Jinns, like humans, and intelligent beings. Regardless of intelligence, every living creature in this universe needs some sort of food to get the energy to thrive.
The same rule applies to the magnificent creature Jinn. So, what do Jinns eat and drink? They are invisible. So, will their food be invisible? Can humans eat their food?
I have answered some questions here. I highly recommend reading the whole article to get authentic Islamic references about the diet of Jinns.
What do Jinns eat and drink?
Interestingly, some authentic hadiths directly or indirectly mention what Jinns eat.
However, this can be divided into two types: permissible and non-permissible.
As you know, Jinns and humans are made to worship Allah.
“And I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” Surah Adh-Dhariyat (51:56)
So, they have all the concepts of good and wrong according to Islam. Similarly, they have halal and haram in their diet.
Here, I have divided their diet into good and bad Jinns.
Diet for good Jinns
Once, the holy prophet went missing, and when he returned, Sahabahs asked what happened.
The holy prophet said that a Jinn came to me, and I went with him to recite the Quran for Jinns.
They asked the holy prophet about their diet (permissible). The complete hadith is long. So, here is the part about their diet:
“They (the Jinn) asked him (the Holy Prophet) about their provision, and he said: Every bone on which the name of Allah is recited is your provision. The time it will fall in your hand it would be covered with flesh, and the dung of (the camels) is fodder for your animals. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Don’t perform istinja with these (things), for these are the food of your brothers (Jinn).” (Sahih Muslim 450a)
This hadith proves four different facts. These are:
- Allah covers the bones with flesh when they fall into the hands of Jinns.
- Jinns can eat flesh. They are most likely carnivores (feeding on flesh).
- Jinns have animals that feed on fodder (food for livestock). Their animals could be herbivores (feeding on plant-based diets).
- Muslim Jinns are our brothers.
I will discuss the fourth point in another article. Here, we are concerned with the first three points.
When we (humans) slaughter an animal in the name of Allah, the flesh appears on the bones of that animal for Jinns. We cannot see it.
The growing of flesh over bones and consumed by Jinns indicates that they could be carnivores.
The third point proves that Jinns also have animals among them as we have. We cannot see them, but those animals might see us.
But what type of animals are those? Allah knows best.
But this hadith proves that those animals feed on animals’ dung, which is fodder for them.
Fodder refers to food that livestock animals (such as sheep, cattle, goats, and camels) often consume, such as grass, dried hay, and straw.
So, could those animals be the livestock of Jinns? Allah knows best. But I think so.
However, this hadith answers our question that Jinns have a diet based on bones. The bones should be of the animal on which the name of Allah is recited.
Another hadith which Abdullah ibn Mas’ud narrates is:
“A deputation of the Jinn came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: O Muhammad, forbid your community to cleanse themselves with a bone or dung or charcoal, for in them Allah has provided sustenance for us. So the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade them to do so.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 39)
This hadith indicated that charcoal also contained sustenance for them.
The discussion between prophet PBUH indicated that those Jinns were speaking Arabic. However, you learn more: what language do jinns speak.
Diet of evil Jinns
Now, let’s discuss what is haram for them to eat. Well, this diet is specifically for evil Jinns (shaytan).
Let me quote some hadiths.
Jabir narrates that prophet PBUH said:
When one of you eats food, and he drops a piece of it, then let him remove anything suspicious from it and eat it. Do not leave it for Ash-Shaitan. (Jami at Tirmidhi 1802)
What did you learn from it?
If something drops while we eat, we should pick it up, remove dirt, and then eat it.
If we do not do so, this will become the food of shaitan (evil Jinn).
Imagine eating a pizza in a restaurant, and a piece of a slice drops. You did not pick it up and left it for the shaitan, who will eat it. What does this mean?
This indicates that evil Jinns can eat anything we eat, but on which the name of Allah is not recited. The same goes for drinks.
If you start your meal by saying Bismillah, the shaitan will not be able to eat from it.
These references tell us what is permissible for Jinns and what the evil Jinns eat.
Now, you know that Jinns cannot eat something over which the name of Allah is recited. Then why are people afraid of Jinns often, even after reciting many surahs?
Do not be afraid of Jinns. They have no power over us unless we are not following Islam.
Thank Allah for what you have been blessed with, and start every good deed with the name of Allah!
