The Jinns

Jinn (Arabic: الجن‎‎, al-jinn), also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the more broad meaning of demons), are supernatural creatures in early Arabian and later Islamic mythology and theology. An individual member of the jinn is known as a jinni, djinni, or genie (الجني, al-jinnī). They are mentioned frequently in the Quran (the 72nd sura is titled Sūrat al-Jinn) and other Islamic texts. The Quran says that the jinn were created from a smokeless and "scorching fire", but are also physical in nature, being able to interact in a tactile manner with people and objects and likewise be acted upon. The jinn, humans, and angels make up the three known sapient creations of God. Like human beings, the jinn can be good, evil, or neutrally benevolent and hence have free will like humans. The shaytan jinn are akin to demons in Christian tradition, but the jinn are not fallen angels and the Quran draws a clear distinction between the two creations. An exception is Iblis, the islamic devil. While the Quran calls in Sūrat al-Kahf (The Cave), Ayah 50, Iblis one of the jinn, but mentioned him among the angels, some scholars and especially mystics argue, that he was once an angel named Azazel, but turned into a jinn, then he was cast out of heaven.