How to cite this paper: Bawa Dan Muhammad Anka & Mal. Haliru Abdullahi (2025). Jinn Possession in Humans: An Islamic Jurisprudential Analysis. Middle East J Islam Stud Cult., 5(1): 110-115.
JINN POSSESSION IN
HUMANS: AN ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENTIAL ANALYSIS
By
Dr.
Bawa Dan Muhammad Anka
Department
of Islamic Studies
Federal
University, Gusau
&
Mal.
Haliru Abdullahi
Department
of Islamic Studies
Federal
University, Gusau
Abstract
Islamic tradition maintains that
Jinn possess supernatural abilities to inhabit humans, animals, and inanimate
objects. While certain Muslim sects like the Mu'tazilah and Qadariyah reject
this concept, authoritative Islamic sources confirm Jinn's capacity to possess
human bodies and manipulate sensory faculties. This phenomenon is
linguistically distinguished through two Arabic terms: Lubs al-Jinn (internal
possession affecting mental faculties) and Lams al-Jinn (external physical
manifestation). The paper examines theological evidences, types of possession
(including hereditary cases), symptoms ranging from erratic behavior to
reproductive health issues, and Islamic preventive/remedial measures including
Qur'anic recitation and Ruqyah therapy. Findings affirm possession as both
spiritual reality and medical phenomenon, particularly prevalent among women in
Northern Nigeria due to socio-religious factors.
Keywords: Jinn possession,
Islamic spirituality, Lubs al-Jinn, Lams al-Jinn, Ruqyah therapy, paranormal
medicine
1.0 Introduction
The creation of Jinn and their
presence is as true as the creation of mankind and his physical presence, the
intangibility of the former notwithstanding. Allah the Most High says:
We created man
from sounding clay, from mud moulded into shape. And the Jinn race, We had
created before, from the fire of scorching wind. (Qur’an, 15:26–27)
The verse above is
self-explanatory on the creation of both the Jinn and humans as among the
creatures of Allah that are purposely created to worship their Creator, Allah
the Most High, as indicated in the verse of the Glorious Qur’an.
No doubt, the juxtaposition of
mankind and Jinn in the Glorious Qur’an explains some degrees of their
relationship which both could demonstrate positively or negatively. Indeed, the
possession of man by a Jinniy is part of the negative relationship with which
the latter harms the former. And at certain times, some devilish individuals
invite the possession themselves for ulterior motives. Such people include the
soothsayers and pseudo-scholars commonly known as Malaman Tsibbu or ‘Yan
Bori in the Hausa language (Gobir & Sani, 2018, 2019). Whatever the case, this paper attempts to make
it clear that the entrance of Jinn into a human body and taking control of the
person’s movement entirely within the period of the possession is quite true.
However, before delving into the main theme of the paper, it is pertinent to
briefly look into the meaning of the word possession, which is the central
focus of the paper.
The dictionary meaning of the
word possession may convince one to accept that the literal meaning is in
strong agreement with the technical meaning of the term. The literal
interpretation of the word suggests: "Having a powerful effect on somebody
and controlling the way he or she thinks and behaves." (Hornby, 2006, p.
1130). Interestingly, the dictionary also did not overlook the meaning of the
word in its relation to the subject matter of this research. It further
explained that the term means: "The situation when somebody’s mind is
believed to be controlled by the Devil or by an evil spirit." (Hornby,
2006, p. 1130).
Technically, possession has been
defined as a paranormal or supernatural event in which it is said that demons,
spirits, or other discarnate entities take control of a human body, resulting
in noticeable changes in health and or behaviour. It is also the belief that an
individual has been empowered by an alien spirit or other para-human force,
which then controls the person or alters that person’s actions and identity
(Khalifah, 2024). Similarly, the term can also describe a similar action of a
spirit taking residence in an inanimate object, possibly giving it animation.
The dictionary meanings of the
term possession as quoted above strengthen each other in the main focus of the
implication of its outcome. That is to say, the complete or partial dominance
of the possessed consciousness by the evil spirit resulting from the
possession, which leads to the change of the nature and behaviour of the
victim, is clearly noticed. As for the technical interpretations, they explain
the extent to which demons are used for sorcery and other un-Islamic activities
by some people. This is actually another negative relationship between man and
Jinn as shall be elaborated under magical relationship. However, it may be more
logical to explain the Islamic and cultural viewpoints on the Jinn’s possession
of the human body.
2.0 Jinn Possession in Islam
There is no doubt in the fact
that Jinn can penetrate into the human body and take control of his movement,
as clearly exemplified by Allah (The Most High) in the Qur’an with regard to
those people who devour usury. The statement runs as:
Those who devour
usury will not stand except as stands one whom the Evil One by his touch hath
driven to madness… (Qur’an, 2:275)
The verse above is considered by
many Qur’anic exegetes as proof for Jinn’s appearance in the human body and
criticizes some scholars like Zamakhshari, who rejected the possession of
mankind by Jinn and condemned their opinion as baseless and against the Sunnah
of the Prophet and the common belief of the Sunni Muslims. The verse serves as
the strongest and most reliable proof of those Muslim scholars who believed in
the possession of man by the Jinn. This is in addition to the authentic Ahadith
and views of the earlier and later scholars in favor of the matter.
Commenting on the verse, a
leading exegete of the Qur’an, Imam al-Tabari, understands it as a touch which
causes loss of consciousness as a result of being possessed by the evil spirit
in this world. This interpretation, according to al-Tabari, was the common
saying among the Mufassirun (al-Tabari, 2008, p. 101). Al-Baghawi (n.d.) also
stated: “It (the verse) means, the devourer of usury will be raised on the Day
of Judgement in the state of madness, like the one afflicted with epilepsy
caused by Jinn’s possession.”
Imam al-Qurtubi has equally
observed that the verse explains the condition of the usurer on the Day of
Judgement, who will be raised from his grave like a person with an epileptic
fit, as explained by Ibn Abbas, Mujahid, and Ibn Jubair. He further says: “The
phrase ‘Yatahabbatuhu al-Shaytan…’ means, ‘whom the Evil One possesses and
enslaves.’ Furthermore, the word ‘al-mass’ as it appears in the verse connotes
the meaning of ‘al-junun,’ which means ‘madness.’ He concluded that the verse
is proof against the opinion of those who disputed the possession and entrance
of Jinn into the human body (Imam Qurtubi, 2001, pp. 302–305).
In his commentary on the verse,
al-Mawardi quoted Ibn Abbas, Ibn Jubair, Mujahid, and Hasan, saying that the
devourer of usury will be raised from his grave like the person possessed by
the Jinn, as if he is suffering from an epileptic fit (Mawardi, n.d., pp.
347–348).
From the comments of the exegetes
of the Qur’an sampled above, the assertion of al-Tabari mentioned earlier is
correct. All the Tafsir works that this researcher has laid his hands on, with
the exception of Zamakhshari’s and Baydawi’s, have confirmed the possession of
man by Jinn as shown in the verse under review.
Additional proofs could also be
found in some Ahadith of the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
A Hadith was reported by Ibn
Abbas of a woman who came to the Prophet (S.A.W.) and complained to him about
her epileptic fit, seeking the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) to invoke for her
cure. However, the Prophet (S.A.W.) gave her two alternatives: to either pray
for her recovery or she should exercise patience and enter Paradise. The woman
chose to be patient. Nonetheless, she told the Prophet (S.A.W.) that sometimes
she used to become naked whenever she was possessed. The Prophet (S.A.W.)
prayed for her, and thereafter, she never became naked even in the state of the
epileptic fit (Imam Bukhari, 1985, pp. 376–377).
Commenting on the Hadith,
al-Asqalani observes that the epilepsy suffered by the affected woman was a
result of the Jinn’s possession and not a mere clinical case. He further stated
that the possession by Jinn, which led to the situation of losing one’s faculty
of reasoning, is certain and was normally caused by evil spirits (Asqalani,
2001, pp. 133–155).
The Hadith of Ibn Mas’ud is also
a clear proof of the reality of the Jinn’s possession, as quoted in the
following wording:
The Messenger of
Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, used to say (once he assumed
the prayer): “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from Shaytan the despised; from his
evil suggestions, inspirations, and whispers…” (Ibn Majah, 2008, p. 162).
The phrase "evil
suggestions" is interpreted as the possession which causes epilepsy (Ibn
Majah, 2008, p. 162). It is also good to cite another Hadith which indicates
the circulation of Shaytan in the human body like the blood circulates in his
veins (Imam Bukhari, Vol. 3, p. 141–142). While commenting on this Hadith,
Asqalani says that the Hadith can be understood in its practical sense because
Allah (S.W.T) gives Shaytan the power and ability to do that (Asqalani, Vol. 4,
p. 327). Therefore, since Shaytan is considered the father of the Jinn, then
all his family members are equally endowed with such powers and capabilities.
Another Hadith, which is more
explicit on the issue of the entrance of Jinn into the human body and
possessing the affected individual, is the following:
"If one of you yawns, he
should place his hand on his mouth because Shaytan enters into it." (Imam
Bukhari, 2007, p. 253).
Therefore, unlike the Mu’tazilah
and their cohorts, who denied the entrance of Jinn into the human body, some
Prophetic Traditions have confirmed its occurrence.
In addition to the proofs from
the Qur’an and Hadith, statements of some past venerable scholars regarding the
true nature of the Jinn’s possession need to be examined with a view to
establishing more evidence on the issue.
The Ahl al-Sunnah wa
al-Jama‘ah (the followers of the four schools of jurisprudence) believe in
the entrance of Jinn into the human body, which leads to his possession.
Possession, as believed by the Salaf, is a practical experience as established
by the Shari‘ah (Ibn Taymiyyah, 1998, p. 9). Ibn Taymiyyah observed that the
scholars of the four schools of law were unanimous on the possession by the
Jinn, just as they were on their existence. He said that a Jinn enters the body
of the possessed and talks through him in a language different from that of the
afflicted person, and if he (the possessed) were to be flogged, he would not
sense it, no matter how painful it may be (Ibn Taymiyyah, 1998, p. 9).
According to Ibn Ashur, the word
"Mass" indicates that Shaytan does not only whisper into the human
mind, as misinterpreted by Mu’tazilah scholars, but also possesses mankind.
Similarly, al-Jaza’iri also explained that the possession by Jinn is a
practical episode that has been witnessed a number of times, and its denial is
baseless. He narrated the experience with his sister, whose possession by a
Jinn led to her death (Jaza’iri, 1989, p. 279).
From the comments and
explanations of the scholars above, in addition to the proofs from the Glorious
Qur’an and Hadith, one cannot help but accept the view of Ubaid, which says
that none can deny the entrance of Jinn into the human body except an atheist
(Bali, 2007, p. 61), probably because of the clear texts from the Qur’an and
Hadith that support the Jinn’s possession. This is because falsifying any verse
of the Glorious Qur’an or authentic Tradition of the Prophet (S.A.W.) is
tantamount to Kufr.
No doubt, the entrance of Jinn
into man’s body is a plain truth, as described in both the Glorious Qur’an and
the Sunnah of the Prophet (S.A.W.), and it is now becoming more rampant among
people due to negligence of religious norms, such as recitation of the Glorious
Qur’an and daily Adhkar that serve as a fortress against the evil Jinn.
Socio-economic reasons can also be another cause for the rampant Jinn
possession, as shall be unveiled while discussing the reasons for Jinn
possession.
Having examined the viewpoints of
Islam about the possession by Jinn, it is imperative to look at the cultural
perspectives and examine how the matter is conceived in Northern Nigeria.
2.1 Types of Jinn Possession
Principally, Jinn’s possession
falls into two categories:
i. "Lams al-Jinn"
ii. "Tams al-Jinn"
The word "Lamasa",
which is the root word of "Lams", literally means
"touching" (Baydoun, 2008, p. 315), while "Tamasa", whose
root word is "Tams", is translated as "to destroy"
(Baydoun, 2008, p. 251), among others. The two terms, though used in relation
to Jinn’s possession, have been differentiated by scholars based on their
degree of harm to man.
The first type of possession
(Lams al-Jinn), therefore, would mean the physical touch of Jinn on the human
body, which leads to physical ailments in the affected part(s). In this kind of
possession, the Jinn does not necessarily need to enter the human body
(Halwani, n.d., p. 32). The affected person remains mentally conscious but may
experience physical disabilities, such as partial paralysis. There are three
categories of Lams al-Jinn as follows:
1. Complete touches (Mass al-Kulli): This involves the
touching of the whole body.
2. Partial touches (Mass al-Juz'i): This occurs when a Jinni
touches one or some parts of the body.
3. Ambulant touches (Mass al-Taif): This type of touch
causes horrible nightmares or leaves the affected person in a constant state of
fright (Halwani, n.d., p. 32).
The second type of possession
(Tams al-Jinn) refers to the atrocity committed by some Jinn when they enter a
man’s body and take over his reasoning faculty (Halwani, n.d., p. 32). Such a
person behaves abnormally and cannot account for his actions during the state
of possession. It is this kind of possession that sometimes leads to mental
disorders. However, it has also been observed that Tams al-Jinn can be
hereditary. In some cases, Jinn claim that they target a person (the possessed)
due to an existing relationship with that person’s parents or grandparents, and
as long as the family members live, they will continue to possess their
descendants (Anka, 2017, p. 117).
It has been observed, this
unethical relationship occurs more frequently with females than males, likely
because women are weaker than men both in faith and practice. Gobir & Sani
(2018 p. 72) consider women to be more vulnerable to Jinn possessions due to
such reasons.
Having discussed the types of
Jinn possession, the subsection below examines the causes and signs of possession.
2.2 Causes and Symptoms of
Jinn Possession
Although Lams al-Jinn and Tams
al-Jinn differ in their nature and effects, both share common causative
features. Based on Ibn Taymiyyah's discussion of the causes of Jinn possession,
the following can be considered the major ones:
a. Desire, Interest, and Love: Some Jinn possess mankind
under the pretext of love or desire they have for the possessed. The possession
that occurs due to the first two reasons (desire and interest) is solely
intended to harm mankind. However, possession based on love is sometimes less
injurious because the possessing Jinni may demonstrate apparent affection
toward the possessed, such as protecting him or her from harm (Ibn Taymiyyah,
2009, p. 68).
b. Hatred and Revenge: If a person pours hot water in a
Jinn's residence, throws stones, or urinates in their habitation (DM, n.d., p.
118), thereby harming some of them, the affected Jinni may seek revenge by
possessing the perpetrator. If the injury is severe enough to cause the Jinni's
death, the victim's relatives may avenge by possessing the person and
afflicting them with ailments (Ibn Taymiyyah, n.d.).
c. Wickedness and Play: Possession sometimes occurs due to
the Jinn's inherent wickedness or as a form of horseplay. In such cases, the
possession involves evil acts by the Jinn, which may be done in jest—similar to
how foolish humans commit evil for amusement (Zaghb, 2013, p. 56).
d. Magic or Witchcraft: Magicians employ Jinn to accomplish
their evil missions. Similarly, when a witch practices witchcraft, they enlist
the assistance of Jinn, who then possess the victim. This makes it easier for
the witch to harm the targeted person, sometimes leading to death or severe
illness (Zaghb, 2013, p. 56).
In addition to the above causes,
Sa’eed, the author of the book titled Evil Eye, also added three more as
follows:
i.
Breach of a covenant
with a particular Jinni: For example, if someone who associates with Jinn
agrees to a condition stipulated by a certain Jinni for maintaining their
relationship and later breaches the agreement, the person may easily be
possessed by the Jinni out of provocation.
ii.
Excessive passion and
nervousness: If a man demonstrates excessive passion or is prone to intense
fear, this may provide an easy opportunity for Jinn to enter his body.
iii.
Repugnant type of
Adhkar: This occurs when someone is made to recite filthy Adhkar by Malaman
tsibbu, such as invoking and glorifying the names of Jinn with the intention of
enlisting their help for ulterior motives. In some cases, if a person involved
in such Adhkar is not strong-hearted, they may become frightened, leading to
possession by the Jinn and sometimes even insanity (Sa’eed, 2005, pp. 34–35).
If any of the reasons above
occurs and consequently leads to Jinn possession, one or more of the following
symptoms may be manifested:
a.
Erratic behavior in
one’s words, deeds, and movement: The possessed person will behave
abnormally in speech, attitude, and sometimes gait.
b.
Seizures: This
refers to sudden mental attacks, which some medical doctors attribute to causes
like epilepsy.
c.
Paralysis of a limb without
clinical reason.
d.
Getting angry quickly:
An unreasonable display of temper by a Jinn-possessed person.
e.
Sitting in the toilet
for a long time and talking to oneself: On occasion, the possessed enjoys
sitting in the toilet without reason.
f.
Constant headache: The
pain may be one-sided or all over the head and hardly responds to medical
treatment.
g.
Irregular menstruation
in women: Blood flow from the private parts without medical cause is also considered
a symptom.
h.
Inability to have children
without medical problems (e.g., impotency) (Ameen, 2005, pp. 86–87).
i.
Fatigue and sometimes
exhaustion: Jinn possession causes fatigue and general bodily weakness.
j.
Insomnia: Inability
to sleep without an apparent cause can signify Jinn possession.
k.
Conversation with the
possessing demon: The possessed may be heard talking to themselves, but in
reality, they are responding to the whispers of the controlling Jinni.
l.
Terrifying dreams and
nightmares: The possessed may experience horrifying nightmares, such as
being pursued by dangerous wolves, falling from a great height, or seeing
themselves in a graveyard (Sa’eed, pp. 36–37).
In addition to the above signs,
experience reveals that pelvic pain in women (sometimes preventing conception) is
another symptom of Jinn possession. However, not all affected women are unable
to conceive. In some cases, the woman may lose her pregnancy to miscarriage.
Occasionally, the Jinn removes the embryo from the placenta and fills the
stomach with air to mimic pregnancy. The writer encountered such cases during
research on this matter in 2016. This practical observation was noted among
several women in the course of the study.
3.0 Conclusion
It is evident from the contents
of this paper that the possession of man by Jinn is entirely possible and has
occurred repeatedly. This possession represents one of the negative
relationships between man and Jinn, despite the latter's invisibility. The
paper has demonstrated that Jinn can enter the human body, possess individuals,
and render them unconscious. As identified, such possession can be either Lubs
al-Jinn (which causes mental derangement) or Lams al-Jinn (which does not
result in epileptic fits but affects physical health).
This paper finds that Jinn
possession has become increasingly prevalent, particularly among females
compared to males. This disparity may stem from many women's neglect of
religious duties due to their natural weaknesses. Another plausible explanation
for the rise in Jinn possession is urban expansion, which has led to the
destruction of trees and other Jinn habitats. In retaliation, the displaced
Jinn may possess humans who build homes in areas previously inhabited by Jinn.
3.1 Recommendations
Based on the findings of this
paper, the following remedies are recommended for cases where a Jinniy fully
possesses and controls its victim:
i.
Daily Recitation of the
Glorious Qur'an: Muslims should consistently read the Qur'an, as it serves
as one of the strongest protections against evil spirits.
ii.
Regular Practice of
Adhkar: All Muslims should adopt the habit of reciting daily remembrances
of Allah (S.W.T.) (morning and evening) as recommended by the Prophet (S.A.W.).
iii.
Recitation of
Ayatul-Kursiy (Verse 255 of Suratul-Baqarah) Before Sleep: This practice
should be observed regularly for protection.
iv.
Modest Dressing for
Muslim Women: Women should avoid indecent attire and adhere to modest,
ethical clothing at all times, especially when leaving home, as divinely
ordained in Verse 33 of Suratul-Ahzab.
v.
Ruqyah Recitation for
the Afflicted: When someone suffers from Jinn possession, Ruqyah verses
should be recited over them to expel the Jinniy without causing harm.
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