What Is the Difference Between Jinn and Devil?
Could you please explain the difference between the concepts of Angel, Jinn and Devil?
hidden, covered being, unseen thing”. It is the name given to the spiritual beings which can turn into various types and styles that are created from fire.
Although the characteristics of the Jinns are not known completely, in our resources it is pointed that they are created from pure, smokeless, blister fire. Allah’s Apostle (Pbuh) in one of his Hadith says: “Angels were created from light; Jinn were created from smokeless fire.” (Muslim)
is given to Jinns which are not seen by the eye; go beyond the limit in badness and fierceness, arrogant trying to deviate people. “That time We had said to the angels: “Prostrate to Adam!”; they immediately prostrated, save Diabolis (one of the jinn). (He) stubbornly refused and made a show of his greatness, and so became one of the deniers. (Baqara: 34)” As we understand from this verse, Iblis is a Jinn. He raised his degree by worshipping Allah, and lost it because of his rebellion.
There are mischief maker (munafiq), faithful (mu’min) and unbeliever (kafir) Jinns. The unbeliever ones called “Devil (satan)”, the ones living and residing among people are called “Ummar”, the ones annoying children are called “Arwah” and the eldest and strongest, harmful ones are called “Ifrit”.
Jinns are also being tested in this world like human beings. They will also give an account of what they have done, and they will be rewarded with heaven or punished in hell.
The original name of Iblis was
. After his rebellion by breaking the Command of Allah which was to bow down to Adam, it took the name devil.
is Devil was cursed forever by turning to be a disbeliever because of his arrogance and being expelled from the mercy of Allah.
is, Jinns are capable of penetrating the human mind, brain and system of thinking directly. They can take the control of these areas. (as it is in the fear, worry, dreaming, shudder).
But the Devils can only penetrate to heart, and always give waswasa (misgiving) to heart. He always tries to deviate people from the right paths to the wrong ones. These are the waswasa (misgivings) of the satan (shaitan) coming from the place near the heart called lumma-i shaitaniyya (misgivings of the satan).
Some of the scholars summarize these beings which cannot be seen by humans as the following and made the subject much clear by separating these spiritual beings in three parts; they say:
“Those good ones which are always under the command of Allah giving good inspiration to the humans as spiritual beings are called the Angels.
Those misleading people by canalizing them doing evils are Devils.
Those spiritual beings having both the evil ones and the good ones are called the Jinns."
; the ideas put forward like “Satan is the head or teacher of the angels.” or “Satan is one of the angels” among the people are not Islamic. The source of these opinions is based on Christianity not Islamic.