Tafseer of The Jinn · Al-Jinn · 72:9
And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His word, the Exalted: En dat wij daarvan plekken innamen om af te luisteren, maar wie nu wil luisteren, vindt voor zich een vlammende ster die op de loer ligt ("And that we used to take up positions therein to eavesdrop, but whoever now wishes to listen finds for himself a flaming star lying in wait").
He, Mighty and Exalted, says: And we, the host of the jinn, used to take up positions in the heaven to listen in on what was taking place there and what was happening therein. (But whoever now wishes to listen) there, of us, (finds for himself a flaming star lying in wait), that is to say: a flame of fire that has been kept in readiness for him.
And in accordance with what we have said concerning this, the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) spoke.
* Mention of those who said that:
Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word: En dat wij de hemel raakten ("And that we touched the heaven") ... up to His word: (But whoever now wishes to listen finds for himself a flaming star lying in wait): the jinn used to listen in on the heaven; but when Allah sent His Prophet, the heaven was guarded and they were prevented from that. Then the jinn noticed this about themselves.
And it has been narrated to us that the notables of the jinn were at Naṣībīn. They went in search of that [phenomenon] and set out, until they alighted near the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, while he was performing the prayer with his companions, on the way to ʿUkāẓ.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His word: En dat wij de hemel raakten en haar vervuld vonden met sterke wachters en vlammende sterren ("And that we touched the heaven and found it filled with strong guards and flaming stars") ... until he came to (But whoever now wishes to listen finds for himself a flaming star lying in wait): when they encountered that, they returned to Iblīs.
