Ifrit

Ifrit, also spelled as efreet, afrit, and afreet (Arabic: عفريت, romanized: ʿifrīt [ʕifriːt] , plural عفاريت ʿafārīt), is a powerful type of demon in Islamic culture. The ʿafārīt are often associated with the underworld and identified with the spirits of the dead, and have been compared to evil genii locorum in European culture. In Quran, hadith, and Mi'raj narrations the term functions as an epithet, always followed by the phrase "among the jinn". Due to the ambiguous meaning of the term jinn, their relation to other spirits is often unclear. In Arabic dialects, the term is a substantive referring to independent entities, powerful chthonic demons or ghosts of the dead who sometimes inhabit desolate places such as ruins and temples. Their true habitat is the Jahannam or underworld.

Etymology The word ifrit appears in Surah an-Naml: 39 of the Quran, but only as an epithet and not to designate a specific type of demon. The term itself is not found in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, although variants such as ifriya and ifr are recorded prior to the Quran. Traditionally, Arab philologists trace the derivation of the word to Arabic: عفر, romanized: ʻafara, lit. 'to rub with dust, to roll into dust'. It is further used to describe sly, malicious, wicked and cunning characteristics. Some Western philologists suggest a foreign origin of the word and attribute it to Middle Persian āfrītan, which corresponds to New Persian آفریدن "to create", but this is regarded as unlikely by others. Johnny Cheung argued that there is a Zoroastrian spirit called an āfriti- in Avestan. He suggests that this Avestan term might be the ultimate source of Arabic ‘ifrīt." In folklore, the term is used as a substantive, referring to a specific class of demon, though most Islamic scholarly traditions regard the term as an adjective. Popular beliefs were elaborated in works such as in al-Ibshīhī's Mustatraf. They became identified either as a dangerous kind of devil (shayṭān) preying on women, or as spirits of the dead. In Turkish, the term is generally used for demons of the underworld in contrast to demons on the surface such as jinn.

Islamic scriptures

In Islamic scriptures the term ifrit is always followed by the expression of the jinn. Due to the ambiguous meaning of the term jinn, which is applied to a wide range of different spirits, their relation towards the genus of jinn remains vague. However, within the Islamic scriptures, the term is used as an epithet to describe a powerful or malicious spirit of an undefined nature. In the Quran, such an ifrit is mentioned in surah al-Naml 27:38-40. The ifrit offers to carry the throne of Bilqis, queen of Sheba to King Solomon: "An ifrit from the jinn said: 'I will bring it to you before you rise from your place. And verily, I am indeed strong and trustworthy for such work." However, the duty is not given to him, but to somebody endowed with knowledge of the scripture. An "ifrit among the jinn" is mentioned in a hadith of Muhammad al-Bukhari, attempting to interrupt the prayers of Muhammad and in a narrative of Muhammad's night journey recorded in the eighth century by Malik ibn Anas. In the latter account, the "ifrit among the jinn" threatens Muhammad with a fiery presence, after which the Archangel Gabriel taught Muhammad a prayer to defeat it. Muslim texts explain, God sent the ifrit on purpose so that Gabriel might teach Muhammad and his ummah (Muslim community) to overcome their fear of demons at night. Tafsīr of Surah al-Anbiya, on the story of the prophet Job, mentions Job being tested by the torment of three ifrits. After Iblis gains permission to test Job, he descends to earth and summons his most powerful devils (shaytan) and ifrits. In order to torment the prophet, they turn into storms and whirlwinds of fire to destroy Job's properties.

Islamic folklore In Islamic folklore, the afarit became a class of chthonic spirits, inhabiting the layers of the seven earths, generally ruthless and wicked, formed out of smoke and fire. Despite their negative depictions and affiliation to the nether regions, afarit are not fundamentally evil on a moral plane; they might even carry out God's purpose. Such obligations can nevertheless be ruthless, such as obligation to blood vengeance and avenging murder. Nizami Ganjavi describes an ifrit tormenting Mahan, as created from "God's wrath", thus underpinning the ifrit's role secondary to God's will. Further, an ifrit can be compelled by a sorcerer, if summoned.

Egypt

Although afarit are not necessarily components of a person, but independent entities, a common belief in Islamic Egypt associates afarit with part of a human's soul. Probably influenced by the Ancient Egypt idea of Ka, the afarit are often identified with the spirits of the dead, departing from the body at the moment of death. They live in cemeteries, wander around places the dead person frequently visited, or roam the earth close to the place of death, until the Day of Judgment. A person who died a natural death does not have a malevolent ifrit. Only people who are killed give rise to a dangerous and active ifrit, drawn to the blood of the victim. Driving an unused nail into the blood is supposed to stop their formation. Such afarit might scare and even kill the living or take revenge on the murderer. Martyrs, saints and prophets do not have a ghost, and therefore no ifrit.

Morocco In Moroccan belief, the afarit form a more powerful type of demon, comparable to jinn and other supernatural creatures. They have more substantial existence, and are greater in scale and capacity than other demons. However, their shapeshifting abilities are inferior compared to jinn. Their physical appearance is often portrayed as having monstrous deformities, such as claw-like or thorny hands, flaming eyes or seven heads. Just as with jinn, an ifrit might possess an individual. Such persons gain some abilities from the ifrit, such as getting stronger and braver, but the ifrit renders them insane. With the aid of a magical ring, the afarit might be forced to perform certain orders, such as carrying heavy stones.

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