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Each person has Qareen from the jinn

Question

Hello. Did all of Allah's Prophets have a devil with them all the time? Is it correct to say that if some person does not have a devil with them that they are free from sins? Thank you very much, kind Sir.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The apparent indication of the relevant religious texts is that every human being has a constant companion (Qareen) from the jinn. However, the Prophets were protected from the temptations of the Devil, so they do not commit Shirk (associating partners with Allah) nor major sins. Scholars held different opinions as to whether they may commit minor sins. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "The devil circulates inside the son of Adam just as blood circulates inside him." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "The devil places his halter on the heart of the son of Adam; if he (the son of Adam) remembers Allah, the devil withdraws, and if he forgets Allah, the devil swallows his heart." [Abu Yaʻla in his Musnad, Al-Bayhaqi in Shuʻab Al-Eemaan]

Ibn Masʻood, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, "There is none amongst you except that his Qareen from the jinn and his Qareen from the angels were assigned to him." The Companions asked, "Even you, O Messenger of Allah?" He said, "Even me, but Allah supported me against him, so I am safe from him and he does not command me but to do good.'" [Muslim]

Allah, the Exalted, says about the attendant of Prophet Moosa (Moses) when he forgot the fish (what means): {Indeed, I forgot (there) the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it.} [Quran 18:63]

It was authentically reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaari that his attendant was Yooshaʻ ibn Noon (Joshua, son of Nun), and it is known that he was a Prophet of Allah.

Allah, the Exalted, says about Moosa (what means): {...so Moses struck him and (unintentionally) killed him. (Moses) said, "This is from the work of Satan. Indeed, he is a manifest, misleading enemy." He said, "My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, so forgive me," and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.} [Quran 28:15-16]

Al-Mulla ʻAli Al-Qaari  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said:

"The negative structure in the hadeeth, 'None amongst you', indicates that the negation extends to all individuals; i.e. each of them is assigned a Qareen from the jinn to command him to do evil. His name is Al-Waswaas, and he is a son of Satan who is born when a child is born to the son of Adam... The Companions said, 'Even you, O Messenger of Allah?' meaning: You too have a constant companion from the jinn? ... He said, 'Even me...' because the hadeeth does not address the Companions only but, rather, everyone that could be addressed, as if he was saying: 'None of you, O sons of Adam...'" [Mirqaat Al-Mafaateeh Sharh Mishkaat Al-Masaabeeh, 1/139]

As for your question: "Is it correct to say that if some person does not have a devil with them that they are free from sins?" The answer is that even if it is possible that someone would not have a constant companion from the devils, it does not necessarily entail that he never commits sins, because the motive for sinning might be the enticing of the devil or the desires of the evil-enjoining self. The apparent indication of the religious texts in this regard is that the self whispers with evil just as the devil whispers with evil. The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, sought refuge with Allah from both evils; that of the Devil and that of the self, in the authentically reported supplication to be recited every morning and evening: "Allahumma ʻaalim al-ghayb wa ash-Shahaadah, faatir as-samaawati wa al-ardh, rabba kulli shay'in wa malikah. Ash-hadu alla ilaaha illa ant, aʻuthu bika min sharri nafsi wa sharri ash-shaytani wa shirkih." (O Allah, Knower of the Unseen and the witnessed, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Lord and Sovereign of everything, I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but You, I seek Your Protection from the evil of myself and from the evil of Satan and his Shirk [polytheism].) [At-Tirmithi: Hasan Saheeh (good or sound); Abu Daawood and Ahmad - Al-Albaani graded it Saheeh (sound)]

For more benefit, please refer to fatwas 15907and 357886.

Allah knows best.

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