Sila (Si'la, Si'lat)

The Sila (Si'la or Si'lat) are documented in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry and persist strongly into Islamic folk tradition. Al-Jahiz (9th century) and other classical Arab scholars placed them at the apex of shapeshifting ability — unlike other djinn who transform with effort, the Sila assumes any form perfectly, including the forms of specific known people. They are predominantly female in classical accounts and use their shapeshifting to infiltrate households, seduce men, and steal children.

The Arab poet Al-Shanfara referenced the sila in desert poetry as beings that would take the form of a lost wife or a beloved to lure a traveler to his death. They differ from other djinn in their patience — a sila may maintain a disguise for years.

Sila are described as talented shapeshifters who most commonly appear in human (female) form but betray themselves by hybrid or animalizing features. The Arabic glosses include meanings like "hag" or "treacherous spirits of invariable form," reflecting portrayals that combine feminine guise, treachery, and an identifiable folk category. While usually depicted as female and sexually alluring, sources note that not every member of the class is female or strictly a succubus-type.

Classified among the malicious class of jinn, Sila are credited with skilled shapeshifting, the capacity to seduce and marry men, and to produce offspring from unions between human and jinn. They are also said to lead travellers and nomads astray in desolate desert places, sometimes resulting in death. Early genealogical and ethnographic commentary emphasizes their deceptive nature and dangerous interactions with isolated humans.