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Surah Al-Jinn

الجن

Surah Al-Jinn is a Meccan surah of 28 verses in which a group of jinn describe hearing the Quran and believing in it, followed by instructions to the Prophet about worship and the unseen.

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Meaning
The Jinn
Surah
72 of 114
Verses
28
Revealed in
Mecca
Found in
Juz 29

What Surah Al-Jinn is about

Al-Jinn is the 72nd surah of the Quran, revealed in Mecca, with 28 verses. It is named after the jinn, beings created by Allah who, like humans, are responsible for their faith. Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report from Ibn Abbas that a group of jinn heard the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ reciting the Quran during the dawn prayer with his companions at a place called Nakhlah, and that this surah was then revealed to him. Surah Al-Ahqaf, at 46:29 to 31, describes a similar event.

Most of the surah, verses 1 to 15, is the jinn's own account. They say they heard a wondrous recitation that guides to what is right, so they believed and will not associate anyone with their Lord. They say that Allah has no wife or child, and that the foolish among them used to say outrageous things about Him. They admit that some humans used to seek refuge with jinn, which only increased them in trouble. They describe finding the sky full of guards and shooting flames where they once used to listen, and say they do not know whether harm or good is intended for those on earth. They acknowledge that some of them are righteous and others are not, and that they cannot escape Allah.

From verse 16 the voice changes. The surah says that if people kept to the right way they would be given abundant water, and verse 18 says the places of worship belong to Allah, so no one should be called on alongside Him. Verses 20 to 23 instruct the Prophet ﷺ to say that he prays only to his Lord, that he has no power to harm or guide anyone himself, and that his task is to deliver the message. The surah ends in verses 26 to 28 with Allah as the Knower of the unseen, who reveals it only to a messenger He chooses and guards that message.

Main themes

  1. The jinn hear the Quran

    The surah opens with the jinn describing the Quran as wondrous and guiding, and their decision to believe immediately. Their response is set as an example for humans who hear the same words.

    Verses 1–2

  2. Correcting false beliefs

    The jinn reject the idea that Allah has a partner or child and acknowledge their own past errors. They also mention humans who sought refuge with jinn and only grew more confused.

    Verses 3–7

  3. The guarded sky

    The jinn describe trying to eavesdrop on the heavens and finding it filled with guards and shooting flames. They admit they do not know what is intended for the people of the earth.

    Verses 8–10

  4. Worship belongs to Allah alone

    Verse 18 says places of worship are for Allah and no one else should be called upon with Him. The Prophet ﷺ is told to say he worships only his Lord and has no power of his own to harm or guide.

    Verses 18–23

  5. Knowledge of the unseen

    The closing verses say only Allah knows the unseen, and that He reveals part of it only to a chosen messenger, guarded in front and behind so the message arrives intact.

    Verses 25–28

Verses to know

قُلۡ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسۡتَمَعَ نَفَرࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا قُرۡءَانًا عَجَبٗا ﴿١﴾ يَهۡدِيٓ إِلَى ٱلرُّشۡدِ فَـَٔامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ وَلَن نُّشۡرِكَ بِرَبِّنَآ أَحَدٗا ﴿٢﴾

1Say, “It was revealed to me that a band of jinn listened in, and said, ‘We have heard a wondrous Quran. 2It guides to rectitude, so we have believed in it; and we will never associate anyone with our Lord.
Al-Jinn 72:1–2

The jinn's first reaction to the Quran: they call it wondrous, say it guides to rectitude, and believe in it at once.

وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعۡنَا ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ فَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِرَبِّهِۦ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخۡسٗا وَلَا رَهَقٗا ﴿١٣﴾

And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it. Whoever believes in his Lord fears neither loss, nor burden.
Al-Jinn 72:13

The jinn say that whoever believes in their Lord need fear neither loss nor injustice, a reassurance that applies to anyone who hears it.

وَأَنَّ ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٗا ﴿١٨﴾

The places of worship are for Allah. So do not call, besides Allah, upon anyone else.
Al-Jinn 72:18

A short, clear statement that places of worship belong to Allah and that no one should be invoked alongside Him.

عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ فَلَا يُظۡهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيۡبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا ﴿٢٦﴾ إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرۡتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٖ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسۡلُكُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦ رَصَدٗا ﴿٢٧﴾

26The Knower of the Invisible; He does not disclose His Invisible to anyone. 27Except to a messenger of His choosing. He then dispatches guards before him and behind him.
Al-Jinn 72:26–27

These verses describe Allah as the only Knower of the unseen, who shares it with no one except a messenger He has chosen.

Surah Al-Jinn in Arabic and English

All 28 verses, with the Arabic, a transliteration to help you read it aloud, and the English translation by Talal Itani.

بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

  1. 1

    قُلۡ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسۡتَمَعَ نَفَرࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا قُرۡءَانًا عَجَبٗا

    Qul oohiya ilayya annahu istamaAAa nafarun mina aljinni faqaloo inna samiAAna quranan AAajaban

    Say, “It was revealed to me that a band of jinn listened in, and said, ‘We have heard a wondrous Quran.

  2. 2

    يَهۡدِيٓ إِلَى ٱلرُّشۡدِ فَـَٔامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ وَلَن نُّشۡرِكَ بِرَبِّنَآ أَحَدٗا

    Yahdee ila alrrushdi faamanna bihi walan nushrika birabbina ahadan

    It guides to rectitude, so we have believed in it; and we will never associate anyone with our Lord.

  3. 3

    وَأَنَّهُۥ تَعَٰلَىٰ جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا ٱتَّخَذَ صَٰحِبَةٗ وَلَا وَلَدٗا

    Waannahu taAAala jaddu rabbina ma ittakhatha sahibatan wala waladan

    And exalted is the grandeur of our Lord—He never had a mate, nor a child.

  4. 4

    وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ شَطَطٗا

    Waannahu kana yaqoolu safeehuna AAala Allahi shatatan

    But the fools among us used to say nonsense about Allah.

  5. 5

    وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن تَقُولَ ٱلۡإِنسُ وَٱلۡجِنُّ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا

    Waanna thananna an lan taqoola alinsu waaljinnu AAala Allahi kathiban

    And we thought that humans and jinn would never utter lies about Allah.

  6. 6

    وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ رِجَالࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمۡ رَهَقٗا

    Waannahu kana rijalun mina alinsi yaAAoothoona birijalin mina aljinni fazadoohum rahaqan

    Some individual humans used to seek power through some individual jinn, but they only increased them in confusion.

  7. 7

    وَأَنَّهُمۡ ظَنُّواْ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمۡ أَن لَّن يَبۡعَثَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٗا

    Waannahum thannoo kama thanantum an lan yabAAatha Allahu ahadan

    They thought, as you thought, that Allah would never resurrect anyone.

  8. 8

    وَأَنَّا لَمَسۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ فَوَجَدۡنَٰهَا مُلِئَتۡ حَرَسٗا شَدِيدٗا وَشُهُبٗا

    Waanna lamasna alssamaa fawajadnaha muliat harasan shadeedan washuhuban

    We probed the heaven, and found it filled with stern guards and projectiles.

  9. 9

    وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقۡعُدُ مِنۡهَا مَقَٰعِدَ لِلسَّمۡعِۖ فَمَن يَسۡتَمِعِ ٱلۡأٓنَ يَجِدۡ لَهُۥ شِهَابٗا رَّصَدٗا

    Waanna kunna naqAAudu minha maqaAAida lilssamAAi faman yastamiAAi alana yajid lahu shihaban rasadan

    We used to take up positions to listen in; but whoever listens now finds a projectile in wait for him.

  10. 10

    وَأَنَّا لَا نَدۡرِيٓ أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ أَرَادَ بِهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ رَشَدٗا

    Waanna la nadree asharrun oreeda biman fee alardi am arada bihim rabbuhum rashadan

    We do not know whether ill is intended for those on earth, or if their Lord intends goodness for them.

  11. 11

    وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَۖ كُنَّا طَرَآئِقَ قِدَدٗا

    Waanna minna alssalihoona waminna doona thalika kunna taraiqa qidadan

    Some of us are righteous, but some of us are less than that; we follow divergent paths.

  12. 12

    وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن نُّعۡجِزَ ٱللَّهَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَن نُّعۡجِزَهُۥ هَرَبٗا

    Wanna thananna an lan nuAAjiza Allaha fee alardi walan nuAAjizahu haraban

    We realized that we cannot defeat Allah on earth, and that we cannot escape Him by fleeing.

  13. 13

    وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعۡنَا ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ فَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِرَبِّهِۦ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخۡسٗا وَلَا رَهَقٗا

    Waanna lamma samiAAna alhuda amanna bihi faman yumin birabbihi fala yakhafu bakhsan wala rahaqan

    And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it. Whoever believes in his Lord fears neither loss, nor burden.

  14. 14

    وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلۡمُسۡلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَۖ فَمَنۡ أَسۡلَمَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ تَحَرَّوۡاْ رَشَدٗا

    Waanna minna almuslimoona waminna alqasitoona faman aslama faolaika taharraw rashadan

    Among us are those who are submitting, and among us are the compromisers. As for those who have submitted—it is they who pursue rectitude.

  15. 15

    وَأَمَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَ فَكَانُواْ لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبٗا

    Waama alqasitoona fakanoo lijahannama hataban

    But as for the compromisers—they will be firewood for Hell.’”

  16. 16

    وَأَلَّوِ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰهُم مَّآءً غَدَقٗا

    Waallawi istaqamoo AAala alttareeqati laasqaynahum maan ghadaqan

    Had they kept true to the Path, We would have given them plenty of water to drink.

  17. 17

    لِّنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيهِۚ وَمَن يُعۡرِضۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهِۦ يَسۡلُكۡهُ عَذَابٗا صَعَدٗا

    Linaftinahum feehi waman yuAArid AAan thikri rabbihi yaslukhu AAathaban saAAadan

    To test them with it. Whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord, He will direct him to torment ever mounting.

  18. 18

    وَأَنَّ ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٗا

    Waanna almasajida lillahi fala tadAAoo maAAa Allahi ahadan

    The places of worship are for Allah. So do not call, besides Allah, upon anyone else.

  19. 19

    وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدۡعُوهُ كَادُواْ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيۡهِ لِبَدٗا

    Waannahu lamma qama AAabdu Allahi yadAAoohu kadoo yakoonoona AAalayhi libadan

    And when the servant of Allah got up calling on Him, they almost fell on him in a mass.

  20. 20

    قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَدۡعُواْ رَبِّي وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا

    Qul innama adAAoo rabbee wala oshriku bihi ahadan

    Say, “I pray only to my Lord, and I never associate anyone with Him.”

  21. 21

    قُلۡ إِنِّي لَآ أَمۡلِكُ لَكُمۡ ضَرّٗا وَلَا رَشَدٗا

    Qul innee la amliku lakum darran wala rashadan

    Say, “It is not in my power to harm you, nor to bring you to right conduct.”

  22. 22

    قُلۡ إِنِّي لَن يُجِيرَنِي مِنَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدࣱ وَلَنۡ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدًا

    Qul innee lan yujeeranee mina Allahi ahadun walan ajida min doonihi multahadan

    Say, “No one can protect me from Allah, and I will not find any refuge except with Him.

  23. 23

    إِلَّا بَلَٰغٗا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِسَٰلَٰتِهِۦۚ وَمَن يَعۡصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا

    Illa balaghan mina Allahi warisalatihi waman yaAAsi Allaha warasoolahu fainna lahu nara jahannama khalideena feeha abadan

    Except for a proclamation from Allah and His messages. He who defies Allah and His Messenger—for him is the Fire of Hell, in which they will dwell forever.”

  24. 24

    حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ أَضۡعَفُ نَاصِرٗا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدٗا

    Hatta itha raaw ma yooAAadoona fasayaAAlamoona man adAAafu nasiran waaqallu AAadadan

    Until, when they see what they were promised, they will know who is weaker in helpers, and fewer in numbers.

  25. 25

    قُلۡ إِنۡ أَدۡرِيٓ أَقَرِيبࣱ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمۡ يَجۡعَلُ لَهُۥ رَبِّيٓ أَمَدًا

    Qul in adree aqareebun ma tooAAadoona am yajAAalu lahu rabbee amadan

    Say, “I do not know whether what you are promised is near, or whether my Lord will extend it for a period.”

  26. 26

    عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ فَلَا يُظۡهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيۡبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا

    AAalimu alghaybi fala yuthhiru AAala ghaybihi ahadan

    The Knower of the Invisible; He does not disclose His Invisible to anyone.

  27. 27

    إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرۡتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٖ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسۡلُكُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦ رَصَدٗا

    Illa mani irtada min rasoolin fainnahu yasluku min bayni yadayhi wamin khalfihi rasadan

    Except to a messenger of His choosing. He then dispatches guards before him and behind him.

  28. 28

    لِّيَعۡلَمَ أَن قَدۡ أَبۡلَغُواْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيۡهِمۡ وَأَحۡصَىٰ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عَدَدَۢا

    LiyaAAlama an qad ablaghoo risalati rabbihim waahata bima ladayhim waahsa kulla shayin AAadadan

    That He may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord. He encompasses what they have, and has tallied everything by number.

Surah Al-Jinn PDF

The whole surah on printable pages: Arabic, transliteration and English side by side. Free to download, print and share.

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Questions about Surah Al-Jinn

How many verses are in Surah Al-Jinn?

Surah Al-Jinn has 28 verses. It is a Meccan surah and the 72nd in the Quran.

Why was Surah Jinn revealed?

Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim report from Ibn Abbas that a group of jinn heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting the Quran in the dawn prayer, and Allah revealed this surah telling him about it.

Did the Prophet see the jinn in Surah Al-Jinn?

According to Ibn Abbas in Sahih Muslim, he did not see them on this occasion and learned that they had listened through revelation. Other reports describe separate meetings with the jinn.

Is Surah Jinn read for protection?

The surah is about jinn who believed, not a protective formula, and there is no well-established narration about reciting it for protection. The Prophet ﷺ taught other passages for that purpose, such as Ayat al-Kursi and the last two surahs.