http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/147_djinn.shtml
In every culture the human imagination has populated the world with
extra-dimensional denizens (EDDs) and created myths about the dangers of dealing
with them. Peter Coleman offers this meditation on the similarity between modern
alien abductors and the fairies, angels, demons and elementals of older
mythologies.
JINN ELOPES WITH 17-YEAR-OLD GIRL
The Friday Times (Pakistan), 10-16 Nov
2000.
A jinn eloped with a 17 year-old girl from a closed room in Phoolnagar,
according to Din . The lecherous jinn had been shadowing Tahira Anjum, of
village Jambar Kalan in the vicinity of Phoolnagar, for six months. Tahira was
possessed by the jinn and would have a fit during which she would passionately
scratch her face. Her family would lock her up in a room during these fits but
she would miraculously escape. Many times the lock would fall apart or the door
would fly open.
A few days ago, when Tahira had another fit, her family locked her up
again. They opened the door a few hours later to give her her dinner but found
that she had disappeared. They informed everyone that the jinn had eloped with
their daughter.
One of the most popular new watering holes for the young and relatively
affluent residents of India s capital, Delhi, is called Djinns . Ironically, it
is designed as an all-American bar and fast food restaurant. It is called
Djinns, a regular informed me as I sipped my gin and tonic at the bar, because
all the little devils like me come here. When William Dalrymple entitled his
book about Delhi City of Djinns, he was thinking of a much older and altogether
different tradition.
According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, a djinn (jinni or genie) is in
Arabic mythology, a supernatural spirit below the level of angels and devils.
Ghul (treacherous spirits of changing shape), ifrit (diabolic, evil spirits),
and sila (treacherous spirits of invariable form), constitute classes of djinn.
They delight in punishing humans for any harm done them, intentionally or
unintentionally, and are said to be responsible for many diseases and all kinds
of accidents; however, those human beings knowing the proper magical procedure
can exploit the djinn to their advantage.
Djinn feature heavily in the classic ancient story anthology collectively
known as The Arabian Nights or Thousand and One Nights. The Rev George Fyler
Townsend, in his notes to a Victorian edition, tells us that: These tales are
furnished
throughout with a certain imaginary machinery. They have, as their
foundation, the perpetual intervention of certain fantastic beings, in most
cases superior to man, but yet subordinate to the authority of certain favoured
individuals. These beings may, for our purpose, be generally divided into
genies, whose interference is generally for evil; pens whose presence indicates
favourable issues to those whom they befriend; and ghouls, which have a less
direct control over man s affairs, but represent any monster repugnant or
loathsome to mankind.
In my travels to India and Pakistan, I have come across a widespread belief
amongst, in particular, the older generation of Muslims in the actual existence
of djinn. Belief in the reality of the djinn is held as easily as belief in
other natural forces such as light or darkness. I was talking with a well
educated, highly qualified friend in Islamabad; he expressed great surprise in
my own surprise that a graduate from Lahore could believe in a hidden race of
beings existing alongside us. Asking for evidence was, of course, a hopeless
request, eliciting the standard response of citing other intangible things, like
being surrounded by radio and television waves, or the impossibility of
photographing the wind.
As to how they came to co-exist with mankind, this was, I was told in a
matter-of-fact way, simply another strand of evolution. The existence of
transparent sea creatures at great depths or an animal like the chameleon that
can render itself invisible was, he said, regarded as commonplace. If
evolution could produce such a diverse population of known creatures on this
planet, why should there not be more? A belief in God as the original creator of
life was somehow mixed into this philosophy as an explanation for the hierarchy
of devils, angels and the hordes of others that share our world.
It occurred to me that the natural belief in djinn was not unlike my own
conviction, as a child and young man, of the existence of a guardian angel.
Given that I was repeatedly taught (indoctrinated may be closer to the mark) by
Catholic priests about the existence of my very own guardian angel, I held it to
be so without question. Even to this day, long after I have reasoned my way out
of this belief, I sometimes sense myself accompanied by another; this is surely
a measure of the potency of early instruction. In the West, we have our own
version of djinn and pens et al. Here, too, the belief system is fed to the
child as early as possible The fairy lore they sucked in with their mothers
milk, and held, not by conviction, for they had never reasoned on it, but quite
naturally, as part and parcel of themselves.
In his 1691 book The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies, the
Reverend Robert Kirk see below gives us specific information about the Little
Folk that so occupied him until, it is said, he joined them. In Kirk s words.
their resemblance to djinn and to our modern goblin, the so called alien, is
startling ever readiest to go on hurtful errands but seldom will be the
messengers of great good to men. Renowned for their predilection for abduction
Catching our children away... which never return their character as
described is quite unlike a flower fairy and much more like the djinn, being
occupied with Envy, spite, hypocrisy, lying and dissimulation.
Even animal mutilations were occurring in the 17th century and Kirk gives
us the simple reason for this activity which continues to mystify us today
They also pierce cows or other animals, usually said to be Elf-shot, whose
purest substance (if they die) these subterraneans take to live on, viz. the
aereal and aetherial parts, the most spiritous matter for prolonging life...
Our relationship with the legions of creatures who are said to live among
us is always a little difficult, knowing the difference between the goodies
(angels, pens, nordics etc.) and baddies (demons, djinn, greys etc.) is an
important starting point. The djinn are renowned for their ability to pretend to
be our allies only to lead us astray even Muhammad the Prophet originally
feared that his revelations might be the work of djinn. But we are informed from
many sources that humans do have the ability to control all shades of these
extra-dimensional denizens (EDDs). However, from the formal notices that preface
most magical tracts and grimoires to the novels of Dennis Wheatley, we have been
warned about the dangers of meddling in such matters.
Many books have come down to us detailing the practical
magical
procedures to take control of EDDs. One of the most renowned and allegedly
powerful works is The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin The Mage as
delivered by Abraham the Jew to his son Lamech in 1458 see below. According to
its editor, SL MacGregor-Mathers (1854-1918), the basic modus operandi is that
by purity and self-denial one obtains the knowledge of and conversation with
one s Guardian Angel, so that thereby and thereafter we may obtain the right of
using the Evil Spirits for our servants in all material matters. Abraham the
Jew benefited greatly from his purity and self-denial as he expressly states
that he obtained both his wife and three million golden florins using the
magical operations contained within the book.
Dealing with demons, devils and djinn is a dodgy business, as Aleister
Crowley and others found to their cost, (although there are modern accounts of
successful workings of The Book of the Sacred Magic). Paul Weller displays some
ignorance of the subject when he suggests on his recent album that we Lock the
genie in the shed, put a pistol to his head, as this form of capture and
control is unlikely to result in the notorious three wishes.
Abraham the Jew lists four Princes and Superior Spirits Lucifer,
Leviathan, Satan and Belial served by eight sub-Princes. There then follows a
further 316 names of subservient spirits, and this only represents those that
Abraham himself employed out of an infinite number. The list provides an
interesting alternative to the conventional name your baby books; how about
Rukum or Magalast for a boy, or Pellipis or Sarisel for a girl?
The notion that we can conjure and create some control over the various
EDDs, is common across different times and cultures, as is the idea of making a
pact with them (usually involving the sale of our eternal soul in exchange for a
lifetime of inestimable pleasure). Rev Kirk and others mention this basis for
our relationship with the fairy kingdom, just as Paracelsus and Abramelin do for
dealing with demons. The Bible and the Koran are full of references to angels,
devils and djinn with a similar human connection and contract. Today, aliens
allegedly have a special relationship with their human subjects with many
thousands apparently engaged in a willing or unwilling contact (sometimes also
reported as a contract) over many years. George Adamski s Orthon is an
archetypal angel whilst the large-eyed Greys could be viewed as demonic as they
go about their surgical inspections of abducted humans.
So what is going on? Are humans shadowed by objective EDDs as real as
ourselves? Of course discussion about reality immediately takes us down another
road and, interesting though that journey is, let s keep it simple for the
moment. (I sense some people exchanging shallow for simple!) Emanuel Swedenborg
(1688-1772), the Swedish scientist and theologian had much to say on the
subject, including his personal testimony of contact with spirits. However,
unlike most commentators who believe that angels are a separate,
divinely-created race, Swedenborg held that all angels and spirits are people
who began their life in this world and now live in the spiritual dimension after
physical death. Interestingly, Swedenborg claims we each have at least two
guardian angels assigned to us and that contact with them is permissible if it
is for our spiritual development.
Whilst Swedenborg has the EDDs much closer to home, I think they may be
closer still. To deny the objective existence of the wonderful creatures under
discussion would be a major disappointment for many people. The rich and
powerful stories told as myth or truth (another tricky road!) that run through
the history of mankind everywhere in the world seem integral to our whole
existence. Perhaps that is the clue integral part of us. Maybe my Pakistani
friend was right and that all the fantastic creatures, good and bad, have
evolved within us, providing a mechanism to enlarge our imaginations and help
develop the creative skills so necessary for further adaptation.
There seems to be increasing support for the theory that life is an
incredibly rare occurrence in the universe, even unique to the Earth. In seeking
to find the strange and miraculous beyond ourselves, we may be denying our true
importance. The real wonder of the Universe could be simply us.
THE SECRET COMMONWEALTH
Althoughwritten in 1691, The Secret Commonwealth does not seem to have been
published until 1815 when a limited edition of 100 copies appeared. This first
edition is now extremely rare and much sought after. Five hundred more copies
were printed in 1893 and again (by Eneas Mackay) in 1933.
Little appears to be known about Kirk, although there has been some
whimsical conjecture about him moving around his parish with one eye on his
mortal flock and one on what he regarded as other non church-going residents.
He was born the seventh and youngest son of James Kirk in circa 1641. Being the
seventh son may have given him the common belief in the gift of second sight and
entry into elfindom. Originally Minister of Balquhidder, he transferred to
Aberfoyle in 1685, wed twice with a son from each marriage and died in
1692.
His death, however, is somewhat disputed. According to his successor, the
Rev Dr Grahame, Kirk was walking on a dun-shi (fairy hill) which we can assume
to be the Aberfoyle hill, when he appeared to faint. According to Sir Walter
Scott in his Demonology and Witchcraft (1830, p.105) after the ceremony of a
seeming funeral the form of the Rev Robert Kirk appeared to a relation and
commanded him to go to Grahame of Duchray. Say to Duchray, who is my cousin as
well as your own, that I am not dead, but a captive in Fairyland; and only one
chance remains for my liberation. When the posthumous child, of which my wife
has been delivered since my disappearance, shall be brought to baptism, I will
appear in the room, when, if Duchray shall throw over my head the knife or dirk
which he holds in his hand, I may be restored to society; but if this is
neglected, I am lost forever.
Unfortunately, whilst Kirk was reported as being visibly seen at the
appointed time, Duchray was too surprised to carry out his simple task. This is
a great pity, as Kirk could no doubt have written a sequel to The Secret
Commonwealth which would have revealed much.
ANGELS, ELEMENTALS & DEVILS
In his introduction to The Book of the Sacred Magic, the renowned occultist
SL MacGregor-Mathers (right) offers his view on the three great classes of
Spirits . Whilst he divides angels into numerous orders and classes, he believes
them to have common characteristics. They are entirely good and work on behalf
of the Divine Will in the material world. Importantly they are responsible
agents and therefore capable of falling from their perfect pedestal (with some
infamous antecedents!). Angels are superior to men, spirits, elementals and
devils.
Elementals are multifarious forces of nature and virtually infinite in
number. They account for the various creatures described throughout the world
since time immemorial, including dwarfs, elves, fairies, goblins, brownies,
nymphs, gremlins, hamadryads, mermaids, satyrs, fauns, sylphs, fays,
salamanders, undines, gnomes and so on. (Given hundreds of other names and their
subsets, it s a wonder we are not falling over them all the time.) Unlike
angels, elementals are not entirely responsible for their actions, with some
being malignant (resembling devils to the uninitiated), some generally good;
while most can be described as neutral as they work irrationally. They are
allegedly responsible for exciting existing human tendencies ie. in evil
people they will incite more evil, whilst good people will be encouraged to be
even better. They are then, the inner voice that saints and sinners hear telling
them how to behave.
Devils are far more powerful than elementals, with a strength close to that
of angels although, of course, for evil. Unlike elementals that must work in
their own natural current, devils can operate anywhere and act with full
consciousness and deadly intent. Add to this potent mixture a wonderful facility
for deception and you should be sufficiently warned to avoid the devils; the
trouble is, how do you reliably tell who is who?
From FT 147
Main Illustration:
Dave Needham
Arabian Nights
The full text of the Sir Francis Burton
translation
BOOKS
Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: On UFOs, Folklore and Parallel Worlds
(Regnery, 1969; Conteporary Books, 1993).
Katherine Briggs, The Vanishing People: A Study of Traditional Fairy
Beliefs (Batsford, 1978).
Sydney Anglo, ed, The Damned Art: Essays in the Literarure of Witchcraft
(RKP, 1977, 1985)