The Familiar Spirit or Qarina

AMONG all the superstitions in Islam there is none more curious in its origin and character than the belief in the Qarin or Qarinu.It probably goes back to the ancient religion of Egypt, or to the animistic beliefs common in Arabia as well as in Egypt, at the time of Mohammed.By Qarin or Qarina the Moslem understands the double of the individual, his companion, his mate, his familiar demon.I n the case of males a female mate, and in the case of females a male.This double is generally understood to be a devil, shuittin or jinn, born a t the time of the individual's birth and his constant companion throughout life.The qarina is, therefore, of the progeny of Satan.There are many passages in the Koran in which this doctrine is plainly taught, and by reading the commentaries on these texts, a world of superstition, grovelling, coarse, and, to the last degree, incredible, is opened to the reader.The Koran passages read as follows:-*(Chapter of the Cave, verse 48)' "And when we said to the angels, ' Adore Adam,' they adored him, save only Iblis, who was of the jinn, who revolted from the bidding of his Lord.' What ! will ye then take him and his seed as patrons, rather than me, when they are foes of yours ?bad for the wrong-doers is the exchange !' "The reference here is to the words, " Satan and his seed.''(See especially the Commentary of Fahr er Razi, margin, vol.6, p. 75).In speaking of the resurrection when the trumpet is blown and the day of judgment comes, we read:-(Chapter Kaf, verses 20-30), " And every soul shall come -with it a driver and a witness !' Thou wert heedless of this, and we withdrew thy veil from thee, and to-day * Palmer's Translation is used throughout, ' I was jealous of him.'Then she said, 'Mohammed saw me and came for me and said, " What's t,he matter with you, 'Ayesha?Are you jealous?'"And I * The unseen world, Hades, the abode of souls after death and before birth

Art · Psychoanalysis · Caribbean history, culture, and politics · Global Maritime and Colonial Histories · Postcolonial and Cultural Literary Studies · Psychology

• Friendly Skulls, Mechanical Bodies

  Mustafa Abdalla•Medical Anthropology•2015

  Add to list