Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • Jinn

    Uploaded by

    bookwalaali
    28 views7 pages
    About Jinn

    Original Title

    jinn

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    About Jinn

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    28 views7 pages

    Jinn

    Uploaded by

    bookwalaali
    About Jinn

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 7
    1116122, 11:12 AM Encyclopeedia Iranica i ab Ae Am Aa poe Poa steno hitps:ilwwiranicaoni GENIE (GENTE (Ar. andPers. jenn; incorrect plural, enna, used in Persian), name of a cathegory of supernatural beings believed to have been created from smokeless ire (Koran 5:14; ELShamy, Moti 29054, “Sinn created from fire") and toe living GENIE invisibly side-by-side the visible creation. They are repeatedly mentioned inthe Koran, where chapter 72 (Strat a-jenn) i named after them. Arab lexicographers comers derive the term from the rot janna (to conceal; Lane, pp. 402-03; ef Abu'-Fotih, XVI, p. 248), but it possibly has a foreign origin (Noldeke, pp. 669-70). Barly Persian sources use the Persian word part and the Arabi word enn inerchangably tee (Balam, ed, Bah, I pp. 66-68; Tair, pp. 35181, 263; AbuTF-Foty Xp. 3535 yy Taba pp. 498,549) Although some philosophers questioned the literal existance ofthe inn and sought tinterpret references to them allegorical (Rage, p58; Ts. 484; Forni, p. 524), theologians consider their existance beyond doubt because of the explicit references to them in the Korea, TheJinn are considered by some ‘theologian tobe the children of Elis (q.), and they are said to have ruled the catth before the eration of Adam (Abu'-Foti, XI, pp. 304, 223, XII, 366, XI, p. 169; Tafsir, . 263). They may be Muslim or pagan, because Mebammad's mission Snvolved the nn aswell a humans (Tabari, ed. Rowan 1, pp. 68 ff; AbuT-Foti, XIV, pp. 193,341, XVI, pp. 278-81); thus they may be rewarded in heaven or be ‘punished in nl fr their deeds (Tafsir, p. 181; Abul-Foth,X, pp. 328, XIV, pp. 199,241, XVI, . 282; ef LoefMer, p46). Some ofthe Muslim jinn are considered tobe Shi'ites; they are aid to come tothe imams for religous instructions and to render them a variety of services (Kolay I, pp. 395-96, I. 167; Soltan- ‘Mobammad, pp. 175, 199)-Thesejina may on occasion help their Shi'ite brethren (Kolaye, Hp. 167). By contrast, the impious jin form the hosts of Satan (Abu Foti, XIV, p. 395). ‘The prophet reportedly divided jinn into three classes: those who have wings an fly in thetrair, those who resemble snakes and dogs, and those wh travel about ceaselessly (Abu-Fotib, XVI, p. 28¢; Fox, p.526).Abd- lla b Mas", who ‘was accompanying the prophet whes the jinn eame to hear his recitation af the Koran, described them as creatures of different forms; some resembling vultures and snakes, others tall black men in white garbs(Abu"-Foti, XVII, pp. 279-80; orn, pp 525-26). They may even appear as dragons, onagers, ora number of other animals (Kelayn, I, p. 396; Soltin-Mobammad, p. 62). The prophet i have told the jinn that they may subsist on bones, which wll grow flesh again as 00m as they touch them, an that their animale may live on dung, which wil revert Dac to grain or grass for the us of the jinn locks (Abu+Fota, XVI, pp. 280-81. ‘he ian are greatly skein crafts, and in building amazing object or structures. ‘They were the frst to build baths, invent depiletory ointment, and construct many area edifices King Solomon is said to have compelled the jin into his service and given them dominion oer 25 parasangs of his realm. In his court, the jinn stood ‘behind the learned humans, who in tur, sat behind the prophets. Solomon's wile ‘the queen of Shoba (sce BELQIS), was reportedly or ofthe marriage between 8 Jinn and a human, However, itis aot clear whether it washer mother a father who ‘was jinn, Those authorities who belive that her mother wae a ion farther el us ‘that her name was Raybna I was this connection of her with the jinn that made people apprehensive about Solomon's marrage to her. They feared that if their ine.orglaticlesigenie- wn 1116122, 11:12 AM GENIE ~ Encyelopasdia ‘master Solomon marred a haji they would before to remain in the service of the offspring of that marriage forever. Thus, to make Solomon fall out of love with Ihr, they told him that she was insane, and that her feet were hairy and resembled those ofan ass (Abw-Fotuh, 15, 21-22, 29-32, 40-42, 4547-60, XVI, p51; TEs pp. 486,495). The jinn remained in the service of Solomon, who had placed them in| bondage, and Bad ordered their king, Zaba’a, to perform a numberof tasks ‘throughout his life, Upon Solomon's death, however, Ziba’a went to the places where his subjects were tolling and cae out to them to stop working, They ‘happily obeyed, and one of thom carved a message in stone, enumerating what they Jha built during thei servitude According to Shiite theologians, in spit of ther great and varie skills, the nn le in claiming that they know the future (Abu'-Fotib, XV, p. 52, XVI, p54). Tnn in pie literature: The jinn ace rarely meationed in the secular epic. Solomon and Jame were the frst to rule over the jinn and demons (Ebn Nadim, e, "Taladdod,p. 370) In the Sah-ndma the word jenni is used only once, in the letter of ‘Sa db, Wagaf tothe Sasanian general Rostam Farrokzdin, in which the Arab ‘commander tells his Persian counterpart “about the jinn and humans, and about the Hashemite prophet” (1X, p. 24,1178). Although the Sa ndrma doesnot mention the name ofthe sorceress who bewitched Bahram Cobin (qv. and persuaded him to rebel against the king (Moscow, VII, p. 405), this woman is described asa female jinn, by the name of Madhaba in another source (Tajreb,p. 390), which information must be based on some lost epie material In the Fardmarz-ndma (p 2), the king of the pars informs the amazon Hn Godasp that a certain onager is ‘Thefinn havea more pronounced presence in religous epic narratives. In one cpisode, the prophet appoints Imam Ali toelpafsithl jinn against his pagaa, {oes Two fires, one leger than the other, appear facing one another. Armed, the [Imam enters the smaller fame, which moves forward to smash into thelarger one amid great sounds of thunder. After awhile, the Imam walks out af the ames, carrying his bloodied sword anda hideous head which he identifies as that ofthe king ofthe pagan jinn (Sokin-Mobammad, p. 62464, ef. pp. 45-46)-Shortly after the star of the epi batleat Kacbala, Saar, the king of the fina (whose name must bbe corruption of far, ef. Mihandis,p. 49), went to offer his services to Tmam ‘osayn, who refused him on the grounds thatthe invisibility ofthe nn would be a _usfir advantage aguinst the opposing army. Safa suggested that his forces assume ‘human form, but the Imam continued to refuse. Za far eturned home and tol his ‘mother ofthe Imam’ refusal; the pious lady bared her breast and threatened her ‘son with euesing the wery millon wich she had nurse him, unless he helped the ‘mam. Safar returned and fought withthe Imam’sforees, until be was martyred (Loeffler, p43, fp. 149). Jinn n the secular literature. The secular view ofthe nn is more eolorfal than the religous one. There isa considerable variety in the forms attributed to the jinn inthe Tranian lore, They may be beautiful or hideous, lack or white, and large or small (Fast, pp. 497,501,506, 511; Forint, pp. 525, 527). Generally, the Muslim jinn are described as beautiil, while the pagan ones are portrayed as hideous monsters with along head, a single eye in the male of the forehead, and big protruding fangs (Loeffler, p14 ef Soifn-Mokammad, pp 45-46, 63-64; f. REM, p. 29). Some of the jinn ar desribed as composite beings that may havea human bod, lion's ‘head, an limbs which resomble those of various animals (Tis, p. 486); others have an elephants head, breath fre, and emit afoul smell. They are capable of assuming virtually any form that they desire (Ti, pp. 489, 497-98, ef. motif G307.21,¢f.El- ‘Shamy, motif Ggo7.22), The most common animal forms assumed bythe jinn are those of the snake, goat, cat, pigeon, wild sheep, or dog (Foz, p. 525; Loe, p. 142), When the jinn assume the frm of game animals, they are referred to asthe same of Abd Jal in contrast othe real game animals which are called the game of Abraham (Loeffler, p.142. They may live on land or in water, inhabit bath-houses, araveyards, rung, bodies of water, and even tees (Mass, pp. 204, 960-61, 9635 Forint, p. 525; Minds p. 48 Azam p. 52). There isa variety of water-

    You might also like