Supernatural Creatures in Arabic Literary Tradition

Book excerpt: This volume explores the cultural meaning of several supernatural creatures in Arabia, tracing the historical development of these creatures and their recent representations in the Western world. Utilizing a variety of old and new Arabic, English and French sources, the text explores creatures including the Ghoul and its derivations, the Rukh bird, and the dragon. Unlike other texts, which primarily focus on Genies or Jinns, this volume explores other supernatural and mythical creatures that have been popular in the Middle East and Arabia for centuries but are less known to Western audiences. Dr. Al-Rawi argues that many of these creatures have pre-Islamic roots, and that they served an important function in connecting the past with the present, offering a popular vehicle to articulate and imagine the supernatural dimension of existence which helps in consolidating religious views.