Magic and the Supernatural - Lancaster University

The Jinn: An Equivalent to Evil in 20 th Century
Arabian Nights and Days
Orchida Ismail and Lamya Ramadan
Abstract
The twentieth-century question surrounding the Jinn does not concern their
existence. Indeed, the Jinn are very real according not only to mythology, but also
to the Islam religion. The real question is what influence they have on the actions
of men. Naguib Mahfouz’s adaptation of the ancient classic Arabian Nights called
Arabian Nights and Days recounts the stories of several human interactions with
the Jinn. Yet throughout these interactions it is revealed that the Jinn cannot force
men to commit certain acts. Instead, men ultimately choose which path to follow.
In this sense, the terrible acts that men commit at the behest of the Jinn are always
chosen by men, but set in motion by the words of the Jinn.
Key Words: The Jinn, black magic, Arabian Nights and Days, Naguib Mahfouz.
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1. Introduction
For a better understanding of the view of the Jinn in the twentieth-century it
was relevant to examine a modern reading of the ancient classic The Arabian
Nights named Arabian Nights and Days. Recounted by poet laureate Naguib
Mahfouz (1911-2006), the story takes new depths and insights as the story picks up
from where the ancient story ends where all the fanciful creatures disappear except
for the Jinn. We could easily come to the conclusion that no other supernatural
creature is in the story any longer simply because Mahfouz portrays the real world
of the city of Shahrayar and Shahrazad.
The Jinn were introduced to western culture through The Arabian Nights with
the literal translation of A Thousand and One Nights. However, for some reason
these beings became a caricature comic creature in western culture. As opposed to
the western view of Jinn, most literature involving the Jinn in the Middle East is
usually disturbing and frightful. How far this creature’s presence or belief in its
presence affects the lives of people is another story and constitutes the whole point
of this chapter.
2. The Nature of the Jinn
The Jinn are creatures who truly exist not only according to mythology but
confirmed in religion (Islam). It should also be noted that magic/black magic is
attributed to the assistance of the Jinn and that explains a lot about why sometimes
magic works perfectly well for some people when they are not imposters. There are
even scientific attempts to explain the Jinn. 1