بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
Al-Jinn 72:7
The Jinn · Juz 29 · Page 572
وَأَنَّهُمۡ ظَنُّواْ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمۡ أَن لَّن يَبۡعَثَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٗا ٧
And they had thought, as you thought, that Allāh would never send anyone [as a messenger].
Tafsir · in English
Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 72:6–7
وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا ﴿6﴾
(...and that some people from human beings used to seek refuge with some peoples of the Jinn, and thus they increased them (the Jinns) in arrogance, [ 72:6] '
This verse describes the situation that it was customary for people in the Days of Ignorance that when they halted in a valley in the course of a journey, they sought refuge in the Jinn leader of that valley from the foolish mischief-makers of his nation believing that the leader of the valley will protect them. This made the Jinn think that they are better than human beings. That is why, they seek refuge in their leader but this increased the wickedness of the Jinn.
Rafi` Ibn ` Umair's ؓ Islam on account of the Jinn
Mazhari cites in his Tafsir that it is reported in Hawatif-ul-Jinn through his chain of narrators on the authority of Sayyidna Said Ibn Jubair ؓ that the Holy Prophet's ﷺ Companion Rafi` Ibn ` Umair ؓ recounts an incident of his embracing the Islamic faith, thus:
'One night I was travelling in a desert. Suddenly I was overcome by sleep. So, I alighted from my camel, and before I went off to sleep I uttered the following formula in keeping with the custom of my people:
انِّی اعوذ بعظیم ھٰذا الوادی من الجنّ
"I seek refuge in the leader of the Jinn of this valley from the foolish mischief-makers of his nation."
I saw in my dream that there is a sword in a person's hand who wants to place it on my camel's chest. I woke up in a shock and looked around in all directions, but found nothing. So, I said to myself that this was some Shaitanic nightmare. It was not a true dream and fell back into deep sleep and became completely oblivious to my surrounding. I experienced the same dream again. I got up and looked all around the camel, but found nothing. This time, however, I found the camel shivering. I went back to my place and slept away and saw the same dream. I awoke and found my camel tossing about restlessly. Then I saw a youngster in whose hand was a weapon. This was the same person whom I had seen attacking the camel the first time. I saw he was holding the hand of an old man who is stopping him from attacking the camel. Just then three wild zebras appeared. The old man said to the youngster, 'Choose any one of these zebras, and let go this man's camel.' The youngster took one of the zebras and took leave. The old man then looked at me and said, 'You fool, when you seek refuge in a valley, and you fear any danger from the jinn or devils, recite thus:'
اعوذ باللہ ربِّ محمّد من ھول ھٰذا الوادی
"I seek refuge in Allah, the Lord of Muhammad, from the horrors of this valley. Do not seek refuge in any Jinn because that time is gone when human beings used to seek refuge in Jinn."'
I asked him who that person was. He replied that he was the Arabian Holy Prophet ﷺ ، neither eastern nor western. He was raised with his Prophetic mission on a Monday. I asked him where he lived. He replied that he lived in Yathrib which is an area where dates grow abundantly. As soon as the morning dawned, I set for Madinah and urged my mount to move faster and faster until I reached Madinah. When the Holy Prophet ﷺ saw me, he recounted to me the entire episode before I could tell him anything. He invited me to the call of Islam and I embraced the Islamic faith.
Having narrated this story, Sayyidna Said Ibn Jubair ؓ said that the following verse was revealed in this connection. وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ (and that some people from human beings used to seek refuge with some people of the Jinn…72:6)
Page 572
سورة الجن
Al-Jinn
The Jinn · Meccan · 28 ayahs
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
72:1
قُلۡ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسۡتَمَعَ نَفَرٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا قُرۡءَانًا عَجَبٗا ١
Say, [O Muḥammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur’ān [i.e., recitation].
72:2
يَهۡدِيٓ إِلَى ٱلرُّشۡدِ فَـَٔامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ وَلَن نُّشۡرِكَ بِرَبِّنَآ أَحَدٗا ٢
It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone.
72:3
وَأَنَّهُۥ تَعَٰلَىٰ جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا ٱتَّخَذَ صَٰحِبَةٗ وَلَا وَلَدٗا ٣
And [it teaches] that exalted is the nobleness of our Lord; He has not taken a wife or a son
72:4
وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ شَطَطٗا ٤
And that our foolish one [i.e., Iblees]1 has been saying about Allāh an excessive transgression.
1 translator’s note
- A plural form may also be understood, i.e., "the foolish ones among us." ↩
72:5
وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن تَقُولَ ٱلۡإِنسُ وَٱلۡجِنُّ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا ٥
And we had thought that mankind and the jinn would never speak about Allāh a lie.
72:6
وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ رِجَالٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمۡ رَهَقٗا ٦
And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden [i.e., sin].
72:7
وَأَنَّهُمۡ ظَنُّواْ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمۡ أَن لَّن يَبۡعَثَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٗا ٧
And they had thought, as you thought, that Allāh would never send anyone [as a messenger].
72:8
وَأَنَّا لَمَسۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ فَوَجَدۡنَٰهَا مُلِئَتۡ حَرَسٗا شَدِيدٗا وَشُهُبٗا ٨
And we have sought [to reach] the heaven but found it filled with powerful guards and burning flames.
72:9
وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقۡعُدُ مِنۡهَا مَقَٰعِدَ لِلسَّمۡعِۖ فَمَن يَسۡتَمِعِ ٱلۡأٓنَ يَجِدۡ لَهُۥ شِهَابٗا رَّصَدٗا ٩
And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing,1 but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.
1 translator’s note
- Before the prophethood of Muḥammad (ﷺ) the jinn used to collect information by eavesdropping on the angels and then pass it on to fortunetellers and soothsayers. ↩
72:10
وَأَنَّا لَا نَدۡرِيٓ أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ أَرَادَ بِهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ رَشَدٗا ١٠
And we do not know [therefore] whether evil is intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intends for them a right course.
72:11
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلصَّٰلِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَۖ كُنَّا طَرَآئِقَ قِدَدٗا ١١
And among us are the righteous, and among us are [others] not so; we were [of] divided ways.1
1 translator’s note
- In opinion, belief and religious practice. ↩
72:12
وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن نُّعۡجِزَ ٱللَّهَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَن نُّعۡجِزَهُۥ هَرَبٗا ١٢
And we have become certain that we will never cause failure to Allāh upon earth, nor can we escape Him by flight.
72:13
وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعۡنَا ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ فَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِرَبِّهِۦ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخۡسٗا وَلَا رَهَقٗا ١٣
And when we heard the guidance [i.e., the Qur’ān], we believed in it. And whoever believes in his Lord will not fear deprivation or burden.1
1 translator’s note
- In regard to his account in the Hereafter. Nothing of his good will be diminished, nor will the evil of another be placed upon him. ↩