Surah Jinn

Qur’anic Exegesis

Introduction

Surah Jinn forms a pair with Surah Nuh the preceding surah with regard to the subject discussed in them. Surah Nuhportrays the indharof the Qur’an and its consequences by narrating the account of the people of the Prophet Nuh (sws), while Surah Jinncorroborates this portrayal by presenting the testimony of the jinn folk on the authenticity of the Qur’an.

Viewed thus, Surah Nuhis actually an explanation of the testimony of the seen (matubsirun) and Surah Jinnan explanation of the testimony of the unseen (malatubsirun) mentioned in Surah Haqqah.

This surah is directed at the Quraysh and it is evident from the topic discussed in it that like the previous surahs of this group it was revealed in Makkah in the phase of Indharof the Prophet’s mission.

Central Theme

The central theme of this surah is to authenticate the Qur’anand its message before  the Quraysh by the testimony of the jinn and to inform them that the punishment which they are demanding from the Prophet (sws) is something whose time of arrival is only known to the Almighty. The Prophets of Allah do not come to disclose this time; they only come to communicate the message of the Almighty. Instead of asking for this punishment, the Quraysh should ask for the Almighty’s benevolence. For this they should stop being arrogant and hostile to the Prophet (sws); they should acknowledge his message of Tawhidand in the House of Allah they should only worship Allah.

Explanation

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِیْمِِ

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful.

قُلْ أُوحِیَ إِلَیَّ أَنَّہُ اسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَقَالُوا إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآناً عَجَباً (1) یَہْدِیْ إِلَی الرُّشْدِ فَآمَنَّا بِہِ وَلَن نُّشْرِکَ بِرَبِّنَا أَحَداً (2) وَأَنَّہُ تَعَالَی جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا اتَّخَذَ صَاحِبَۃً وَلَا وَلَداً (3) وَأَنَّہُ کَانَ یَقُولُ سَفِیْہُنَا عَلَی اللَّہِ شَطَطاً (4) وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّا أَن لَّن تَقُولَ الْإِنسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلَی اللَّہِ کَذِباً (5) وَأَنَّہُ کَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ یَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوہُمْ رَہَقاً (6) وَأَنَّہُمْ ظَنُّوا کَمَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن لَّن یَبْعَثَ اللَّہُ أَحَداً (7) وَأَنَّا لَمَسْنَا السَّمَاء فَوَجَدْنَاہَا مُلِءَتْ حَرَساً شَدِیْداً وَشُہُباً (8) وَأَنَّا کُنَّا نَقْعُدُ مِنْہَا مَقَاعِدَ لِلسَّمْعِ فَمَن یَسْتَمِعِ الْآنَ یَجِدْ لَہُ شِہَاباً رَّصَداً (9) وَأَنَّا لَا نَدْرِیْ أَشَرٌّ أُرِیْدَ بِمَن فِیْ الْأَرْضِ أَمْ أَرَادَ بِہِمْ رَبُّہُمْ رَشَداً (10) وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الصَّالِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَلِکَ کُنَّا طَرَاءِقَ قِدَداً (11) وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّا أَن لَّن نُّعجِزَ اللَّہَ فِیْ الْأَرْضِ وَلَن نُّعْجِزَہُ ہَرَباً (12) وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعْنَا الْہُدَی آمَنَّا بِہِ فَمَن یُؤْمِن بِرَبِّہِ فَلَا یَخَافُ بَخْساً وَلَا رَہَقاً (13) وَأَنَّا مِنَّا الْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأُوْلَءِکَ تَحَرَّوْا رَشَداً (14) وَأَمَّا الْقَاسِطُونَ فَکَانُوا لِجَہَنَّمَ حَطَباً (15) وَأَلَّوِ اسْتَقَامُوا عَلَی الطَّرِیْقَۃِ لَأَسْقَیْْنَاہُم مَّاء غَدَقاً (16) لِنَفْتِنَہُمْ فِیْہِ وَمَن یُعْرِضْ عَن ذِکْرِ رَبِّہِ یَسْلُکْہُ عَذَاباً صَعَداً (17) وَأَنَّ الْمَسَاجِدَ لِلَّہِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّہِ أَحَداً (18) وَأَنَّہُ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ اللَّہِ یَدْعُوہُ کَادُوا یَکُونُونَ عَلَیْْہِ لِبَداً (19) قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَدْعُو رَبِّیْ وَلَا أُشْرِکُ بِہِ أَحَداً (20) قُلْ إِنِّیْ لَا أَمْلِکُ لَکُمْ ضَرّاً وَلَا رَشَداً (21) قُلْ إِنِّیْ لَن یُجِیْرَنِیْ مِنَ اللَّہِ أَحَدٌ وَلَنْ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِہِ مُلْتَحَداً (22) إِلَّا بَلَاغاً مِّنَ اللَّہِ وَرِسَالَاتِہِ وَمَن یَعْصِ اللَّہَ وَرَسُولَہُ فَإِنَّ لَہُ نَارَ جَہَنَّمَ خَالِدِیْنَ فِیْہَا أَبَداً (23) حَتَّی إِذَا رَأَوْا مَا یُوعَدُونَ فَسَیَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ أَضْعَفُ نَاصِراً وَأَقَلُّ عَدَداً (24) قُلْ إِنْ أَدْرِیْ أَقَرِیْبٌ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمْ یَجْعَلُ لَہُ رَبِّیْ أَمَداً (25) عَالِمُ الْغَیْْبِ فَلَا یُظْہِرُ عَلَی غَیْْبِہِ أَحَداً (26) إِلَّا مَنِ ارْتَضَی مِن رَّسُولٍ فَإِنَّہُ یَسْلُکُ مِن بَیْْنِ یَدَیْْہِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِہِ رَصَداً (27) لِیَعْلَمَ أَن قَدْ أَبْلَغُوا رِسَالَاتِ رَبِّہِمْ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَیْْہِمْ وَأَحْصَی کُلَّ شَیْْءٍ عَدَداً (28)

And “[Before listening to the Qur’anwe were in search of something because] we had groped our way through the heavens and had found it filled with stern guards and darting meteors”. And “Previously we were able to sit in some of its stations to eavesdrop, but now [we see that] whoever tries to eavesdrop finds a   darting meteor  in  wait for  him5”.  And “[At that time], we did  not know whether ill was intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intended something good for them6”. And “There have remained some amongst us who are righteous and some who are otherwise [and before this also] our paths had been separate”. And “[We were never rebellious]; we knew that we cannot escape Allah in this earth nor elude His grasp by flying away from Him in the heavens”. And “[In this background and with this awareness] when we have heard this Guidance we have believed in it and [we also call upon you that those among you] who believe in their Lord will have no fear of any loss or injustice”. And “[Now after this also], there will be those among us who submit to the truth and those also who insist on their disobedience; so those who submit will find themselves on the right path, and those who are disobedient [their fate then is that] they will become the firewood of Hell”.  (1-15)

And [it has also been revealed to me] “[O Prophet!] if these people7 [of  your  nation]  had adhered  to the  path,8  We  would have bestowed on them rain in abundance9 so that We could test10 them by this means”. And “Those [among them] who turn away from the Reminder of their Lord -- He will put them through an ever-increasing torment”. And “[O People!] these mosques are only for Allah so invoke not any one [in them] with Allah”. And “[In spite of this directive of Ours, look at them that] when this servant of Allah11 stands [before Him in His house] to invoke [only] Him, it seems as if they will rush upon him”. Tell them [O Prophet!] ‘I only invoke Allah and will worship none besides Him’. Tell them ‘I have no authority to harm or benefit you or to guide or mislead you’. Tell them ‘[If I associate someone with Him I very well know that] none can protect me from Allah nor can I find any refuge besides Him.

[No O people! I have no authority over these whatsoever]; my only duty is to inform you and to communicate His messages to you. Then those who disobey Allah and His Prophet shall abide forever in the fire of Hell. Until these people [inebriated with their might and power] shall behold [there] what they are being warned of12; then they shall know who is weaker in help and who are fewer in numbers’. Tell them ‘I do not know whether [the punishment] with which you are being threatened is imminent or whether My Lord will postpone it a little more. [This time is a secret of the Unseen] and only He knows this [secret], and He never reveals this secret of His to anyone. As for those whom He chooses as His Prophets [they can say nothing of their own13 ] because He guards them from behind and from the front that He may know if they have delivered the messages of their Lord; and He surrounds whatever is around them and keeps count of all their things.’  (16-28)