Is there any rational argument that would prove the existance of Shaytan and Jinns

Question

This matter is disturbing me while I am praying or studying for engineering courses. I am from Maryland, USA. and an engineering student in the university here. I would like ask this question who can explain this matter clearly and fully so that I do not have to go other places. I hope to receive the reply from you in a timely manner.

The questions are that

1) Is there any rational argument that would prove the existance of Shaytan and Jinns. I have read some articles about the subject which concluded on the point that the belief in the Jinns is part of "belief in Unseen" which I believe everything that Allah (swt) said in the quran or related to us in the Hadith is true. But to getg more contentment in my heart is there any logical argument for Jinn existance.

2) My second question is that what is the haqeeqat of waswasa ( reality of whisper of jinn). i-e If I am praying and shaytan put some imagination into my mind to interupt my prayer but if the same imagination comes during my studying for engineering. My question is that is in both situations, this imagination is called waswasa? Or it is called waswasa in prayer and in the second situation it is happening because I am not focused in my studies and it is just a thought from my unconcious mind. This thing happens all the time, and I become in trap of this delima that whether this thought is a waswasa from shaytan or it just a thought from my mind that just came in because I am not focusing in my objective.

3) How does shaytan puts his waswasa in humans.

4) Is there any difference between the thoughts of our own mind that come along when we are not "focused" into prayers and nature of waswasa. Or is it that all the times the thoughts are actually a waswasa from shaytan whether we are driving a car or praying.

5) When I think of a plan does shaytan also knows what I am thinking and then he (shaytan) plays tricks on me to divert my thoughts or planns into wrong direction. Also if shaytan knows what I am thinking then shaytan also has knowledge of all my actions. Is not that is a quality of Allah (swt) only that It is Allah who knows everything whether I reveal it or hide it in my heart.

6 ) Sometimes when I am not focused into something then my past experiences starts to come into my mind in the prayer, does that mean that those past experiences, which are stored into my memory, are interupting my prayer as waswasa through shaytan or jinn.

7) Is the concept of thinking through "Heart" in Islam same as the concept of thinking through "Brain" as we know through modern knowledge.

8) Is there anything that I am doing wrong that I should correct so that these matters don't mislead me from straight path.

Please answer these questions in the best possible manner because this matter is becoming the cause of dis-contentment of my heart and because of this I can not focus in my daily worship. I can read URDU or English equally well. Mufti Saheb, you can answer these questions in any manner which is best.

May Allah (swt) bless you and your family by plentitude of blessings....Ameen!

Please do answer these questions as fully you can. Thank you,

Assalam-o-alaikum,

Tanveer

Accepted Answer

At the outset, it is important to understand, that Islam and Deen means to express complete submission and subjugation to Almighty Allah Ta’ala. Only if one expresses total submission to Allah will he enjoy the Noor (light) of Imaan. Allah is our Creator and we are His slaves. He is Alone and All Wise. Every command of Allah is full of wisdom and beauty. Our intellect is limited and deficient. It is a quality of a slave to express submission to the command of the master whether the he (slave) likes it or not or whether he understands the logic behind the command or not.

Allah has knowledge of everything, the past and future. Islam is complete and comprehensive. There are many commands of Allah that we can not understand. Although we believe every command of Allah is full of wisdom and logic, our limited understanding can not comprehend this. This must be the approach to every command of Allah. The spirit of Ita’at (obiedence) to the command of Allah should be the distinctive quality of every Mu’min. Questioning the logic behind the commands of Allah was the habit of the Jews and Christians. Because of this evil habit, Allah had despised them and destroyed them.

This is exactly what Imaan is. To believe in the unseen as described to us by Allah and His noble Messenger. This is the test of Imaan for which a person will be rewarded if he/she accepts and be punished if he/she rejects.

In view of the above, it is our belief that Allah has created Jinnat. Allah mentions about them in the Quraan. Furthermore an entire Surah of the Quraan has been named after them. In Sahih Bukhari there is an incident narrated by Abdullah bin Masood that Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] addressed the Jinnaat and recited Surah Rahman to them. Approximately 300 Jinnaat had accepted Imaan. We will therefore accept the existence of Jinnaat whether we understand the logic or not.

2) Waswasa is the evil whispers of Shaytaan. These evil thoughts may occur during Salaah as well as outside Salaah. Rasulullah [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam] said that Shaytaan sits on the corner of a persons heart when he/she is about to perform Salaah. Thereafter he injects evil whispers into the heart of the person performing thus making him unmindful of Allah. There are two types of thoughts that generally occur: - A) voluntary B) involuntary. It is natural for thoughts to come to a person. However, it is not permissible to entertain these thoughts especially in Salaah. If a thought strikes and a person ignores it and does not entertain it, it will surely depart and go away. It is for this reason that we are encouraged to condition ourselves to total dedication and devotion while performing Salaah. Secondly when these thoughts come outside Salaah, we are taught to recite La Hawla Wala Quwwata Illa Billa. Through this Dua the evil whispers of Shaytaan will be removed.

Shaytaan is our enemy and he will try to mislead us. His tool of Waswasa is one which he uses to mislead people. Therefore, you should not be fooled by this waswasa and leave out your Ibaadat. Continue with your Ibaadat and gradually try to overcome the sickness of Waswasa. You may do that by keeping close links with an Alim who is Allah fearing and Deeni conscious. Seek his guidance and assistance and he will guide you out of your predicament.

3) Refer to the Hadith above.

4) Refer to answer 2

5) Certainly Shaytaan does not know everything a person is going to do or has done. This is the quality of Allah and no one else. Shaytaan judges from the actions of a person and accordingly advances his plans to mislead.

6) Yes, it is the whispers of Shaytaan. You should ignore them and focus on your Salaah.

7) According to Shariah, the heart/soul is the primary organ of the body. A person will be judged according to the condition of the heart. Thinking through the mind could be mislead a person as the mind always applies its logic and follows accordingly. The implications of thinking through the mind could be disastrous if the logic of the mind does not agree with the rationale of the commands of Allah. However, if a person loves someone from the heart he/she will be prepared to sacrifice anything even if it is against logic. Therefore, the modern system advocates following ones logic and Islam engenders sacrifice for the commands of Allah and the Sunnah of Rasulullah () whether it appeases logic or not.

8) We suggest that you identify a reliable Alim and seek his guidance and assistance.

And Allah Knows Best

Muhammed Zakariyya Desai

Checked and Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Desai

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