Jinn (genie)

Jinn, also spelled djinn, are a race of supernatural beings from Arabic mythology. According to legend, they were created from smokeless fire. Although they are normally invisible, they have the ability to change shape and can appear in human form. They live long lives, but they are not immortal. Many have free will, and most are able to choose between good and evil. Benevolent jinn are known to reward humans for their kindness, while evil jinn are said to be the source of mischief or accidents. In Western cultures, the jinn are known as wish-granting spirits called genies. In the Islamic world, many people believe the jinn are real, and they are often blamed for causing mental illness or harm to humans.

Background

The exact origin of jinn folklore is unknown, but some researchers believe an ancient Mesopotamian wind demon named Pazuzu may have been one of the inspirations for the legend. According to Islamic belief, God created angels out of light, humans from clay and mud, and the jinn from smokeless flame and fire. They are believed to be invisible nature spirits but able to change shape and manifest in physical form. The name jinn comes from the Arabic word janna, meaning "to conceal" or "cover with darkness."

In Islam, the jinn are lower on the spiritual hierarchy than angels are. Like humans, they are mortal, can marry and have children, and need to eat and sleep. Their life span is long, but they can be killed. They are portrayed as traveling by a whirlwind and can be imprisoned in objects such as rings, stones, bottles, or lamps. While many are mischievous and even harmful to humans, most are not evil by nature. Many jinn have free will, and those who do choose to cause harm must answer to God for their actions.

Islamic tradition states that after God created the angels, he ordered them to bow down to Adam, the first man. One angel, Azazel, was too prideful and refused God's command. As punishment, his form was changed to that of a jinn, and he was renamed Iblis. Iblis became the leader of the jinn, and he is associated with the devil in Christian belief. According to legend, King Solomon of the Israelites was able to command the jinn with a magical ring he received from the archangel Michael. Using the Seal of Solomon, he was able to enslave the jinn and order them to help build his great temple in Jerusalem.

Jinn legends vary depending on the different cultures of the Middle East. However, the following five types of jinn are the most common:

Marid—The marid are the most powerful of all jinn. They were once sea spirits and are often associated with water. The marid are large, human-like figures with commanding voices, and they are usually the type of jinn featured in folklore and literature.

Effrit—These intelligent and mischievous jinn live in organized, human-like societies underground or in caves. Demonic by nature, the effrit can choose to become forces for good if they please.

Ghoul—These jinn are undead creatures who live in graveyards and eat human flesh. They are the embodiment of mindless evil and cannot change their nature.

Sila—These jinn are intelligent shapeshifters who are rarely seen by humans. They are usually portrayed as female and are generally tolerant of humans.

Vetala—These jinn originated in Indian folklore. They are similar to the vampires of Western legend. Vetala are said to be able to inhabit human corpses and trick the living into thinking a dead person is still alive. They are also able to predict the future and read others' thoughts.

In Popular Culture

In Western cultures, the jinn are known as genies, a term originating from the Latin word genius, which referred to a guardian spirit in ancient times. Much of the Western concept of jinn and genies comes from a collection of Arabic folklore called One Thousand and One Nights. The work is also referred to as The Arabian Nights and was compiled sometime between the eighth and thirteenth centuries. The main story is that of King Shahryar, who executes his unfaithful wife and declares his hatred for all women. Each day he marries a new wife and has her put to death at the end of the day. One of these wives, Scheherazade, devises a plan to stop the king and stay alive. Each night she tells him a new tale, leaving the story unfinished and promising to reveal the ending in the morning. Shahryar is so enraptured by her stories that he spares her life.

One of these tales was "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," in which the young Aladdin is able to summon a genie by rubbing a magical oil lamp. After being released from captivity in the lamp, the grateful genie must grant Aladdin whatever he wishes. This story inspired numerous variations in literature, theater, film, and television. Among the most famous is the 1960s television show I Dream of Jeannie, in which a stranded astronaut finds a bottle on an island and releases a beautiful genie. The 1992 animated film Aladdin featured a wish-granting genie similar to the physical description of a marid, though the film's genie was portrayed in a humorous light.

The modern concept of the mindless, flesh-eating zombie borrows heavily from the legend of the ghoul. The term zombie comes from Caribbean folklore, and it originally referred to a corpse reanimated by magic and brought back to do the caster's bidding. The undead creatures of movies and television combine the characteristics of the Arabic ghoul with features of the zombie.

In many Islamic cultures, the jinn are not just legend but real supernatural entities sent by God to test the faith of Muslims. Jinn are believed to inhabit houses, caves, sewers, deserts, and other places. They can also disguise themselves as animals or humans and can cause misfortune or illness. Belief in the jinn is so prevalent among Muslims that many people attribute symptoms of mental illness to possession by these creatures.

Bibliography

Alexander, Skye. "African, Persian, and Middle Eastern Fairies." Fairies: The Myths, Legends, & Lore. Adams Media, 2014, pp. 161–174.

Al-Rawi, Ahmed. "Mythical Ghoul in Arabic Culture." Cultural Analysis, vol. 8, 2009, pp. 45–65, socrates.berkeley.edu/~caforum/volume8/pdf/ghouls.pdf. Accessed 10 Oct. 2016.

Fee, Christopher R. Mythology in the Middle Ages: Heroic Tales of Monsters, Magic, and Might. Praeger, 2011, pp. 235–258.

Gholipour, Bahar. "Supernatural 'Jinn' Seen as Cause of Mental Illness among Muslims." Live Science, 15 Aug. 2014, www.livescience.com/47394-supernatural-jinn-mental-illness-islam.html. Accessed 10 Oct. 2016.

Guiley, Rosemary Ellen, and Philip J. Imbrogno. The Vengeful Djinn: Unveiling the Hidden Agenda of Genies. Llewellyn Publications, 2011.

Lebling, Robert. Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar. I.B. Tauris, 2010.

Wilson, G. Willow. Alif the Unseen. Grove Press, 2012.

"The World of the Jinn." The Religion of Islam, 17 Dec. 2007, www.islamreligion.com/articles/669/viewall/world-of-jinn/. Accessed 10 Oct. 2016.