"Among Muslims, the important tenet of belief in jinn and devils is often forgotten. However, this is not an irrelevant matter. No price can be put on the importance of the texts of the Qur'an and authentic hadiths that have reached us, giving us knowledge of this matter. Dr. 'Umar al-Ashqar shows us how those texts uncover for us the secrets of these fellow-creatures: the world of the jinn. Adequate knowledge about their existence can help in our constant struggle to resist their influence. It will also help us in reaching the ultimate goal of creating the everlasting bond and closeness to Allah, the Beneficent, that we all seek." -- Back cover

According to the Qur’an, God created two parallel species, man and the jinn, the former from clay and the latter from fire. Beliefs regarding the jinn are deeply integrated into Muslim culture and religion, and have a constant presence in legends, myths, poetry, and literature. In Islam, Arabs, and the Intelligent World of the Jinn, Amira El-Zein explores the integral role these mythological figures play, revealing that the concept of jinn is fundamental to understanding Muslim culture and tradition.

In common folklore, angels or malaikah are thought of as good forces of nature, hologram images, or illusions. Western iconography sometimes depicts angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a halo surrounding their head. In Islamic doctrine, they are real created beings who will eventually suffer death, but are generally hidden from our senses. They are not divine or semi-divine, and they are not God's associates running different districts of the universe. Also, they are not objects to be worshipped or prayed to, as they do not deliver our prayers to God. They all submit to God and carry out His commands. In the Islamic worldview, there are no fallen angels: they are not divided into 'good' and 'evil' angels. Human beings do not become angels after death. Satan is not a fallen angel, but is one of the jinn (demon), a creation of God parallel to human beings and angels. Angels were created from light before human beings were created, and thus their graphic or symbolic representation in Islamic art is rare. Nevertheless, they are generally beautiful beings with wings as described in Muslim scripture. The Arabic word Jinn is from the verb 'Janna' and means to hide or conceal. The Jinn or Demon are so called because they conceal themselves from people's sight. The words janeen (foetus) and mijann (shield) come from the same root. Jinn or demon, as the name suggests, are normally invisible to humans. The jinn are part of God's creation. They were created from fire before the creation of Adam and humankind. And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud. And the jinn (Demon), We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire (Quran 15:26-27) According to the traditions of Prophet Muhammad the angels were created from light, the jinn from fire and humankind from "what has been described to you." (meaning clay) God created the angels, jinn and humankind for no other purpose then to worship Him. "I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me." (Quran 51:56) Jinn exist in our world but they live on their own. Jinn have their own distinct nature and features and they generally remain hidden from humankind. Jinn and humans do have some common traits, the most important of which is free will and with it the ability to choose between good and evil, right and wrong. The jinn eat and drink, they marry, have children and die.

Throughout history humankind has been attracted to the supernatural. Spirits, ghosts and many other strange creatures have filled our minds and captured our imaginations. Strange and beguiling spectres have at times lead people to commit the greatest of all sins - Shirk. So are these spirits real? Are they more than just figments of our imagination, or shadows moulded from smoke and illusion? Well, according to Muslims they are very real. Spirits, ghosts, banshees, poltergeists and phantoms can all be explained when one understands the Islamic concept of spirits - the world of the Jinn (Demon). The Arabic word Jinn is from the verb 'Janna' and means to hide or conceal. The Jinn are so called because they conceal themselves from people's sight. The words janeen (foetus) and mijann (shield) come from the same root. Jinn, as the name suggests, are normally invisible to humans. The jinn are part of God's creation. They were created from fire before the creation of Adam and humankind. According to the traditions of Prophet Muhammad the angels were created from light, the jinn from fire and humankind from "what has been described to you." (meaning clay) God created the angels, jinn and humankind for no other purpose then to worship Him. "I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me." (Quran 51:56) Jinn exist in our world but they live on their own. Jinn have their own distinct nature and features and they generally remain hidden from humankind. Jinn and humans do have some common traits, the most important of which is free will and with it the ability to choose between good and evil, right and wrong. The jinn eat and drink, they marry, have children and die. Islamic scholar Ibn Abd al Barr said the jinn have several names and are of various types. In general, they are called jinn; a jinn who lives among people (a haunter or dweller) is called Aamir, and if it is the type of jinn that attaches itself to a child it is called Arwaah. An evil jinn is often called Shaytaan (devil), when they are more than evil, demonic, they are called Maarid, and the most evil and strong jinn are called Ifreet (plural afaareet). In the traditions of Prophet Muhammad the jinn are divided into three classes; those who have wings and fly in the air, those who resemble snakes and dogs, and those who travel about endlessly. Among the jinn are those who believe in God and the message of all the Prophets of God and there are those who do not. There are also those who will abandon their evil ways and become true believers, faithful and patient....