All of us remember the blue-hued goblin in Disney’s Aladdin, made immortal by the very talented Robin Williams.
The impish humor, the immeasurable power, and the inclination to break out into song at the slightest chance are how we have always thought of Genie. But Jinn (or Djinn, as they are often called) are more than that.
They aren’t exactly fictional characters; rather, they are mythological beings who trace their origins to Islamic myths and stories. These spiritual beings are also mentioned in the Holy Quran. Jinn goes beyond the popular role of granting human wishes.
The origin of their story can be traced back to the creation of angels and humans by God.
In Arabic, the root word from which Jinn comes signifies something that is not apparent, which is hidden and concealed from the observer. As mentioned above, they are spiritual beings and come second to angels in the hierarchy of beings created by God.
In the ancient Middle Eastern tradition, not only were they extremely popular, they were also treated as demigods. People used to worship them (and not simply rub their lamps) and pray to them for rewards and prosperity.
There have been several archaeological findings that have depicted the jinn in one form or another as carvings on stones. And there has also been discovered textual material that is said to be either a prayer of gratitude or praise to them.
According to Islam, God created jinn after angels. The three categories of beings created by God were: Angels, Jinn, and Humans. God created angels out of pure light. Jinn were made from fire. And humans were made of mud or clay.
But, just as humans have free will, so do the jinn, which means that they are free to do as they please; however, they are not free from the consequences of their actions. And on the day of judgment, they too will have to pay for their sins.
One particular story that can tell us about the origin of Shaitan:
A jinn named Iblis refused to do the bidding of Adam, as this was in direct disobedience to God’s wishes; he was exiled from Paradise. From then on, he was called Shaitan, or the adversary. This is similar to the Bible’s Satan.
In popular culture, the jinn were made popular by the translation of Arabic stories published under the name of One Thousand and One Nights. Also known by the name of Arabian Nights, it had stories of the Jinn’s interactions with humans. Jinn, too, are of various types—good and evil, and everything in between.
Here are the seven most common types of jinn:
Ghul: Also known as ghouls, they roam in graveyards and feed on human flesh. They are exceptionally evil, and they can even shapeshift.
Ifrit: They possess a high level of intelligence and often use it for mischief and evil. However, they can turn good. King Solomon is famously said to have power over the ifrit.
Marid: These are the jinns you should hope to come across. As popular lore says, they live in lamps, are very wise, and grant wishes to humans because of their benevolence.
Nasnas: They are not as popular as the Jinns mentioned before. They are sometimes half human and half animal.
Shaitan: Apart from the Shaitan who disobeyed Allah, the Shaitan refers to any malevolent jinn who endorses and employs demonic powers.
Shiqq: They are monster-like and scary, but just like the Nasnas, they are not powerful enough to cause great harm.
Silat: They are the most inventive of all. They have a great interest in humans and often live among them in disguise. They are such expert shapeshifters that no one is able to see through them.
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1 comment
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