In Islamic folklore, what powerful type of jinn is known for its strength and cunning? The answer is Ifrit.
An ifrit, also spelled efreet or afrit, is portrayed as a powerful and often malicious supernatural being associated with Arab and Islamic traditions. Folklore commonly connects afarit with fire, underground realms, ruins, the spirits of the dead, and dangerous forms of magic. They may be ruthless, but stories do not always treat them as inherently evil or morally uniform.
The term appears in the Qur'an in Surah 27:39, where an ifrit “among the jinn” offers to bring the Queen of Sheba's throne to Solomon. In scriptural usage, ifrit can function more like a descriptive epithet than the name of a completely separate species. Later folklore developed it into a recognizable class of powerful demons.
A common mix-up is treating ifrit as a synonym for every jinn or for shaitan. Jinn are a broad category of unseen beings, while shaitan generally denotes a rebellious or devilish being. In popular culture, the spelling “efreet” is especially common, but it refers to the same legendary figure.