There were numerous occurrences like these of angels being seen. They all demonstrated one sort of the miracles of Muhammad (UWBP), and show that the angels too were like moths drawn to the lamp of his prophethood.
When it comes to jinns, it was not only the Companions, it frequently happens that ordinary members of the Muslim community meet with them and see them. But the most certain and authentic reports are given us by the leading scholars of Hadith, who say: Ibn Mas‘ud related: “I saw the jinn on the night they accepted Islam at Batn al-Nakhl. I likened them to the Zut, a tall-statured Sudanese tribe; they resembled them.”1
There was also the incident concerning Khalid b. al-Walid, which is famous and has been authenticated and accepted by the leading scholars of Hadith: when the idol called ‘Uzza was destroyed, a jinn came out of it in the form of a black woman. Khalid cut it into two with his sword. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said in connection with this: “They used to worship it inside the idol ‘Uzza; it can no longer be worshipped.”2
Also, is a narration from ‘Umar: he said: “While we were with God’s Messenger (UWBP), a jinn called Hama came in the form of an old man carrying a staff; he accepted Islam. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) instructed him in some of the short Suras of the Qur’an, which he listened to and then departed.”3 Some scholars of Hadith have questioned this last incident, but the most important of them declared it to be authentic. In any event, it is unnecessary to describe this sort at length, for the examples of it are many. We would only add this:
Through the light of God’s Noble Messenger (UWBP), through his training and through following him, thousands of spiritual poles and purified scholars like Shaikh ‘Abd al-Qadir Gilani have met and spoken with angels and jinn. This fact has reached the degree of consensus a hundred times over through innumerable instances.4 Yes, members of Muhammad’s (UWBP) community being in contact with angels and jinn, and speaking with them, occurs through the miraculous guidance and instruction of the Noble Messenger (UWBP).
Musnad (Tahqiq: Ahmad Shakir), vi, 165, no: 4353; Suyuti, al-Khasa’is al-Kubra, i, 343; ii, 361.
Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 362; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 287; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 738; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya, iv, 316; al-Haythami, Majma’ al-Zawa’id, vi, 176.
Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 363; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa’, iii, 287; Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwa, v, 416-8.
Ibn Taymiyya, al-Tawassul wa’l-Wasila, 24; Ibn Taymiyya, Majmu’ al-Fatawa, xi, 307.