| Other Names / Variants: |
Jinniyeh - feminine for jinn
Genii, Genie, Djinn, Jinun |
Jinn - In Moslem theology, the
jinn were created 2,000 years before Adam. They were
originally of a high estate, equal to the angels, with
Eblis chief among them.
When, on the creation of Adam,
Eblis
refused to worship the earthling,
Eblis
was degraded and cast out of Heaven along with the jinn, who
thenceforth became demons. Five sons of
Eblis
(q.v.) were among the evil jinn. In Hughes, A Dictionary
of Islam, "Genii," we find the following quotation: "The most
noble and honorable among the angels are called the Ginn, because
they are veiled from the eyes of the other angels on account of
their superiority."
(a)
Jinn. by Alan G. Hefner.
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.
In the Old Testament King Solomon had 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 probably 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 35. 15) 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. (aa)
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