From York U-Toronto: "Satan has afflicted me!" Jinn-possession and mental illness in the Qur'an

J Relig Health. 2014 Feb;53(1):229-43. doi: 10.1007/s10943-012-9626-5.

"Satan has afflicted me!" Jinn-possession and mental illness in the Qur'an.

Islam F1, Campbell RA.

Author information

• 1School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, 4700 Keele St., Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada, fislam@yorku.ca.

Abstract

Mental health stigma in Muslim communities may be partly due to a commonly held belief among some Muslims about the supernatural causes of mental illness (i.e. jinn-possession brought on by one's sinful life). A thematic analysis was carried out on four English translations and the Arabic text of the Qur'an to explore whether the connection between jinn-possession and insanity exists within the Muslim holy book. No connection between spirit-possession and madness or mental illness was found. Pagans taunted and labelled people as jinn-possessed only to ostracize and scapegoat. Linking the labelling of people as jinn-possession to a pagan practice may be used to educate Muslims, so they can reassess their community's stigma towards the mentally ill.