Prayer TimesBesides humans, there exists a world of jinn. Like humans, they are commanded to worship Allah. Jinn are created from fire and have the ability to take on various forms and appearances. Among them are Muslims and disbelievers, obedient and sinful ones. Some eat, drink, marry, and have offspring, while others do not. The existence of jinn is established by the Qur'an, Sunnah, and scholarly consensus. It is obligatory to believe in all of them.
Allah says in the Qur'an about the jinn:
"I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." [1]
"He created man (Adam) from clay like pottery, and He created the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire." [2]
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The angels were created from light, the jinn from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam was created from what has been described to you." [3]
As mentioned above, jinn can appear in different forms and shapes. Therefore, when people claim to have seen a "house spirit," "ghost," or "the spirit of a deceased person," it is possible that what they saw was a jinn, a creation of Allah.
Those who see apparitions or jinn in various forms should seek refuge in Allah and not fear them. Because they cannot harm anyone without Allah's will.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Jinn do not exist (meaning, they cannot harm anyone on their own)." [4]
In his book an-Nihaya, Ibn al-Athir explains: "When the Arabs said that jinn appeared to them in various forms in the desert and led them astray, the Messenger of Allah replied, 'Jinn do not exist.' Here, the Prophet was not denying their existence, but rather stating that they cannot mislead or harm people on their own, even if they appear as apparitions." [5] In another hadith:
إذا تغولت الغيلان فنادوا بالأذان
"If any of you sees a ghoul (a type of jinn) appearing as an apparition, then call the adhan (call to prayer)." [6] This means that one should protect oneself from their harm by reciting the adhan and remembering Allah.
In summary, those apparitions people claim to see are actually jinn appearing in different forms. There is no need to fear them. However, it should be noted that most of the videos and photos circulating on social media and websites are edited or fabricated. Even if such sightings are real, the way to protect oneself from jinn is to recite the supplications taught by the Prophet (ﷺ) in the Qur'an and Sunnah and to regularly perform ruqyah (spiritual protection).
Department of Sharia and Fatwa
[1] Surah adh-Dhariyat, verse 56.
[2] Surah ar-Rahman, verses 14-15
[3] Narrated by Imam Muslim
[4] Narrated by Imam Abu Dawud
[5] Ibn al-Athir, an-Nihaya.
[6] Narrated by Imam Ahmad.
This content was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor.