QUESTION: Dear scholars, as-Salam `Alaykum. Would you tell us what the word Qareen means? Some people claim that they have seen demons, taking different shapes and talking to them, in their dreams and could not help doing anything except seeking refuge in Allah against this evil spirit. When they wake up, they feel very disturbed. What does this mean and is there any way to exorcise such demons? Wa `Alaykum As-Salam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All thanks and praise are due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.
In his response to the question, Sheikh Faysal Mawlawi, Deputy Chairman of the European council for Fatwa and Research, issues the following fatwa:
“The Arabic word Qareen has two meanings. It may mean a friend or a companion, as stated in the following verse: “A speaker of them saith: Lo! I had a comrade.” (As-Saffat: 51) i.e. (I had an unbelieving friend who was trying to lead me astray during my life).
The other meaning of the word Qareen is the demon permanently assigned to each person during his/her life whose job is to seduce human beings. Allah Almighty says: “His comrade saith: Our Lord! I did not cause him to rebel, but he was (himself) far gone in error.” (Qaf: 27) i.e. the devil assigned to seduce him will say: “My lord! It was not me who seduced him at the beginning, but it was he himself who preferred blindness to guidance. So, I helped him achieve his goal through seduction.”
In order to increase their power in seducing people, demons may also take the shape of humans. One day, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was praying besides a column in the mosque. A devil came to him and tried to spoil his prayer but the Prophet took hold of him and wanted to chain him to the column so that people could see him in the following day. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) set the devil free when he remembered the prayer of his brother, Prophet Solomon: “My Lord! Forgive me and bestow on me sovereignty such shall not belong to anyone after me.” (Sad: 35)
In another hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that a demon is assigned to every human being: “There is no one among you but a comrade from among the jinn is assigned to him.” They (the Companions present in that occasion) said: “Even you, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Even me, but Allah granted me victory over him and he became Muslim (or: and I am safe from him), so he only enjoins me to do that which is good.”
In order to get rid of such demon comrade, one should continuously recite the Qur'an, particularly the verse of Al-Kursi (verse number 255 of Surat Al-Baqarah), and the last two verses of the same Surah. Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him narrated: “ I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the night in which he met the jinn at the presence of Gabriel. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was reciting the Qur’an while the devil was getting more closer to him. Gabriel said to the Prophet: “Would you like me to tell you some words that, when uttered, will make the devil walk prone (without seeing) on his face and will blow out his flame?… say: “ I seek refuge in the incomparable Glory of Allah that can not be violated by the righteous or the cunning from the evil of what goes into the earth and all that comes out thereof; all that comes down from the sky and all that ascends thereto and from the evil of night visitants except for good ones. You are the Most Merciful!” (when the Prophet uttered these words) the devil began groping his way and his flame got extinguished.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is also reported to have said: “When the Ghilan (the sorcerers among the devils) appear (in the form of visual objects), then say the call for prayer Adhan ( to protect you against their harm).”
Allah Almighty knows best. |
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