The Djinn Are Not Fae

So for some time now I have been going on about my idea that the Djinn and Fae are the same. That the word Djinn is simply referring to the same thing, just from a different language, group of people, country and culture. This held up pretty well until now. I made a mistake, and I am not afriad to say so.

The reason I held this idea was because there are so many parallels between Djinn and Fae. They both exist in a space that is in our world but slightly removed from it, in a parallel dimension if you will; they can both move between that dimensional world into our’s and back again; they are not particularly fond of humans and although some will work with humans under certain circumstances, they generally have the attitude that humans must go; and they are both allergic to iron.

This last one, being allergic to iron is the one that has brought me to write this post today. We can have different forms of spirits that are similar, act in a similar fashion, such as move between worlds, hate humans, and live in a different vibrational space, but they will not be the same type of spirit. What we call the Fair Folk are not the same as Elemental beings or nature spirits for example. However, it was this last one, being allergic to iron that really sold it for me, and I thought I was really onto something.

I was wrong. Djinn are not allergic to iron, in fact it is quite the opposite. In some ways I feel like I am living a Mandela effect because I remember multiple sources that spoke of this, but I can now only find one. Having said that, there must be many who also believe it, or it wouldn’t be a question that so many ask.

There is one source I can find that speaks of this however, although it is now pretty vague, and that is the Testament of Solomon. This begins with the demon Ornias being trapped and summoned to speak with Solomon. In the text it is mentioned that Ornias fears iron. Solomon later “weighs down” Asmodeus with iron. This may have led people to think that the Djinn are allergic to iron. It could be that some people caught onto the stories of Fae being allergic and after hearing the Solomonic stories thought they were the same (me included it seems), and then created a whole myth around this.

Another source we could consider is the book by Philip J. Imbrogno and Rosemary Ellen Guiley called The Vengeful Djinn, in which it is stated: “The iron at the time (of Solomon) was very pure, a form called magnetite. If djinn are composed of plasma, which can be affected by magnetic fields, then the magnetic energy given off by the ore might have been harmful to them.” I realize this is mere speculation.

So the question now remains, why is it wrong?

For the answer to this we have to look at scholarly texts from the Islamic faith (as that is where the Djinn come from). What we find is that iron was created for the Djinn to adorn themselves. Yes you read that right, adorn. Put very simply, if the Djinn are wearing iron as jewellry, then there is no way they can be allergic to it.

Where do we find mention of this? In the Hadith in Bihar Al-Anwaar. On page 73 we find:

“From Abu Abdullah having said: ‘Allah made the iron to be in the world as an adornment for the Jinn and the Satans, so it is forbidden unto the Muslim man that he would be wearing it during the Salat, except if he happens to be the Muslim during battling an enemy, then there is no problem with it.'”

And on page 263:

“And upon him (Iblis) was a robe he had tied in his waist with a belt wherein were strings hanging, between red, and yellow and green, and all the colours, and there, in his hand was a large bell, and upon his head was a helmet, and there, in the helmet there was an iron hanging, resembling with the dogs.”

I know this is only evidence found in one book, however we also have to bear in mind that in the Islamic religion, a follower is not allowed to use such things as talismans or amulets. The use of iron to repel Djinn would have been considered an aboration in the eyes of Allah because the follower is trusting in something other than Allah. Therefore putting your trust in an object made of iron instead of the word of Allah goes against all of the Islamic teachings and would not have been a thing to begin with.

My conclusion to this is that the idea I had that Djinn and Fae are the same, just called by different names, and that the Djinn are allergic to iron, is wrong. I am also put even less faith in the Solomonic texts, not that I had much to begin with. I apologise if I mislead anyone in this regard.