Wednesday 4 May 2011

Every person has a constant companion from among the jinn

Every person has a constant companion from among the jinn
Is there anything in Islam that is called the Qareen? I would like to know whether I have a Qareen. What does Islam say about this, or does it not exist at all?

 

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Yes, there is something which is called the qareen, which
Allaah has caused to accompany every human being. This qareen pushes a
person to do evil things and to disobey Allaah, with the exception of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as will be
explained below. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“His companion (qareen) will say: ‘Our Lord! I did not
push him to transgression, (in disbelief, oppression, and evil deeds), but
he was himself in error far astray.’

Allaah will say: ‘Dispute not in front of Me, I had
already in advance sent you the threat.

The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed, and I
am not unjust  to the slaves’”

[Qaaf 50:27-29] 

Ibn Katheer said: “ ‘His companion (qareen) will say’
– Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), Mujaahid, Qutaadah and
others said: this refers to the devil who is appointed to accompany him. ‘Our
Lord! I did not push him to transgression’ means, he will disown that
person on the Day of Judgement, and will say, ‘Our Lord! I did not push
him to transgression’ meaning, I did not lead him astray. 

‘but he was himself in
error far astray’ means, he was misguided in himself, receptive to
falsehood and resistant to the truth – as Allaah says elsewhere
(interpretation of the meaning): 

‘And Shaytaan (Satan)
will say when the matter has been decided: “Verily, Allaah promised you a
promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no
authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So
blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me.
I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allaah
(by obeying me in the life of the world). Verily, there is a painful torment
for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers).”’

[Ibraaheem 14:22] 

The phrase ‘Dispute not in front of Me’ refers to what
Allaah will say to the human and his companion from among the jinn, when
they dispute before Him, and the human says, ‘O Lord, this one led me astray
from the Reminder after it had come to me’ and the devil will say, ‘Our
Lord! I did not push him to transgression, (in disbelief, oppression, and
evil deeds), but he was himself in error far astray’ – i.e., from the
path of truth. 

Allaah will say, ‘Dispute not in front of Me’ meaning,
in My presence. ‘I had already in advance sent you the threat’ means,
I sent the warning on the lips of the Messengers, and I sent down the Books,
so proof and evidence was established against you. 

‘The Sentence that comes from Me cannot be changed’ –
Mujaahid said, this means I have passed My judgement. 

‘and I am not unjust  to the slaves’ means, I do not
punish anyone for the sin of another, and I only punish a person for his sin
after proof has been established against him.” 

Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/227 

It was narrated that
‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no one among you but a
companion from among the jinn has been assigned to him.” They said, “Even
you, O Messenger of Allaah?’ He said, “Even me, but Allaah helped me with
him and he became Muslim (or: and I am safe from him), so he only enjoins me
to do that which is good.” 

According to another report, “… There is assigned to him a
companion from among the jinn and a companion from among the angels.” 

Narrated by Muslim, 2814 

Al-Nawawi included this in a chapter which he called: Baab
Tahreesh al-Shaytaan wa Ba’thihi Saraayaahu li Fitnat il-Naas wa anna ma’a
kulli insaanin Qareen (Chapter on the evil of the Shaytaan and his
sending his troops to tempt the people, and the fact that there is a
jinn-companion with every human being). 

Al-Nawawi said: 

“Fa aslamu (and I am safe from him) or fa aslama
(and he became Muslim). These are two well known versions. One means ‘and I
am safe from his evil and his temptation.’ The other means that ‘the qareen
became Muslim and became a believer, so he does not tell me to do anything
but good’.  

There was some scholarly dispute as to the form of the word.
Al-Khattaabi said that the word was Fa aslamu (and I am safe from
him); al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad said that it was fa aslama (and he became
Muslim), which is more correct, because the hadeeth says, ‘so he only
enjoins me to do that which is good’.  

They also disputed as to the meaning of the word fa aslama. 
Some said that it meant that he (the qareen) submitted and surrendered, as
it was narrated elsewhere than in Saheeh Muslim, fa astaslama
[he gave up and surrendered]. It was also suggested that it means that he
became a Muslim and a believer. The latter is the apparent meaning. Al-Qaadi
said: Note that the ummah is unanimously agreed that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was protected from the Shaytaan in
physically, mentally and with regard what he said. This hadeeth contains a
warning against the temptation of the qareen and his whispers and
temptations. We know that he is with us so we should beware of him as much
as possible. 

Sharh Muslim, 17/157, 158 

It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If anyone
of you is praying, he should not let anyone pass in front of him; if that
person insists then he should fight him for there is a qareen with him.” 

Narrated by Muslim, 506. 

Al-Shawkaani said: 

“The phrase ‘for there is a qareen with him’—according to
al-Qaamoos [an Arabic-language dictionary] the word qareen refers to a
companion; the Shaytaan always accompanies man and never leaves him. This is
what is referred to here.”

 Nayl al-Awtaar,
3/7

 And Allaah knows best.

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