Qur'anic exegesis : Muhammad & the Jinn

Abstract

Readers of Melita Teologica may now be familiar with my articles treating the spiritual beings - non-human, non-angelic - which the Qur'an calls jinn. This time we shall treat two main problems which concern Muhammad directly, the prophethood of whom had at a point in history to be defended against accusations of jinnf possession. The Qur'an presents Muhammad not only as "the seal of the prophets" (Khlitam al-anbiya') i.e. the last prophet in a long series and the one who sets the divine message on a definitive basis; but it also pin-points him as the universal prophet, i.e. the one whom the Most High has sent to all peoples in any future time since the foundation of Islam. His universality extends to all beings even to jinn. This brings us to the enunciation of the two main problems forming our topic: (a) Was the Prophet of Islam possessed by jinn? This question amounts to the quest whether Muhammad was merely an inspired poet, or an authentic Prophet of God upon whom revelation came down. (b) Muhammad's special mission to the jinn. This includes the quest whether any special prophet, besides Muhammad, was ever sent to the jinn, and whether among the jinn there exist any faithful Muslims. It should be made clear from the very beginning that here we shall take into account only what is narrated in the Qur'anic text; other elements on this subject which have their origin in Muslim tradition will be exposed in a future study.