Date : 20-08-2024

Question :

Is it permissible to use a Muslim jinn servant for

The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
The existence of the world of jinn is real, and belief in it is obligatory. It is hidden from us, and we only know about it what has been revealed through divine revelation. The general rule is that there is no interaction between humans and jinn, as their world is different from ours, and it is not customary to have dealings with them. Enlisting the service of jinn by humans is contrary to the norm, although it is rationally possible. Some jinn may be subjugated to serve certain human beings, just as some humans serve others. This is similar to the story of Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him), where Allah says {what means}: "And of the devils were those who dived for him and did work other than that. And We were protecting them." [Al-Anbiya: 82]. Imam Al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) commented: "And We also subjected for Solomon some of the devils who dived for him in the sea, and they performed other work besides that, such as building structures, statues, and places of worship." [Tafsir Al-Tabari, Vol.18/P.482]. It is known that "what is permissible as a miracle for a prophet is permissible as a karamah (miraculous gift) for a righteous person, with the only difference being the challenge (to prove prophethood)." [Hashiyat Al-Attar Ala Sharh Al-Mahalli, Vol. 2/P.481].
If something unusual appears through a corrupt person, a show-off, or a non-Muslim, it is likely to be a form of deception. Allah says {what means}: "And those who deny Our signs, We will progressively lead them to destruction from where they do not know. And I will give them respite. Indeed, My plan is firm." [Al-A'raf: 182-183]. However, if something unusual occurs through the actions of a pious, devoted, righteous person with sincere intentions, who does not seek fame or attention, and does not exceed the limits of Shariah in their actions, it is possible that it is a karamah (miraculous gift) from Allah. The greatest favor Allah can bestow upon His righteous servants is steadfastness in His religion and adherence to His laws. Muslims should not be preoccupied with miraculous gifts or extraordinary events but should focus on their own conduct, striving to correct and improve it, aligning it with the straight path and the guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). This, indeed, is the true honor.
In addition, who can be certain whether the jinn they are dealing with are Muslims or non-believers? The jinn are hidden from our sight, and we do not know the true nature of their conditions or whether they are truthful or deceitful. Allah says {what means}: "And there were men from among humans who sought refuge with men from among the jinn, so they increased them in wrongdoing." [Al-Jinn: 6]. This means that their sin increased, and the jinn became more audacious against them. [Tafsir Al-Tabari, Vol.23/P.323].
Allah also says {what means}: "And their allies among humans said, 'Our Lord, we have enjoyed each other's company.' " [Al-An'am: 128]. Imam Al-Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "This enjoyment refers to humans obeying the jinn and submitting to their rulings, making the jinn like leaders and the humans like followers and servants who do not oppose their leaders in any way. Certainly, this leader benefited from such a servant, which is the enjoyment of the jinn with the humans. As for the enjoyment of the humans with the jinn, it is that the jinn would guide them to various desires and pleasures and facilitate those matters." [Al-Tafsir Al-Kabir, Vol. 13/P.148].
The real measure of a Muslim is their obedience and adherence to the correct Islamic path, not the occurrence of extraordinary events. Hence, the practice of the saints and righteous servants of Allah is to conceal their miraculous gifts and only reveal them in certain situations, such as: to demonstrate a miracle to a disbeliever with the intention of guiding them to the truth, to rescue an oppressed person from an oppressor, to refute those who deny the existence of miracles and extraordinary events, to eliminate a heresy and revive a Sunnah, to strengthen the hearts of those seeking righteousness, or for other legitimate Islamic purposes, with the intention of bringing hearts together in devotion to Allah and seeking to please Him, and not for any worldly gains whatsoever.
In conclusion, a Muslim should focus on the apparent means that Allah has commanded us to follow and be cautious of any doubts that may involve potential prohibition, even if a scholar has declared them permissible based on their apparent aspect. As Imam Al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The piety of the righteous is to avoid anything that involves a possibility of prohibition, even if a scholar has ruled it permissible based on its outward appearance." This is in line with the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Leave what makes you doubt for what does not make you doubt." [Al-Arba'in Fi Usool Al-Din/ p. 149]. And Allah the Almighty knows best.