This article explores the existence of multiple types of Jinn in Islam according to the Qur’an, Sunnah, and scholarly statements. Muslims must be certain that the Jinn exists. This conviction must be unwavering. It is obvious that the world of the Jinn exists based on the evidence of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Different types of Jinn have been created by Allah, the Almighty. Every person has a Jinn assigned to him who will be his constant friend. There are different types of Jinn, according to Surat Al-Jinn 72: believers, disbelievers, misguided, and guided. Aamar, Arwaah, Shaytan, Maarid, and Ifreet are only a few of the several types of Jinn. One of the biggest myths in theology is the reason why people are terrified of the Jinn.

The idea that Jinn has divine characteristics is incorrect and completely at odds with Islamic belief. Shirk (the worship of anything other than Allah) is understood to include the use of Jinn and making prayers to them. The causes of widespread disinformation and misconception have been identified as a lack of knowledge of Tawheed, ignorance, the propagation of myths, and a failure to defend oneself against the evil of the Jinn.

Three Types of Jinn in Islam Hadith

 

There is one hadith that is very fascinating and it is an authentic hadith. Abu Tha’labah al-Khushani said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“The jinn are of three types: a type that has wings, and they fly through the air; a type that looks like snakes and dogs; and a type that stops for a rest then resumes its journey.”

1) Flying Jinn: So the Jinns are of 3 types, one type is they have wings and they fly and they roam around in the air. they are flying around in the skies, they’re living their lives and they’re going by.

2) The Animal Jinn: The other type they are animals: yet there’s a category of jinn that typically appears in the form of animals and two animals in particular. The jinns love to appear in, but sometimes there are other animals. and the two main animals that the Jinns love to appear is snakes and dogs. but this does not mean that they never appear in another form. they could have other forms as well.

3) The Travelling Jinn: The third type of jinn is they come and they go. This is the one that seems to want to irritate us, want to frighten us, want to come into our lives, this third category.

Again there was a lot of discussion about this hadith and there are some things that we can say very definitively. first of all, the question comes: are these three types the only three types of jinn? some of scholars say that the Quran and the Sunnah mentioned more than these so these are an example of three types of jinn. but what I want you to take from this hadith: notice how there are three different types that the prophets (SAW) talks about and notice how the
three have different characteristics and different abilities. so notice one flies through the air, the implication is that
one flies through the air and the other one doesn’t fly through the air. some of them are good and some of them are bad.

The Good and Bad Jinn

 

The good jinns are called ‘Jinns’ and the bad jinns are called ‘Shayateen’. the jinn are all different. they have different abilities, different characteristics, they do different things they like different things, dislike different things and there are different categories of Shayateen. there’s a Shaitaan, Al-Marid, and there is Ifreet, as there’s criminals. let us say some of them are oppressors, some of them are transgressors some of some of them are disbelievers. also among the shayateen, there are ranks depending on their disbelief, depending on their power. and everyone of every type of them have different ability and different strengths. just like you and us my dear brothers and sisters, some of you can lift two kilos and some of you can lift 20 kilos. some of you are intelligent and some of you are not as intelligent. so the jinns are like this.

In another narration, it is stated from Jabir bin Abdullah RA, Rasullullah PBUH said:

 

إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ نُبَاحَ الْكِلَابِ، وَنَهِيقَ الْحُمُرِ بِاللَّيْلِ، فَتَعَوَّذُوا بِاللَّهِ فَإِنَّهُنَّ يَرَيْنَ مَا لَا تَرَوْنَ

 

“When you hear a dog barking or a donkey braying in the night, then seek refuge in Allah from them, for surely, they have seen what you see not.”

So the Prophet (SAW) indicated that both donkeys and dogs are able to see the jinn in certain circumstances. Allah knows best. there are certain Jinns that are there just for evil, their nature is evil.

Al-Khubthi wa’l-khabaa’ith (the male and female devils)

 

So one of the ones that Rasul Allah has told us to be aware of are the ones that like to stay with impurity, they are known as the al-Khubthi wa’l-khabaa’ith (the male and female devils). they will arrive and they love toilets because they just got this impure nature there. their name al-Khubthi wa’l-khabaa’ith, you know there are this particular impure part of the jinn colony and Messenger of Allah (SAW) has told us that when you go to the toilet, you just have to seek protection before you go in the toilet. so those Jinns, if they are there, they won’t have an effect.

There’s others that like to stay with human beings because they are impure or they are staying in an unclean manner. now only impure jinns will stay with impure people. if they are of that kind and they will stay with them. sometimes they won’t affect them.

Doubt-giving Shayateen

 

One particular Shaitaan that will give you doubts. so when people have to make wudu, some people get doubt. “Did I wash this? no, now let me wash it again” so wash it again and then after they did they doubt “Did I wash that little part of my elbow? now let me wash it again.” so they wash it again this is that. and if you see any person who’s in
that, the best thing is to get somebody who looks over them and tells them “just listen to me. yes, you washed it now you just carry on.

Marada ash-shayateen and Ifrit

 

Allah (SWT) tells us that the jinn say: some of us are righteous and some of us are not. and many of us have different ways and different ideologies and different thinking. some of them, the jinns are Muslims. some of them are disbelievers. some of them are Jews, Christians, Buddhists, atheists, monks everything! the same as
human beings. so their are various types of Jinns. many people mistakenly think that all of the Shayateen are chained up in Ramadan. this is not true. only the Marada of the shayateen (the rebellious devils) are. and the marada ash-shayateen are the obstinate or the the ones that are especially going to harm you. are they a separate category like the Ifrit? or are they simply the shayateen that are more harmful than other shayateen? Allah knows best. because the Ifrit seems to be like a different species of the Jinn or a different clan of the Jinn. and Allah knows best. the disbelievers from amongst the Jinn, they have a very ugly appearance. they don’t have a very nice appearance and we don’t know the full appearance of them.

Tree of Az-Zaqqum

 

Allah (SWT) tells us about the tree that grows from the base of the Hellfire, the tree of Az-Zaqqum. A tree which is very painful and an evil tree. and Allah describes the fruit of the tree of the Hellfire and says it looks like the heads of Devil. so if you imagine this horrible tree, this horrible poisonous evil tree, and you imagine that it looks like the heads of the Shaitaan, you can imagine that these Shayateen are not particularly nice in appearance.

These were the Types of Jinn in Islam as according to the Qur’an, Sunnah. Read more Islamic Blogs or Follow us on social media for daily Islamic reminders.