Tradition: Iraqi Mythology, Arabian Mythology
Alternative Names: Hātif
Category: Ghost
The Myth
A Hatif is a mysterious supernatural voice that can be heard without anyone being able to see the speaker or discover where the sound originates. The voice may deliver important messages to those who hear it, seemingly speaking directly to them despite having no visible body. Among the Bedouins, the Hatif was believed to transmit messages across distances without any apparent physical means of communication, allowing a person to hear a message in real time while remaining unable to see its source.
Hatif voices were sometimes attributed to jinn, supernatural beings capable of communicating with humans from the unseen world. In some traditions, a jinn could use such a voice to speak to a person or take revenge for the murder of another jinn. The unseen voice might torment the murderer and eventually drive them insane. The Hatif was therefore not always a harmless messenger, as its mysterious presence could bring fear and suffering to those who heard it.
Some Hatif voices were also believed to come from ghosts dwelling near graves. These spirits called out to the living to remind them of their mortality or to announce that someone’s death was approaching. Whether understood as a jinn, a ghost, or another unseen presence, the Hatif was known primarily through its disembodied voice, which emerged from an invisible source and carried messages from beyond the ordinary world.
Sources
“Hatif.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatif