lama@ee.eng.ohio-state.edu (Lama Hamandi) (06/06/91)
Assalamu alaikum Two days ago, I saw on the network an article in which there are some questions about Jinns. I am currently reading a book in arabic entitled: AL-AAKA'ED AL-ISLAMIYA (Islamic Beleifs) written by ASSAYED SABEQ, a professor at AL-AZHAR University. This book has a whole chapter on Jinns, their nature, their groups, their relations with Humans, how do we know about them, from what they were created ... However, I will have my finals in less than a week and I will not be able to translate the whole information now. So, I will give a brief introduction to the subject today, and inshallah I will post the complete chapter by next week. Jinns are a kind of rational souls, responsible (of their deeds) the way Humans are, but they are not like humans. They are hidden to our senses, They cannot be seen in their true nature and in their real picture, and they have the ability of being into many different shapes. We know about them from the revelations (wahy). The Quran and Sunnah are the sources of our information on them. They were created of fire (pure fire with no smoke in it), and their creation was done before creation of Humans. "And the Jinn race, We created before, from the fire of a scorching wind" :Surah AL-HIJR, Ayah 27. They are divided into groups: 1- Some of them are rightous, straight and do good deeds. 2- Some are not as perfect. 3- Some are stupid. 4- Some are non beleivers (Kafarah) and this group is the most prevalent one. Allah (God) says about them (Surah AL-JINN, Ayah 11): There are among us (i.e. jinns)some that are rightous, and some the contrary: We follow divergent paths." I will stop there and continue inshallah next week. Assalamu alaikum Lama Hamandi