Legends of the Fire Spirits
Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar
Seiten
2020
Tauris Parke (Verlag)
978-0-7556-4205-2 (ISBN)
Tauris Parke (Verlag)
978-0-7556-4205-2 (ISBN)
A magnificent and indispensable portrayal of the rich folklore of the Islamic world.
According to Islamic tradition, Allah created three types of beings: angels, made of light; humans, made of earth; and jinn, made of smokeless fire. Supernatural, shape-shifting, intelligent and blessed with free will and remarkable powers, jinn have over the ages been given many names - demon, spirit, ghoul, genie, ifrit and shaitan. Believed in by hundreds of millions of people throughout the world and from all faiths, jinn have played a particularly central role in the literature, culture and belief systems of the Middle East and the Islamic world.
Legends of the Fire Spirits explores through time and across nations the enduring phenomenon of the jinn. From North Africa to Central Asia, from the Mediterranean to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, this riveting, often chilling, yet reasoned book draws on ancient testimonies, medieval histories, colonial records, anthropologist's reports and traveller's tales to explore the different types of jinn, their behaviour, society, culture and long history of contact with humankind. It documents their links with famous figures in history such as King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and illustrates the varied and vivid portrayals of jinn in world literature.
In essence, Legends of the Fire Spirits demonstrates the colourful diversity of human culture and the durability of faith and is a magnificent and indispensable portrayal of the rich folklore of the Islamic world.
According to Islamic tradition, Allah created three types of beings: angels, made of light; humans, made of earth; and jinn, made of smokeless fire. Supernatural, shape-shifting, intelligent and blessed with free will and remarkable powers, jinn have over the ages been given many names - demon, spirit, ghoul, genie, ifrit and shaitan. Believed in by hundreds of millions of people throughout the world and from all faiths, jinn have played a particularly central role in the literature, culture and belief systems of the Middle East and the Islamic world.
Legends of the Fire Spirits explores through time and across nations the enduring phenomenon of the jinn. From North Africa to Central Asia, from the Mediterranean to sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, this riveting, often chilling, yet reasoned book draws on ancient testimonies, medieval histories, colonial records, anthropologist's reports and traveller's tales to explore the different types of jinn, their behaviour, society, culture and long history of contact with humankind. It documents their links with famous figures in history such as King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and illustrates the varied and vivid portrayals of jinn in world literature.
In essence, Legends of the Fire Spirits demonstrates the colourful diversity of human culture and the durability of faith and is a magnificent and indispensable portrayal of the rich folklore of the Islamic world.
Robert W. Lebling has lived and worked as a journalist in Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States and is the author, with Donna Pepperdine, of Natural Remedies of Arabia. Married with two daughters, he is currently a writer and communications specialist based in Saudi Arabia.
Foreword by Tahir Shah
Acknowledgements
Notes on Transliteration
Introduction: The Nature of Jinn
1. Origins
2. Historical Encounters
3. By Their Deeds: Jinn Behaviour
4. Jinn Geography
5. Cultural Echoes
Appendices
Appendix A: Edward Lane’s Notes on the Jinn
Appendix B: Muhammad Asad on the Jinn
Appendix C: Jinn Physics
Notes
References
Index
| Erscheinungsdatum | 16.01.2021 |
|---|---|
| Sprache | englisch |
| Maße | 138 x 216 mm |
| Gewicht | 360 g |
| Themenwelt | Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Islam |
| Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie | |
| ISBN-10 | 0-7556-4205-8 / 0755642058 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0-7556-4205-2 / 9780755642052 |
| Zustand | Neuware |
| Informationen gemäß Produktsicherheitsverordnung (GPSR) | |
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