Ruling on seeking the help of the jinn

Praise be to Allaah.

This is shirk, and is a type of seeking the help of the jinn. Some people do this because they have fear of the jinn in their hearts and they are afraid of their power, and because their hearts are devoid of sincere faith and trust in Allaah. So they are content with these illusions and they seek the help of created beings which are not able to bring benefit or ward off harm for themselves, let alone for anyone else.

When Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about this matter, he said:

“This is even more abhorrent than associating others in worship with Allaah. We must not do this, we must beware of it, we must advise others not to do it and we must denounce those who do it. If a person is known to commit such actions of shirk, it is not permissible to let him marry a Muslim woman, to eat meat slaughtered by him, to pray over him [the funeral prayer] or to pray behind him, until he announces his repentance to Allaah, which includes devoting his du’aa’ and worship sincerely and purely to Allaah alone.”

(Iqaamat al-Baraaheen ‘ala Hukm man istaghaatha bi ghayr Allaah, p. 30)

The Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas has issued a fatwa stating that:

“seeking the help of the jinn and turning to them to meet one’s needs by harming someone or benefitting him is shirk, because it is a kind of worship directed to someone other than Allaah. It is a kind of benefitting from the jinn to fulfil one’s needs, in return for which the jinn benefits by having the human’s veneration and trust, and being called upon by him to fulfil his desires. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

‘And on the Day when He will gather them (all) together (and say): “O you assembly of jinn! Many did you mislead of men,” and their Awliyaa’ (friends and helpers) amongst men will say: “Our Lord! We benefited one from the other, but now we have reached our appointed term which You did appoint for us.” He will say: “The Fire be your dwelling place, you will dwell therein forever, except as Allaah may will. Certainly your Lord is All-Wise, All-Knowing.”

And thus We do make the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) Awliyaa’ (supporters and helpers) of one another (in committing crimes), because of that which they used to earn’ [al-An’aam 6:128-129]

And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

‘And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the jinn, but they (jinn) increased them (mankind) in sin and transgression’ [al-Jinn 72:6]

When a human seeks the help of the jinn, to cause harm to another or to protect him from the evil of one whose evil he fears, all of this is shirk, and whoever is in this state, his prayer and fasting mean nothing. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“If you join others in worship with Allaah, (then) surely, (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you will certainly be among the losers” [al-Zumar 39:65]

Whoever is known to do such things, cannot be prayed over if he dies, his funeral cannot be attended, and he cannot be buried in the Muslim graveyard.” 

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 1/407-408)

The jaahili (ignorant) nature of their seeking the help of the jinn and putting their trust in them is highlighted in the words of shirk that they utter, such as:

“By the help of Allaah and you; I am under Allaah’s care and yours; I have no one except Allaah and you; I am Allaah’s slave and yours; I put my trust in Allaah and in you; this is from Allaah and from you; I have Allaah in heaven and you on earth,” etc.

Undoubtedly these phrases are expressions of shirk, because they make a created being the rival of the Creator. Exalted be our Lord far above that.

 They even call upon Jibreel (peace be upon him) and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) instead of Allaah, by uttering words of ignorance such as, “O Jibreel, help me,” and “O Muhammad, intercede for me.” And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek.

Aadaat wa alfaaz tukhaalif Deen Allaah by Dr. Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Qahtaani

 

Is it permissible to seek treatment with one who claims that he has dealings with a doctor from among the Muslim jinn?

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

It is not permissible to seek the help of the jinn for medical treatment or anything else, and it is not permissible to go to one who claims to do that. 

The Muslim should not be deceived by the success of anyone’s treatment or seeing the effects of that, for the Dajjaal will tell the sky to rain and it will rain, and he will tell the earth to bring forth its treasure and it will do so. Should the Muslim be deceived by him and believe his claims? It may be a test or a gradual punishment from Allaah. “We shall gradually seize them with punishment in ways they perceive not” [al-A’raaf 7:182].  

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about the ruling on using the services of Muslim jinn to treat disease if that is needed. He replied: 

The sick person should not use the services of the jinn for treatment or ask them for anything, rather he should ask well known doctors, but he should not turn to the jinn, because that is a means that leads to worshipping them and believing them. Among the jinn are some who are kaafirs and some who are Muslims, and some who are innovators, and you do not know about them. So you should not rely on them or ask them for anything, even if they appear to you. Rather you should ask the people of knowledge and human doctors. Allaah condemned the mushrikeen as He said (interpretation of the meaning):

“And verily, there were men among mankind who took shelter with the males among the jinn, but they (jinn) increased them (mankind) in sin and transgression”
[al-Jinn 72:6]  

And it is a means that leads to dependence upon them and shirk, and it leads to seeking benefit from them and seeking their help, and all of that is shirk. End quote. 

Majallat al-Da’wah (no. 1602, Rabee’ al-Awwal 1418AH, p. 34) 

Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (may Allaah preserve him) said: 

The help of the jinn should not be sought, whether from the Muslims among them or those who say that they are Muslim, because he may say that he is Muslim but he is lying in order to interfere with people. This should be prevented from the outset. It is not permissible to seek the help of the jinn even if they say that they are Muslims, because this opens the door to trouble. 

It is not permissible to seek the help of one who is absent whether he is a jinni or otherwise, and whether he is a Muslim or not. Rather we should seek the help of one who is present and is able to help, as Allaah said of Moosa (interpretation of the meaning): 

“The man of his (own) party asked him for help against his foe” [al-Qasas 28:15] 

Moosa was present and able to help, and it was possible for him to help as this was an ordinary situation. End quote 

Al-Sihr wa’l-Sha’wadhah, p. 86, 87 

And Allaah knows best.

 

The one who offers sacrifices to the jinn is not a Muslim

Praise be to Allaah.

It is not permissible to offer the funeral prayer over him, or to wash him, or to shroud him. He cannot be considered to be one of the Muslims and he should not be buried with them, because he is a mushrik. The same applies to one who prays to the jinn or to the awliya’ (“saints”) or to the occupants of graves, or offers sacrifices to them. We seek refuge with Allaah.

Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him), p. 149