The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 257
VIII - Expansion of Preaching 257 In actuality, ‘Jinn’ is an Arabic word, the root of which possesses the meanings of being hidden, hiding, to be out of sight, to be veiled, to come under protection, or to create shadow or darkness. Therefore, in the Arabic language, ‘Jannah’ is a garden, because its trees create a shadow beneath it, and hide the land. ‘Janīn’ refers to a child which is still in the womb of a mother, because it is hidden in the veils of the womb. ‘Majannah’ is a shield, because a soldier in combat finds protection behind it during war. ‘Junūn’ refers to madness, because it puts a veil over one’s senses. The heart is called ‘Jannān’ , because it is hidden in the breast. Similarily, ‘Jannān’ also refers to the night or clothing, because they are a means of causing darkness or covering. The grave or a shroud is called a ‘Janan’ , because both of them cover the deceased. ‘Jānn’ refers to a snake, because it generally lives a life in the hidden lairs of the earth. ‘Junnah’ is a woman’s mantle, because it swathes the head and breast, so on and so forth. 1 According to this principle, at times, in the Arabic idiom, the word ‘Jinn’ is used to refer to leaders and Chieftains, who on account of their leadership, high status and pride, do not intermingle with the general society, and live their lives in complete separation. Therefore, many a time, in the Holy Qur’ān, the word ‘Jinn’ has been used in contrast to ‘Ins’. In other words, in contrast to the common people it has been used to refer to the upper-class, and in these meanings, the word is used in a negative connotation. Similarly, the word ‘Jinn’ is said to refer to a people who reside in such a secluded and isolated place as it is not possible for them to interact with other people. In light of these very two meanings, the implication derived by various research scholars regarding the delegation of Jinn , which visited the Holy Prophet sa is that, either these people belonged to the upper-class, who abstained from visiting the Holy Prophet sa publicly, or they were a people who belonged to a far-off and barren land, who due to their environment, may have lived in complete separation and seclusion from other people. We do not hesitate in accepting this interpretation at all and if the implication of a delegation of Jinn to Nakhlah actually means that a delegation of the upper-class visited, or a people of an isolated far-off and barren land presented themselves before the Holy Prophet sa , then in this, the indication of God Almighty would be that, O Messenger! Do not feel worried or grieved, for the time quickly approaches when, what to talk of the common people, magnificent and grand chieftains shall come beneath your banner and people of far-off barren lands shall place the necklace of your obedience round 1 Aqrabul-Mawārid, By Imām Sa‘īd Ash-Shart ū nī, Under the root “Janna”