Imagine being asked this question in your science class in a conservative Muslim society. Do not worry if you do not know what Jinns are. Most of the Muslims do not know much about them. The point is to entertain an idea (and keep on believing in it) without ever understanding it. We do it all our lives.You can certainly do it for a few minutes.
Surprisingly it does not matter if the question is raised in a university setup or by a school kid. The number of ways it can be answered and the scope of discussion remain the same. There are only a few other things for which the scope of discussion does not change with age or education.
Anyways, here are the options you can (or can not) exercise to answer the question.
Your first response that jinns do not exist will not work. The belief in jinns is not a direct part of the faith, but they are mentioned in the holy book. Denying their existence will be perceived as blasphemy. You will be arrested, put in jail, and forgotten. No lawyer will dare to represent you, and no judge will have the courage to proceed with the case. And this is you being lucky. More likely you will have a painful death at the hands of an angry mob.
The second option is to claim that jinns are in a different realm. They do not interact with matter and energy. This will be a safe thing to say but the bright ones will not buy it. How can they not interact with matter when they are known to have served and conversed with prophets? And then some jinns are shape shifters. How can there be a shape without matter (more precisely energy)? Like how can there be color without shape? How is it possible? Do not worry. Only the bright ones will ask you these questions. If you are lucky and have students with an average IQ, the response will be fine. But it will not always work.
The third option is to blame the technology. You can say, "While it is possible to do so, we do not yet have the know-how and the resources to harness the powers of jinns". This might be the most practical and the least problematic solution to the problem. However, you know that it will not be right, and will not be in the best interests of growing minds. Your students will get a distorted understanding of science. They will grow into confused individuals who may take up science, teach it all their lives, and yet, remain superstitious.
The last resort is to admit your ignorance. You are not a jinn expert, but there are some— local clergy and theology teachers. They know more about jinns (maybe not much about science) and can help students. Chances are that they will pick the third option. A generation raised in such a manner will be as confused as the one raising it. The question will remain the same, and the cycle will continue ad infinitum. This is yet not the saddest part.
There will be quite a few clerics who will have a radically different answer.
These clerics will have more following, more respect, and more influence on the society than you can ever make through your teaching.
