djinn

Jinn, also written djinn or djinni, are supernatural beings in Middle Eastern folklore and Islamic theology. In Islamic tradition, they are a distinct creation of God, created before humans from smokeless fire, endowed with free will and moral accountability. The Qur'an indicates that God created both jinn and humans to worship Him; some jinn are believers and others are nonbelievers.

Jinn are typically invisible but can assume various forms and are often said to inhabit deserts, ruins, and other liminal spaces. They generally live in communities much like humans, have long lifespans, marry, and reproduce, and like humans, they are subject to divine judgment.

Folklore distinguishes several types of jinn, such as ifrits (powerful, often malevolent), marids (bold, powerful), and ghuls (nocturnal, monstrous). The figure of Iblis or Shaitan is sometimes described as a jinn who defied God. In popular culture, jinn are frequently depicted as wish-granting beings in stories, most famously in tales from One Thousand and One Nights and in the Western concept of a “genie” in a lamp or bottle.

Belief in jinn remains part of religious and cultural practice in some Muslim-majority regions, where people may seek protection from or expulsion of jinn through prayers or reliance on scholars. In modern fiction and media, jinn appear in various forms, adapting to contemporary settings.