Question:
Assalamualaikum SS Dato’ Seri Mufti. We were surprised by a video clip that showed a signboard in a school that swings by itself. The question is, is it true that it is the work of jinn? Hope for an explanation from you.
Answer:
Waalaikumussalam wrt. wbt.
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the many countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
Before we answer the above question, the first thing that should be done by everyone who receive a news or report is they should first verify the authenticity of the news or report he received. The reason is, undeniably, there are some people who love to sensationalize incredible and bizarre news, however, when checked they are just fake news that are created.
Coming back to the question asked, there are several Quranic and prophetic evidences that explained about the jinn, shaytan and physical matter. Among the verses that explained how some jinn have the skills of constructing buildings and others. Allah SWT state:
وَالشَّيَاطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّاءٍ وَغَوَّاصٍ ﴿٣٧﴾
“And [also] the devils [of jinn] - every builder and diver.”
Surah Sad (37)
This is further stated in the Quran as:
يَعْمَلُونَ لَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ مِن مَّحَارِيبَ وَتَمَاثِيلَ وَجِفَانٍ كَالْجَوَابِ وَقُدُورٍ رَّاسِيَاتٍ ۚ اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا ۚ وَقَلِيلٌ مِّنْ عِبَادِيَ الشَّكُورُ ﴿١٣﴾
“They made for him what he willed of elevated chambers, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and stationary kettles. [We said], "Work, O family of David, in gratitude." And few of My servants are grateful.”
Surah Saba’ (13)
According to Ibn Kathir, both verses above showed that some of the shaytan are used to construct great buildings, statues, serving plates which are as huge as reservoirs, enormous stationary pots and other works that is difficult for humans to do. Some of them dive deep into the sea, extracting pearls and gems which cannot be found except on the sea floor. See Tafsir Ibn Kathir, 7/73.
In another verse, Allah SWT recorded how there are some jinn who are able to move something from one place to another. Allah SWT state:
قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ ۖ وَإِنِّي عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِيٌّ أَمِينٌ ﴿٣٩﴾
A powerful one from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy."
Surah al-Naml (39)
According to al-Sabuni, the above verse explained how ifrit which is a huge jinn (maradah al-jin) has the ability to carry the throne of Queen Balqis and bring it to King Solomon in less than a half days’ time. See Safwah al-Tafasir, 2/375.
Through hadiths, there is a narration that mentioned how a jinn can affect physical matter. One of the hadith is a hadith from Abu Hurairah RA:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ عَلَى تَمْرِ الصَّدَقَةِ فَوَجَدَ أَثَرَ كَفٍّ كَأَنَّهُ قَدْ أَخَذَ مِنْهُ فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَأْخُذَهُ؟» قُلْ: سُبْحَانَ مَنْ سَخَّرَكَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ...
“From Abu Hurairah R.Anh, he is entrusted to keep the dates for zakat. Then he discovered that a handful of the dates are stolen. He reported it to the Prophet PBUH, where the Prophet PBUH then asked: Do you want to capture it? Say: All praise to Allah who subdue you for Muhammad PBUH…”
Sunan al-Nasaie (7963)
In another hadith, it is stated:
عَنْ جَابِرٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «غَطُّوا الْإِنَاءَ، وَأَوْكُوا السِّقَاءَ، وَأَغْلِقُوا الْبَابَ، وَأَطْفِئُوا السِّرَاجَ، فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَا يَحُلُّ سِقَاءً، وَلَا يَفْتَحُ بَابًا، وَلَا يَكْشِفُ إِنَاءً، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدْ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يَعْرُضَ عَلَى إِنَائِهِ عُودًا، وَيَذْكُرَ اسْمَ اللهِ، فَلْيَفْعَلْ، فَإِنَّ الْفُوَيْسِقَةَ تُضْرِمُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْبَيْتِ بَيْتَهُمْ»
Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “Cover vessels, waterskins, close the doors and extinguish the lamps, for the Satan does not loosen the waterskin, does not open the door and does not uncover the vessels. And if one amongst you fails to find (something) to cover it well, he should cover it by placing (a piece of) wood across it. Qutaiba did not mention the closing of the doors in the hadith transmitted by him.”
Sahih Muslim (2012)
From the above hadiths, Ibn al-‘Arabi said, only a mukmin (believer) will believe jinn is capable of doing bizarre and incredible things, such as moving through small crevices. However, jinn will not be able to disturb or move our property if we close the doors, cover vessels and others with zikr (recitation of basmalah). See al-Tanwir Syarh al-Jami’ al-Saghir, 7/435.
To conclude, according to the above Quranic and prophetic evidences, undeniably jinn and shaytan is able to affect physical matter with the permission of Allah SWT. The reason is, they are Allah SWT’s creation who are given specific and special abilities. As a mukmin, we are asked to believe in their existence without exaggerating about them because this could lead to superstitions and false belief. Lastly, we advise us all to practise the supplications and zikr taught by the Prophet PBUH to protect ourselves from any disturbances of these creatures.