In this second instalment of the above captioned article discussion of the Jinns is continued in the light of the Quran and explanations by Muhammad, the man to whom the Holy Quran was revealed.
Quoting our revered Bashirudeen, the second Khalifa, we read of his another innovative definition of the Jinns: ‘’ The mention of humans and Jinns does not refer to two type of beings, rather it refers to two type of societies and respective moral conditions’’ (Al- Fazl, 25th January, 1947, ppl-3) Culled from the view of Religions, Feb. 2024, p40).
From the first article it was cogently established, using the criteria of Hadrat Ahmad, the founder of Ahmadiyyat, that Jinns are an invisible and intelligent creations of God who are different from men. Let me boldster that stand with further facts and arguments.
A classic example of the mentoning of men and Jinns according to the above quotation of Bashirudeen is: ‘’ I have not created Jinns and men (Ins) but to worship me’’ (Quran 51:56). The word Ins has been used in the generic sense of humanity embracing all tribes and social strata of humans. Likewise the word Jinn. Hence making each word exclude each other in their respective definitions. In Quran 55:15 Allah states:’’ Allah created men (Insaan) from dry clay like pottery and created the Jinn from a flame of fire.’’
The fact that the respective materials used in creating men and Jinns are different (clay and fire) is the greatest evidence that men are different from Jinns. Reason being that it is now a scientifically established fact that man’s progenitor, Adam was created from a mixture of clay and muddy water. If so then it logically follows that the Jinns were also created from fire as revealed in the Quran. Hence men are different from Jinns.
Throwing light on the creation of Jinns from fire writes Ahmad: ‘’The mystery of how the Satans are driven away by angels using shooting stars appears to be that there is enmity between Satans and Angels. It cannot therefore be objected that as Jinns are created from fire they cannot be harmed by fire’’ (Zafrullah Khan), Essence of Islam). From the statement : ‘’It cannot therefore objected that as Jinns are created from fire they cannot be harmed by fire,’’ It is clear that Ahmad who is making the remark is of the view that Jinns are created from fire in accordance with several Quranic verses in which God claims to have created the Jinns from fire. In other words Allah’s words of having created the Jinns from fire cannot be a metaphor, but a literal creation. Similarly, Ahmad considered that by Allah creating Ins (Men) from clay, is meant a literal clay as also established by modern science. Writing under the topic of rare events says Ahmad:’’ Some people have seen a rat emerging from dry clay with half of its body still as clay’’ (Zafrullah Khan, Essence of Islam). If a rat, rodent, was being created from clay as seen by an observer then man, the last mammal to be created, was also from clay as asserted severally in the Quran. In short Ahmad has positively demonstrated that Jinns and men refer to two types of beings contrary to Bashirudeens view that they do not refer to two types of beings but two types of societies. Neither the Quran, Hadith nor Arabic usage supports this innovation.
In grammar the joining of two concrete nouns by the conjunction ‘’and’’ called ‘’Harf ataf in Arabic is an indication of difference in the two nouns. Thus Jinns and Ins (men) is an indication of difference in two species of God’s creation. In support of this we quote the Following verse: ‘’Allah is He who created the heavens (Samaawaat) and the earth (Ard) and whatever is between the two (gases) in six days’’ (Quran 32:4). Thus heavens, earth and whatever is between the two (gases) are joined to each other by the conjunction ‘’and ‘’ .Are heaven, earth and gases not different from each other? Of course yes. So is she case with Jinns and men (Ins). That Jinns are different beings from men (Ins) comes from the following explanation (Hadith) of Muhammad, on whom be peace, reported by Ayesha his wife in Muslim: The Holy Prophet said: The Angels were created by Allah from light (Nuur) and the Jinns(Ja’an) from the flame of fire (Maarij Min Naar) and Adam from what has been described for you (clay )’’ (Muslim). Angels, Jinns and men (Ins) are joined to each other by the conjunction and, thus making them different from each other as created species of God. By using three separate materials to create three separate beings God is displaying His creative attribute of Khaliq, the perfect Creator.
Opponents try to misinterpret the following Quranic verse that being metaphorical or poetical, then the similar Quranic statement in which God created the Jinns from fire and humans (Ins) from clay is also a metaphor and not real . The statement is: ‘’Man is created from haste. I will surely show you my sign, but ask me not to haste’’ (Quran 21:38). The statement is self – explanatory and means that God will certainly show His signs, so opponents of Muhammad should not be hasty in making demands for them. This should be so because man is naturally impatient and hasty when making demands, especially from Prophets and Messengers sent to them. This is what is meant by ‘’Man is created from haste’’. It is a poetical or metaphorical way of saying that man is hasty by nature. Nouns are of two kinds, namely concrete and abstract. Words like light, fire and clay are concrete because you can see and feel them. While a word like haste is abstract since it cannot be seen nor touched. When God creates from concrete nouns the results are concrete objects. Thus when God, in the above verse under consideration, says that using light, fire and clay He created, the results are Angels, Jinns and Men. Similarly, when God in the above verse under consideration, says that He created using haste, who can tell us the result of His creation. The result is nothing concrete, hence we say that the statement is only poetical or metaphorical. Another example is the Quranic statement by Allah, the All-knowing: ‘’And We (God) created all living things from water’’ (Quran), meaning that God created all living things (Plants, insects, animals) from water. This has been verified by Modern science. Water, from which Allah created all living things, is a concrete noun which every living human being drinks at least thrice a day. The result therefore of God exercising His creative powers on water are living things. In short it cannot therefore be argued that the statement ‘’Man is created from haste’’ being metaphorical then every other statement involving God creating from materials is also metaphorical. Only abstract nouns do follow that. As for concrete nouns they do not.
The Arabic words used to describe the upper and lower classes of society are : Mala’un and Arzalun. Mala’un means the principal personages or the big people, while Arzalun means the common and base people in society. In Quran 26:112 says Allah:’ They (The big men of Noah’s society) said, ‘ Do you want us to believe in you (Noah) and follow you when only the common people (Arzalun) follow you’’. In Quran11:28 says Allah:’’ The Chiefs (Mala’un) of his people, who disbelieved, replied, ‘We see thee as nothing but a mortal like ourselves.’’
In short if the Quran says ‘’Ins’’ then it is referring to the totality of humanity whose progenitor Adam was created from the soil of the earth. Similarly, when it says ‘’Jinns’’, the Holy Book is referring to the Jinn species of Allah’s creation whose progenitor ‘Iblis’ was created by the Omnipotent God from the flames of fire. There is no compromise, whatsoever, between the two species, such that in one text Jinns are Jinns and in another text they are human beings. Jinns, like the Angels, manifest in the human form. Why? Simply because the human form is most excellent. We must therefore not commit the mistake that because they manifest as humans then they are human beings and not Angels nor Jinns.
Conclusion:
Jinns mean intelligent and invisible beings created by God from fire, while Ins mean Intelligent and visible beings created by God from clay, water and mud.
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