Amarid (Arabic:مَارِد,romanized: mārid) is a type ofdevil (shayṭān) inIslamic tradition.[1] The Arabic word, meaning "rebellious," is applied to suchsupernatural beings. As asubstantive it refers to achthonic demon not much dissimilar to theʿifrīt.[2]
Hans Wehr'sA Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic definesmarid as a "demon" or "giant."[3] The term is directly mentioned once in the Quran in SuratAs-Saffat (Q37:7).[4] They are also identified with the Persiandevan.[5]
The wordmārid (Arabic: مارد) is anactive participle derived from the Arabic rootm-r-d (مرد), whose primary meaning is "recalcitrant" or "rebellious."Lisan al-Arab, the encyclopedic dictionary ofClassical Arabic compiled byIbn Manzur, documents only forms of this general meaning.[6] The term appears as an attribute of evil spirits in theQuranic verse Surahaṣ-Ṣāffāt (37:7), which references a "safeguard against every rebellious devil" (Arabic:شيطان مارد,romanized: shayṭān mārid). Cognates from the sameSemitic root include theHebrew words for "rebellion" (Hebrew:מרד,romanized: mɛrɛḏ) and "rebel" (Hebrew:מוֹרֵד,romanized: moreḏ).
TheDictionary of Modern Written Arabic lists secondary meanings ofmārid as "demon" and "giant"[7] (Persian:دیو,romanized: div). Edward Lane'sArabic-English Lexicon cites a classical source describing the term as "applied to an evil jinnī of the most powerful class,"[8] though this distinction is not universally accepted. For example, the MacNaghten edition ofOne Thousand and One Nights usesmarid andifrit interchangeably (e.g., inThe Story of the Fisherman).[9]
A debated theory by historianKonstantin Jireček believed thatmārid refers to theGreek:Μαρδαϊται,romanized: Mardaitai, referring to marauder mercenaries during theArab–Byzantine wars, who were eponymously linked to the Albanian tribe ofMirdita.[10]
Amira El-Zein describes themārid as a supernatural being that attempts to predict the future by ascending to the heavens and eavesdropping on angels.[11](p 143) TheQuran references themārid in Surahaṣ-Ṣāffāt (37:7), which states that "the lowest heaven is adorned with stars to ward off rebellious devils" (Arabic: شَيْطَانٍ مَارِدٍ, romanized:shayṭānin māridin),[11](p 143) and in Surahan-Nisa (4:117), which condemns the invocation of "none but a rebellious Satan." In Islamic tradition, similar to theʿifrīt, themārid is associated with a distinct class of beings from the netherworld.[12]
A narration attributed toAli, recorded byAli ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, states that when God resolved to createAdam, he punished humanity's predecessors by obliterating thenasnas (half-formed beings), erecting a veil betweenjinn and humans, and confined the "rebellious giants" (Arabic: مَارِدَة, romanized:māridah) to the atmosphere.[13] According to theMalikiAthari scholarIbn 'Abd al-Barr in his workAl-Tamhîd, themārid is a demonic entity more malevolent than ordinaryshayṭān (devils) but less powerful than anʿifrīt.[14]Al-Jahiz defines a spirit as an angel if it is entirely good, as ashayṭān if it is wicked, and as amārid if the spirit succeeds in moving objects and listening at the doors of heaven.[15]
Themārid appears prominently in theSirat Sayf ibn Dhi-Yazan, a pre-Islamic epic. In the narrative, KingSayf ibn Dhi Yazan orders amārid to lead him to KingSolomon's treasure. True to its rebellious nature, the mārid deliberately disobeys. Sayf later learns from the prophetKhidr that he must command the opposite of his true intent to manipulate themārid.[16]
A study in Egypt notes that, according to Egyptian tradition, humanity's survival depends on divine restraint of demons; if unchained, mārid would annihilate humankind.[17]
Thoughmārid andʿifrīt are both classified as powerful devils, they differ in disposition. While theʿifrīt is characterized as cunning, treacherous, and deceitful, themārid is portrayed as less intellectually adept and susceptible to manipulation by humans.[18]
Marid." - Jika yang dimaksudkan adalah jin yang lebih kuat dan lebih dari itu, maka mereka berkata, "Ifrit."
