وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ ٱلْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا 6
Translations
And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden [i.e., sin].
Transliteration
Wa-annahu kana rijalun mina al-insi ya'udhun birijalin mina al-jinni fazaduhum rahaqan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how some men from mankind would seek refuge and protection with men from the jinn, believing they possessed supernatural power and authority. However, this association only increased the jinn in arrogance and transgression (rahaq), as they became more emboldened in their evil and further misled the humans who relied upon them. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir explain that this practice was common in pre-Islamic Arabia, where people would seek the jinn's aid for protection or knowledge, deepening their spiritual misguidance.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Jinn was revealed in Mecca during the Prophet's mission and recounts the jinn's testimony to the Quran's truth. This ayah provides historical context of the pre-Islamic custom where humans sought protection from jinn, illustrating the spiritual confusion and false beliefs that existed before Islam clarified the monotheistic framework. The surah addresses both jinn and humans, exposing false practices.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever seeks refuge with other than Allah, or asks from other than Allah what only Allah can grant, has committed disbelief.' (Tirmidhi 2247, graded hasan). Additionally, the Prophet warned against seeking aid from the jinn and emphasized reliance solely upon Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns believers against seeking help, protection, or knowledge from sources other than Allah, whether supernatural or otherwise, as such dependence increases spiritual misguidance and empowers those who would exploit human vulnerability. It teaches that true security and guidance come exclusively from Allah, and relying on anything else compounds the problem rather than solving it.