God in HP World/Folktales and Religion

[lucky_kari]

No: HPFGUIDX 34195

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> wrote:
> According to Brittanica.com, the Qu'uran and the Hadith  
> acknowledge the existence of jinn and ifrit (an inferior class  of 
> jinn). These beings are of a lower order than angels, may be 
> either good or evil, believers or unbelievers, and like human 
> beings will face judgement. In Christian demonology all such 
> spirits were considered  fallen and  evil, and would only invoke 
> their magical powers on behalf of Men in order to snare them in 
> delusion. 

Not necessarily. The elves/fairies etc. are more ambiguous than that 
(and correspond, I think, to the jinn). Though more clear cut people 
throughout the ages did try to establish the "demonology" aspect, 
folklore tends to steer away from it.... A fascinating topic, but not 
immediately connected with HP, since Rowling seems to have completely 
cut that aspect of European legend out of her stories. 

> The Arabian NIghts stories were probably first collected in the 
> century following the establishment of Islam. I would guess 
> Islamic elements were introduced by the scribes who recorded 
> them in much the same way that Christian references were 
> incorporated into Beowulf and The Mabinogion. 

Ahem, Christian references incorporated into Beowulf? I am sorry, but 
I have always found that argument unconvincing, and hold with J.R.R. 
Tolkien on that matter. Check out his "Beowulf: The Monster and the 
Critics", by far still the most important essay on the story.

Eileen