With the spooky season approaching, I thought it would be fitting to discuss a less-talked-about spooky favorite in middle-eastern and Muslim societies: Jinns. The Quran defines these unseen creatures like angels and the Jinn. The Jinn-shape-shifting spirits made of air and fire- are classified into the believers and the unbelievers. Jinns also have free will like human beings which makes them all the more interesting. Some of the most chilling Jinn encounters are commonly found on Twitter, or told during Ramadan as evidenced by this spooky thread.
The belief in the Jinn is also tied to the degree of religiosity. Muslims who are more likely to pray often believe in the Jinn and are afraid of possession. Interestingly enough, Aladdin’s genie resembles a Jinn, a fact many people do not know of. This Jinn is not malicious, however, Jinn’s that are nonbelievers are known to be malicious. In middle-eastern and South Asian cultures, it is believed that making pacts or agreements with Jinns can also be very detrimental to the person – especially if the Jinn is a malicious one. It is also commonly known that speaking or thinking too much about Jinns can lead to Jinns “preying on you” – meaning that you can actually become possessed.
This poetry by Ta’abbata Sharran wrote about a relationship with a Jinn in “How I Met the Ghul”:
I lay upon her through the night
that in the morning I might see what had come to me
Behold! Two eyes in a hideous head
like the head of a cat, split-tongued
Legs like a deformed fetus, the back of a dog,
clothes of haircloth or worn-out skins!
This poetry sheds light on how long and how often poets and other professionals thought about these Jinns. Were they like us? Were they all around us? Could we interact with them? For decades, these questions have been asked and pursued in various poems in Arabia.
But what happens if someone gets possessed by a malicious Jinn? This can actually lead to exorcisms. In middle-eastern countries and societies, the possessed individual is known to disturb the village, jump off of roofs, and converse in different languages. This leads to extreme measures being taken which can result in exorcisms involving beating the “Jinn” out of the person. This can result in major injuries and even death. This is why individuals are cautioned about discussing Jinns and telling stories about these Jinns. Many Muslims recite verses from the Quran when reading Jinn stories and interactions so that they are protected from any malicious entities who may be eager to prey on the innocent. So now you know a little more about the Jinn and if you found this article enlightening be sure to check out other Halloween folklore and cultural ideology. For example, the Cihuateteo (the spirits of women who died in childhood) in Aztec mythology or even the Ghost Festival in China.