In the Islamic narrative, initially, there was only one Iblis (Satan/Lucifer). However, a question arose: How could this lone Iblis manage to reach millions of people around the world at every moment and tempt them all simultaneously? What, then, would be the difference between the solitary Satan and the monotheistic God, as both would seemingly exist everywhere at all times?
Thus, the Islamic story evolved, and now Satan was given minions—lesser devils were introduced. However, even the solitary Satan, like the monotheistic God, could not have offspring in this sense.
Then, in the Islamic narrative, the jinn were declared to be the lesser devils. These lesser devils (jinn) could marry and produce offspring.
[Note: The concept of "jinn" does not exist in the Bible of the Jews and Christians, but Muhammad adopted this idea of jinn from the Arab culture of the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic era), where the belief in jinn was prevalent.]
Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/jinni
Moreover, Muhammad narrated a strange story, according to which neither Iblis nor small devils were aware of existence of Muhammad, his prophethood and the Muslims for many years.
Ibn 'Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) neither recited the Qur'an to the Jinn nor did he see them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out with some of his Companions with the intention of going to the bazaar of 'Ukaz And there had been (at that time) obstructions between satans and the news from the Heaven, and there were flung flames upon them. So satan went back to their people and they said: What has happened to you? They said: There have been created obstructions between us and the news from the Heaven. And there have been flung upon us flames. They said: It cannot happen but for some (important) event. So traverse the eastern parts of the earth and the western parts and find out why is it that there have been created obstructions between us and the news from the Heaven. So they went forth and traversed the easts of the earth and its wests. Some of them proceeded towards Tihama and that is a nakhl towards the bazaar of 'Ukaz and he (the Holy Prophet) was leading his Companions in the morning prayer. So when they heard the Qur'an. they listened to it attentively and said: It is this which has caused obstruction between us and news from the Heaven. They went back to their people and said: O our people, we have heard a strange Qur'an which directs us to the right path; so we affirm our faith in it and we would never associate anyone with our Lord.
And also look at this hadith, where Iblis is himself unawre of Muhammad and Muslims for many years:
Ibn Abbas said: “The jinns used to ascent through the heavens, trying to listen about the Revelation. So when they heard a statement, they would add nine to it. The statement that they heard would be true, while what they added was false. So it was with the advent of the Messenger of Allah that they were prevented from their places. So they mentioned that to Iblis – and the stars were not shot at them before that. So Iblis said to them: ‘This is naught but an event that has occurred in the earth.’ So he sent out his armies, and they found the Messenger of Allah standing in Salat between two mountains” – I think he said “in Makkah” – “So they (returned) to meet with him (Iblis), and informed him. He said: ‘This is the event that has happened on the earth.’”
Grade: Sahih (Darussalam)
So, Muhammad asserted that after the shooting stars began striking the Jinns, some of them came to him and embraced Islam under his guidance. Through this narrative, Muhammad aimed to further elevate his significance and instill greater fear in the hearts of his followers by implying that even jinn were under his control.
However, the tale became highly implausible, as it implied that:
- No devil was present in Mecca for many years since none of them were aware of Muhammad's prophethood and existence of the Muslims.
- This would imply that during all those years, the pagans of Mecca were free from committing any sin, as no devils were present in Mecca to mislead them.
Can any rational person believe such an implausible story? It is clear that when trying to cover up one lie, many more are often needed, and this narrative of Iblis' ignorance about Muhammad's prophethood for several years seems to be one such attempt.
And it was Muhammad himself, who otherwise claimed that a jinn is attached to every person:
A'isha the wife of Allah's Apostle (ﷺ), reported that one day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came out of her (apartment) during the night and she felt jealous. Then he came and he saw me (in what agitated state of mind) I was. He said:
A'isha, what has happened to you? Do you feel jealous? Thereupon she said: How can it be (that a woman like me) should not feel jealous in regard to a husband like you. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: It was your devil who had come to you, and she said: Allah's Messenger, is there along with me a devil? He said: Yes. I said: Is a devil attached to everyone? He said: Yes. I (Aisha) again said: Allah's Messenger, is it with you also? He said: Yes, but my Lord has helped me against him and as such I am absolutely safe from his mischief.
Where there are lies, there are also typically CONTRADICTIONS, which we see in this case. Muhammad was only a human and it was not possible for him not to make human mistakes while narrating such fantastical stories.
All of this points to one conclusion: there is no divine, flawless Allah overseeing these matters, and it was Muhammad himself who constructed this religion. Since Muhammad, as a human, was neither perfect nor divine, these human errors naturally appear in the fantastical stories he narrated.
There are no JINNS present in the Bible, but this concept has pre-islamic pagan roots
The concept of Jinns in Islam has its roots in pre-Islamic pagan beliefs and is not found in the Bible. In the Bible, the only supernatural beings are fallen angels or demons, which are distinctly different from Jinns in several key ways.
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Origin and Creation:
- Jinns: In Islamic tradition, Jinns are created from "smokeless fire," a concept not present in any biblical scripture. Muhammad introduced this idea, which aligns with pre-Islamic Arabian beliefs where Jinns were considered supernatural entities that could interact with humans.
- Bible: The Bible speaks of fallen angels (like Lucifer and his followers), but they are created as angels, spiritual beings, and are not linked to fire. These angels rebelled against God and became the devils or demons. There is no mention in the Bible of entities created from fire or with the specific attributes of Jinns.
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Family Structure:
- Jinns: In Islam, Jinns have their own social structure, with the ability to marry, bear children, and have families. This is not a feature of fallen angels or devils in Christianity, which are generally seen as singular beings, not engaging in human-like familial relationships.
- Bible: Fallen angels in Christian scripture do not have families. The idea of angels mating with humans is rejected in biblical texts, though some apocryphal texts (like the Book of Enoch) mention angels interbreeding with humans, but this is not a mainstream biblical teaching.
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Religion and Conversion:
- Jinns: Islam holds that Jinns can convert to Islam or any other religion and be guided by prophets. This idea reflects a deeper spiritual interaction between humans and Jinns, showing a level of submission to religious guidance similar to humans.
- Bible: The Bible does not suggest that fallen angels or demons can "convert" to Christianity. They are seen as eternally fallen, with no hope for redemption. The concept of spiritual beings changing faiths is absent from biblical doctrine.
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Function in Worldly Affairs:
- Jinns: In Islamic tradition, Jinns are sometimes seen as beings who can be controlled and made to serve human interests, such as constructing palaces or performing other tasks. This reflects the magical and supernatural role that Jinns played in Arabian folklore and pre-Islamic religions.
- Bible: There is no biblical concept of fallen angels or devils being used in worldly affairs, such as building structures or performing tasks for humans. Demons are portrayed as harmful and rebellious, influencing humans to sin but not serving human interests.
In conclusion, the concept of Jinns in Islam is borrowed from pre-Islamic, pagan beliefs and has no parallel in the Bible. The Bible discusses fallen angels or demons, but these are entirely different entities, with distinct characteristics and roles. The parallels between Jinns and pre-Islamic deities or spirits suggest that Muhammad adapted this concept to Islam, mirroring the beliefs of the cultures he encountered rather than introducing a wholly unique idea.
Hassan Radwan