Thursday, March 18

Jinn: Trickster gods

Arab civilization and peoples have some of the most diverse and colorful stories and legends in the world, with many of the stories being passed down orally from generation to generation over thousands of years. While some of these are known to be pure myths and have taken the role of the common fairytales among Arabs, many others still hold a hint that they actually did take place, which makes these myths and legends ever more exciting.

The Ten Most Familiar 
  • Aladdin's Lamp
  • Bahamut Creature
  • Nasnas Monster
  • Ali Baba & the 40 Thieves
  • Shadhavar Creature
  • Sinbad the Sailor
  • Roc Creature
  • Lost City of Atlantis
  • The legend of Zarqa’ Al-Yamama
  • Qutrub Monster
BUT...  the story that is not familiar is the JINN...

Jinn (Arabic: جن‎)—also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirits or demons, depending on source) are supernatural creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian and later Islamic mythology and theology.

Like humans, they are created with fitra, born neither as believers nor as unbelievers, their attitudes instead depending on whether they accept God's guidance. Since jinn are neither innately evil nor innately good, early Islam acknowledged spirits from other religions, and was able to adapt spirits from other religions during its expansion. Jinn are not a strictly Islamic concept; they may represent several pagan beliefs integrated into Islam.

In an Islamic context, the term jinn is used for both a collective designation for any supernatural creature and also to refer to a specific type of supernatural creature.  Therefore, jinn are often mentioned together with devils/demons (shayāṭīn). Both devils and jinn feature in folklore and are held responsible for misfortune, possession and diseases. However, the jinn are sometimes supportive and benevolent. They are mentioned frequently in magical works throughout the Islamic world, to be summoned and bound to a sorcerer, but also in zoological treatises as animals with a subtle body. 
SOURCE:  Wikipedia

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