Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth — Page 375
THE JINN other than some invisible organisms, which feed on rotting bones, dung etc. Remember that the concept of bacteria and viruses was not till then born. No man had even the vaguest idea about the existence of such invisible tiny creatures. . Amazingly it is to these that the Holy Prophetsa referred. . The Arabic language could offer him no better, more appropriate expression than the word jinn. . Another important observation made by the Quran is in relation to the creation of the jinn. They are described as having been born out of blasts of fire (from the cosmos). وَالْحَانُ خَلَقْهُ مِنْ قَبْلُ مِنْ نَّارِ السَّموم 15:28. And the Jinn We created before that (the creation of man) from blasts of fire (ñaris-samūm). '. Here the adjective used to describe the nature of the particular fire from which the jinn were created is Samūm, which means a blazing fire or a blast that has no smoke. ². We find a similar statement in another Quranic verse: وَخَلَقَ الْحَانٌ مِنْ مَّارِجٍ مِّنْ نَّارٍ 55:16. And the Jinn He created from the flame of fire. ³. Having established that the word jinn applies here to some type of bacterial organisms, let us again turn our attention to the verses quoted above that speak of the jinn as having been created out of fire. The prime candidates for the application of these verses seem to be such minute organisms as drew the energy for their existence directly from hot blazes of lightning Samūm and cosmic radiation. 364