Quran
Hadith
Islamic Text
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind
Short Answer
Masjid Jinn is a Masjid that reminds us of the time when our beloved Prophet ﷺ went to meet the Jinn and call them to Islam. It is in Makkah Sharif.
The Hadith
عَنْ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَلْقَمَةَ هَلْ كَانَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ شَهِدَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةَ الْجِنِّ؟ قَالَ: فَقَالَ عَلْقَمَةُ، أَنَا سَأَلْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَقُلْتُ: هَلْ شَهِدَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةَ الْجِنِّ؟ قَالَ: لَا وَلَكِنَّا كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَفَقَدْنَاهُ فَالْتَمَسْنَاهُ فِي الْأَوْدِيَةِ وَالشِّعَابِ. فَقُلْنَا: اسْتُطِيرَ أَوِ اغْتِيلَ. قَالَ: فَبِتْنَا بِشَرِّ لَيْلَةٍ بَاتَ بِهَا قَوْمٌ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْنَا إِذَا هُوَ جَاءٍ مِنْ قِبَلَ حِرَاءٍ. قَالَ: فَقُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ فَقَدْنَاكَ فَطَلَبْنَاكَ فَلَمْ نَجِدْكَ فَبِتْنَا بِشَرِّ لَيْلَةٍ بَاتَ بِهَا قَوْمٌ. فَقَالَ: أَتَانِي دَاعِي الْجِنِّ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَهُ فَقَرَأْتُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنَ قَالَ: فَانْطَلَقَ بِنَا فَأَرَانَا آثَارَهُمْ وَآثَارَ نِيرَانِهِمْ وَسَأَلُوهُ الزَّادَ فَقَالَ: لَكُمْ كُلُّ عَظْمٍ ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ يَقَعُ فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ أَوْفَرَ مَا يَكُونُ لَحْمًا وَكُلُّ بَعْرَةٍ عَلَفٌ لِدَوَابِّكُمْ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: فَلَا تَسْتَنْجُوا بِهِمَا فَإِنَّهُمَا طَعَامُ إِخْوَانِكُمْ
Amir said, I asked Alqamah: Did Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) witness the night of the Jinn with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? Alqamah said: I asked Ibn Mas’ud, saying: did any of you witness the night of the Jinn with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: No, but we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ one night. We lost him and searched for him through the valleys and the paths. We said: He ﷺ was either captured or assassinated. He continued: we experienced the worst night that any people could experience. When the morning arrived, he ﷺ approached from the direction of Hira. So, we said ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we had lost you so searched for you. When we could not find you we experienced the worst night that any people could experience. He ﷺ said: A messenger from the Jinn came to me, so I went with him and recited Quran for them. So, he ﷺ set of with us, and he showed us their traces and the traces of their fire. They asked him ﷺ for provisions, and he ﷺ said: You shall have every bone on which the name of Allah (Most High) has been mentioned. In your hands it will have an abundance of meat. And every dung is fodder for your animals. So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Do not cleanse yourself with them, for they are the food of your brothers. (Sahih Muslim, 450 – 150).
The Sahih Hadith above, narrates an occasion in which the blessed Prophet ﷺ went to meet the Jinn. This occurrence has ben linked to Masjid al-Jinn by early Muslim historians. As such, they believe the Masjid was built in the area where Sayidina Abdullah bin Masood waited for the Prophet ﷺ, whilst he ﷺ was teaching the Jinn.
Muslim historians
وَهُوَ فِيمَا يُقَالُ لَهُ مَوْضِعُ الْخَطِّ الَّذِي خَطَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ لَيْلَةَ اسْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ الْجِنُّ، وَهُوَ يُسَمَّى مَسْجِدَ الْبَيْعَةِ، يُقَالُ إِنَّ الْجِنَّ بَايَعُوا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَوْضِعِ وَمَسْجِدٌ. (أخبار مكة وما جاء فيها من الأثار)
It is said that is the place of the line that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew for Ibn Mas’ud, the night that the Jinn listened to him ﷺ. It is called Masjid al-Bay’ah (the Masjid of allegiance). It is said that the Jinn pledged their allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at that place and Masjid. (Imam al-Azraqi, Akhbar Makkah).
فَسُمِّيَ مَسْجِدَ الْحَرَسِ، وَهُوَ فِي طَرَفِ الْحَجُونِ، وَهُوَ مَسْجِدُ الْجِنِّ الَّذِي خَطَّ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِعَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ خَطًّا. (أخبار مكة في قديم الدهر وحديثه)
It is called Masjid al-Haras. It is in the direction of al-Jahun. It is Masjid al-Jinn where the Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew a line for Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (May Allah Most High be pleased with him). (Imam al-Fakihi, Akhbar Makkah fi Qadeem al-Dahr).
In both Nusoos (references) above, we find ‘a line’ being mentioned. This line is not mentioned in the Hadith in Sahih Muslim (above). However, it is found in a weaker narration from the Musnad of Imam Ahmad.
The line
عَبْدَ اللهِ قَالَ: اسْتَتبْعَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: فَانْطَلَقْنَا، حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ مَكَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَخَطَّ لِي خِطَّةً، فَقَالَ لِي: كُنْ بَيْنَ ظَهْرَيْ هَذِهِ لَا تَخْرُجْ مِنْهَا، فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ خَرَجْتَ هَلَكْتَ. قَالَ: فَكُنْتُ فِيهَا، قَالَ: فَمَضَى رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، حَذَفَةً ، أَوْ أَبْعَدَ شَيْئًا
Abdullah said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked me to follow him. So, we set out, until I came to such-and-such a place. There he ﷺ drew a line for me. He ﷺ said to me: Remain here and do not go beyond it. If you go beyond, you will perish. He said: So, I remained there. The Messenger of Allah went far away. (Musnad Ahmad 3788, weak).
Imam Ahmad narrated the above Hadith twice (4381), with slightly variant wording. Further, in both narrations the line is mentioned. This is the line the historians are referring to when they speak about Masjid al-Jinn.
Historical sites
It is important for Muslims to understand that many of the historical sites that are found in the Muslim lands are not authentic. This is particularly true of those that seem to have sprung up in recent times. Additionally, if there is no mention of a particular site in Hadith narrations or early works of Islamic history, it is incredibly difficult to substantiate these historical sites.
Furthermore, even sites that have been mentioned in early books of Islamic history are difficult to confirm. Meaning we know that these sites existed, but we cannot be sure that the particular site being presented is indeed the correct site.
An example of this can be found regarding the blessed Prophets (peace be upon them), we know they were sent and were buried in particular areas. However, we cannot confirm that a particular grave belongs to them. This is why Muslim scholars have stated that the only prophetic grave we can confirm is that of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Should we visit
Often you will find multiple graves for the same Prophet or Sahaabi. It can be difficult to identify which one is most authentic. Having said this, it does not mean that one should refrain from visiting such places. Since, there is some strength to the claim being made.
As for sites that have no mention in the historical record but have sprung up recently. It seems best not to visit such places since we may be encouraging the proliferation of fabrications. When such baseless endeavours are supported then they will increase.
And Allah Most High Knows Best.
–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (13.02.24)
-With special thanks to Sidi Yusuf Asghar for assistance with Nusoos translation
