jinn

plural jinns · plural jawan · plural jinnan · plural jinnah · alternative genie · alternative ginn · alternative djinn · alternative djinni · alternative djinny · alternative jinnee · alternative jinni · alternative jin · alternative jhin · alternative jhinn

1. Arabic cultureA human-like spiritual or immaterial being, as opposed to al-ins (people), often invisible but able to manifest in form and also inhabit people or animals; origin of the genie of Western literature, film etc.

   Even the sad jinn within the graven image slept[.]

   1961, Xavier Herbert, Soldiers' Women, Netley, SA: Fontana Books, published 1978, page 342

   3 more examples

   There not only jewels but also dangerous jinn abide: the inconvenient or resisted psychological powers that we have not thought or dared to integrate into our lives.

   1968, Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 2nd edition, London: Fontana Press, published 1993, page 8

   Surah 18:50: 'And We told the Angels "prostrate yourselves before Adam". So they all prostrated themselves, except Iblees who was one of the jinn.

   2020, Abu-Hamdiyyah, Muhammad, The Qur'an: an introduction, Routledge, page 101

   The second context in which jinn occurs in the Qur'an is where we find both ins and jinn are mentioned together. Ins is a collective noun signifying humans, recognisable familiar human beings.

   2020, Abu-Hamdiyyah, Muhammad, The Qur'an: an introduction, Routledge, page 101

   Synonyms: jann, jinni, genie