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Jinn (uncountable and countable plural, also treated as a singular, neuter singular jann, masculine singular/adjective jinni feminine adjective jinniyya, plural jinn, jinns, jinnan, jawan, jinnah), also sometimes anglicised as genie plural: genies or genii) are entities of fire from Arabian mythology.

Myths & Legends[]

Many individual stories about Jinni are found in "the Quraan and the Sunna".

Abilities[]

In general, it is said that the Jinn are spirits of fire (and sometimes wind) and can take on any form they choose - animal or human - and can be of any size. it is said that some of their powers are the ability of manifestation and transformation. They have a human-like form and can take the shape of animals but only temporary unless it is as their tribe's animal protector.

For the ancient Semites, Jinn were spirits of vanished ancient peoples who acted during the night and disappeared with the first light of dawn. They could make themselves invisible or change shape into animals at will. These spirits were commonly believed to be responsible for diseases and for the manias of some lunatics.

Behaviour[]

they can be both good and evil creatures; the evil ones are said to lead humans astray.

Most of them are hostile, or at least not all that friendly to humans, although some can be friendly, and helpful. It is possible for magicians or wise men and women to gain power over a Jinn and use it to perform amazing and magical tasks. Be wary, for even a friendly Jinn is unpredictable and certainly anyone who breaks an agreement with a Jinn will strongly regret it. Often Jinn take naughty pleasure in punishing people for wronging them, even unintentionally.

Three Wishes[]

In popular western culture, Genies are often seen as been concealed with old lamps, which when rubbed a Genie appears out of them. The reason given is that they have been trapped inside the lamp by an evil sorcerer. Traditionally, it is said that the great and wise King Solomon shut misbehaving Jinn in lead-stoppered bottles and threw them into the sea. This description comes from the western translation of "the Book of One Thousand and One Nights". When someone rubs the lamp three times the Jinni inside will appear and obey the one who set it free by granting three wishes.

However, in the original lore, Jinn are not found in brass lamps and do not grant wishes.

Types of Jinn[]

there are three different types of jinn:

  1. Fiery jinn, often confused with ifrits
  2. Flier jinn, the elemental of wind
  3. Animalistic jinn, Jinn in the form of black dogs, black cat or vermin (insects, rodents, scorpions and snakes), they either are cursed or were born with multiple forms.

See Also:

  1. Jann it is originally the singular form, but can be used for another type.
  2. Hinn it is originally another kind of demon, but can also be treated as a type of jinn.
  3. Sila it is originally Arabic for hags (from Slavic and Celtic folklore) and female orangutans but also treated as types of jinn.
  4. Kawabees transliterated as kawābīs (singular Kaboos or Kabūs, also known as hadūn) is a male and demonic sex genie.
  5. Qareenaat (also qariinaat, singular qareenah or qariinah) are female and demonic sex jinn, which might be and might not be silas.
    • The qarinah is a class not a type, so not all of them are jinn

Classes of Jinn:

  1. Builder jinn; elementals for earth, often confused with shaitans.
  2. Diver jinn; elementals for water, often confused with marids.
  3. Ifrits (also afrits or efreets); wicked or clever and stronger fiery jinn of the underwold.
  4. Marids are very rebellious jinn.
  5. Shayatin are rebellious and corrupt jinn.
  6. Tawaghit are tyrant jinn/demons who possess statues.
  7. Ghilan are night shades who inhabit grave and can change their shapes.
  8. Quranaa' (singular: qariin or qareen) either incubi or just shoulder jinn, devils or angels who follow people from birth to death.

Other myths[]

In some books, such as ''Fairies in Folklore,'' jinns are considered a type of wish-granting fairy. This notion came to the English-speaking world by novels such as "A Thousand and One Arabian Nights." This concept is different from Islamic notions of jinn.

In Persian lore, there are dews/daevas are brutal and giant demons who similar to jinn which opposed by paris (fairy-like benevolent beings who are also very similar to jinn.)

Also in Persian lore, there is palis (Persian: پاليس, "literary: feet licker", English plural: pali) a type of jinn-like and vampiric dakhanavar.

In Japanese folklore, there are ikiryō also known as seirei are elemental spirits very similar to jinn.

In other Abrahamic religions, Christian fallen angels and Jewish mazzikin/shedim are very comparable to jinn, but they also are very different at the same time. (depending on myths because not all jinn are demons, even demonic jinn live in their own realm and neither all of them are evils nor dwelling in the hell.)

In Mesopotamian lore, apkallus are often rendered as “winged genii” in English and other Western languages.

Modern Depictions[]

Literature[]

  • In the novel Children of the Lamp, the main characters are Jinn.

Films & Animations[]

  • In Disney's Aladdin, the Genie is a helpful and musical Jinn who desires freedom.
  • the TV series I Dream of Jeannie is about a young female Jinn.
  • Two Monster High characters, Gigi and Wisp, were introduced in the direct-to-DVD film 13 Wishes.
  • In the LEGO series Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Nadakhan the Jinn is the primary antagonist of the sixth season.

Japanese Media[]

  • Majin (often mistranslated as demons) are demonic and magical jinn from modern Japanese media and they have various types such as ushi majin (bovid jinn), neko majin (felid-formed jinn), usagi majin (lagomorph jinn) and ryu majin (dragon jinn).

Video games[]

  • In the Shantae series, the titular character is a playable half-genie who must save her town from an evil pirate named Risky Boots. She is demonstrated to have powerful shapeshifting abilities, taking the forms of animals like a monkey or elephant.
  • In Genshin Impact, the playable character Dori is accompanied by a genie who lives in her lamp. Also in the game during the series of quests, The Dirge of Bilqis, the Traveler acquires the remains of a jinn named Liloupar, who ends up viewing them as her new master.

Gallery[]

References[]

External links[]

Some anime jinn:


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