Reasons for Possession
1. Revenge When a jinn possesses a human being for revenge, it is usually because the human has caused harm to it, or the jinn thinks the person has intentionally caused it harm. The ways in which a human can cause harm to the jinn When the jinn possess a human for revenge it usually due to one of the following reasons:
Pouring boiling water: Boiling water can cause harm to the jinn or even kill them. If a person for example pours boiling water in the bathroom or in the lavatory while cleaning, and does not say bismillah before they pour water, a jinn could be sleeping there, perhaps a baby, or a young jinn and they will be killed or harmed, and the family, or tribe of the jinn will want to take revenge.
Urinating in places where jinn reside: The jinn reside in places where human beings do not frequently visit, and tend to take control of these areas and make them their homes. For example, insect holes, caves or woodlands. If a jinn is sleeping or sitting with his family by a bush for example, and a human comes and urinates there, where the jinn resides, and he doesn’t say bismillah beforehand, the jinn can take control of him, since they feel that he has caused them harm, so the effect will be that they will cause him harm in return. I have personally seen this happen where a brother came to me, I read roqya for him, and the jinn had explained that he had taken control of this person because of his actions in a park.
Harming animals that have jinn in them: Jinn can take the form of animals/Jinn can live in animals, particularly black animals, and so if a person harms an animal, particularly at night, these can be jinn and they can harm you back. Shaykh al-Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, said: The jinn may appear in human and animal form, so they may appear as snakes and scorpions etc., or in the form of camels, cattle, sheep, horses, mules and donkeys, or in the form of birds, or in the form of humans, as the Shaytaan came to Quraysh in the form of Suraaqah ibn Maalik ibn Ju’sham when they wanted to set out for Badr. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 19/44.) According to the Prophet ﷺ, if a snake enters your home, it may be a jinn, and so you must give it the time and option to leave, for 3 days and if it still refuses then kill it as it is Shaytaan. Avoid black cats and dogs. “…There are in Medina jinns who have accepted Islam, so when you see any one of them, pronounce a warning to it for three days, and if they appear before you after that, then kill it for that is a devil.” (Book #026, Hadith #5557)
Shouting out loud, wailing, singing or reciting Qur’an in the toilet: This is something I have had experience with. A brother who came to me for roqya had been speaking to himself in the toilet. Slowly he went into conversation with the Shayateen, saying he was stronger than them, and that they couldn’t do anything to him. The Jinn possessed him, and he was to blame, because he was the one who told the jinn to present themselves.
Jumping from a high place without saying bismillah: If a person says bismillah before an act, the jinn can hear it, and they will not ignore it. Sometimes a characteristic of the jinn is that they are arrogant, so it doesn’t matter to them if they see you, they think you can see them, but deep down they know you cannot. In turn they let you harm them, nudge or touch them and then they will touch you back. That evening you will not sleep all night, tossing and turning until they have had enough, then they will go back to their family – if they don’t like to possess humans, they want to live freely in the wilderness, settle and travel the way they want to. Whereas there are some jinn that want to live a material life, and to be in a human and that’s when they enter them.
Throwing stones or objects in the wilderness without saying bismillah: If a person throws something it can hit and can harm the jinn. The person should always start with bismillah before he does this. Reading books on magic and calling upon the jinn to present themselves: This can cause harm. I have seen this happen. The person may get attacked and harmed, played with or possessed. This is the result of playing with Shaytaan, which is why it is forbidden for us to read these books. Spraying insect killer without saying bismillah: As mentioned jinn can take the form of insects and animals, and so if a person uses insect killer without saying bismillah they can kill the jinn.
2. Indirect Revenge This happens when a person is doing their Adhkaar, reciting Qur’an, staying away from haram to the best of their ability and is obedient to Allah azza wa jal, the jinn does not have anyway to attack the intended target, except through a those closest to him/her, for example the husband or wife etc.
3. One who turns away from the remembrance of Allah A jinn will oppress a human being woo is heedless of the remembrance of Allah swt. We have to remember the jinn are not without intelligence, they have intellect. They will plan and wait until a person is exposed or a member of the family is also exposed. A person must always be calling upon Allah swt to help and protect him/her, which is why the morning and even remembrance of Allah is so important as this does not render a person exposed to such vigilance on the part of the attacking jinn. And whoever is blinded from remembrance of the most merciful, we appoint for him a devil and he is to him a companion (43:36).
4. Lustful desire Definition of Al Jinn al Ashiq Al Jinn al aashiq is not a new expression or understanding. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said the possession of man by jinn can be out of sexual desire, evil notions, or even love just as it is with humans which is Fahsha’a, i.e. immorality and bad conduct which is forbidden, that is if the two have agreed on the act. However if only the jinn is doing this out of their will it is oppression. The one who is committing this crime must be informed of there actions and they will be judged according to Allah and His messenger’s laws which were sent for man and jinn. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said taking pleasure in something or someone is to get what they want from the person or thing as what they wish or desire. This falls under all types of pleasure. The jinn will bring thing for them to please man , an image or money, take revenge on someone through murder, and in return they require man to obey the jinn by making them do acts of shirk, such as sujood to the jinn or another object or taking pleasure in them. And [mention, O Muhammad], the Day when He will gather them together [and say], “O company of jinn, you have [misled] many of mankind.” And their allies among mankind will say, “Our Lord, some of us made use of others, and we have [now] reached our term, which you appointed for us.” He will say, “The Fire is your residence, wherein you will abide eternally, except for what Allah wills. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing.”
5. Sihr The jinn accompany the one who has been bewitched to accomplish his goal. A person who visits a Saahir can be possessed.
6. ‘Ayn A Shaytaan will enter a person body through the channel of the evil eye, from the nafs of the one who has given the eye. The Shaytaan will see this channel from the person who gives the evil eye, through jealousy or envy, and will enter the person’s body through this channel.
7. Zaar Zaar is a trance ceremony that uses drumming and dancing to cure an illness thought to be caused by a demon, it is prohibited by Islam as a pagan practice. The participants will form a circle and dance until they start losing control of their bodies and the jinn will enter them. Even if one is not taking part, but is present they can be possessed because they are not in a gathering of the remembrance of Allah azza wa jal, but a gathering of the remembrance of Shaytaan. In most places that are gatherings of Shaytaan, the possibility arises for a person to be possessed. I have had an experiences where patients have been raving, staying out late, listening to loud music, dancing, taking drugs and drinking alcohol and all types of Al Munkar and Al Fahsha’ will be there, and so this is a time when the Shayateen will be there and they will possess a human being. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said there is time that a person who has been possessed out of love, this type is less difficult as others, such as revenge by possession, or by pouring hot water or killing them without knowing, and this is the most difficult type of possession. What this means, Allahu Alim, is that the possession of a jinn who is taking a revenge is different to the one who possesses for love, they are not trying to kill them, they just want to be with them, even though they can cause them a lot of harm by making them ill, or not appear nice. These are tricks the jinn do so that the person is just theirs, but when it is revenge they are trying to kill the individual. And Allah knows best.