Al-Jinn

Surah 72 of the Quran

الجن‎ Al-Jinn The Jinn
Arabic text English text
Classification	Meccan
Other names	The Unseen Beings
Position	Juzʼ 29
No. of verses	28
No. of Rukus	2
No. of words	286
No. of letters	1,109

Sūrat al-Jinn (Arabic: سورة الجن, “The Jinn”) is the seventy-second chapter of the Quran with 28 verses. The name as well as the topic of this chapter is jinn. Similar to angels, the Jinn are spiritual beings invisible to the naked human eye. In the Quran, it is stated that humans are created from the earth and jinn from smokeless fire in more than one instance.

In the second verse the jinn recant their belief in false gods and venerate Muhammad for his monotheism. The jinn apologize for their past blasphemy and criticize mankind for either neglecting them or encouraging their disbelief. Verses 20-22 are especially important as Monotheism (tawhid) among the Jinn is reaffirmed and the inescapable wrath of God is emphasized. The Judgement in verse 7, and the Punishment in verse 25, are both references to the Islamic Judgement Day, Yaum al Qiyamah. Verse 25-28 establish that Qiyamah is known only to God, and that God takes into account all the deeds of a man when judging him.

Chronology

Although Al-Jinn is a Meccan sura, it is generally agreed that it was revealed much later than any other sura contained in Juz' Tabāraka -lladhi (which covers suras 67 to 77). Abdullah Yusuf Ali says that it is “tolerably certain” that Al-Jinn was revealed around 2 B.H. when Muhammad was evangelising near present-day Ta'if. Maulana Muhammad Ali agrees with the date of around 2 B.H., saying that this sura was revealed at a time when opposition to the Holy Prophet’s message was reaching a climax.