I would like to ask you about Jinn. Is it true that they live with us and eat our food? I heard that we should cover the food but if they can eat they can also uncover it, right? How can I protect my house against bad Jinn?

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

It is confirmed in Saheeh Muslim and others that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Cover vessels, tie-up water-skins, close the doors and extinguish the lamps, for Satan does not loosen the water-skin, does not open the door and does not uncover the vessels.  And if one amongst you fails to find (something) to cover it well, he should cover it by placing (a piece of) wood (a small stick) across it mentioning the name of Allah."

The scholars explained this Hadith and other similar Ahadith, and said that Satan cannot loosen water-skins, or open a closed door, or uncover the vessels, on the condition that a person mentions the name of Allah on them.

However, if a person does not mention the name of Allah, then the above does not apply.

Al-Nawawi said: 'This Hadith contains sentences about some kinds of good and general ethics about the benefits of this world and the Hereafter.  So the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) ordered us to observe these ethics which are a means of being protected from the harm of Satan.'

Thus Allah determined the above ethics to be a means of protection from the harm of Satan, as he cannot uncover the vessels, or loosen a water-skin, or open a door or harm a child and so on, if these ethics were respected.

In another Saheeh Hadith: "If a slave, when entering his house, mentions the name of Allah, then Satan would say: ‘There is no spending the night” meaning there is no power in us spending the night with these people."

Also, when a man before having sexual intercourse with his wife says: “In the Name of Allah, O Allah, keep the devil away from us and keep the devil away from what you have blessed us with”, then it will be a reason for the protection of the baby from the harm of the devil”. There are many Saheeh renowned Ahadith similar to the above. 

In the above Hadith, there is an incitation to remember Allah in that particular condition, the benefits of which are mentioned.

Allah knows best.