The Jinn or Genies of Islam

[chloe]

In Arabian and Muslim folklore jinns are ugly and evil demons having supernatural powers which they can bestow on persons having powers to call them up. In the Western world they are called genies.
Legend has it that King Solomon possessed a ring, probably a diamond, with which he called up jinns to help his armies in battle. The concept that this king employed the help of jinns may have originated from 1 Kings 6:7, "And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought there, so there was neither hammer nor axe nor and tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."

In Islam, jinns are fiery spirits (Qur'an 15:27) particularly associated with the desert. While they are disruptive of human life, they are considered worthy of being saved. A person dying in a state of great sin may be changed into a jinni in the period of a barzakh, separation or barrier.

The highest of the jinns is Iblis, formerly called Azazel, the prince of darkness, or the Devil. The jinns were thought by some to be spirits that are lower than angels because they are made of fire and are not immortal. They can take on human and animal shapes to influence men to do good or evil. They are quick to punish those indebted to them who do not follow their many rules.

In the "Arabian Nights" jinns or genies came from Aladdin's Lamp.

There are several myths concerning the home of the jinns. According to Persian mythology some of them live in a place called Jinnistan. Others say jinns live with other supernatural beings in the Kaf, mystical emerald mountains surrounding the earth


Jinn

 

[chloe]

INFORMATION ABOUT GENIES
The following article has been taken from the book named Kashkul, by Sayyid Abdulhakim Effendi, a professor of theology and tasawwuf at Madrasatul-mutahassisin during the time of the thirty-sixth and the last Ottoman sovereign, Sultan Muhammad Wahidaddin Khan. Kashkul has not been printed.

Those who ask if there are genies should be answered immediately. For, it is very dangerous to doubt if there are genies. The following information, which I have derived from the dependable books of Islamic savants as an answer, should be read with attention and with reason and should be given fair thought so that it will be understood well.

Such (Arabic) words as jin (genie), jinnat, jinan, jannat, jenan and jenin, which are made up of the letters J and N, means 'covered.' The place called 'Jannat' (Paradise) has been given this name because it is covered with fruits, flowers, odors. The crazy are called 'maj-noon' because their minds are covered. The night is called 'junn-i layl' because the dark has covered the daylight. And the creatures called 'genies' are called so because they are covered from our eyes. The word 'jin' is the plural of the noun 'jinni.' 'Jin' means 'jinnis.' 'Peri' is Persian for jinni.

There are two kinds of creatures: visible and invisible. In addition, there are those immaterial creatures which are without place. Imam-i Mawardi says, "The genie is made of four basic substances: water, earthen substances, substances in the air and fire. Of these, fire consists of flames, light and smoke. There are believers and disbelievers among those genies that are created from the flames of fire, which are called marij." According to our recent scientific knowledge, these four basic substances consist of a hundred and three elements. Accordingly, all creatures are made from elements and they bear energy. Because we can see those beings that are in solid or liquid forms under normal physical conditions and also the colored gases, things that are made from these are visible. For example, because solid substances and water are in the majority (more than seventy percent) in man, man is visible. So are plants and all animals.

Genies are made from air and fire. [The flames of fire are invisible. Because the solid substances in it are lighted by heat, they look bright.] Therefore, genies are invisible, too.

The flame is of two parts: one of them is zulmani (invisible). The other is nurani (which is invisible, too). Genies are created from the zulmani part and angels from the nurani part. Men are created from earthen substances, but Allahu ta'ala has changed these substances into organic forms and organs, into flesh and bones. Likewise, in angels and genies the flame has changed into a latif (fine), particular form that can take any shape.

The description of genies: genies, that is, peris, are the substances made from the flames of fire and can take any shape.

But angels are luminous substances. They can take various shapes. Angels and genies are closer with respect to their creation. Angels are noble, dear. Genies are despicable, unworthy. In angels the luminous part is in the majority and in genies the flame substance is in the majority. Certainly, nur (light) is better than zulmat. The approximity of angels to genies is like the nearness of man to animals. The higher ones of men are more valuable than angels, and genies are more valuable than animals.

Most Islamic savants said that angels are objects. And this is the truth of the matter.



INFORMATION ABOUT GENIES

 

[editec]

I prefer my Jinn with tonic.

 

[chloe]

I want my 3 wishes

 

[editec]

I want my 3 wishes

I can grant you three wishes.

Sadly, I cannot guarantee that they will come true.

But it's a funny thing about wishing for things.

Wishes often do come true, anyway, long after you've forgotten you wished for them.

Generally you don't realize they did come true immediately, but there it is -- your wish manifesting in the real world.

So be careful what you wish for.

Fate has an ironic sense of humor.

 

[Agnapostate]

I believe there was also a legend that King Solomon had a massive flying carpet.

 

[chloe]

I believe there was also a legend that King Solomon had a massive flying carpet.

really?

 

[Agnapostate]

really?

I vaguely recall something like that, though I can't really cite it at the moment.

 

[chloe]

It's ok im not a scholar, I didnt know if it was true or you were kidden.

 

[sky dancer]

I wasn't aware of the Jinn. It's interesting. In Buddhism, we have demons too, but they are generally thought of as internal and a result of an ego gone wild.

 

[chloe]

Yeah i didnt know about it either, but then thinking about that cartoon aladin and the genie thing I suppose thats interesting. Every culture has a little paranormal and I like it.