The Jinn Are Pelted with Shooting Stars

As the Messenger’s mission drew near, the devils were barred from hearing and from the places where they used to sit and steal it. They were pelted with stars, and the jinn realized that something had happened by Allah’s command concerning His servants. The account continues on printed page 205.

Allah Most High said to His Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when He sent him, recounting the news of the jinn after they had been barred from hearing and learned what had happened: “Say: It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened and said, ‘We have heard a wondrous Qur’an. It guides to right conduct, so we have believed in it, and we will never associate anyone with our Lord. Exalted is the majesty of our Lord; He has taken neither wife nor child. The foolish among us used to utter outrageous lies about Allah. We had thought that neither humankind nor jinn would ever speak a lie about Allah. There were men among humankind who sought refuge with men among the jinn, and they only increased them in burden.’” (Qur’an 72:1–6). Allah also says: “We used to sit in places to listen, but whoever listens now finds a flaming fire waiting for him. We do not know whether evil is intended for those on earth or their Lord intends right guidance for them.” (Qur’an 72:9–10). When the jinn heard the Qur’an, they understood why they had previously been barred from hearing: so that revelation would not be confused with anything from the heavens and the proof would be established clearly for the people of earth. They believed and returned to their people as warners, saying, “O our people, we have heard a Book sent down after Moses, confirming what came before it, guiding to the truth and a straight path…” (Qur’an 46:29–30). The account explains that jinn had sought refuge with other jinn, asking their protection when traveling through a valley at night, and that this increased them in fear and transgression.

[1] ‘Ajaban means wondrous, unlike other books in the excellence of its wording and soundness of meaning; ‘wonder’ is used here in the sense of something extraordinary. [2] Jadd means greatness or majesty. [3] Shatat means excess or deviation from what is right; attributing a wife and child to Allah is far from truth. [4] Rasadan means a watcher lying in wait, or a group of watchers guarding against them. [5] Shooting stars also occurred in pre-Islamic times, but after Islam their use as a barrier was intensified.