A well-known Iranian theologian, Mustafa Karami, recently made an intriguing claim: he believes that Israel has been aided in its fight against Hamas and Hezbollah by an army of djinns, which are supernatural beings mentioned in the Quran. According to Islamic tradition, djinns were created from smokeless fire and are said to have free will, allowing them to influence events on Earth. This belief is still common in the Middle East, where many people think that djinns can have a significant impact on human affairs.
In fact, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has even labeled djinns as one of the country’s main enemies, alongside the United States and the coronavirus. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, there is a specialized unit within the Ministry of Justice that combats magic. This unit has the authority to arrest and question anyone suspected of practicing witchcraft.
According to a 2015 book titled Djinns and Human Diseases, djinns can take many forms, including large snakes, black cats, or dogs. The book offers protection methods against these supernatural beings and suggests that you can identify a djinn by looking at the feet of anyone you suspect might not be entirely human. Djinns are believed to have hooves like those of sheep or goats.
The book’s authors argue that only arrogant and irrational people deny the existence of djinns, pointing to their mention in the Quran. While many djinns are thought to be evil, not all of them are. In historical accounts, djinns have even been said to take human wives. Some legends suggest that the Kurds, an ethnic group in the Middle East, are descended from ancient unions between djinns and humans.
The Quran describes djinns as beings created before Adam, endowed with free will. They can choose to be good or evil, much like humans. One Quranic verse quotes a djinn acknowledging the presence of both righteous and sinful beings among them.
Interestingly, many theologians believe that Satan is a powerful djinn. Djinns experience human-like conditions, suffering from illness and hunger, and they can marry and have children. Among them are followers of various religions, including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. It’s said that djinns often work closely with humans, especially those who share their faith.
In Muslim tradition, the famous King Solomon, known as Prophet Suleiman in the Quran, is believed to have had command over djinns. They worked as his soldiers and builders. When Solomon was nearing the end of his life, he wanted to finish constructing a holy site (thought to be the Al-Aqsa Mosque) and devised a clever plan to keep his workers from abandoning the project after his death. He sat on his throne near the site, propped up by his staff, and quietly passed away, leading the djinns to believe he was still watching over them.
Jewish texts do not mention djinns, likely because the term comes from pre-Islamic Arab folklore. However, they do reference beings similar to djinns called shedim, who are also mortal and have human-like qualities. Shedim can quickly travel great distances, take on human forms, and curse those who offend them.
Both Jewish and Islamic traditions speak of supernatural beings aiding their leaders. In Jewish lore, Solomon is depicted with a magical tool, that allows him to extract secrets from the demon leader Asmodeus, which helped him build the Temple of Jerusalem. This magical assistance can be compared to the djinns’ role in the Quran.
Djinns continue to capture the imagination of millions. In rural southern Turkey, people remain cautious of strangers, fearing that evil djinns might take on human forms and drive the good-hearted mad. This belief is particularly prevalent among the Kurds, who are ironically referred to as “descendants of djinns.”
In some Arab villages, people attribute common ailments like headaches to djinns, who they believe enjoy tormenting the farmers. This belief gained traction during the rise of ISIS when many Iraqis speculated that an army of djinns helped a small number of ISIS fighters overpower a larger force. Soldiers were said to have fled in panic, believing they faced an overwhelming enemy thanks to djinns’ supernatural powers.
Interestingly, ISIS itself does not consider djinns to be allies. In fact, some ISIS fighters have been warned through their media outlets that djinns could be spying on them due to their ability to remain unseen. There is even an example of a man from England who, before being arrested for attempting to join ISIS, claimed in court that djinns were tormenting him and leading him toward jihad.
The U.S. military also engaged with the concept of djinns during its operations in Afghanistan. They portrayed themselves as exorcists ridding the land of evil djinns and even dropped leaflets depicting Osama bin Laden as a dangerous djinn, knowing that most Afghans feared these supernatural beings.
In Pakistan, political leaders have claimed that djinns influence government decisions. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan faced accusations that his wife could control djinns to spy on political rivals. One disgruntled party member even shared stories of djinns as part of a political scandal involving Khan’s administration.
In Egypt, a former parliament member known as the “deputy of djinns and goblins” gained fame through television shows about the supernatural. However, his career took a downturn after he was imprisoned for stealing ancient artifacts, not because of any magical influence.
In contrast to Egypt’s fascination with djinns, Saudi Arabia actively combats magic, banning books like Harry Potter and enforcing laws against witchcraft. Their Ministry of Justice has a unit dedicated to addressing magical practices.
Yet, Iran seems to be the most consumed by the notion of djinns. Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lost favor with top religious leaders due to accusations of sorcery within his circle. More recently, Ayatollah Khamenei publicly identified djinns, along with the U.S. and the coronavirus, as major threats to the state, claiming they were aiding Iran’s enemies in preparations for war.
In essence, when Mustafa Karami suggested that djinns helped Israel locate and eliminate Hezbollah leaders, he echoed a long-standing narrative in the region. This belief in djinns and their influence over world events remains a captivating part of Middle Eastern culture, woven deeply into its history and folklore.
