Jinn, Devil, or Something Else: The “Jinn” in the Minds of Middle Eastern People

In the Middle East and North Africa, many people often mention something called “jinn,” called “jinn” in Arabic. Westerners call them “genies” or “genies”; Aladdin's magic lamp in “One Thousand and One Nights” comes from here.

The “Quran” says that humans are made from clay, angels are made from light, and jinn are made from “smokeless fire.” They are another living race, with their own society, some good, some evil, some believing in religion and some not, and they will also die. They can see humans, but humans cannot see them. There is a chapter in the “Quran” called “Jinn.” King Solomon once could command them to help build houses and dive. The most famous villain in Islam, Iblis, is also considered a jinn, not an angel.

So in some places, when people pour hot water, they will first say “In the name of Allah,” in case they scald the jinn that might be nearby; they also cannot casually pour boiling water down the sewer at night for the same reason.

When someone is sick or has nightmares, family members may not necessarily go to the hospital first, but may first invite religious people to recite the “Quran” to see if they are possessed by jinn. Called “exorcism,” this exists in many places in the Middle East and North Africa, and some places even have people who specialize in this.

Middle Easterners' attitudes toward this vary greatly between countries and individuals. Some people think this is part of faith and must be believed; others, especially young people, think this is a story from the older generation and do not take it too seriously.

#Ghosts #网络转载 #世界民俗