The Jinn, not the Genie

"The Jinn, not the Genie"
In the Holy Qur'an, the jinn are described as fire-beings that do not emit smoke: "And He (Allah) created the jinn from fire free of smoke" (55:15). The "fire" that this iyat (verse) alludes to is symbolic in nature. It is indicative of the spiritual composition of the jinn. Because the jinn are "free of smoke," they are not bound to a visible physical body. Oftentimes, their presence is difficult to detect. Allah created the jinn after angels (beings of light) and before humans (made of clay or earth). Thus, the jinn come to occupy a "middle position" in Allah's plan of creation. One can rightly imagine the jinn as possessing a spiritual form like angels while demonstrating an innate capacity for free will like humans. Allah says in the Qur'an: "And I have not created the jinn and men except that they should serve Me" (51:56). What this demonstrates is that the jinn (like the fae) cannot alter the material world-only Allah is capable of such a feat. The jinn, however, are often blamed for the appearance of desert mirages. Nor can the jinn grant "wishes" as it were. Lastly, the domain of the jinn is not exclusively tied to forest dwellings and jungle regions. All such notions are the superstitious products of pre-Islamic oral traditions as well as of post-Islamic folklore literature (e.g. A Thousand and One Arabian Nights). Though it is possible for the jinn to "inhabit" the bodies of humans, they can only do so if a person is mentally ill or if a person of a normal mental capacity consents to the intrusion. Moreover, these "demonic" possessions are more prolonged in mentally ill people versus healthy-minded persons. Overall, some jinn are good-natured while others harbor evil designs. As a matter of precaution, it is best that humans avoid contact with the jinn all together.
The English equivalent of the word jinn is derived from the active voice Arabic root of janna or yajunnu-which means "to cover or hide." In its passive voice, the word jinn is derived from janna or yajinnu- which means "to be covered or hidden." The latter definition is somewhat problematic because it implies that jinn exist in a dormant or inactive state, which is perhaps a reason why many persons hold the mistaken view that these spirit beings can be bound by material objects such as bottles and vases. Consequently, the English rendering of the common noun jinn has the undesired effect of grammatically altering the original linguistic function of the word as an Arabic transitive verb. Because of a lack of scholarly agreement concerning universal transliterated Arabic spelling procedures, it is not possible to accurately translate the word jinn into English. Despite problems such as these, it is strongly recommended that the reader obtain a reliable copy of a translation of the Holy Qur'an (such as Yusef Abdullah Ali's text with extensive commentary) and consult the sura (chapter) entitled: Al-Jinn (The Jinn). Peace be with you.
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