The jinns in Islam and protection from them

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

I was pointed in the direction of this article today which made for very interesting reading. Jinns are very real and are part of the Creation of Allah عز و جل :

And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship me. I seek not any provision from them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Verily, Allah is the All-provider, Owner of Power - Most Strong" (Qur'an 51:56)

It is of paramount importance that we should make dhikr of Allah عز و جل in order to protect ourselves and our children from any evil jinns and shayateen. Following is a list I have compiled of ways in which to protect ourselves from the evil jinns and shayateen, (methods which are mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah) :

• Reciting the following words from the Qur'an:

Say: ‘My Lord! I seek refuge with You from the whisperings
(suggestions) of the shayaateen (devils). And I seek refuge with You, my Lord,
lest they may attend (or come near) me.’ [al-Mu’minoon 23:97-98]

• Saying, a'oothoo billahi min ash-shaytanir rajeem - I seek refuge in Allah from shaytan, the outcast. [Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood]

• Calling adhan [Muslim, Bukhari]

• Reciting Surat Al-Baqarah:

Abu Hurairah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم saying: "Do not turn your houses into graveyards. Satan runs away from the house in which Surat Al-Baqarah is recited.''[Muslim].

• Reciting La ilaha illa'llah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu'l mulku wa lahu'l hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay'in qadir 100 times a day:

Yahya related to me from Malik from Sumayy, the mawla of Abu Bakr, from Abu Salih as-Samman from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم said, "Whoever says 'There is no god but Allah, alone, without any partner. The Kingdom and praise belong to Him and He has power over everything' (La ilaha illa'llah, wahdahu la sharika lah, lahu'l mulku wa lahu'l hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay'in qadir) one hundred times a day, it is the same for him as freeing ten slaves. One hundred good actions are written for him and one hundred wrong actions are erased from him, and it is a protection from Shaytan for that day until the night. No-one does anything more excellent than what he does except someone who does more than that." [Muwatta]

• Reciting Ayat al-Kursi )2:255):

Narrated Muhammad bin Sirin: Abu Huraira said, "Allah's Apostle صلى الله عليه و سلم put me in charge of the Zakat of Ramadan (i.e. Zakat-ul-Fitr). Someone came to me and started scooping some of the foodstuff of (Zakat) with both hands. I caught him and told him that I would take him to Allah's Apostle." Then Abu Huraira told the whole narration and added "He (i.e. the thief) said, 'Whenever you go to your bed, recite the Verse of "Al-Kursi" (2.255) for then a guardian from Allah will be guarding you, and Satan will not approach you till dawn.' " On that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said, "He told you the truth, though he is a liar, and he (the thief) himself was the Satan." [Muwatta]

• Making du'a before entering the lavatory:

Anas reported that Rasool ul Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم on entering the lavatory used to say: O Allah! I seek refuge with You from devils –male and females (or offensive and wicked deeds or spirits).” (Allahumma inni a‘udhu bika minal khubthi wal
khabaa’ith) [Bukhari, Muslim]

• Making du'a before removing clothing:

Anas reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم said, "The barrier between the eyes of the Jinn and the nakedness of the Children of Adam is [created] when a Muslim discards a garment and says, 'In the name of Allah besides Whom there is no other god'." [Ibn As-Sinni, Tirmidhi]

• Making du'a for your children:

Ibn ‘Abaas related that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه و سلم used to commend Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn to Allaah’s protection, saying: ‘I commend you two to the protection of Allaah’s perfect words from every devil, beast, and every evil eye.’ (U’eethukumma bikalimaati taamati min kulli shaytanin wa ham-matin wa min kulli aynil laama )
[Bukhari 4/119]

In addition to the above we should remember to make du'a before sleeping and upon waking, before eating, when entering and leaving the house and when entering and leaving the mosque.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه و سلم as saying: When a person enters his house and mentions the name of Allah at the time of entering it and while eating the food, Satan says (addressing himself): You have no place to spend the night and no evening meal; but when he enters without mentioning the name of Allah, the Satan says: You have found a place to spend the night, and when he does not mention the name of Allah while eating food, he (the Satan) says: You have found a place to spend the night and evening meal. [Muslim]

May Allah bless and protect His servants, ameen.