Skip to main content

سُورَةُ الجِنِّ

Surah 72 - Al-Jinn

The Jinn

  • 28 verses
  • Juz 29
  • Pages 572 to 573 of the Mushaf

Al-Jinn is built on two voices. The first fills fifteen verses: an order to say opens the text, then comes the report of a band of jinn who listened in on a recitation. Their sentences are strung on one and the same opening, twelve verses running from the third to the fourteenth, stating what they heard, what they had taken for granted before, the sky found guarded, and the split running through them between those who submit and those who swerve. The second voice takes over at verse 16 and lays down that places of prostration belong to Allah alone. Four orders to say follow, marking out what the servant can and cannot do. The text ends on what stays hidden and on messages delivered.

The main parts

  1. What a band of jinn say after listening1-15
  2. The water, the reminder, and the places of prostration16-18
  3. The servant standing, and four things to say19-25
  4. What stays hidden, and what is delivered26-28

The text of the surah

  1. بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْءَانًا عَجَبًۭا

    Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an.

  2. يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلرُّشْدِ فَـَٔامَنَّا بِهِۦ ۖ وَلَن نُّشْرِكَ بِرَبِّنَآ أَحَدًۭا

    It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone.

  3. وَأَنَّهُۥ تَعَٰلَىٰ جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا ٱتَّخَذَ صَٰحِبَةًۭ وَلَا وَلَدًۭا

    And [it teaches] that exalted is the nobleness of our Lord; He has not taken a wife or a son

  4. وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ شَطَطًۭا

    And that our foolish one has been saying about Allah an excessive transgression.

  5. وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن تَقُولَ ٱلْإِنسُ وَٱلْجِنُّ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبًۭا

    And we had thought that mankind and the jinn would never speak about Allah a lie.

  6. وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ رِجَالٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًۭا

    And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden.

  7. وَأَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّوا۟ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن لَّن يَبْعَثَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدًۭا

    And they had thought, as you thought, that Allah would never send anyone [as a messenger].

  8. وَأَنَّا لَمَسْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ فَوَجَدْنَٰهَا مُلِئَتْ حَرَسًۭا شَدِيدًۭا وَشُهُبًۭا

    And we have sought [to reach] the heaven but found it filled with powerful guards and burning flames.

  9. وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقْعُدُ مِنْهَا مَقَٰعِدَ لِلسَّمْعِ ۖ فَمَن يَسْتَمِعِ ٱلْءَانَ يَجِدْ لَهُۥ شِهَابًۭا رَّصَدًۭا

    And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.

  10. وَأَنَّا لَا نَدْرِىٓ أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِمَن فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ أَرَادَ بِهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ رَشَدًۭا

    And we do not know [therefore] whether evil is intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intends for them a right course.

  11. وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلصَّٰلِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ ۖ كُنَّا طَرَآئِقَ قِدَدًۭا

    And among us are the righteous, and among us are [others] not so; we were [of] divided ways.

  12. وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن نُّعْجِزَ ٱللَّهَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَن نُّعْجِزَهُۥ هَرَبًۭا

    And we have become certain that we will never cause failure to Allah upon earth, nor can we escape Him by flight.

  13. وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعْنَا ٱلْهُدَىٰٓ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ ۖ فَمَن يُؤْمِنۢ بِرَبِّهِۦ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخْسًۭا وَلَا رَهَقًۭا

    And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it. And whoever believes in his Lord will not fear deprivation or burden.

  14. وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلْمُسْلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا ٱلْقَٰسِطُونَ ۖ فَمَنْ أَسْلَمَ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ تَحَرَّوْا۟ رَشَدًۭا

    And among us are Muslims [in submission to Allah], and among us are the unjust. And whoever has become Muslim - those have sought out the right course.

  15. وَأَمَّا ٱلْقَٰسِطُونَ فَكَانُوا۟ لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبًۭا

    But as for the unjust, they will be, for Hell, firewood.'

  16. وَأَلَّوِ ٱسْتَقَٰمُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسْقَيْنَٰهُم مَّآءً غَدَقًۭا

    And [Allah revealed] that if they had remained straight on the way, We would have given them abundant provision

  17. لِّنَفْتِنَهُمْ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَن يُعْرِضْ عَن ذِكْرِ رَبِّهِۦ يَسْلُكْهُ عَذَابًۭا صَعَدًۭا

    So We might test them therein. And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord He will put into arduous punishment.

  18. وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًۭا

    And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone.

  19. وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبْدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدْعُوهُ كَادُوا۟ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيْهِ لِبَدًۭا

    And that when the Servant of Allah stood up supplicating Him, they almost became about him a compacted mass."

  20. قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَدْعُوا۟ رَبِّى وَلَآ أُشْرِكُ بِهِۦٓ أَحَدًۭا

    Say, [O Muhammad], "I only invoke my Lord and do not associate with Him anyone."

  21. قُلْ إِنِّى لَآ أَمْلِكُ لَكُمْ ضَرًّۭا وَلَا رَشَدًۭا

    Say, "Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction."

  22. قُلْ إِنِّى لَن يُجِيرَنِى مِنَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٌۭ وَلَنْ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلْتَحَدًا

    Say, "Indeed, there will never protect me from Allah anyone [if I should disobey], nor will I find in other than Him a refuge.

  23. إِلَّا بَلَٰغًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِسَٰلَٰتِهِۦ ۚ وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا

    But [I have for you] only notification from Allah, and His messages." And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger - then indeed, for him is the fire of Hell; they will abide therein forever.

  24. حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوْا۟ مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ أَضْعَفُ نَاصِرًۭا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدًۭا

    [The disbelievers continue] until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in helpers and less in number.

  25. قُلْ إِنْ أَدْرِىٓ أَقَرِيبٌۭ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمْ يَجْعَلُ لَهُۥ رَبِّىٓ أَمَدًا

    Say, "I do not know if what you are promised is near or if my Lord will grant for it a [long] period."

  26. عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيْبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا

    [He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone

  27. إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرْتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٍۢ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسْلُكُ مِنۢ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِۦ رَصَدًۭا

    Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before each messenger and behind him observers

  28. لِّيَعْلَمَ أَن قَدْ أَبْلَغُوا۟ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ وَأَحْصَىٰ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عَدَدًۢا

    That he may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He has encompassed whatever is with them and has enumerated all things in number.

Key verses of the surah

  • The opening verse: everything through the fifteenth is reported as their own speech.

    بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ قُلْ أُوحِىَ إِلَىَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسْتَمَعَ نَفَرٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْءَانًا عَجَبًۭا

    Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an.

  • A short statement on the places of prostration, set between the jinn's speech and the servant's.

    وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًۭا

    And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone.

  • The verse that bounds knowledge of what is hidden, and opens the surah's last three.

    عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ فَلَا يُظْهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيْبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا

    [He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone

What is surah Al-Jinn about?

Of a listening and what it changes. Unexpected hearers tell what they heard and revise before us what they believed; the rest of the text draws the consequences for the one whose task is to deliver.

What do the jinn say in surah Al-Jinn?

They first state what they heard and where it leads, then correct three ideas: that Allah would have a consort or a child, that no one would lie about him, that no dead person would be raised. They finally admit they are divided among themselves. Verses 1 to 15.

How is surah Al-Jinn built?

By layering reported speech. A first order to say sets off a long stretch of indirect speech, marked by the opening that starts twelve verses in a row; then four shorter orders to say hand the words back to the one reciting.

How does surah Al-Jinn end?

With three verses on what lies beyond knowledge. No one is told of it, except a messenger the text says is flanked by guards, before and behind. The very last verse speaks of counting: nothing escapes the tally.

Why is surah Al-Jinn called that?

“Al-Jinn” names the jinn. The word appears three times, in verses 72:1, 72:5 and 72:6: first for the band that listens and reports, then in their own mouths when they speak of themselves and of those who took them as protectors.

How many verses does surah Al-Jinn have?

Surah Al-Jinn has 28 verses. It stands at number 72 in the order of the Mushaf, which holds 114.

The Arabic text is that of the Mushaf. The summary, the outline and the answers on this page describe the text and how it is built: they are not religious commentary.

Themes that quote this surah

    This site uses cookies

    Data security

    Essential cookies are used for sign-in and security. With your consent, an audience-measurement cookie helps us improve the site.

    Cookie details