**Etymology and Origins**:
– ‘Jinn’ is an Arabic collective noun derived from the Semitic root JNN.
– Cognates include ‘majnun,’ ‘jannah,’ and ‘janin.’
– The origin of the word ‘jinn’ remains uncertain, with suggestions of Latin and Aramaic connections.
**Pre-Islamic Beliefs**:
– Belief in jinn in pre-Islamic Arab religion is testified by the Quran and pre-Islamic literature.
– Some scholars believe jinn were malevolent spirits residing in deserts or pagan nature deities.
– Jinn were worshipped by many Arabs during the pre-Islamic era, with beliefs widespread.
**Characteristics and Abilities**:
– Jinn are invisible creatures in Arabian and Islamic culture, accountable for their deeds.
– They can take various forms, engage in sexual affairs with humans, and live in tribes.
– Jinn were often associated with causing diseases, mental illnesses, and seeking revenge if injured.
**Role in Religion**:
– Jinn are neither inherently good nor evil in Islamic beliefs.
– Islam condemns pre-Islamic Arab practices of worshipping jinn and denies affinities between jinn and God.
– Jinn are called upon for protection or magical aid, with some scholars associating them with idolatry.
**Islamic References and Influence**:
– The Quran mentions jinn approximately 29 times and assumes familiarity without elaborate explanations.
– Prophets were sent to both human and jinn communities, emphasizing worship of God.
– The Quranic chapter Al-Jinn and the relationship between humans and jinn highlight their significance in Islamic beliefs.
Jinn (Arabic: جِنّ), also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies, are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabia and later in Islamic culture and beliefs. Like humans, they are accountable for their deeds and can be either believers (Muslims) or disbelievers (kafir), depending on whether they accept God's guidance. Since jinn are neither innately evil nor innately good, Islam acknowledged spirits from other religions and was able to adapt them during its expansion. Jinn are not a strictly Islamic concept; they may represent several pagan beliefs integrated into Islam. To assert a strict monotheism and the Islamic concept of tawhid (oneness of God), Islam denies all affinities between the jinn and God, thus placing the jinn parallel to humans, also subject to God's judgment and afterlife. The Quran condemns the pre-Islamic Arabian practice of worshipping or seeking protection from them.
 Jinn gather to do battle with the hero Faramarz. Illustration in an illuminated manuscript of the Iranian epic Shahnameh | |
| Grouping | Mythical creature |
|---|---|
| Folklore | Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia, Islamic folklore |
| Region | Muslim world |
Although generally invisible, jinn are supposed to be composed of thin and subtle bodies (Arabic: أَجْسَام, romanized: ajsām), and can change at will. They favour a snake form, but can also choose to appear as scorpions, lizards, or as humans. They may even engage in sexual affairs with humans and produce offspring. If they are injured by someone, they usually seek revenge or possess the assailant's body, requiring exorcism. Jinn do not usually meddle in human affairs, preferring to live with their own kind in tribes similar to those of pre-Islamic Arabia.
Individual jinn appear on charms and talismans. They are called upon for protection or magical aid, often under the leadership of a king. Many people who believe in jinn wear amulets to protect themselves against the assaults of jinn, sent out by sorcerers and witches. A commonly-held belief maintains that jinn cannot hurt someone who wears something with the name of God written upon it. While some Muslim scholars in the past had ambivalent attitudes towards jinn, contemporary Muslim scholarship increasingly associate jinn with idolatry.