Antonio FatenHas any of you heard of the Jinn? No? Then how about Genies? Yep, we thought so. No doubt you’re all familiar with Genies and how they grant wishes through their lamps.
Jinn A Mythical Existence
But what if we told you there was more to their mythological existence? Oh, we didn’t? Let’s get on with it, shall we? According to Arab folklore, a Jinni, or “Jinn” in terms of the majority, are spirits that inhabit the earth, invisible to humans. It’s said that they have extraordinary power and can take on any form of their choosing.
The existence of the Jinn inspired many scholars and poets to incorporate them in their writings and teachings, such as the Qu’ran (Arab Bible). In the mentioned tomes, they’re compared similarly to humans, who can choose between good and evil. It also detailed their origins, which were created by “smokeless fire,” whereas humanity was made from the earth in contrast, so we can’t see them. But they don’t stop within the confines of Arabia; they’ve also been the center of attention in North Africa, Egypt, Syria, Persia, and Turkey. Their most famous appearance is in the tale “The Thousand and One Nights” (Arabian Nights), a collection of stories compiled into one entity.
Jinn A Tale As Old As Time
Many of their tales tell the stories of the Jinn and their interactions with humans, the most famous being “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.” Everyone knows how the street urchin boy found a Jinni and used its power to make wishes. We won’t tell you how many times this story has been repeated, but we will say that this story became the basis of our modern conceptualization of the Jinn. This concept was further popularized with Disney’s 1992 animated feature film, “Aladdin.” The film plays the same scenario as its previous fairy tale counterparts, with a touch of that old-school Disney magic.
Robin Williams Portrayal of Genie
But the one thing that makes the film stand out is its portrayal of its Jinni, “Genie.” Portrayed by the late and great Robin Williams, Genie shows a lot more personality than being some mystical being who shows pride in serving his master. Here, he expresses his wish to be free from being bound by the lamp and explore the world while also demonstrating compassion, empathy, and, most importantly, friendship. This opened new avenues for many others to showcase different portrayals of the Jinn, one of them in recent years being the Japanese anime “Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic” by Shinobu Ohtaka. The original 2009 manga tells the story of Alibaba’s encounter with the young Magi, Aladdin.
Together, they traverse labyrinths to attain vast treasures, including brass vessels that house the spirits of the Jinn. And speaking of the Jinn, Aladdin is friends with one of them, named “Ugo,” who’s a headless Jinni since his head resides in the realm of the Jinn. Regardless, he’s more than capable of expressing himself through body language alone (though it’s unknown how he can see what’s going on with his head separated). One last example of the Jinn that stands out is the 1965 sitcom, “I Dream of Jeannie.” This classic comedy series features an astronaut who ends up stranded on a deserted island, where he finds a bottle washed ashore and inadvertently frees the Jinni within, namely “Jeannie.”
Jinn’s Supernatural Influence
As you can see, the Jinn have left their mark in history since the first mention of them through oral stories and legends. Some even go so far as to prove the existence of these beings, but that’s another can of worms for another time. The main takeaway is that the Jinn will forever remain prevalent in the minds of the imagination. Whether we see them or not, they’re bound to make us dream of them in the future.
https://theableshow.com/i-dream-of-jinn
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References:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103639
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058815