Explaining that the jinn are obligated to worship just as humans are.
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The Shaykh : We return to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Adh-Dhariyat 51:56] In this noble verse, there is evidence that the jinn are obligated to worship just as humans are obligated to worship. - Pay attention -.
So, is what the jinn are obligated to do the same as what humans are obligated to do? I mean, are the jinn required to perform the five daily prayers? Are they required to pay zakah? Are they required to fast the month of Ramadan? Are they required to perform Hajj to the House? Or do they have specific forms of worship that suit their conditions?
Do you understand the question or not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, if we now understand from the noble verse that the jinn are obligated to worship and must worship Allah, are they obligated to forms of worship of the same type as human worship, or do they have forms of worship that suit their conditions?
The student: The first.
The Shaykh : Are you all in agreement on this first point, meaning that the worship required of humans is the same worship required of the jinn? Is there no second opinion?
The student: The second.
The Shaykh : Okay. So, regarding this issue, there are two opinions among those present and two possibilities regarding the knowledge. It is possible that the worship is the same worship that humans are obligated to perform, and this possibility is supported by the fact that when we reflect on the texts from the Book and the Sunnah, we do not find any specific address to the jinn that distinguishes them from humans in worship. And if the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), was sent to them, and we do not find anything before us, and we do not find specific rulings for them, this indicates that the rulings for humans are the rulings for the jinn.
As for the one who said: They are obligated to forms of worship that suit them, he said: The wisdom of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) necessitates that, because the jinn are not like humans in reality. Their realities differ from those of humans, and their origin differs from that of humans. What is their origin? From fire. Their reality differs; they are not seen, and they are bodies, but they are not seen. They have a strength that humans do not have; they are stronger than humans. For this reason, when Sulayman (peace be upon him) said: He was in Sham in Palestine, and this is in Yemen [An-Naml 27:38-39] And when will he rise from his place? He has a specific time in which he rises. He said: [An-Naml 27:39] Look at this eloquence from the jinni [An-Naml 27:39] Because the perfection of matters depends on strength and trustworthiness, so the weak one does not perfect the work, and the untrustworthy one betrays in the work. So he said: [An-Naml 27:39-40] Which of them is faster?
The second. Before your glance returns to you, meaning extending the glance and returning it; before you return it, you find the Throne with you. For this reason, he said: He used the letter "fa" indicating sequence and succession [An-Naml 27:40] And here he did not say "So when he saw it with him," but he said "So when he saw it settled with him." Settled is more specific than mere existence, meaning he saw the Throne settled, as if it had been present for a long time. Settled, not swaying and not moving. When he saw it settled with him, he said [An-Naml 27:40] And the point is his saying: [An-Naml 27:39] Some scholars said: If the jinn differ from humans in reality, then the wisdom of Allah necessitates that their worship be suitable for what? For their conditions, just as the worship of humans is suitable for the condition of the small child. He is not obligated to perform the worship, it is not required, why? Because he cannot bear it.
The sick person is obligated to pray standing. If he cannot, then sitting. If he cannot, then on his side. If he cannot, he gestures. If he cannot?
The student: With his eye.
The Shaykh : There is no eye. If he cannot, then what does he do?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And not with a finger?
The student: With his heart.
The Shaykh : Yes, with his heart. He intends the bowing, prostration, sitting, and standing with his heart. And some scholars said: He gestures with his eye if he cannot gesture with his head, then he gestures with his eye.
And there is a weak hadith that these scholars acted upon, and others did not act upon it.
As for praying with a finger, this has no validity at all, neither by the reports from the predecessors nor by the writings of the later scholars. We have not seen anyone say: The sick person prays with his finger. So it appears that this is a common story where they saw that the finger is close to the person: he stands, says Allahu Akbar, bows, he bends slightly, prostrates, he bends once, so they said: He prays with the finger. And this is not correct, as long as the reports have not come with it and the scholars have not said it, it is rejected. It is said: The least we say is that he gestures with his eye. And if we do not say that, as chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, then we say: He prays with his heart. This is the stronger position.
I say: Some scholars say: The worship that the jinn are obligated to perform is specific to them, suitable for their conditions, just as humans have worship suitable for their conditions. The rich person has zakah upon him, and the poor person? No zakah upon him. So a pillar of Islam is dropped from him, because he cannot do it. The one able to perform Hajj has Hajj upon him, and the one unable?
The student: It is not upon him.
The Shaykh : It is not upon him. And so on. And this opinion, in terms of agreement with wisdom, is closer to the truth, meaning that the jinn are obligated to forms of worship suitable for their conditions.
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
وما خلقت الجن والإنس إلا ليعبدونSo, is what the jinn are obligated to do the same as what humans are obligated to do? I mean, are the jinn required to perform the five daily prayers? Are they required to pay zakah? Are they required to fast the month of Ramadan? Are they required to perform Hajj to the House? Or do they have specific forms of worship that suit their conditions?
Do you understand the question or not?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Okay, if we now understand from the noble verse that the jinn are obligated to worship and must worship Allah, are they obligated to forms of worship of the same type as human worship, or do they have forms of worship that suit their conditions?
The student: The first.
The Shaykh : Are you all in agreement on this first point, meaning that the worship required of humans is the same worship required of the jinn? Is there no second opinion?
The student: The second.
The Shaykh : Okay. So, regarding this issue, there are two opinions among those present and two possibilities regarding the knowledge. It is possible that the worship is the same worship that humans are obligated to perform, and this possibility is supported by the fact that when we reflect on the texts from the Book and the Sunnah, we do not find any specific address to the jinn that distinguishes them from humans in worship. And if the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), was sent to them, and we do not find anything before us, and we do not find specific rulings for them, this indicates that the rulings for humans are the rulings for the jinn.
As for the one who said: They are obligated to forms of worship that suit them, he said: The wisdom of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) necessitates that, because the jinn are not like humans in reality. Their realities differ from those of humans, and their origin differs from that of humans. What is their origin? From fire. Their reality differs; they are not seen, and they are bodies, but they are not seen. They have a strength that humans do not have; they are stronger than humans. For this reason, when Sulayman (peace be upon him) said:
O my people, which of you will bring me her throne
يا أيها الملأ أيكم يأتيني بعرشها - يعني عرش بلقيس في اليمن - قبل أن يأتوني مسلمينwhich of you will bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?" (39) A powerful one from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place
أيكم يأتيني بعرشها قبل أن يأتوني مسلمين قال عفريت من الجن أنا آتيك به قبل أن تقوم من مقامكI will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy."
أنا آتيك به قبل أن تقوم من مقامك وإني عليه لقوي أمينindeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy."
إني عليه لقوي أمينand indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy." (40) Said one who had knowledge from the Scripture, "I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you."
وإني عليه لقوي أمين قال الذي عنده علم من الكتاب أنا آتيك به قبل أن يرتد إليك طرفكThe second. Before your glance returns to you, meaning extending the glance and returning it; before you return it, you find the Throne with you. For this reason, he said:
So when he saw it
فلما رآهAnd when [Solomon] saw it placed before him
فلما رآه مستقراً عندهThis is from the favor of my Lord to test me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful
هذا من فضل ربي ليبلوني أأشكر أو أكفرA powerful one from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place
قال عفريت من الجن أنا آتيك به قبل أن تقوم من مقامكThe sick person is obligated to pray standing. If he cannot, then sitting. If he cannot, then on his side. If he cannot, he gestures. If he cannot?
The student: With his eye.
The Shaykh : There is no eye. If he cannot, then what does he do?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : And not with a finger?
The student: With his heart.
The Shaykh : Yes, with his heart. He intends the bowing, prostration, sitting, and standing with his heart. And some scholars said: He gestures with his eye if he cannot gesture with his head, then he gestures with his eye.
And there is a weak hadith that these scholars acted upon, and others did not act upon it.
As for praying with a finger, this has no validity at all, neither by the reports from the predecessors nor by the writings of the later scholars. We have not seen anyone say: The sick person prays with his finger. So it appears that this is a common story where they saw that the finger is close to the person: he stands, says Allahu Akbar, bows, he bends slightly, prostrates, he bends once, so they said: He prays with the finger. And this is not correct, as long as the reports have not come with it and the scholars have not said it, it is rejected. It is said: The least we say is that he gestures with his eye. And if we do not say that, as chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, then we say: He prays with his heart. This is the stronger position.
I say: Some scholars say: The worship that the jinn are obligated to perform is specific to them, suitable for their conditions, just as humans have worship suitable for their conditions. The rich person has zakah upon him, and the poor person? No zakah upon him. So a pillar of Islam is dropped from him, because he cannot do it. The one able to perform Hajj has Hajj upon him, and the one unable?
The student: It is not upon him.
The Shaykh : It is not upon him. And so on. And this opinion, in terms of agreement with wisdom, is closer to the truth, meaning that the jinn are obligated to forms of worship suitable for their conditions.