them. For,
committing misdeeds debases one who does them and does not in
any way favor him, even if he is not punished for doing them.
Doing despised or Haraam acts MUST decrease the spiritual level
of both the one who does them as well as his followers who
praise such acts and glorify him. For, heaping praise on
prohibited and despised acts, and honoring the one who does them
is definitely a form of deviation from the path of Allaah. The
more and more a man innovates in the religion as a result of
independent judgement (Ijtihaad), the further he becomes from
Allaah, because innovation (Bid'ah) removes him from Allaah's
path; the divine path of "those who Allah has blessed from among
the prophets, the sincerely truthful, martyrs and righteous"
[An-Nisaa 4:69] unto the path of "those with whom Allaah is
angry and those who have gone astray" [Al-Faatihah 1:7]. Ibn
Taymeeyah mentioned the following [This begins a segment from
vol.35 of Ibn Taymeeyah's compendium, Majmoo' al-Fataawaa.]
historical incident concerning al-Hallaaj [Al-Husain ibn Mansoor
al-Hallaj (858-922 CE) studied under the eminent Sufi teachers
of his time (Tustaree, 'Amr Makee and Junaid) then broke with
them and went out into this world to preach asceticism and
mysticism in Khurasan, Ahwaz, Fars, India and Turkistan. On his
return to Baghdad from Makkah in 908, many were attracted by his
teachings, and disciples rapidly gathered around him. He taught
that the five pillars of Islaam may be replaced by other works.
He also taught about the existence of an uncreated Divine spirit
(Rooh Naatiqah) which becomes united with the created spirit of
the ascetic through desire of and submission to suffering. In
his teachings the Saint (Walee) became the living and personal
witness of God (H.A.R. Gibb and J.H. Kramers, Encyclopedia of
Islam, Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1st ed., 1953, pp
127-80). Consequently he stated in his book: "If you do not
recognize God, at least recognise His sign, I am the creative
truth -Ana al-Haqq-, because through the truth, I am eternal
truth. My friends and teachers are Iblees (Satan) and Pharaoh.
Iblees was threatened with Hellfire, yet, he did not recant.
Pharaoh was drowned in the sea, yet he did not recant, for he
would not acknowledge anything between him and God (i.e. Hallaaj
felt that Iblees' refusal to prostrate to Aadam and Pharaoh's
statement "I am your Lord, most High" were correct!). And, I,
though, I am killed and crucified and though my hands and feet
are cut off; I do not recant." - Kitaab al-Tawaaseen, Massignon
Press, Paris, 1913, vi, 32. The leading scholars from all
orthodox schools of Islamic law as well as the leading Shi'ite
scholars and some of his former Sufi teachers declared him a
heretic and he was subsequently executed due to his refusal to
retract his claim to be the personification of God on earth.]
and a group of his followers, "Some of them requested some
sweets from al-Hallaaj, so he got up and went to a spot a short
distance away, then returned with a plateful of sweets. It was
later discovered that it had been stolen from a candy shop in
Yemen and carried by a devil to that area." Ibn Taymeeyah went
on to say, "Incidents similar to this have happened to others
who, like al-Hallaaj, also achieved the pinnacle of satanic
states, and we know of quite a few such people in our time as
well as other times. For instance, there is a person presently
residing in Damascus whom the devil used to carry from the
Saaliheeyah mountain to villages around Damascus. He would
appear out of the air and enter the windows of houses in which
people were gathered to witness his 'miraculous entrance.'" Ibn
Taymeeyah also quoted another mystic master who admitted that he
used to fornicate with women and sodomise young boys. The
former mystic master said, "A black dog ["Abu Dharr reported:
The Messanger of Allaah said: 'When any one of you stands for
prayer it should be towards something that shields him
equivalent (in height) to the back of a saddle, otherwise his
prayer will be broken by passing of a donkey, a woman or a black
dog.' I asked 'O Abu Dharr, what is the difference between a
black dog, a red dog and tan-colored dog?' He replied, 'O son
of my brother, I also asked Allaah's Messanger as you are asking
me, and he said: 'The black dog is a devil.'" (Saheeh Muslim and
all other in the six Saheeh books with the exception of Saheeh
al-Bukhaaree)] with two white spots between his eyes would come
to me and say, 'Verily such and such a person has made an oath
by you and he will come to you tomorrow to inform you about it.
I have already fulfilled his need for your sake.' [When
questioned during his trial, the infamous New York City mass
murderer of the seventies, "Son of Sam", claimed that a dog used
to come in backyard of his house and tell him to kill his
victims. It was assumed by the court and his psychiatrists that
he was mentally deranged and the dog a figment of his
imagination.] The person would then come to him the next day
and the Sufi master would reveal the details of his oath to him
and how it was fulfilled. The Sufi master went on to say, 'I
used to walk about the city and a black pole with a light on top
of it would lead the way.' " Ibn Taymeeyah said, "When the Sufi
master repented and began to pray, fast, and avoid the
forbidden, the black dog went away." He also narrated the
following about another mystic master who had the aid of devils
whom he would despatch to possess people: "When the family of
the possessed would come to him seeking a cure, he would send a
message to his demon companion and they would leave the
possessed persons, as a result, the Shaykh would be given many
dirhams for his services. Sometimes the Jinn would bring him
dirhams and food which they stole from people, so much so that
the Shaykh would request dates from his devils and they would
take them from beehives in which some poeple had hidden their
dates. When the beehive owners would look for their dates they
would find them gone."
About yet another mystic, Ibn Taymeeyah relates, "There was a
Shaykh knowledgeable in the religious sciences and Qur'anic
recitation to whom the devils came and eventually managed to
seduce. They told him that Salaah was no longer required of him
and that they would bring him whatever he wished. As soon as he
complied with their wishes, they began to bring him a variety of
sweets and fruit. This continued until he was advised to repent
by some scholars that he visited who were firmly following the
Sunnah. He subsequently repented and repaid the owners of the
sweets for what he ate while under the influence of the JINN."
He then went on to say, "Many of those who call on Shaykhs in
time of need saying, 'O master so and so, or Shaykh so and so,
fulfill my need' have seen an image of the Shaykh saying, 'I
will fulfill your need and put your heart at ease,' then it
fulfills their needs or repels their enemies. In such cases it
is a devil taking the Shaykh's form when they committed Shirk by
associating partners with Allaah and calling on others beside
Him." Ibn Taymeeyah then went on to enumerate similar instances
involving himself saying, "I know of many such incidences even
among a group of my companions who called on me in times when
they were struck by calamities. One was afraid of the Romans
and another of the Tatars. Both of them mentioned that they
called out to me, they saw me in the air and I repelled their
enemies for them. I informed them that I did not hear their
cries no did I repel their enemies. It was a devil taking my
appearance to seduce them when they associated partners with
Allaah the Almighty. Similar incidents have also happened to
the students of my contemporaries among the scholars, whereby
some of their students have sought refuge in them and have seen
them fulfill their needs. The scholars have also denied doing
so and indicated that it was in fact the work of devils."
[Majmoo' Al-Fataawaa, Vol. 35, pp. 112-116]
In another book, Ibn Taymeeyah said, "I know people whom the
plants greet and inform them of their beneficial ingredients,
however it is, in fact, Satan who has entered the plants and
spoken to them. I also know of others to whom stones and trees
speak saying, "Congratulations, Oh friend of Allaah" and when
the people recite Aayatul-Kursee it stops. I am acquainted with
yet others who have gone bird-hunting and the sparrows addressed
them saying, "Take me so that the poor may eat me." Such are
cases of the evil JINN possessing the birds in the same way that
others who, while in their house with the doors and vice versa
[Many of those in our times who have claimed what is known as
'out-of-body experiences' or 'astral-travel' have recorded in
vivid detail incidences simialr to those mentioned by Ibn
Taymeeyah. Others have met beings which claimed to be guides,
guardian spirits or their higher selves. However, the common
thought which links most of these experiences is the ultimate
expression of idolatry: that man is God, as was expressed by
Al-Hallaaj and countless others before and after him.] He may
even be taken through the closed city gates and back again
swiftly by the JINN. Lights may shine on him or someone looking
like his friend may call on him but, if he recites
Aayatul-Kursee continually, it will all dissappear." He also
said, "Some mystics have also said that the JINN showed them
something shiny like water and glass in which images or pictures
of whatever they sought information would appear and they in
turn wold inform people." Ibn Taymeeyah mentioned other
instances and then concluded by saying, "This is a so vast a
topic that if I were to mention all that I knew, it would fill a
very large volume." [Ibn Taymeeyah, Al-Furqaan Bayna Awliyaa
ar-Rahmaan wa Awliyaa ash-Shaytaan, pp. 87-92]
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This is only a part of the book which also contains chapters on
THE JINN, POSSESSION, EXORCISM AND WRITTEN EXORCISM as well as
Shaykh Ibn Baaz's Refutation of those who Deny Demonic
Possession.