Allah says in Surah Rahman:
يَامَعْشَرَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْفُذُوا مِنْ أَقْطَارِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ فَانْفُذُوا لَا تَنْفُذُونَ إِلَّا بِسُلْطَانٍ
O company of jinn and mankind, if you are able to pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass. You will not pass except by authority [from Allah].
(Quran 55:33)
Why does Allah mention the Jinn first in this verse even though humans are considered more honorable than Jinn?
Fakhruddin Razi says in his tafsir:
المَسْألَةُ الرّابِعَةُ: ما الحِكْمَةُ في تَقْدِيمِ الجِنِّ عَلى الإنْسِ هَهُنا وتَقْدِيمِ الإنْسِ عَلى الجِنِّ في قَوْلِهِ تَعالى: ﴿قُلْ لَئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الإنْسُ والجِنُّ عَلى أنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هَذا القُرْآنِ لا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ﴾ [الإسراء: ٨٨] ؟ نَقُولُ: النُّفُوذُ مِن أقْطارِ السَّماواتِ والأرْضِ بِالجِنِّ ألْيَقُ إنْ أمْكَنَ، والإتْيانُ بِمِثْلِ القُرْآنِ بِالإنْسِ ألْيَقُ إنْ أمْكَنَ، فَقَدَّمَ في كُلِّ مَوْضِعٍ مَن يُظَنُّ بِهِ القُدْرَةُ عَلى ذَلِكَ.
What is the wisdom behind mentioning jinn before humans here, and mentioning humans before jinn in the verse where Allah Almighty says: 'Say, "If mankind and the jinn were to come together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of it" [Al-Israa: 88]? We say: The penetration of the corners of the heavens and the earth is more fitting with the jinn, if possible, and the bringing forth of the like of the Qur'an is more fitting with humans, if possible. Thus, in each context, he who is presumed to have the capability for that task is mentioned first.
He is referring to the fact that the Jinn have supernatural powers to fly out of earth like mentioned in the passage 72:8-9 and humans are the more intellectual creation.
Another possibility is that the Jinn are more arrogant and rebellious from God generally, so Allah mentions the more rebellious one first.
And Allah knows best.
In Quran 55:33, jinn are mentioned before humans to highlight their existence and significance in creation. This ordering serves several purposes:
Different Realms of Creation: Jinn are beings created from smokeless fire, distinct from humans, who are created from clay. By mentioning jinn first, the verse underscores the diversity of Allah’s creation.
Emphasis on Accountability: Both jinn and humans are accountable for their actions, and highlighting jinn first draws attention to their role in the moral and spiritual landscape.
Audience Consideration: The early mention of jinn may resonate with listeners familiar with their existence and influence in various cultures, thereby engaging them more deeply.
Unity of Creation: The verse emphasizes that all creatures, regardless of their form, are part of Allah's dominion, reminding us of our shared responsibility towards creation.
This ordering invites reflection on the nature of existence and our responsibilities. For further insights, see also this resource https://thesurahrehman.com
