Who are the Bunian?

Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

BismillahHirahmanirRahim
BismillahHirahmanirRahim
BismillahHirahmanirRahim

Alhamdulillah syukur kepada ALLAH

Who are the Bunian?

September 03, 2016

Peace be upon our beloved friends, followers of this blog and dear readers who may have chanced upon my virtual accounts of the trials and tribulations of Puteri Nur, the one and only Human-Bunian Hybrid. For first-timers (and recurring visitors alike), my name is Haji Muhammad, otherwise known as Bentara Tujuh, Guardian and Mediator to Puteri Nur and Herald to the Bunian Kings. These writings are sincere and honest recollections, records and reflections of experiences with the Hybrid and the Bunian Kings. I am not writing fiction, and neither am I writing to gain popularity or fame. All the accounts herein are facts about the Human-Bunian Hybrid and the Bunian Kings and their realm.

The Bunian have been mentioned in Malay folklore as supernatural beings possessing magical powers and great beauty. However, a great number of misconceptions have developed over the centuries of oral traditions passed from one generation to the next. I hope to unravel these misconceptions about the Bunian and present the truth the world, in an effort to clear their name and provide the actual facts about them, who they are and what they actually do.

1. Bunian are not Jinn

This is a common misconception amongst people. The Bunian, despite their supernatural nature, are not Jinn. The Qur'an mentions just a few of Allah's creations, namely Man, Angels (Malaikat), Spirits (roh), the Devil or Demons (Iblis) and the Jinn. Some may argue that because the Holy Book does not mention the Bunian specifically, they must be a type of Jinn. I beg to differ. Allah is Al-Khaliq (The Creator), and He created a multitude of creatures to fill the Universe. It is mentioned in the Qur'an that the Universe has 7 layers of skies and 7 layers of Earth. If all of His creations were to be mentioned in the Qur'an, the volumes would reach the skies! 

The Qur'an is a guide book, an instruction manual, not the Encyclopaedia Britannica. While some issues are addressed in detail, others are mentioned very briefly or discreetly. This is why the first verse of the Qur'an that was revealed to our Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) states, "Read in the Name of thy God Who Creates"(surah Al-Alaq, verse 1). It is a statement to Mankind that we are intelligent, sentient beings, able to think and make choices. As such, it is up to humans to explore and develop their knowledge of the Universe and of things around them, with the Qur'an as a guide. If we look at known scientific facts, many of them were not mentioned specifically or directly in the Qur'an. Of the millions of species of animals and plants in existence, very few are mentioned in the Qur'an. But nonetheless, they exist. This is Allah's Greatness manifested. If He were to tell us about every single thing that existed in the Universe, what is the purpose of our ability to think?

Some of the Bunian Kings in full battle armor

In etymology, the word "Jinn" comes from an Arabic word that means "to hide" or literally "beings that are hidden from the senses". The 72nd surah (chapter) of the Qur'an is entitled "Al-Jinn", and contains verses in relation to these beings. It is mentioned that Jinn are created from smokeless fire, but are able to take certain forms (animals and humanoid) and interact with humans and objects in the physical realm. It is perhaps because of this loose definition of the word "Jinn" that the Bunian (and other supernatural beings not specifically mentioned in the Qur'an) are labelled as such. Many ustaz (Islamic religious teachers) also brand the Bunian as Jinn, solely based on this definition and misleading oral traditions. To better understand this issue, I feel it is proper that we should look at 3 facts about the Jinn, which are mentioned in the Qur'an.

a. Jinn are created from smokeless fire (Qur'an, 15:27). 

It is a well-known fact among Muslims and those who are well-versed in the supernatural that Jinn are created from fire. Because of this, they are able to take on a multitude of forms, mainly animals and humanoid. There are also formless Jinn, often presenting themselves as smoke-like entities.

The Bunian, on the other hand, were created of Light, similar to the Angels but that is where the similarities end. The Bunian are created in human form, with the addition of wings on their backs. Bunian also do not take multiple forms. They remain in their human form, only changing the appearance of their attire to suit their purpose. In the first verse of surah Al-Faatir, it is mentioned that "Allah adds to His creations at His Will". This verse impresses upon humans that Allah has the power and the will to create anything and everything. As such, nothing is impossible for Allah the Almighty, including the creation of the Bunian.

b. Jinn are created well before Humans. 

It is also mentioned in the Qur'an in surah Al-Kahfi that Allah commanded the Angels and the Jinn to bow before Adam, but one of them - Azazil - refused and was cast out of Heaven and sent to Earth. The surah also mentioned that Azazil was of the Jinn. This proves that the Jinn were created before Man.

The Bunian, however, were created after Adam, when he was cast down to Earth for disobeying Allah's command. The Bunian and Muslim Jinn were commanded to help Adam live and thrive on Earth, especially after his son Qabil murdered his brother Habil, as a result of being under the influence of Iblis (the Devil). As such, the Bunian were commanded to tighten security and be more vigilant in their task to discreetly help the Humans to thrive on Earth.

c. There are Muslim and non-Muslim Jinn

It is mentioned in surah Al-Jinn, that there are Jinn who are devout (abid) and those who are deviant (kafir). 

The Bunian, in contrast, are exclusively Muslim and there is no deviant or non-Muslim Bunian.

2. The Bunian do not possess or help humans directly

Another common misconception is that Bunian can possess humans and make them do things that are against their wills, or possess humans during alternative healing sessions in order to help cure the sick. This is untrue as the Bunian were not created to help humans in such ways. They are forbidden by Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala to enter the human body, or directly intervene in Human activities.

Jinn, on the other hand, are known to possess human beings either willingly or by force. There are cases when the Jinn possessing the human admitted to being Bunian. Most of the time, the Jinn pretending to be Bunian are of the Kebayan variety. These Jinn often take the form of beautiful, young women or "princesses" and present a very pleasant personality so as to coax humans into thinking that they are benevolent and mean well. The true form of the Kebayan Jinn are hideous old hags with wrinkled skins and warts, and often hunchbacked with some of them holding staffs and carrying flower baskets. The deviant Kebayan are the most evil of the Jinn, and cause extreme mood swings and serious emotional imbalance to those whom they attach themselves to.

3. The Bunian do not take away or kidnap human babies

This is another frequent false statement about the Bunian. Malay tradition often mentions that supernatural beings known as Bunian take away some human babies to be raised in their realm. Honestly, there may be some truth to this statement, but for the wrong reasons. We have encountered cases where the parents of the said "abducted" baby claim that their child was taken by the Bunian. Upon further investigation, we found out that in most of the cases, the culprit was the Jinn.

In the past, the Bunian were allowed to have matrimonial relations with humans, for the single purpose of the conception of the Human-Bunian Hybrid. However, only one of these inter-dimensional marriages is destined to produce the Hybrid. As for the others, their descendants will either become fully Bunian or fully human. Should they become fully human, the child will be born into the human world as a normal baby would. Nonetheless, if the baby is destined to become fully Bunian, it will be taken by the Bunian upon childbirth or in the later months of pregnancy because the baby will not be able to survive in the human world. Likewise, a human (infant or adult) will not be able to survive in Alamzara, the Bunian realm.

In the case of Puteri Nur, the Bunian were monitoring her development in her mother's womb and were ready to take her away to Alamzara when they realized that she had a mortal body. Praise be to Allah, the Hybrid has finally arrived!

4. The Bunian do not give treasure

The Bunian have been said to give treasure to humans. This is untrue, in fact, the Bunian are not allowed to directly involve themselves in human affairs. Stories of Bunian providing humans with magical treasure in the form of gold and jewels are not true. Again, this is the work of Jinn who are able to physically conjure objects seemingly out of thin air. In truth, the so-called treasure (or in some cases cold hard cash) have been taken from another location and materialized in front of the conjurer. 

The Bunian do help humans to achieve their goals by assisting them and providing them with means to ease their tasks. Arranging instances and bringing in people who will be of assistance to the person. Giving them inspirations, ideas and skills or talents that will help them in life. But this is done discreetly and without the person's knowledge. It is also done upon Allah's decree and consent. This is how the Bunian help humans, not by spoon feeding them with money, gold and jewels.

5. The Bunian do not wear human attire

Traditionally, the Bunian are described as being gentle folk, wearing white baju kurung and holding baskets of flowers, bathing and singing at waterfalls. They are also said to live in villages in close proximity with human settlements.

In truth, they are fierce, fearless warriors of God who are armor-clad and armed from head to toe. Their task besides helping humans discreetly, is to wage war against the Iblis and infidel Jinn. They fight daily battles with the Iblis and the Jinn, and the Bunian are basically the marshals of the Supernatural Realm. They keep the order and their constant vigil keep the Iblis and the Jinn in check. The Bunian Kings are winged fighters wielding magical weapons. They are not unlike the Elves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, but without the pointed ears and addition of magnificent wings and intricate crowns that grow like deer antlers from their heads.

Depiction of one of the Bunian Kings in armor, referred to in this blog as Putera Aria.

Putera Aria, in formal attire

The Bunian reside in a magical realm known as Alamzara. It is also known as Kayangan in Malay folklore. It is a land devoid of sunlight, their primary source of light being the Bunian themselves. The land is filled with white trees, bearing white fruits, populated with a myriad of white mythical animals. The rivers and seas are also milky white, while the rocks are solid chunks of gold and the sands are gleaming pearls. Their buildings are akin to the traditional Russian architecture, with spiraling domes and tall towers, all in white and gold.

These are among the most common misconceptions about the Bunian that I have encountered over the years since I have been with the Bunian. It is hoped that my brief explanation will lift the veil on the truth about the Bunian and help bring about a new understanding of these magical and wonderful creations of Allah the Almighty.

The Truth about BUNIAN

July 03, 2012

Assalamu'alaikum. By the Grace of ALLAH the Beneficent, the Merciful. There is no God but ALLAH, and MUHAMMAD is His Messenger. When ALLAH subhanahuwata'ala created Adam 'alaihissalam, He commanded all His creations to bow down to him. All of ALLAH's creations bowed down to Adam 'alaihissalam EXCEPT IBLIS. It has been revealed in surah Al-Baqarah, verse 33, "And when We said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, EXCEPT Iblis. He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever." Iblis was made to be the most beautiful of Allah's creatures, from fire and Adam was made from earth, which was collected by Angels from all over. Iblis said, "Why should I bow down to Adam, who is of earth, while I am created from beautiful flame?" But when he refused to bow down to Adam, ALLAH changed him to be the ugliest of all creatures. This Iblis was known as AZAZIL, the first of his kind. Iblis was vengeful towards Adam. When Adam was cast down to Earth, Iblis asked that he be granted one wish: that he may not be destroyed till the End of Days, Qiamat. He vowed to plunge each and every descendant of Adam 'alaihissalam to Hell. This request was recorded in surah Al-A'raf, verse 14, "He said: Reprieve me till the day when they are raised (from the dead)."

ALLAH subhanahuwata'ala granted his request, but He is Wise and Benevolent. He created the Bunian in the form of Man, but out of light instead of clay. The Bunian is tasked with the protection of Man and only they and the Angels (Malaikat) can destroy Iblis and his kin. Iblis and his kind are of hot fire, and they spread like wildfire. But ALLAH is Wise, and He sent Angels who can kill Iblis with arrows when lightning strikes, along with the Bunian on earth. That is why the Bunian were created on the form of Man, so that they can commune with Man. It is revealed in the Holy Quran that when Adam had two pairs of twin offspring, ALLAH commanded that he marry them with each other - Habil with Qabil's sister Iqlima while Qabil with Habil's sister, Labuda. Qabil rejected the idea because according to him, his sister Iqlima is more beautiful and he wishes to marry her. SubhanAllah, Qabil murdered Habil his brother under the influence of Iblis. Thus occured the first murder in the history of Man. This was revealed in the Holy Quran in surah Al-Ma'edah, verse 30, "But (the other's) mind imposed on him the killing of his brother, so he slew him and became one of the losers."

Looking at this incident, how can Man survive and breed without help? Habil's murder wiped out 1/6th of the human population, masyaAllah! ALLAH subhanahuwata'ala therefore sent forth the Bunian, along with the Muslim Jinn to help protect Adam 'alaihissalam and his fledgeling family from the lies and deception of Iblis. It was the Bunian and the Muslim Jinn that helped teach Adam how to plant crops and build houses, for he did not know these things when he was cast out of Heaven. ALLAH is Wise and All-Knowing. In his Wisdom He had created the Bunian. Ever since then, the Bunian has been looking over Man, guiding them, helping them and protecting them from Iblis and the Jinn Kafir (disbelievers). Allahuakbar.

SubhanAllah, the Bunian were created in the form of Man so that they may interact with Mankind. Like the Angels, the Bunian are of light. The only difference being that the Bunian eat, drink and sleep. However, they do not eat meat for it is considered an act of murder by the Bunian. They are also not visible to the naked eye. The Bunian are not mentioned in the Holy Quran because they are ALLAH'S secret. They have rulers - royalty - and the Bunian royalty have wings and crowns, praise be to ALLAH. This is another similarity of the Bunian to Angels, as mentioned in the first verse of surah Faatir, "Praise be to ALLAH, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who appointeth the angels messengers having wings two, three and four. He multiplieth in creation what He will. Lo! ALLAH is Able to do all things." All Bunian are Muslims, and they are found all over the world, wherever Muslims are found. They would come to the aid of the oppressed and pure of heart. This is supported by a verse in surah Al-Qasas, "And We desired to show favour unto those who were oppressed in the earth." (Al-Quran, 28:5). SubhanAllah, it is by the Will of ALLAH that the Bunian come to our aid.

ALLAH subhanahuwata'ala created many Realms, and within each Realm their own inhabitants, which are suited to live in their respective environments. It was mentioned in surah Hud, verse 7, "And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days...", in surah An-Naba', verse 12, "And We have built above you seven strong (heavens)" and in surah Ash-Shura, verse 29, "And of His portents is the creation of the heaven and the earth, and of whatever creatures He hath dispersed therein". The Bunian reside in one of these Realms. The Realm of the Bunian is devoid of sunlight, but remains lit by the light of the Bunian. It is also damp and is inhabited by various creatures - jinn - in the form of fantastic animals such as gold-antlered stags. As the Bunian do not eat meat, they take fruits and leaves, and also the scent of flowers. They need water and in the human world, are always close to waterfalls. The Bunian dress in plain white clothes, with only royalty having crowns and jewelry. Bunian royalty are known as Putera and Puteri (Prince and Princess) and the Putera have scepters. A common misconception is that all Bunian are royalty. This is not true as there are common Bunian folk as well. Some healers are accompanied by these common Bunian folk, who do not possess wings or crowns. Bunian are able to travel between Realms, but do not manifest themselves to the human eye. Nonetheless, humans who have their hijab lifted may see the Bunian should they will it, and with ALLAH'S Grace. 

As mentioned in surah Ad-Dhariyat, verse 56, "I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me." That is all the Bunian do. They perform the solat, zikir and recite the Quran. They praise ALLAH at all times. They are pure, pious beings who only worship ALLAH. The Bunian also fight against the Iblis, preventing them from bringing harm to Humankind. AlhamduLillah. Nonetheless, they are fewer in number and are often oppressed by the Iblis and Jinn Kafir. There are many tales to the origin of the Bunian. One that is most frequently heard is that the Bunian is the offspring of a man and a jinn. Another origin story states that the Bunian are from a group of pious people who asked ALLAH to hide them from human sight because of their wrongdoings. Bunian have also been said as being "hantu" (ghosts) or jinn or even Iblis. All of this is not true. Bunian are created from Light, just as Angels are, except that Bunian eat, drink and sleep, and are able to communicate with humans. There are many incidents where the Iblis and Jinn Kafir disguise themselves as Bunian to lead Mankind astray. Tales of people receiving "Bunian treasure" and various artifacts that are supposedly from the Realm of the Bunian are not true. These "treasures" are in fact brought to them by Jinn Kafir and Iblis to deceive Mankind! Na'uzuBillah! The Bunian have no use for gold and gems, and will not bequeath them to humans, unless they are the rightful heir to the treasure. The only true treasures that belong to Bunian are rosaries (tasbih) that are used in zikir, which are awarded to those who are in need. The Bunian crowns actually grow from their heads like antlers on deer they and cannot be removed, subhanAllah! How can people claim to have Bunian crowns? Another misleading information is that the Bunian would "steal" babies from their mothers' wombs. This is yet another myth, as humans cannot live in the Bunian realm. As mentioned earlier, each Realm has its own creatures. Why would the Bunian kidnap human babies? They are, in fact, Bunian babies. The human mother must have had a Bunian ancestor, as the child was to be born a Bunian. Likewise, if humans cannot survive in the Bunian realm, neither can a Bunian survive in the human world - first and foremost they are invisible to the human eye! SubhanAllah! That is why the Bunian would take the baby away and raise it in their realm.

The Bunian first appeared to Humankind in Malaya during the 1930's. They came to Nyak Puteh, the father of renowned actor, singer, songwriter, musician and director the late Tan Sri P.Ramlee. The Bunian came to warn Nyak Puteh of an impeding danger: World War II. But nobody listened to them, and the Japanese occupied Malaya. After the Japanese occupation, the Bunian then appeared to P.Ramlee. He was just a stage hand at the time. He was poor and oppressed so the Bunian came to him. They helped him gain his popularity and wealth through the entertainment industry, in which he acted and directed some 66 films and was credited with about 360 songs. The Bunian revealed to him their world and their culture so that he may reveal the truth about the Bunian. Nonetheless, he changed many things to suit his taste, typically the Bunian clothes and dance. Films like Pancha Delima and Sumpah Orang Minyak were inspired by the Bunian, and so were many of his songs, notably Istana Bunian. Unfortunately, the Bunian left P.Ramlee when he took the susuk,  charm needles that act as talismans. The susuk is forbidden in Islam and is a sinful act to take them. P Ramlee bade the Bunian to return, but they did not for he had the susuk with him. The Bunian dislike people who have sinned. As such, P Ramlee's career dwindled and he died at an early age of 44 in 1973. After that, many film makers took the idea of the Bunian and crafted a different image of these sacred beings. MasyaAllah.

Now, almost 40 years since P.Ramlee's death, the Bunian have made themselves known again, this time through the last heir of Putera Nara, Puteri Nur, who is also the one and only Bunian-human hybrid. Here I would like to invite anyone whose HIJAB has been lifted to come and meet Puteri Nur in person. Do email me at pg5bntr7@gmail.com. I have performed the Hajj and I also have a degree in Biological Sciences. Puteri Nur has wings and crown that are invisible to the naked eye, but can be seen by those whose HIJAB has been lifted, including Ustaz and Alim-ulama who have the gift of treating people. Puteri Nur's nenda, Puteri Sari, had asked an Ustaz to recite the surah AS-SAJADAH unto water that was used to bathe Puteri Nur on the first day upon the birth of her wings. Bunian, like Angles, have wings... but only the royalty. As mentioned before, there are many Jinn Kafir who oppress the Bunian, misleading people and driving them away from the Bunian. This is an unseen war that has been waged since the beginning of Humanity. SubhanAllah. Such is the Grace of ALLAH. It is her mission to reveal the truth about the Bunian. These benevolent beings mean no harm. On the contrary, they and the Muslim Jinn were the ones who helped Adam 'alaihissalam cultivate the land and build houses. They assisted Nuh 'alaihissalam in building his Ark. They also helped Ibrahim 'alaihissalam build the Kaabah. When Musa 'alaihissalam was floated down the Nile, the Bunian and Muslim Jinn helped guide the container bearing the infant Musa to the Pharaoh's palace. This incident was mentioned in surah Al-Qasas, verse 7, "And We inspired the mother of Musa, saying: Suckle him and, when thou fearest for him, then cast him into the river and fear not nor grieve." They were also present at the battles of MUHAMMAD salallahu'alaihiwassallam, namely the Battle of Badar.

The Bunian, Muslim Jinn and Angels - the Soldiers of ALLAH - are fighting a daily war against the Iblis and the Jinn Kafir. Therefore, the Jinn Kafir use many tactics to mislead Man, including disguising themselves as Bunian! This is a war that cannot be seen by the naked eye. As Muslims, it is our duty to uphold the six Pillars of Faith and the five Pillars of Islam. Wallahi, wabillahi, such is the truth about the Bunian. Wassalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.