Introduction

Jinn are beings created with free will, living on earth in a world parallel to mankind. The word of
jinn which originally derived from Arabic language as “Junna” or “Janna” means the ability to
hide or conceal. The jinn are one of the Allah’s creatures. The Qur’an states that the jinn are created
from out of smokeless fire, while angels are created from light and humans from clay. (And the
jinn, we created earlier from smokeless flame of fire)[1] 15:26

The jinn are counted of being supernatural in relation to humans since the jinn can fly or change
shapes. Jinn can depict itself in three general forms as 1) Zoomorphic form in which the jinn appear
various animal forms 2) In the form of storms and sandstorms in which the jinn may appear as a
wind or sandstorm. 3) Anthropomorphic form in which the jinn present itself as a half animal and
half human.[2]

Characteristics and Abilities

Jinn, like human beings, have physical properties of weight. They are intellect and have freedom
to choose between right and wrong and good and bad. They eat, drink, reproduce and die. They
have tribes and elders. Jinn have the ability to change shapes, fly or carry heavy materials. [3] Since
the ability of jinn cannot be explained with biomedical approach there are hypothesis what this
ability might be. For example, Jawaid (1997) tries to explain jinn in scientific context referencing
to Qur’an. He believes that their basic structure to be carbon dioxide since they are created from a
smokeless fire. He bases his illustration on the invisibility of the jinn on practical chemistry. He
divides the components of the burning fuel to be hot carbon dioxide gas and hot dry steam in which
both of them are invisible to the human eye as well as carbon particles that glow when hot and
black soot when cold that are visible to human eye in both situations.

Jawaid (1997) also tries to theorize that the ability of the gasses to penetrate through solid and
liquid materials be the reason why the jinn have such ability to transgress the animal and human
bodies.[4]
Jinn possession and mental illness

As defined by Littlewood, possession is the belief that an individual has been entered by an alien
spirit or other para-human force, which then controls the person or alters person’s actions and
identity. The possibility of spirit inhibiting human bodies is fairly universal and documented in
many studies. [5] It’s a concept that cannot be explained by psychiatric or biomedical context only.
But it can be understood through the combination of biological, anthropological, sociological,
psychopathological and experimental. [6] Muslims are by far the most people who believe the jinn
possession and for a good reason, because of the sociocultural influence as well as because of that
majority of the Ulluma acknowledge it.
In a religious context, Muslim scholars have different opinion regarding to the jinn possessions.
Scholars who believe in jinn possession cite as an evidence to the verse in which almighty says
“Those who devour interest rise up like one stumbling from Satan’s touch” Qur’an, 2:275.
Explaining this verse Al-Qurtubee said “This verse contains proof of the incorrectness of those
who deny possession (sara‘) by way of the jinn, claiming that it is the result of natural causes, as
well as those who claim that Satan does not enter human nor does he touch them.” The eminent
Muslim scholar ibn-Khathir explains the verse as follows “That is, they rise up from their graves
on the Day of Judgment unbalanced like an insane person in a fit of madness.”
In the evidences from the Sunnah there are number of traditions that indicate the existence of jinn
possession. The very well-known one that is cited by many scholars who believe in jinn possession
is the Hadith in which Ya’laa Ibn-Murra tells a story of what happened while he was travelling
with the prophet (SW). Ya’laa ibn Murrah said: “I saw the Allaah’s Messenger do three things
which no one before or after me saw. I went with him on a trip. On the way we passed by a woman
sitting at the roadside with a young boy. She called out, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, this boy is
afflicted with a trial, and from him we have also been afflicted with a trial. I do not know how
many times per day he is seized with fits.’ He said, ‘Give him to me.’ So she lifted him up to the
Prophet (). He then placed the boy between himself and the middle of the saddle, opened the boy’s
mouth and blew in it three times, says, ‘In the name of Allaah; I am the slave of Allaah. Get out,
enemy of Allaah!’ Then he gave the boy back to her and said, ‘Meet us on our return at this same
place and inform us how he has faired.’ We then went. On our return, we found her in the same
place with three sheep. When he said to her, ‘How has your son faired?’ she replied, ‘By the One
who sent you with the truth, we have not detected anything [unusual] in his behavior up to this
time.[7]
on the other hand, scholars who do not believe in jinn possession also narrate verses from the
Qur’an. One of the prominent scholar who do not believe in jinn possession is Sheikh Yusuf Al-
Qaradawi. In an interview with Aljazeera correspondent in their very well-known program “Sharia
and Life” in the episode of “The world of jinn: Facts and Myths” Sheikh Qaradawi asks “Does the
jinn able to enter human beings, speak in their tongue and do control the person completely?” He
answers, no, I don’t believe that. And he continuous by describing that Allah did not give the jinn
the ability to control the human. He cites the verses “And indeed we have honored the children
Adam” 17:70 and the other verse “And [mention O, Mohamed], when your lord said to the angels,
“indeed I will make upon the earth a successive authority.” 2:30. Sheikh Qaradawi believes the
jinn to be enabled to manipulate and control the human being is against “this honorability” that
Allah bestowed on human beings. And instead he suggests that the humans have the ability to
control and manipulate the jinn by citing the story of prophet Solomon who have been enabled to
control the jinn at a level where he can jail for their wrong doings.
Spirit possession in DSM-Series
Though in the western world spirit possession is not culturally present, the DSM-Series does not
deny its existence. The DSM-IV-TR defines the possession as “a single or episodic alteration in
the state of consciousness characterized by the replacement of customary sense of personal identity
by a new identity.
In DSM-IV the possession disorders are recognized as Dissociative Trance Disorder (DTD) and
Possession Trance Disorder (PTD) in which both of them were given experimental research
criteria. In DSM-5, PTD is included under Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and DTD under
dissociative disorder not elsewhere classified.
Conclusions
There’s many researches done in this topic but yet there is still gaps. Real cases that couldn’t be
managed with biomedical intervention but Ruqiya pose plausibility to those who do not believe in
jinn possession. Yet real cases that have been thought to have jinn possession but managed with
biomedical intervention also pose plausibility to those who do believe in jinn possession. With the
majority of cultures do believe in jinn possession and scientific entities did not practically deny its
existence, it will be negligence by psychiatrists to disregard it. Majority of the researches done on
this matter as well as DSM call for further researches be done.
As the matter with me, I do believe in jinn possession first and foremost because of the evidences
of the Islamic teachings. And since there is no deniability from establishes scientific institutions,
this will only increase my believe in its existianc.