Can we interact with Jinn?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer:

According to the sound opinion, it is not permitted for Shaykhs to interact and deal with Jinn. Further, many scholars clarified that it is not permitted to seek help from the Jinn. Amongst these scholars are Imam Ali al-Qari and Murtada al-Zabidi.

Qu’ran and Tafseer:

وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الْإِنْسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا

There were men from mankind seeking refuge with men from the jinn, so they increased their burden (Rahaqan) (Surah al-Jinn, 6).

The verse above warns against the practice of seeking refuge with the Jinn. Many scholars extended this to general interaction with the Jinn. As seen in the Nass (text) below, Imam al-Qurtubi explains that seeking refuge with the Jinn is Kufr (unbelief). Although the same strict ruling may not be applicable to other interactions or dealings with the Jinn, the prohibition remains.

يَعْنِي إِثْمًا. وَأُضِيفَتِ الزِّيَادَةُ إِلَى الْجِنِّ إِذْ كَانُوا سَبَبًا لَهَا. وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ أَيْضًا: فَزادُوهُمْ أَيْ إِنَّ الْإِنْسَ زَادُوا الْجِنَّ طُغْيَانًا بِهَذَا التَّعَوُّذِ، حَتَّى قَالَتِ الْجِنُّ: سُدْنَا الْإِنْسَ وَالْجِنَّ. وَقَالَ قَتَادَةُ أَيْضًا وَأَبُو الْعَالِيَةِ وَالرَّبِيعُ وَابْنُ زَيْدٍ: ازْدَادَ الْإِنْسُ بِهَذَا فَرَقًا وَخَوْفًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ. وَقَالَ سَعِيدُ ابن جُبَيْرٍ: كُفْرًا. وَلَا خَفَاءَ أَنَّ الِاسْتِعَاذَةَ بِالْجِنِّ دُونَ الِاسْتِعَاذَةِ بِاللَّهِ كُفْرٌ وَشِرْكٌ. (تفسير القرطبي)

It (Rahaqan) means sin. The increase was attributed to the Jinn, as they were the cause of it. Mujahid said: They increased them, meaning that the humans increased the Jinn in transgression with this invocation. Such that the Jinn said: We have subjugated the humans and the Jinn.

Qatada, Abu Al-Aaliyah, Al-Rabi’, and Ibn Zaid all said: Due to this, mankind increased in anxiety and fear of the Jinn. Saeed Ibn Jubayr said: (they increased in) Kufr (disbelief). It is clear that seeking refuge in the Jinn instead of seeking refuge in Allah (Most High) is Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism). (Imam al-Qurtubi, al-Jami li Ahkam al-Quran).

In the following Nusoos (texts), we find the impermissibility of seeking help from Jinn. Additionally, this (seeking help from Jinn) was a practice of the pagan Arabs prior to Islam. Therefore, it is not acceptable for a Muslim to engage in it. The Holy Quran has rebuked the pagan Arabs for this particular practice.

Classical Scholars:

ولا يجوز الاستعانة بالجن؛ فقد ذم الله الكافرين على ذلك فقال الله تعالى: {وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الْإِنْسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا} [الجن: 6]. (منح الروض الأزهر في شرح الفقه الأكبر)

It is not permissible to seek help from the Jinn. Allah (Most High) condemned the unbelievers for that. Allah Most High said: And indeed, there were men from among mankind who sought refuge with men from among the Jinn, but they only increased them in sin. (Surah al-Jinn, 6). (Imam Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Fiqh al-Akbar).

ولا يجوز الاستعانة بالجن في قضاء حوائجه وامتثال أوامره وإخباره بشيء من المغيبات ونحو ذلك. (اتحاف السادة المتقين بشرح إحياء علوم الدين)

It is not permissible to seek help from the Jinn in fulfilling his needs, obeying his commands, informing him of unseen things, and so on. (Ithaaf al-Sadah, Imam Murtada al-Zabidi).

There was general recognition amongst the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah that dealing with Jinn is a problem. Further, in the Nass below we find Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani mentioning that one of the great scholars of Quran used to interact with the Jinn.

The fact that Imam Ibn Hajr praised the Shaykh, and then mentioned the mistake of dealing with Jinn, serves as a reminder for people who think Shaykhs are always an example for us. All scholars make mistakes and sin at times. Consequently, this is why they are not our example, and rather the beloved Prophet ﷺ is our perfect example.

أحمد بن ربيعة المقرئ، أحد المجودين للقراآت العارفين بالعلل، أخذ عن ابن اللبان وغيره، وانتهت إليه رياسة هذا الفن بدمشق وكان مع ذلك خاملاً لمعاناة ضرب المندل واستحضار الجن. (إنباء الغمر بأبناء العمر)

Ahmad bin Rabi’ah al-Muqri was one of the expert reciters of the Qur’an. He had deep knowledge of faults. He learned from Ibn al-Labban and others. He became the leading expert of this science in Damascus. Despite this he used to engage in fortune telling and summoning Jinn. (Imam Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, Imbaa al-Ghumr).

Concluding remarks:

If the practice of working with Jinn and seeking assistance from them was permitted in Islam then we would have engaged in it constantly. We would have found the holy Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabah doing it. Further, the Muslims would have been victorious in every battle throughout history and no Muslim would have been oppressed.

When Allah (Most High) sent help from the unseen realm, it was in the form of angels and not Jinn. In reality, there are so many proofs against the practice of working with Jinn. However, many Muslims do not consider proof and simply follow the word of others. Thus they are easily misguided.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (19.10.23)