Jinn take Different Shapes and Forms

Abu  Hurayra  said:  "The  Prophet  (Peace be upon him) deputized  me  to  look  after  the Sadaqah  (al-Fitr)  of  Ramadan.  Somebody   came and started  taking handfuls of the foodstuff of the Sadaqah stealthily.   I took hold of him and said: 'By Allah, I will take you to Allah’s Apostle.'  He said: 'I am needy and have many dependants, and I am in great need.'  I released him.  The next day the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked me:  "What did your prisoner do yesterday?”  I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, the person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go.'  He (Peace be upon him) said: 'Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again.'  I believed that he would show up again as the Prophet had told me that he would return, so I waited for him watchfully.  When he showed up and started stealing handfuls  of foodstuff,  I caught hold of him again  and  said:  'I  will  definitely  take  you  to the Messenger  of Allah'. He  said:  'Leave  me,  for  I  am  very  needy  and  have  many dependents.  I promise I will not come back again.'  I pitied him and let him go.  In the morning the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked me:  ‘What did your prisoner do?' I replied: ‘O Messenger of Allah, he complained of his great need and of having so many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free.'  The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: 'Verily, he told you a lie and he will return.'  I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he came and started stealing  handfuls  of the foodstuff,  I caught hold of him and said: 'I will surely take you to the Messenger of Allah, for it is the third  time  you promise  not  to return,  yet you have  broken  your promise  and come.'  He said:  'Forgive me and I will teach you some words with which Allah would benefit you.'  I asked: 'What are they?' He replied:  'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayatul-Kursi (Allahu la iIaha illa  huwa-l-Haiy-ul Qaiyyum ...) until you  finish  the  whole verse.   If you do so, Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no demon will come near you till morning.'  So, I released him. In the morning, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked: ‘What did your prisoner do yesterday?'  I replied:  'He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah would benefit me, so I let him go.'  The Prophet (Peace be upon him) asked:  'What are they?'  I replied:  'He  told me, 'Whenever  you go to bed, recite Ayatul-Kursi  from beginning  to end (Allahu   la ilaha illa huwa-l-Haiy-ul-Qaiyyum...)  He  further  said  to  me:  'If  you  do  so, Allah  will  appoint  a guard  for you who  will  stay with  you, and no demon will come near you till morning.'  Abu Hurayrah or another sub­narrator added that they (the Companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet said: ‘He really spoke the truth, although he is a great liar. Do you know to whom you were talking for these three nights, O Abu Hurayrah?'  I replied:  'No.' He (Peace be upon him) said: 'It was Satan.’”[1]

Al-Hadid  used  this  Hadith  as  a proof  that  Satan  can  take  different forms and shapes, and it is possible to see him.  He also said that the Verse: “He and his tribe see you from where you do not see them,”[2] refers to when Satan is in his original state. Al-Hadid stated in another place: "Al-Bayhaqi reported,  in Manaqib al-Shafi'i,  on the authority of ar-Rabi'  who heard al-Shafi'i  say: 'We  reject the testimony of anyone who  claims  that  he  has  actually  seen  a Jinn,  unless  the person is a prophet’". Al-Hafid said:  'al-Shafi'i's statement concerns those who claim to see Jinn in the shape in which they were created.  But those who  claim to have  seen them after  they have progressed   and assumed  a different   form  as  animal  should   not  be  criticised,   because   there  are many narrations   that confirm  this possibility?”[3]

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "Jinn can change into snakes, the way the Children of Israel were transformed into monkeys   and pigs (as punishment   from Allah)"[4].

Abu Qulabah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported  that  the  Prophet  (Peace be upon him) said:  "Had  dogs  not  been a nation,   I would  have  ordered   them  all  to  be  killed, but  I  dread  to destroy  a whole  nation.  Therefore,   (you may) kill any black dog, for it is a demon or represents one".[5]

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: "When anyone of you stands for prayer and there is a thing before him equal to the back of the saddle that covers him and unless he has before him (a thing) equal to the back of the saddle, his prayer would be cut off by (passing of an) ass, a woman; or a black dog". I asked: 'O Abu Dharr, what feature is there in a black dog which distinguishes it from a red dog or a yellow dog?' He said: 'Son of my brother, I asked the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) as you are asking me, and he said: ‘The black dog is a devil '.[6]

Ibn Taymiyah has said: "The black dog is the Devil of the dogs, and Jinn transform themselves into its shape, and they do the same in the form of the black cat; for blackness gathers the forces of evil."[7]

On the day of Badr, Iblis assumed the shape of Suraqah bin Malik, the leader  of  Mudlij  tribe;  he  supported  the  polytheists  with  his  army, saying: "Today you are undefeated and I am your support." But when people lined in ranks, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) took a handful of dust and threw it towards the faces of the unbelievers who retreated immediately. Jibril came to Iblis, whose hand was helping one of the polytheists; he immediately pulled out and left the scene with his followers. The man he was helping said: "Suraqah, you claim that you are supporting us."

Iblis replied: "I see what you do not see; I fear Allah and His Punishment (as he said when he saw the Angels).”[8]

According to Ibn Taymiyah: "Jinn take the form of humans and animals; they may change into snakes, scorpions, camels, cows, sheep, horses, mares, asses; and also into the form of birds and humans."[9]