THE

SPIRIT
WORLD
According to Islamic beliefs there are three different
species of created intelligent beings: mankind, angels and
jinn. These intelligent beings are called dhaw al-'uqul
(rational beings). 1 Although the bodies of human beings
inhabit the visible material world, their souls inhabit the
spirit-world of invisible rational beings. The spirit world
of created beings in the Islamic cosmological view is
composed of human spirits, angels and jinn. Therefore,
the possession of human beings by spirits, if recognised
by Islam, must involve one, some or all of these entities.
In order to determine what role, if any, they play in the
spirit-possession of human beings, the following chapter
will investigate each of the created spiritual beings m
regard to their reality, composition and abilities.

' Dictionary of Islam, p.40