CHAPTER 10: SECTION REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF THE JINN
SECTION REGARDING THE PREVENTION OF THE JINN AND THE REPELLING OF THE SHAYATIN (DEVILS) FROM EAVESDROPPING WHEN THE QUR’AN WAS REVEALED
It was from the Mercy of Allah, the Almighty, His Grace and His Kindness toward His creation that he screened them from the heavens, as He, Most High, says regarding them in His Words: “And we have sought to reach the heavens; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. And, verily, we used to sit there in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but anyone who listens now will find a flaming fire waiting for him in ambush. And we know not whether evil is intended for those on Earth, or whether their Lord intends for them a Right Path.” (Soorah Al-Jinn 72:8-10).
And He, Most High, says, “And it is not the Shayatin (devils) who have brought it (this Qur’an) down. Neither would it suit them, nor can they (produce it). Verily, they have been removed far from hearing it.” (Soorah Ash-Shu‘ara’ 26:110-112)
And Abu ‘Awanah reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said, “The Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) set out along with a group of his companions toward ‘Ukaz Market. At that time something intervened between the devils and the news of the heavens, and flames were sent down upon them, so the devils returned. Their fellow devils said, ‘What is wrong with you?’ They said, ‘Something has intervened between us and the news of the heavens, and fires (flames) have been shot at us.’ Their fellow devils said, ‘Nothing has intervened between you and the news of the heavens, but an important event has happened. Therefore, travel all over the world, East and West, and try to find out what has happened.’ And so they set out and traveled all over the world, East and West, looking for that thing which had intervened between them and the news of the
heavens.
Those of the devils who had set out toward Tihamah, went to the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) at Nakhlah (a place between Makkah and Ta’if) while he was on his way to ‘Ukaz Market. (They encountered him) while he was offering the Fajr (Dawn) prayer with his Companions. When they heard the Holy Qur’an being recited (by the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him)), they listened to it and said (to each other), ‘This is the thing which has intervened between you and the news of the heavens.’ Then they returned to their people and said, ‘O our people! We have really heard a wonderful recital (the Qur’an). It gives guidance to the right, and we have believed therein. We shall not join in worship anybody with our Lord’.” (Soorah Al-Jinn 72.1-2)
Then Allah, the Almighty, revealed to His Prophet (Soorah Al-Jinn): “Say (O, Muhammad), ‘It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of Jinn listened (to this Qur’an).” (Soorah Al-Jinn 72:1). This was narrated in the Saheehain.
Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaibah reported on the authority of Sa‘eed Ibn Jubair, who reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “Every tribe of the Jinn had listening posts and when any Revelation was sent down, the angels would hear a sound like a piece of iron striking a smooth stone.” He added, “Whenever the angels heard it, they would fall down in prostration and they would not raise their heads until it had come down; then, when it had come down, they would say to one another, “What did your Lord say?” And if it was something pertaining to the heavens, they would say, “The truth; and He is the Most High, the Great.” But if it was something pertaining to the Earth, whether regarding the unseen, or a death or something else concerning the Earth, they would speak about it and say, “It is such-and-such.” The Jinn would hear this and convey it to their clients (the soothsayers, fortune tellers, etc.).
But when the revelation was sent to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him), they were dispersed by having meteorites hurled at them. The first people to notice them were Thaqeef. An owner of sheep among them would go out to his sheep and each day he would sacrifice a sheep, while an owner of camels would sacrifice a camel each day. And the people hastened to spend their money. But some of them said to the others, “Do not do this, for either they are the stars by which people are guided or else something has happened.” So they looked and saw that the stars by which they were guided were unchanged. Hence, they desisted, and Allah, the Almighty, turned away the Jinn; and then they heard the Qur’an. When they came to the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and heard him reciting, they said, “Listen.” Then the devils went to Iblees and informed him about it and he said, “This is an event which has occurred on Earth, so bring me some dust from every part of the Earth.” They did so and when they brought him the earth of Tihamah, he said, “Here is where the event occurred.”
Al-Baihaqi and Al-Hakim narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas that he said, “The lowest heaven was not guarded during the period between ‘Eesa and Muhammad (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them both).” But it is likely that what is meant by those who rejected that, is that it was not strictly guarded. And it
must be understood in this way because of what has been confirmed in the Hadith on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas, who said, “While the Messenger of Allah (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) was sitting with some of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, a star (i.e., a meteorite) was hurled and it illuminated the sky, upon which he said: “What did you used to say when the like of this was hurled?” They said, “We used to say, ‘Some great person has died, ‘ or, ‘Some great person has been born.’ He said: ‘No, but’…” and he mentioned the Hadith, as we said earlier.
By Ibn Katheer
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