Tafsir of Al-Jinn 72:6

Surah Al-Jinn (72): Verse 6

{وَأَنَّهُ كَانَ رِجَالٌ مِّنَ الْإِنسِ يَعُوذُونَ بِرِجَالٍ مِّنَ الْجِنِّ فَزَادُوهُمْ رَهَقًا}

There are two main opinions regarding the meaning of this verse:

The First Opinion (The Majority of Commentators):

In the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah), when a man traveled and stopped in a desolate, uninhabited area, he would say: "I seek refuge with the master/lord of this valley, or the powerful one of this place, from the evil of the foolish ones among his people." He would then spend the night under their protection until morning.

Another narration states that when the people of Jahiliyyah suffered from drought, they would send a scout. If the scout found a place with pasture and water, he would return to his people and call them. When they reached that land, they would call out: "We seek refuge with the Lord of this valley from any affliction that might befall us," meaning the Jinn. If nothing frightened them, they would settle. Sometimes the Jinn would frighten them, causing them to flee.

The Second Opinion:

This opinion suggests that men from humankind sought refuge with men from humankind, but specifically from the evil of the Jinn. For example, a man might say: "I seek refuge with the Messenger of Allah from the evil of the Jinn of this valley."

Those who hold this view argue that the word rijāl (men) is typically used for humans, not Jinn. However, this view is weak because there is no evidence proving that male Jinn are not referred to as rijāl.

The commentators have explained that {رَهَقًا} means:

• Increased them in sin (ithm).
• Increased them in audacity (jara'ah).
• Increased them in tyranny (tughyān).
• Increased them in wrongdoing (khaṭī'ah).
• Increased them in misguidance (ghayy).
• Increased them in evil (sharr).

Al-Wāḥidī stated that rahq means "to cover or overwhelm" (ghashyān). This is derived from verses like: {وَلَا يَرْهَقُ وُجُوهَهُمْ قَتَرٌ} (Yunus: 26) [Nor will darkness cover their faces] and {تُرْهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ} (Abasa: 41) [Darkness will cover them]. A marhūq man is one whom supplicants overwhelm. It is also said that the sun rahqatnā when it drew near.

Interpretation based on seeking refuge from Jinn:

If the humans sought refuge with the Jinn out of fear of being overwhelmed (ghashyān) by them, then the Jinn increased them in that overwhelming state. Since the humans sought refuge with the Jinn instead of Allah, the Jinn belittled them and became bolder against them, thus increasing their injustice (ẓulm). This aligns with the statement of 'Aṭā’ that the Jinn "struck them and choked them."

Alternative interpretation regarding the increase:

Another interpretation is that the increase was in the actions of the humans themselves. Because the humans sought refuge with the Jinn, the Jinn, due to this act of seeking refuge, became more tyrannical, boasting, "We have become the masters of Jinn and humankind."

Conclusion:

The first opinion (that the Jinn increased the humans in error/transgression because of their seeking refuge) is the most appropriate interpretation, conforming to the context and structure of the verse.

The Sixth Type (of what the Jinn heard):

! 7 < { وَأَنَّهُمْ ظَنُّوا كَمَا ظَنَنتُمْ أَن لَّن يَبْعَثَ اللَّهُ أَحَدًا } . > 7 !

{And that they [the humans] thought, just as you [the disbelieving humans] thought, that Allah would never send anyone [as a messenger].}