Question:
Can the jinn take a human form?
Answer:
A group of the scholars mentioned, from them Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, that it is possible for the jinn to appear in the form of humans and their proof is the hadeeth which was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) put me in charge of guarding the zakah (charity) of Ramadan. Someone came to me and started scooping up handfuls of the food. I grabbed him and said, ‘I will take you to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).’. He said: ‘Verily I am in need, and I have dependents and am in great need.’ So I let him go… What did your prisoner do last night?’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, he claimed that he would teach me some words by means of which Allah would benefit me, so I let him go.’ He said: ‘What were they?’ I said: ‘He said to me: “When you go to your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy from beginning to end, ‘Allah! La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyoom (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists)…’” And he said to me: “You will have a protector from Allah and no devil will come near you until morning.” – And they (the Sahaabah) were very eager to learn good things – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Indeed he told you the truth, although he is an inveterate liar. Do you know who you have been speaking to for the last three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?’ I said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘That was the Shaytaan.’
And here is Shaykh Muqbil’s general advice to the jinn here.
As for Shaykh Bin Baaz’s circles of knowledge, then it was said that a group of the jinn used to attend his circles although they weren’t actually seen. And here is something I translated some time back regarding seeing the jinn in their actual forms:
Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, was asked the following question :
The Question:
Can the jinn be seen in their actual forms?
The Answer:
That which is in the Quraan is that they (the jinn) see the humans from where the humans can not see them, this is correct. It (the ayah with that meaning) necessitates that they (the jinn) can see the humans in a scenario where the humans can not see them and does not mean that no one from the humans can not see them in all scenarios. Rather, the righteous or other than them can see them also. However, they can not see them (the jinn) in all cases…and all of the
jinn are the children of Iblees.
The Reference: Daqaa’iqut Tafseer, (139/3), Print: Uloomul Quraan.
Answered and Translated by
AbdulFattaah bin Uthman
Abu Fajr
