"And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire." (al-Mulk, 67/5) Will you explain this verse?
Dear Brother / Sister,
It is clearly indicated in the Quran and hadiths that jinn and devils climbed up the sky and obtained some information about some news that was sent through angels related to some events and destiny of humans before the Prophet (pbuh) was born and even before revelation started. Some verses regarding the issue are as follows:
"(So) they should not strain their ears in the direction of the Exalted Assembly but be cast away from every side, Repulsed, for they are under a perpetual penalty, Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness."
"And we have, (from of old), adorned the lowest heaven with Lamps, and We have made such (Lamps) (as) missiles to drive away the Evil Ones, and have prepared for them the Penalty of the Blazing Fire."
"´And we (jinn) pried into the secrets of heaven; but we found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires. ´We used, indeed, to sit there in (hidden) stations, to (steal) a hearing; but any who listen now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush."(1)
After the Prophet (pbuh) was born and especially after revelation started to be sent to him, the contacts of spying jinn and devils with soothsayers started to be overshadowed. For, they could not bring the news that they used to bring to soothsayers any longer. If they brought one piece of true news, they added one hundred pieces of false news and deceived the soothsayers. The soothsayers who managed to deceive people because one percent of the news they gave came out to be true could not deceive people after that. The following is stated in the Quran regarding the issue:
"And (moreover) We have guarded them from every cursed devil: But any that gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see)."
"Indeed they have been removed far from even (a chance of) hearing it. (For beauty) and for guard against all obstinate rebellious evil spirits." (2)
Badiuzzaman Said Nursi explains the wisdom behind the prevention of jinn from giving news to soothsayers as follows:
"Since God’s Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had appeared in the world together with revelation, it was necessary to prevent the knowledge about the Unseen being transmitted by soothsayers, diviners, and jinn, which was inaccurate and mixed with lies, so that their knowledge should not cause any doubts about revelation, and should not resemble it. Before the prophetic mission, soothsaying was widespread. Then with its revelation, the Qur’an brought it to an end. Indeed, many soothsayers accepted Islam, for they could no longer find their informers, who were jinn. That is, the Qur’an had put an end to it.."(3)
As it can be understood, it is true that jinn were driven away by stars and meteorites when they ascended the sky to obtain news. The meteorites that fall from the sky broke into pieces in the atmosphere and are transformed into clouds of dust.
References:
1. as-Saaffat, 37/8,9,10; al-Mulk,67/5; al-Jinn,72/8, 9.
2. al-Hijr, 15/17-18; ash-Shuara, 26/212; as-Saaffat, 37/7.
(3) see. Mektubat, On Dokuzuncu Mektup, On Altıncı İşaret.
Questions on Islam
- How should we understand the devils’ being shot by stars in verse 5 of the chapter of al-Mulk?
- Is there a verse or a hadith about jinn listening to the talks of the angels and informing soothsayers about them?
- Is there any drawback to looking at a shooting star? What does a shooting star and a rising star mean; are they related to the birth or death of people? What might be the hidden facts behind them?
- THE MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT JINN
- Surah 37. As-Saffat (Those Who Set The Ranks, Drawn Up In Ranks)
- Surah 67. Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty, Control)
- Surah 15. Al-Hijr (Stoneland, Rock City)
- The Addendum to the Fourteenth Word: The Earthquake; its causes and results as a Divine Determining. The Wisdoms in Disasters. The laws of nature and Divine will.
- Second Point: The superiority in the Qur'an's meaning.
- If the sky is a well-guarded canopy, why are living beings harmed by meteorites?

