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Reference

The vocabulary of the unseen

Every term used across this site, defined in one place.

16 terms

Glossary

Every term used across this site, gathered in one place, with its Arabic root shown where relevant.

Jinn جن

The general term for the species: a parallel society of free-willed beings, ordinarily unseen, first addressed directly in Surah al-Jinn (72).

Jann جان

An older or alternate term for jinn used in some Qur'anic passages, sometimes read by commentators as referring to a particular early or foundational kind of jinn.

Shaytan شيطان

A moral category rather than a species: a rebellious, tempting jinn. Iblis is the archetypal shaytan in Qur'anic narrative.

Ifrit عفريت

A powerful rank of jinn named once in the Qur'an (27:39); later folklore treats ifrit as cunning, fire-associated, and often bound to ruins.

Marid مارد

The strongest folkloric rank, rebellious and immense, frequently depicted as sealed within a vessel or well.

Ghul (Ghoul) غول

A shape-shifting scavenger associated with graveyards and deserts; the direct root of the English word 'ghoul.'

Si'lat (Sila) سعلاة

A female shape-shifting figure in folklore, known for deceiving travelers through disguise.

Qareen قرين

A personal jinn companion assigned to every human at birth, per hadith — a whispering counterpart, not a possessing entity.

Hinn هن

A lesser folkloric class, sometimes linked to household disturbance and, in some sources, to dogs.

Nasnas نسناس

A half-formed creature in bestiary-style folklore — one eye, one arm, one leg.

Majnun مجنون

Literally 'possessed by a jinn'; the ordinary Arabic word for someone who is insane, from the same j-n-n root as 'jinn' itself.

Nar as-Samum نار السموم

The 'fire of the scorching wind' the Qur'an (15:27) names as the material of the jinn's creation.

Marij min Nar مارج من نار

A 'smokeless, flickering flame' — the second Qur'anic description of the jinn's substance (55:15), giving this site its name.

Destur دستور

'By your leave' — a customary phrase said before pouring water or entering an empty space, as a courtesy to any jinn present.

Ruqyah shar'iyyah رقية شرعية

Islamic spiritual healing built on Qur'anic recitation and prophetic supplication, distinguished by mainstream scholars from folk-magical practice.

Al-Mu'awwidhatayn المعوذتان

'The Two Refuges' — Surah al-Falaq and Surah an-Nas, the Qur'an's closing two chapters, both structured as an appeal for protection.