The stories of the 'afarit are extremely interesting, both in Qutb's preoccupation with them and the stories themselves. The superstition in the village concerning the power of 'afarits is a unique look into a powerful force in the community. The extreme measures taken by the people in the village to appease the spirits and avoid the pain they presumably bring provide glimpses into the effect of superstitious belief on every day life.
As Qutb describes how his belief in the power of the 'afarit begins to dwindle once his teachers attempt to show that their is no reason for their fear, it is interesting that he still has moments that cause him to revert back being scared. At the end of the chapter, it is interesting that Qutb says the power of the myth of the 'afarit is "more deeply embedded in his soul than education" and will "inhabit his imagination forever" (77). I am unsure what Qutb means by this statement. What about the myth is so embedded in his person, that it is more important in his nature than his education which he speaks so strongly about earlier in the work?
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The quote on inhabiting his imagination forever may have to do with the strong ties of the Afrit with the Qur'an, as well as their historical significance. The Afrit (sometimes referred to as the Jinn or Genie in western society)are identified as a seperate, but wholly real society in the Qur'an, described as being one of the two "al-thaqalani", or "the two weighty ones" (humankind being the other, indicating that both man and Jinn inhabit the physical world (unlike the Angels, who are created of light, and not matter). Because of this, Jinn are regarded by many as being truly real, though in modern times this belief has been weakened. However, the Afrit still maintain a similar status in Islamic society to "ghosts" in western society. Many afrit are still believed to have the ability to affect people's lives, in positive or negative ways. In Qutb's village, there seemed to be a strong sentiment towards the Qur'anic view of Jinn. However, there from Qutb's writing, there seems to be a demonization of the Afrit as well, which may have contributed to Qutb's continual belief in them.
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