Al-Jinn (The Jinn)

18. The mosques are for Allah [Alone]. Therefore, invoke not anyone along with Allah.

19. And when the servant of Allah [i.e. Muhammad (S)] stood up invoking Him in prayer, a group made round him a dense crowd.

The Arabic nominal form masajid is the plural form of masjid, literally denoting “place of prostration.”

In this respect, it is narrated from the Noble Imam Sadiq (as) say saying:

“Since the Jews and the Christians associated partners with God Almighty in their places of worship, God Almighty decreed that Muslims are not supposed to associate anyone with God Almighty in worship in Muslims’ places of prostration [namely the mosques] and God Almighty curses the one who shows disrespect at the mosques.”1

Quoting the believing jinn in calling others unto monotheism, the blessed Verse 18 says:

“The mosques are for Allah [Alone]. Therefore, invoke not anyone along with Allah.”

The Arabic plural nominal form masajid indicate places where believers prostrate themselves before God Almighty whose most perfect instance is Masjid al-Haram [literally: the Sacred or Holy Mosque]. Other instances include other mosques, though in its broader semantic domain, it is applied to all the places where the believers establish their prayers and prostrate themselves before God Almighty.

In this vein, it is narrated from the Noble Prophet as saying:

“The earth in its entirety serves as my place of prostration and purification [namely tayammum: “ritual purification with sand, soil, or dust, allowed when water is unavailable”].”2

Thus, the blessed Verse in question provides a response to the Arab polytheists and the like of them who had turned Ka‘ba to an idol temple. It also reflects the erring Christians who had resorted to trinity worshipping three gods in their churches. The Holy Qur’an is saying that all the places of worship belong to God Almighty and any other object of worship may not be worshipped.

Reference is also made herein to interceding with the Noble Prophet and Divine Guides. Such intercession stands in no contradiction to the truth of monotheism nor to Qur’anic Verses, but it lays emphasis on monotheism and the truth that all things come from God Almighty.

Intercession and invoking the Noble Prophet (S) to intercede with the believers for Divine Mercy is recurrently attested in the Qur’anic Verses, though some people who have been remote from Islamic teachings and the Qur’anic Verses unfoundedly deny any kind of intercession, referring to a number of the Qur’anic Verses, including the blessed Verse 18:

“The mosques are for Allah [Alone]. Therefore, invoke not anyone along with Allah.”

They falsely claim that the blessed Verse in question implies that the believers are not supposed to intercede with anyone for Divine Forgiving of the sins.

The point is that the blessed Verse is in no way related to their unfounded claim, but it makes a reference to refuting polytheism in sense that some people err in associating objects of worship with God Almighty and invoking them for granting them bounties. In other words, invoking objects of worship besides God Almighty and regarding them as independent and willful entails polytheism.

The preposition

ma‘a (“with”)

in the negative imperative sentence

“Invoke not anyone along with Allah,”

implies that nothing is supposed to be associated with God Almighty in worship nor should anything besides Him be regarded as an independent source of willful acts.

However, invoking Divinely appointed Prophets to intercede with God Almighty on people’s behalf for Forgiveness or bestowal of Bounties is not only allowed herein, but Some Qur’anic Verses call the Noble Prophet (S) to act likewise and others are at times called to intercede with the Noble Prophet for Divine Forgiveness.

In this respect, mention may be made of two Qur’anic Verses:

“Take alms from their possessions in order to purify them and sanctify them with it and invoke Allah for them, since your invocations are a source of security for them”3 ; “O our father! Ask Forgiveness [from Allah] for our sins, as we were sinners. He [Ya‘qub] said: 'I will ask my Lord for forgiveness for you”4 .

Thus, interceding with God Almighty on behalf of the believers is explicitly mentioned in the Holy Qur’an. Discussions on intercession are to be found above under 2:48 and 5:35.

Making reference to the great effects created by reciting the Qur’anic Verses by the Noble Prophet (S) in his worships, the blessed Verse 19 is saying that when Allah’s servant, Muhammad (S) stood up invoking Him in prayer, a group made round him a dense crowd.

The Arabic nominal form libadh denotes something whose constituent elements are condensed, though it herein implies the strange assembly of the believing jinn to listen to the Qur’anic blessed Verses in their first encounter with the Holy Qur’an as well as the extraordinary impression of the Noble Prophet’s (S) prayers upon them.

Two further exegeses have also been suggested for the blessed Verse in question. Firstly, the believing jinn reflect the Noble Prophet’s (S) companions, though limited in number in Mecca, who got together in crowds to listen to him. Thus, the jinn are instructed to proceed immediately toward the Islamic faith.

According to the other suggestion, the Arab polytheists surrounded the Noble Prophet (S) when he was engaged in establishing his prayers and reciting the Qur’anic Verses in order to deride and harm him. However, the latter exegesis does not befit the intention of those from amongst the jinn who intended to call others unto faith, but it befits one of the two preceding meanings.