What were Jinn’s created from?

Posted onAuthorMohamad Mostafa Nassar


What were Jinn’s created from?



Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter:@NassarMohamadMR

The owner of answering-Islam has come out with what he thinks to be another Quranic contradiction. He writes the following:

Verily We created man of potter’s clay of black mud altered,
And the jinn did We create aforetime of essential fire. S. 15:26-27 Pickthall; cf. 55:15; 7:12; 38:76

Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, then We parted them,
and we made EVERY living thing of water? Will they not then believe? S. 21:30 Pickthall

This pair of verses results in two contradictions around the topic of creation.

RESPONSE

So the argument is very simple, the Quran in Surah 21 verse 30 says that all living things were created from water, yet as we all know the Quran and Hadiths also teach that the jinns were created from fire, so isn’t this a contradiction?

For starters there can be one very simple explanation to this, and that is that the jinns are not included in Surah 21 verse 30, that indeed all created things are made from water, but that the jinns are the exception to the general ruling. Even Jochen Katz himself acknowledges that this could be used as a response when he writes:

In order to escape this contradiction many Muslims will likely claim that the jinn are not included in the statement found in S. 21:30. However, that verse deliberately makes a comprehensive statement since it specifically speaks of EVERY living thing. It does not say, we created some or most of the living things of water, it insists that everything that is alive was created from water.

RESPONSE

So Katz acknowledges that this could be used as a response, and as you can see, he offers no response to it; rather he says oh well the Quran should have said some or most, why say all? To this I reply as I did above, that the jinns are the exception to the general ruling, the Quran doesn’t have to say some, or most, it can still say all while excluding the jinn as they are the exception. This is something very normal in practically all languages, including Katz’ very own Bible.

Many passages within the Bible often say ALL, yet it doesn’t actually mean everything and literally all, as one Christian scholar even mentions:

‘The whole world is gone after him.’ Did all the world go after Christ? ‘Then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan.’ Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? ‘Ye are of God, little children’, and ‘the whole world lieth in the wicked one.’ Does ‘the whole world’ there mean everybody? If so, how was it, then, that there were some who were ‘of God?’

The words ‘world’ and ‘all’ are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely that ‘all’ means all persons, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts?some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted his redemption to either Jew or Gentile.” (Charles H. Spurgeon, Particular Redemption, A Sermon, 28 Feb 1858).

So as you can see even this Christian scholar openly admits that within the Bible sometimes the language of ALL and EVERYTHING is used, yet it does not literally mean all and everything and so forth.

So when the Quran says that all things are created from water, but also says the jinn are created from fire, then we know that the jinns are not included within the all and are the exception to the general ruling.

All of the above is one approach a person could take, and that alone would be sufficient to refute Katz and his weak argument.

Now as for the second response, the second response is to actually quote the verses in context and actually understand what it’s talking about, so here is Surah 21:30 within context:

Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? 

And We have set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with them, and We have made therein broad highways (between mountains) for them to pass through: that they may receive Guidance.And We have made the heavens as a canopy well guarded: yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things (point to)! (Surah 21:30-32)

So within context the passage becomes clearer and as anyone can notice the passage is specific in regards to living creatures on our planet, and creatures that are contained on our planet. So yes, all living things that live and are completely contained on earth are created from water, this includes us humans, animals and so forth.

As for the jinn, although they inhabit this planet the fact is is that they are not contained nor limited by it; they live in another dimension you could say. Furthermore there are Quranic passages that become very specific when it mentions living beings created from water, for instance in two other passages:

It is He Who has created man from water: then has He established relationships of lineage and marriage: for thy Lord has power (over all things).  (The Noble Quran, 25:54)”

“And God has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. God creates what He wills for verily God has power over all things.   (The Noble Quran, 24:45)”

Notice in these two passages God specifically mentions that it is the humans, and animals that have been created from water, which proves what I am saying that when the Quran mentions all living things were created from water, it is specifically referring to creations that inhabit this planet, and are contained and reliable on the planet’s nature and system etc.

Jinns on the other hand are not like humans or animals, earthly conditions and mother nature doesn’t have any real effect on them, and jinns are able to freely go into the heavens with no problems, which would also mean that if they chose to, they could inhabit other planets as well, and this goes back to what I said earlier, they are living in another dimension you could say.

Furthermore the above two passages also add more weight to my first argument, that the jinns are the exception to the general ruling, for instance let us now put all three passages together:

“Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before we clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?  (The Noble Quran, 21:30)”

“It is He Who has created man from water: then has He established relationships of lineage and marriage: for thy Lord has power (over all things).  (The Noble Quran, 25:54)”

“And God has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. God creates what He wills for verily God has power over all things.   (The Noble Quran, 24:45)”

So all living things are made from water, and the Quran goes into specifics and further clarifies the matter by mentioning that these living creatures are specifically the man and animals, not the jinns since the jinns are not specifically mentioned as being created from fire, yet they are mentioned as specifically being created from fire.

So when you put this all together you are left with no contradiction.

And Allah Knows Best!

Sami Zaatari