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Tafsir of Surah Al-Jinn (72) — The Jinn · الجن
Meccan surah, 28 ayat. Read the whole surah
Al-Mukhtasar in Interpreting the Noble Quran — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies. QuranEnc.com (english_mokhtasar), 2026-10-30.
Al-Jinn 72:1
قُلۡ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُ ٱسۡتَمَعَ نَفَرٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَقَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا قُرۡءَانًا عَجَبٗا
Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an
Tafsir 72:1
Say, O Messenger, to your nation: Allah revealed to me that a group of Jinn listened to my recitation of the Qur’ān in Batn Nakhla. When they went back to their people they said to them: We have heard a recited speech that is impressive in its clarity and eloquence.
Al-Jinn 72:2
يَهۡدِيٓ إِلَى ٱلرُّشۡدِ فَـَٔامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ وَلَن نُّشۡرِكَ بِرَبِّنَآ أَحَدٗا
It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone
Tafsir 72:2
This speech that we heard guides to the correct belief, statements and actions, so we believed in it and we will not associate any partner with our Lord Who revealed it.
Al-Jinn 72:3
وَأَنَّهُۥ تَعَٰلَىٰ جَدُّ رَبِّنَا مَا ٱتَّخَذَ صَٰحِبَةٗ وَلَا وَلَدٗا
And [it teaches] that exalted is the nobleness of our Lord; He has not taken a wife or a son
Tafsir 72:3
We have believed that He - exalted be the grandeur and majesty of our Lord - has not taken any wife nor child as the idolaters say.
Al-Jinn 72:4
وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ يَقُولُ سَفِيهُنَا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ شَطَطٗا
And that our foolish one has been saying about Allah an excessive transgression
Tafsir 72:4
And that Iblis made an errant statement about Allah by attributing a wife and child to Him, may He be glorified.
Al-Jinn 72:5
وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن تَقُولَ ٱلۡإِنسُ وَٱلۡجِنُّ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا
And we had thought that mankind and the jinn would never speak about Allah a lie
Tafsir 72:5
And that we thought that the idolaters from among mankind and the jinn were not speaking lies when they claimed that He had a wife and child, so we accepted their statement blindly following them.
Al-Jinn 72:6
وَأَنَّهُۥ كَانَ رِجَالٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمۡ رَهَقٗا
And there were men from mankind who sought refuge in men from the jinn, so they [only] increased them in burden
Tafsir 72:6
And that in the period of ignorance, some men from mankind used to seek protection in the jinn when they came to a frightening place. One of them would say: I seek protection in the leader of this valley from the evil of the foolish ones of his people. As a result, human beings became more afraid and terrified of the jinn.
Al-Jinn 72:7
وَأَنَّهُمۡ ظَنُّواْ كَمَا ظَنَنتُمۡ أَن لَّن يَبۡعَثَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٗا
And they had thought, as you thought, that Allah would never send anyone [as a messenger]
Tafsir 72:7
And that humans thought as you did, O jinn, that Allah will not resurrect anyone after his death for the reckoning and recompense.
Al-Jinn 72:8
وَأَنَّا لَمَسۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ فَوَجَدۡنَٰهَا مُلِئَتۡ حَرَسٗا شَدِيدٗا وَشُهُبٗا
And we have sought [to reach] the heaven but found it filled with powerful guards and burning flames
Tafsir 72:8
And that we sought the news of the heaven and we found the sky full of stern guards, who were the angels, who guarded it from the eavesdropping that we used to do, and full of flaming fires thrown at everyone who comes close to the sky.
Al-Jinn 72:9
وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقۡعُدُ مِنۡهَا مَقَٰعِدَ لِلسَّمۡعِۖ فَمَن يَسۡتَمِعِ ٱلۡأٓنَ يَجِدۡ لَهُۥ شِهَابٗا رَّصَدٗا
And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him
Tafsir 72:9
And that we in the past used to assume positions in the sky from where we could hear what the angels were deliberating, and then we would convey this to the fortune-tellers on earth. Now things have changed. Anyone of us who now tries to listen finds a flaming fire ready for him. When he goes near, it is released on him and he is burnt by it.
Al-Jinn 72:10
وَأَنَّا لَا نَدۡرِيٓ أَشَرٌّ أُرِيدَ بِمَن فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ أَرَادَ بِهِمۡ رَبُّهُمۡ رَشَدٗا
And we do not know [therefore] whether evil is intended for those on earth or whether their Lord intends for them a right course
Tafsir 72:10
And that we do not know what is the cause of this stern guard, is it that evil is intended for those on earth, or does Allah intend good for them. News of the sky has been cut off from us.
Al-Jinn 72:11
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ وَمِنَّا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَۖ كُنَّا طَرَآئِقَ قِدَدٗا
And among us are the righteous, and among us are [others] not so; we were [of] divided ways
Tafsir 72:11
And that we - the group of jinn-: some of us are Allah-conscious and righteous whilst some of us are disbelievers and sinners. We are of different types and of diverse persuasions.
Al-Jinn 72:12
وَأَنَّا ظَنَنَّآ أَن لَّن نُّعۡجِزَ ٱللَّهَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَن نُّعۡجِزَهُۥ هَرَبٗا
And we have become certain that we will never cause failure to Allah upon earth, nor can we escape Him by flight
Tafsir 72:12
And that we are certain that we cannot escape Allah, may He be glorified, when He intends some matter for us. We will never be able to escape Him by fleeing because He surrounds us.
Al-Jinn 72:13
وَأَنَّا لَمَّا سَمِعۡنَا ٱلۡهُدَىٰٓ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦۖ فَمَن يُؤۡمِنۢ بِرَبِّهِۦ فَلَا يَخَافُ بَخۡسٗا وَلَا رَهَقٗا
And when we heard the guidance, we believed in it. And whoever believes in his Lord will not fear deprivation or burden
Tafsir 72:13
And that when we heard the Qur’ān that guides to what is most upright we had faith in it. Whoever has faith in his Lord will not fear any loss of his good deeds and nor any sin that will be added to his prior sins.
Al-Jinn 72:14
وَأَنَّا مِنَّا ٱلۡمُسۡلِمُونَ وَمِنَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَۖ فَمَنۡ أَسۡلَمَ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ تَحَرَّوۡاْ رَشَدٗا
And among us are Muslims [in submission to Allah], and among us are the unjust. And whoever has become Muslim - those have sought out the right course
Tafsir 72:14
And that some of us submit and follow Allah by obeying Him, and some of us go astray from the path of moderation and steadfastness. Those who submit to Allah by following him and doing righteous actions, they are the ones who have sought after guidance and the right way.
Al-Jinn 72:15
وَأَمَّا ٱلۡقَٰسِطُونَ فَكَانُواْ لِجَهَنَّمَ حَطَبٗا
But as for the unjust, they will be, for Hell, firewood
Tafsir 72:15
Those who go astray from the path of moderation and steadfastness, they will be firewood that will be used to light the fire of Hell together with other human beings like them.
Al-Jinn 72:16
وَأَلَّوِ ٱسۡتَقَٰمُواْ عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيقَةِ لَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰهُم مَّآءً غَدَقٗا
And [Allah revealed] that if they had remained straight on the way, We would have given them abundant provision
Tafsir 72:16
Just as I revealed to him that a group of the jinn listened to him, I revealed to him that if human beings and the jinn remained steadfast on the path of Islam, and practiced on what it contained, then Allah would have given them plenty water to drink and provided them with various blessings.
Al-Jinn 72:17
لِّنَفۡتِنَهُمۡ فِيهِۚ وَمَن يُعۡرِضۡ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّهِۦ يَسۡلُكۡهُ عَذَابٗا صَعَدٗا
So We might test them therein. And whoever turns away from the remembrance of his Lord He will put into arduous punishment
Tafsir 72:17
To test them in that, are they thankful for Allah’s favours or are they ungrateful for them? Whoever turns away from the Qur’ān and the admonitions it contains, His Lord will enter him into a difficult punishment that he will not be able to bear.
Al-Jinn 72:18
وَأَنَّ ٱلۡمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُواْ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٗا
And [He revealed] that the masjids are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone
Tafsir 72:18
And that the mosques belong to Him (may He be glorified) and not to anyone else. So do not call on anyone together with Allah and become like the Jews and the Christians in their synagogues and churches.
Al-Jinn 72:19
وَأَنَّهُۥ لَمَّا قَامَ عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ يَدۡعُوهُ كَادُواْ يَكُونُونَ عَلَيۡهِ لِبَدٗا
And that when the Servant of Allah stood up supplicating Him, they almost became about him a compacted mass
Tafsir 72:19
And that when Allah’s servant, Muhammad (peace be on him) stood up to worship His Lord in Batn Nakhla, the jinn were almost piled on top of him because of the huge crowd when they heard him reciting the Qur’ān.
Al-Jinn 72:20
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَدۡعُواْ رَبِّي وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِهِۦٓ أَحَدٗا
Say, [O Muhammad], "I only invoke my Lord and do not associate with Him anyone
Tafsir 72:20
O Messenger! Say to these idolaters: I only call unto my Lord alone and I do not associate anyone else as partner to Him in worship, whoever he may be.
Al-Jinn 72:21
قُلۡ إِنِّي لَآ أَمۡلِكُ لَكُمۡ ضَرّٗا وَلَا رَشَدٗا
Say, "Indeed, I do not possess for you [the power of] harm or right direction
Tafsir 72:21
Say to them: I do not have any power to ward off any harm that Allah has decreed for you, nor do I have any power to draw any benefit that Allah has withheld from you.
Al-Jinn 72:22
قُلۡ إِنِّي لَن يُجِيرَنِي مِنَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدٞ وَلَنۡ أَجِدَ مِن دُونِهِۦ مُلۡتَحَدًا
Say, "Indeed, there will never protect me from Allah anyone [if I should disobey], nor will I find in other than Him a refuge
Tafsir 72:22
Say to them: No one can save me from Allah if I go against Him, and I will never find any place of refuge to take refuge in besides Him.
Al-Jinn 72:23
إِلَّا بَلَٰغٗا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِسَٰلَٰتِهِۦۚ وَمَن يَعۡصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَإِنَّ لَهُۥ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدًا
But [I have for you] only notification from Allah, and His messages." And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger - then indeed, for him is the fire of Hell; they will abide therein forever
Tafsir 72:23
But that which is in my power is to convey to you what Allah has instructed me to convey to you, and His message that He sent with me to you. Whoever goes against Allah and His messenger, his fate is entry into the fire of Hell to remain their forever and never come out.
Al-Jinn 72:24
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا رَأَوۡاْ مَا يُوعَدُونَ فَسَيَعۡلَمُونَ مَنۡ أَضۡعَفُ نَاصِرٗا وَأَقَلُّ عَدَدٗا
[The disbelievers continue] until, when they see that which they are promised, then they will know who is weaker in helpers and less in number
Tafsir 72:24
The disbelievers will persist in their disbelief until when they see on the day of judgment the punishment that they were warned of in the world. At that time, they will come to know who has the weaker protector and they will come to know who has less helpers.
Al-Jinn 72:25
قُلۡ إِنۡ أَدۡرِيٓ أَقَرِيبٞ مَّا تُوعَدُونَ أَمۡ يَجۡعَلُ لَهُۥ رَبِّيٓ أَمَدًا
Say, "I do not know if what you are promised is near or if my Lord will grant for it a [long] period
Tafsir 72:25
O Messenger! Say to these idolaters who reject the resurrection: I do not know whether the punishment you are warned of is near, or whether it has a fixed time that only Allah knows.
Al-Jinn 72:26
عَٰلِمُ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ فَلَا يُظۡهِرُ عَلَىٰ غَيۡبِهِۦٓ أَحَدًا
[He is] Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His [knowledge of the] unseen to anyone
Tafsir 72:26
He (may He be glorified) is the knower of the Ghaib, all of it. Nothing of it is hidden from Him. He does not disclose His Ghaib to anyone, but keeps it in His exclusive knowledge.
Al-Jinn 72:27
إِلَّا مَنِ ٱرۡتَضَىٰ مِن رَّسُولٖ فَإِنَّهُۥ يَسۡلُكُ مِنۢ بَيۡنِ يَدَيۡهِ وَمِنۡ خَلۡفِهِۦ رَصَدٗا
Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before each messenger and behind him observers
Tafsir 72:27
Except for a messenger whom He, may He be glorified, selects and then discloses to him what He wishes. He sends guards from the angels to go before the messenger and protect him so that no one besides the messenger gains access to this.
Al-Jinn 72:28
لِّيَعۡلَمَ أَن قَدۡ أَبۡلَغُواْ رِسَٰلَٰتِ رَبِّهِمۡ وَأَحَاطَ بِمَا لَدَيۡهِمۡ وَأَحۡصَىٰ كُلَّ شَيۡءٍ عَدَدَۢا
That he may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord; and He has encompassed whatever is with them and has enumerated all things in number
Tafsir 72:28
This is done in the hope that the messenger may know that the messengers before him had conveyed the messages of their Lord that He had instructed them to convey because of the care that Allah gave to it. Allah’s knowledge surrounds whatever is with the angels and messengers. Nothing of that is hidden from Him. He has counted the number of everything, so that nothing is hidden from Him, may He be glorified.
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Arabic: Uthmani text, Tanzil Project (tanzil.net) · English: Saheeh International · Bosnian: Besim Korkut