Image Source: a Jinn from Muḥammad al-Qazwīnī‘s “Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing”
The roots of modern Science Fiction in the Islamic world go back to the rich tradition of fantasy and fantastic creatures. Thus some familiarity with the history of this tradition and how fantastical creatures were conceptualized by the Islamicite people. The following academic article is a good descriptor of how people in the Muslim world conceptualized spirits in the medieval era. (Thanks Hal for the pointer)
| Translated Title: | SPIRITS AND APPARITIONS IN THE MUSLIM IMAGINATION, FROM MARVELS OF THE EAST EPIC TO EDMOND DOUTTÉ |
| Publication: | Echinox Journal (21/2011) |
| Author Name: | Caiozzo, Anna; |
| Language: | French |
| Subject: | Literature |
| Issue: | 21/2011 |
| Page Range: | 75-87 |
| No. of Pages: | 13 |
| Summary: | In the Medieval Islamic world, three kind of spirits were visible to the living: the spirits of the dead persons by dreaming, the djinns and some apparitions related to black magic and the miracles that occur when the saints want to demonstrate God’s absolute power on death and time. |