| 26 September 2009
In the 27th verse of A’raf Sura, it’s said about the Devil, “From places where you can't see them, he (the Devil) and those from his community see you.”It can clearly be inferred from this that;
-the devil and his community see the people.
-the people can see neither the Devil nor anyone from his community.
Interpreters of The Quran consider "the genies" to be in the content of the expression "the Devil and his community" ( huve and kabiluhu). ( see Taberi,Camiu’l-Beyan fi-Tefsiri’l-Quran, 8/113,F. Razi,e’t-Tefsiru’l-Kebir, 13/54.)
While it’s the case, Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır says that “müfessirin” ( the interpreters of the Quran) said that it shouldn’t be supposed that human beings could never see the Devil.( see Hak Dini Kuran dini, 3/2147)
However, due to the clear explanation of the verse, not all of the interpreters of the Quran share the same idea. ( see Taberi, same reference; F. Razi,same ref.; Celaleyn/132; Tefsiru’n-Nesefi, 2/250.)
Fahriddun Razi writes that "genies" and "devils" cannot be visible to human beings for the following reasons; (F. Razi, same ref.)
If the Devil and genies let themselves be seen by human beings - even in disguise;
-One could think that , let's say, his wife, or his children could be genies.
-He could also have the same suspicion for anyone.
-And therefore there would be no one left to be trusted.
On the other hand, Muhammad claims to have seen “ the GENIE” and “ the DEVIL”, in concrete form.
“I knocked the devil down and nearly strangled him,” he says.
According to a hadith that was quoted by Nesei from Aişe, Muhammad says,
“While I was performing the namaz (ritual worship), the devil came up. I caught him immediately, knocked him down on the ground, I was about to strangle him. So real was he that I felt the chill of his tongue on my hand.”
Ibn Teymiyye indicates that this hadith has the same strength in accuracy as Buhari’s. ( see Takıyyundin Ibn Teymiyye, Izahu’d Delale fi Umumi-r Risale, Egypt, 1369, p.49. For this hadith also see Kamil Miras, Tecrid-i Sarih Ter., the note for the explanation of the hadith # 288.)
Knocking the devil down, nearly strangling him and feeling the chill of his tongue, feeling this chill on his hand are all related to the five senses and concrete cases. The Devil's saliva smearing on Muhammad’s hand while strangling him, Muhammad’s feeling this on his hand and Muhammad’s telling this have been conveyed to us.(see Ahmet İbn Hanbel, Müsned, 3/82.)
The genie and the Devil being tied to the post
In the same hadith , it is told that Muhammad wanted to tie the Devil to a post when he caught him, saying that he did have the power and strength to do that, but thinking that things like this must be confined only to Süleyman (Solomon), he quit tying the Devil to the post. Again in this hadith, it’s conveyed that Muhammad said, “Otherwise, I would have tied the Devil to the post and the children of Medina would have played with him.”(see the same references). This hadiths also exists in Buhari and Müslüm’in e’s-sahih- with some little differences. According to a quotation from Müslim, Muhammad tells this;
“The enemy of God, the Devil, came up to me with a flame of fire in order to burn my face. Therefore I said three times, ‘ I take refuge to God against you,’ and I added, ‘I curse you with the whole curse of God,’ three times again. He didn’t retreat. Then I wanted to seize him. ‘I swear in the name of God that if it weren’t for our brother Süleyman’s wish (the wish to be able to do things like that would be peculiar to him only) the devil would have been tied up. And the children of Medina would have played with him.( see Müslim, e’s-Sahih, Kitabu’l- Mesacid/40, hadith #542.)
Buhari and Müslim convey another quotation as follows;
“Last night, IFRIT of the genies suddenly attacked me to spoil my namaz. God allowed me to seize him. And I intended to tie him to one of the posts of the mescid (a small mosque) so that all of you could look at him the next morning. However, I remembered Süleyman’s words saying, ‘My God, forgive me, give me such a sovereignty that nobody could achieve after me,’ ( and I gave up tying him.) (see Buhari,e’s-Sahih, kitabu’s-Selat/75;Tecrid, hadith #288; Müslüm,Kitabu’l Mesacid/39, hadith # 549.)
In some other hadiths, other concrete things about the Devil are conveyed such as “The Devil’s farting loudly.
The Devil farts giving out a noise like ‘zart!’ (the sound of farting)
It ‘s conveyed that Muhammad said,
“When the azan (the religious verses that the imam sings to call people to the mosque) is recited to call the believers to namaz, the Devil runs far away by stepping backwards. And he goes away farting, making a noise like “zurat”. He goes away until he is unable to hear the azan. (see Buhari, e’s-Sahih, Ezan/4; Tecrid, hadith # 360; Müslim, e’s-Sahih, Kitabu’s Selat/16-19 hadith #389.)
Some think that this is a parable. (see Kamil Miras the second note in his explanation of this hadith ). However it can be thought that for the sake of the parable, there is no need to say that the Devil makes the noise “zart” when it farts.
One more point; Muhammad mentions the feeding and drinking of the genie and the Devil. (see Müslim, e’s-Sahih, Kitabu’l Eşribe/102-106;hadis # 2017-2020.)
Ibn Melek claims pointing to Nebevi that the words “eating and drinking” are used in real sense in this hadith.(see Mebakiru’l-Ezharf fi Şerhi Mesarıkı’l-Envar,1/100.)
Isn’t it normal that he who eats and drinks can fart loudly too? In that case there’s no point of interpreting Muhammad’s words as a parable..
Namaz : a ritual worship that Muslims perform 5 times
a day at certain times.
Hak dini Kuran dini : religion of right, religion of Quran.
Hadis (hadith) : the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.
Medina : a city in Arabia
Azan : the verses the imam sings at ritual worship
times to call the Muslims to the mosque.
Imam : the man who is in charge of reminding the
namaz times and calling Muslims to the
mosque by singing Azan and also who
tries to tell about Islam to people.
