The Ghoul (Ghul) is a shapeshifting malevolent type of jinn in Arabian folklore that lives in deserts and graveyards. It disguises itself as a beautiful woman to lure travelers into the desert, then transforms into its true horrific form to devour them.

This creature feeds on dead human flesh, digging up corpses from graveyards. Frequently encountered in One Thousand and One Nights, the Ghoul is considered the direct ancestor of the modern horror concepts of “zombie” and “ghoul.”