Are jinn scared of iron?

Question

I have seen mentioned in various sources (e.g. Wikipedia) that the jinn are vulnerable to and/or afraid of iron, however I have not been able to find proper references to where this belief originates or how widely held it is among Muslims.

The closest thing to a reference I've been able to find myself to any supernatural properties of iron is that the barrier of Gog and Magog was forged of iron and impenetrable above and beyond the structural strength of the barrier, but that isn't indicative of anything in and of itself.

My main concern is that this belief of jinn fearing iron sounds very similar to the idea that faeries and other such supernatural creatures are vulnerable to cold iron, which is a common superstition found in a variety of ways throughout the world and apparently untied to any Islamic folklore at all.

Is this belief, that the jinn are afraid of iron, found anywhere in reliable (or even less reliable) Islamic resources, or is it perhaps derived from the Israeliyyat? Or is it more likely to just be a cultural belief carried over from the Jahiliyyah? Does this have any real Islamic basis beyond hearsay and superstition?

Answer 1

It seems to be myth circulating among some people, but does not have any basis in Islamic teachings. The following are some references that came up in a cursory search:

The following fatwa from "The Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Issuing Fatwas" - it labels the practice of using iron as a protection from Jinn as shirk:

تعليق الحديد ونحوه على المرأة النفساء والمختون لجلب النفع أو دفع الضرر

س: إذا ولدت المرأة تأخذ معها حديدا لمدة ٤٠ يوما ويعتقدون بهذا الحديد أنه يمنع عنهم شر الجن ويعتقدون أن الحديد ينفعهم من دون الله فهو الذي خلقهم أول مرة ولقد وصلنا إلى جدال أنا وأمي وزوجتي فما نصيحتكم لأمي وزوجتي؟ عسى أن تكون نصيحتكم بركة تحل هذه المشكلة التي حدثت في كل القبائل في ظفار، وأرجو نصيحة المسلمات اللاتي يعتقدن أن الحديد ينفع ويضر من دون الله، وأرجو نصيحة مهمة في الموضوع نفسه حتى أستطيع أن أدعو الناس إلى الطريق الصحيح، وكذلك الولد المختون يمكث نفس المدة التي تمكثها المرأة لا يصوم ولا يصلي ويأخذ الحديد معه لمدة ٤٠ يوما، وأريد نصيحة ودليلا بأسرع وقت ممكن جزاكم الله خير الجزاء عن الإسلام والمسلمين.

ج: من أنواع الشرك الأكبر المخرج من دين الإسلام؛ تعليق الحديد ونحوه على المرأة النفساء والمختون لجلب النفع أو دفع الضرر، قال تعالى: {وإن يمسسك الله بضر فلا كاشف له إلا هو وإن يردك بخير فلا راد لفضله يصيب به من يشاء من عباده وهو الغفور الرحيم} (١) وعن عمران بن حصين رضي الله عنه، «أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم رأى رجلا في يده حلقة من صفر فقال: ما هذه؟ قال: من الواهنة: فقال: انزعها فإنها لا تزيدك إلا وهنا، فإنك لو مت وهي عليك ما أفلحت أبدا (٢) » وعن عقبة بن عامر رضي الله عنه مرفوعا: «من تعلق تميمة فلا أتم الله له، ومن تعلق ودعة فلا ودع الله له (٣) » رواهما أحمد وفي رواية: «من تعلق تميمة فقد أشرك (١) » وقد أحسنت في نصيحتك لمن ذكر وعنايتك بإرشادهما إلى ترك هذه البدعة الشركية جزاك الله خيرا.وبالله التوفيق. وصلى الله على نبينا محمد، وآله وصحبه وسلم.اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاءعضو ... نائب رئيس اللجنة ... الرئيسعبد الله بن غديان ... عبد الرزاق عفيفي ... عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن باز

Hanging a piece of metal as a charm to bring about benefit or prevent evil

Fatwa no. 10536

Q: When a woman gives birth to a baby, she would hang a metal rod for forty days thinking that this piece of metal will protect her from Jinn (creatures created from fire). Women believe that this metal will benefit them rather than Allah Who has created them. I had a debate with my mother and wife about this. What is your advice to my mother and wife? I hope that your advice will solve this common problem among the tribes of Zefar. Thus, please advise the Muslim women who think that this piece of metal can bring benefit or cause harm. Advise me in this regard in detail please, so I can invite people to adhere to the right path. Likewise, a circumcised boy stays for forty days without Sawm (Fast) or Salah (Prayer) wearing that piece of metal. I need advice based on religious evidence as soon as possible. May Allah reward you with the best for the efforts you exert for Islam and Muslims.

A: Among the kinds of Al-Shirk-ul-Akbar (major form of associating others in worship with Allah) that takes a person out of the fold of Islam is the act of hanging a piece of metal by a woman during the postpartum period or by a circumcised person as a charm to bring benefit or prevent evil. Allah (Exalted be He) says: And if Allâh touches you with harm, there is none who can remove it but He, and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His Favour which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He wills. And He is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Imran ibn Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw a man with a gold amulet in his hand. He then asked: What is that? He replied: A protection from weakness. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Cast it off, for verily, it would only increase your weakness and if you die wearing it, you will never succeed.' Also Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said in a Hadith Marfu` (a Hadith narrated from the Prophet with a connected or disconnected chain of narration): "Whoever wears an amulet to prosper, may Allah prevent his prosperity and whoever wears a mascot for good luck, may Allah debar his luck.'' (Both the two previous Hadiths are related by Ahmad). In another narration: Whoever wears an amulet commits an act of Shirk (associating others in worship with Allah.

Indeed, you have done well in advising your people and caring about guiding them to abandon this Bid`ah Shirkiyyah (rejected innovation in religion which is tantamount to associating others in worship with Allah); May Allah reward you with the best.

May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'

Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan , Abdul-Razzaq Afify , Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz

^{— Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah - (Translation from alifta.gov.sa)}

The following Urdu fatwa also mentions a similar practice, the author of the fatwa claims that it has no Islamic basis:

سوال:بعض لوگ اپنے بچوں کو جنوں وغیرہ سے بچانے کے لیے ان کے پاس چھری یا لوہے کی کوئی چیز رکھ دیتے ہیں کیا ایسا کرنا درست ہے؟

جواب:یہ عمل درست نہیں اور شرعی طور پر اس کی کوئی صحیح بنیاد موجود نہیں،شرعی طریقہ یہ ہے کہ بچوں کو شیطان کے شر سے بچانے کے لیے دم کیا جائے جس طرح رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم حسن اور حسین رضی اللہ عنہما کو دم کیا کرتے تھے،صحیح البخاری میں ہے کہ رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم دم کے لیے یہ کلمات کہتے"أعوذ بكلمات اللّٰه التامة من كل شيطان وهامة ومن كل عين لامة"میں ہر شیطان،ہر زہریلے کیڑے اور ہر نظربد سے اللہ کے تمام کلمات کے ساتھ پناہ چاہتا ہوں۔یا بچوں کی حفاظت کے لیے اللہ تعالیٰ سے دعا کرے۔بچوں کے پاس چھری،چاقو یا لوہا وغیرہ کی کوئی چیز اس اعتقاد سے رکھنا کہ یہ انہیں شیطانی چالوں سے محفوظ رکھے گی تو یہ ناجائز ہے۔اللہ تعالیٰ صحیح عمل کی توفیق بخشے۔آمین

Q: Some people place knives or other metal objects near their children to protect them from Jinn. Is doing that correct?

Ans: This action is not correct and has no authentic basis in shariah. The prescribed method in shariah is by using Ruqya as was done by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for Hassan and Hussain. It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari that he used to perform ruqya for them using the words: أعوذ بكلمات الله التامة من كل شيطان وهامة، ومن كل عين لامة (O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye.)

Placing a knife, dagger or other iron object near children with the belief that it will protect from the devils is not permissible.

^{— تفہیم دین}

Answer 2

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim. Alhamdulillahi rabbil-'alamin. Was-Salatu was-Salam 'ala Sayyidina wa Azimina, Wa Habibi Qulubina wa Shafii Nufusina, Abul Qasim Muhammad. Wa 'ala Ahli Bayti tayyibina tahireen.

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Are jinn scared of iron?

No they are not. It is opposite. Iron is an adornment for the Jinn and the Satans based on following Hadithes.

‘From Abu Abdullah (asws) having said: ‘Allah (azwj) Made the iron to be in the world as an adornment for the Jinn and the Satans (la), so it is forbidden unto the Muslim man that he would be wearing it during the Salat, except if he happens to be the Muslim during battling an enemy, then there is no problem with it’’

Bihar Al-Anwaar (page 73)

Another evidence that Jinn are not scared of iron is found in another long Hadith (pages 263-265) in Bihar Al-Anwaar, narrated by Imam Al-Reza (AS) in which Iblis (la) appears to Yahya (AS). I will give part of text of the Hadith which is relevant to our question

And upon him (Iblis) (la) was a robe he (la) had tied in his (la) waist with a belt wherein were strings hanging, between red, and yellow and green, and all the colours, and there, in his (la) hand was a large bell, and upon his (la) head was a helmet, and there, in the helmet there was an iron hanging, resembling with the dogs.

Bihar Al-Anwaar (page 263)

Pay attention that on the helmet of Iblis (la) there is an iron hanging. If he (la) were scared of iron he (la) wouldn't have decorated his (la) helmet with iron hanging. Later in this same Hadith (page 264) he (la) speaks about iron

Yahya (as) said to him (la): ‘What is this helmet which is upon your (la) head?’

He (la) said, ‘I (la) guard against the call of the Momineen with it’.

He (as) said: ‘So what is this iron which I (as) see being in it?’

He (la) said, ‘I (la) uproot the hearts of the righteous ones by it’.

So iron is his (la) favorite weapon against Momineen (believers).

In the same source the next Hadith is narrated by RasoolAllah (saww) with similar meaning (pages 265-268).