A Study of the Word “Majnoon” in the Translation of Qur’anic Verses: Reanalysis and Examination of Recent Comments

Some have recently claimed that the word "majnoon" in the Qur’an is associated with the meanings of "priest," "sorcerer," "teacher," and "poet" according to the theory of meaning. Since these words had positive connotations among pre-Islamic Arabs, it is argued that "majnoon" does not mean "madman," which has a negative connotation. The correct translation for "majnoon" is "possessed by jinn," which implies a connection with jinn. The purpose of this study was to find the intended meaning and connotation of the word "majnoon" in its Qur’anic usage through analytical and descriptive methods, using examples from the Qur’an. The results of this study show that the word "majnoon" is not always associated with the aforementioned words, but rather has been used individually or with each of them once or twice. Furthermore, if being called a priest, teacher, or poet was a sign of nobility during pre-Islamic times, being nicknamed as a liar among "majnoon's" companions is not the same, and commentators have interpreted "majnoon" as a person with madness, which has no positive connotation. In four instances, the Prophet (PBUH) was described as being possessed by jinn by disbelievers, which interpreters have taken to mean madness. God also denies this attribute from him in four verses when He says: “Your companion [Muhammad] is not possessed.”