The Exorcist Tradition in Islam

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Terms for exorcism practices include ṭard (or dafʿ) al-shayṭān/al-jinn (expulsion of the demon/the spirit), ʿilāj (treatment), and ibrāʾ al-maṣrūʿ (curing the possessed), but also ruḳya (enchantment or cleansing) [41] is used to exorcise various spirits. [42] Suhr, Christian (2019). "Islamic exorcism and the cinema fist: analyzing exorcism among Danish Muslims through the prism of film". Contemporary Islam. 13: 121–137. doi: 10.1007/s11562-017-0394-6. S2CID 172050629 . Retrieved 18 December 2021.

Alean Al-Krenawi; John Graham (1999). "Social work and Koranic mental health healers". International Social Work. 42 (1): 53–65. doi: 10.1177/002087289904200106. S2CID 71504194. Orthodox theology takes a uniquely expansive view of exorcism, believing every Christian undertakes exorcism through their struggle against sin and evil: Blumhardt's Battle: A Conflict With Satan". Thomas E. Lowe, LTD. Archived from the original on 26 August 2009 . Retrieved 23 September 2009. Obeid, Tahir; Abulaban, Ahmad; Al-Ghatani, Fawazia; Al-Malki, Abdul Rahman; Al-Ghamdi, Abdulaziz (2012). "Possession by 'Jinn' as a cause of epilepsy (Saraa): A study from Saudi Arabia". Seizure. 21 (4): 245–249. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2012.01.001. PMID 22310171. S2CID 9015269. The 72nd chapter of the Qur'an entitled Al-Jinn (The Jinn), as well as the heading and introductory bismillah of the next chapter entitled al-Muzzammil (The Enshrouded One).The temples and monasteries throughout Tibet hold grand religious dance ceremonies, with the largest at Potala Palace in Lhasa. At least a few Muslim exorcists have claimed to treat non-Muslims—Imam Ayoub Sayed in Sheffield England: ('Most of our patients come from the Islamic faith. However we have also helped Christians, Sikhs, Hindus and atheists'); [ citation needed] "Ali" in Glasgow ('I work with Muslims and non-Muslims alike ... More and more people are getting into alternative healing'). [62] And at least one Christian priest exorcist (as of 2014) has been frequented by Muslims—Father Sama'an Ibrahim at Cairo's St. Sama'an Cathedral in Egypt. [7] Appropriate qualities for exorcists [ edit ] It is important to note that while belief in jinn is widespread, relatively few Muslims in the countries surveyed believe it is an acceptable part of Islamic tradition to make offerings to jinn. As discussed in Chapter 6, Bangladesh is the only country surveyed in which more than a fifth of Muslims (28%) say appeals to jinn are acceptable. In 18 of the countries, no more than one-in-ten say this is an acceptable practice. Witchcraft el-Zein, Amira (2009). Islam, Arabs, and Intelligent World of the Jinn. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. ISBN 978-0-8156-5070-6.

The Shamanistic Complex gives a possible explanation as to what makes an exorcism effective or can increase the effectiveness. Exorcism exists within a realm of cultural healing practices, social processes that are informed by social norms. [78] This much is true of most other healing practices, inclusive of those focussed on spiritual, psychological, and physical health. As such the systems set out by religious communities, like the Catholic Church, to diagnose and combat spiritual possession as a disease, as only effective as the psychological belief within these aspects. Historically, all Taoist exorcisms include usage of Fulu, chanting, physical gesture like mudras, and praying as a way to drive away the spirit is common in all sects. [53] Scientific view [ edit ] In sub-Saharan Africa, the proportion of Muslims who say witchcraft or sorcery is real ranges from more than nine-in-ten in Tanzania (92%) to about one-in-six in Ethiopia (15%). A similar range of views is found in the Middle East and North Africa, where more than three-quarters of Muslims in Tunisia (89%) and Morocco (78%) believe in witchcraft, compared with as few as 16% in Egypt and 14% in the Palestinian territories. The whole Church, past, present and future, has the task of an exorcist to banish sin, evil, injustice, spiritual death, the devil from the life of humanity ... Both healing and exorcising are ministered through prayers, which spring from faith in God and from love for man ... All the prayers of healing and exorcism, composed by the Fathers of the Church and in use since the third century, begin with the solemn declaration: In Thy Name, O Lord. [20] In 19 of the 22 countries where the question was asked, it is more common for Muslims to display verses from the Quran in their home than it is to have talismans or objects to ward off the evil eye. In Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa, seven-in-ten or more in all countries report having verses on display in their dwellings. This practice is somewhat less common in Central Asia and across Southern and Eastern Europe.Levi-Strauss, Claude (1963). Structural Anthropology. New York: Basic Books. pp.193–211. ISBN 0786724439.

This reflects a style of dichotomy that establishes spiritual possession as an illness which is socially mediated, and reflective of the social climate in which it is produced. Exorcisms are performed in response to spiritual possessions which cause distress or are found to be challenging the status quo and/or hegemonic values within the individual; otherwise, possessions are treated as holy communication from deities. [75] These illnesses/possessions are culturally constructed as either psychological or spiritual. [76] Spiritual possession and exorcism come as a pair, representative of social expectations of ‘normal’ functioning, and can often be engaged as a tool to challenge or maintain religious collective values.

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Nünlist, Tobias (2015). Dämonenglaube im Islam[ Demonic Belief in Islam] (in German). Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. ISBN 978-3-110-33168-4.

A boy identified as Robbie Mannheim [86] [87] was the subject of an exorcism in 1949, which became the chief inspiration for The Exorcist, a horror novel and film written by William Peter Blatty, who heard about the case while he was a student in the class of 1950 at Georgetown University. Robbie was taken into the care of Rev. Luther Miles Schulze, the boy's Lutheran pastor, after psychiatric and medical doctors were unable to explain the disturbing events associated with the teen; the minister then referred the boy to Rev. Edward Hughes, who performed the first exorcism on the teen. [88] The subsequent exorcism was partially performed in both Cottage City, Maryland, and Bel-Nor, Missouri, [89] by Father William S. Bowdern, S.J., Father Raymond Bishop S.J. and a then Jesuit scholastic Fr. Walter Halloran, S.J. [90] Hinduism [ edit ] The image of Hanuman at the Hanuman temple in Sarangpur is said to be so powerful that its gaze drives evil spirits out of victims. [35] a b "Mormon exorcism lore, with Stephen Taysom [MIPodcast #71]". Neal A. Maxwell Institute | BYU. 27 October 2017. Archived from the original on 20 January 2021 . Retrieved 4 July 2021. Archbishop Iakovos, Exorcism and Exorcists in the Greek Orthodox Tradition, Sage Chapel, Cornell University, March 10, 1974.Many Muslims in Central Asia also believe in the evil eye. Clear majorities in Turkey (69%) and Kazakhstan (66%) say the evil eye is real. About half in each of the other countries in the region share this view. The actual exorcism begins by reciting Quranic verses such as Al-Fatiha, Al-Baqara, Al-Baqara 255, Al-Jinn and three Qul ( Al-Ikhlas, An-Nas and Al-Falaq), depending on the type of spirit. Other treatments include using honey and water, as a purification ritual to clean the soul and body from sins. [46] their animal's food is excrement, and their dwelling places are "ruins or unclean places like bathrooms, dunghills, garbage dumps and graveyards". [30] They are able to possess animate and inanimate objects. [ citation needed] Ismail, Orchida, and Lamya Ramadan. "The Jinn: An Equivalent to Evil in 20th Century Arabian Nights and Days." Magic and the Supernatural. Brill, 2012. 15-20.