The Jinn (also dJinn or genies) are spiritual creatures in Islam and Arabic folklore. They are mentioned in the Qur'an and other Islamic texts and inhabit an unseen world in dimensions beyond the visible universe of humans. Some texts say they are not purely spiritual, but also physical in nature, being able to interact in a tactile manner with people and objects and also subject to bodily desires like eating and sleeping. The Qur'an mentions that the Jinn are made of a smokeless and "scorching fire".
In Islamic theology Jinn are said to be creatures with free will, so unlike angels who are messengers of God, the Jinn can also be good, evil, or neutrally benevolent like human beings. Jinn are frequently mentioned in the Quran: Surah 72 (named Sūrat al-Jinn) is named after the Jinn, and has a passage about them. Another surah (Sūrat al-Nās) mentions Jinn in the last verse. The Qurʾan also mentions that Muhammad was sent as a prophet to both "humanity and the Jinn." The social organization of the Jinn community resembles that of humans; e.g., they have kings, courts of law, weddings, and mourning rituals.
Throughout Arabian lore, there are different types of jinn; although the Qur’an mentions only three: Marid, ‘Ifrit, and Jinn. The names above vary depending on the region in the Middle Eastern country. Some of the best-known jinn are:
Each of them has different description, habits and lore associated. I want to share them when I have more time.
Shedim, one of several supernatural creatures in early Jewish mythology resemble the Islamic concept of Jinn. Both are said to be invisible to human eye but are subject to bodily desires, like procreating and the need to eat and both may be malevolent or benevolent.
In Buddhism, Buddha preached among humans and Deva, spiritual entities who are like humans subject to the cycle of life.
Arabic translation of the Old Testament uses the alternative collective plural "jann" to render the Hebrew word usually translated into English as "familiar spirit".
The jinn frequently occurs as a character or plot element in fiction. Two other classes of jinns, the ifrit and the marid, have been represented in fiction as well.
Genies appear in film in various forms, such as the genie freed by Abu, the eponymous character in the 1940 film Thief of Bagdad.
A Jinn makes a short appearance in the novel American Gods by Neil Gaiman, originally published in 2001. American Gods was also made into a TV series for the Starz television cable television network in 2017. The television adaptation also features a Jinn.
In P.B. Kerr's series, "Children of the Lamp", the main protagonists and antagonists of the series are Djinn.
There is also a movie by the name with Jinn in 2014 by Director Ajmal Zaheer Ahmad.
