Where Did the Angels Take Their Positions, According to Verse 9 of Sūrat al-Jinn?

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ٌ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَذْكُرُ فِيهِ مَنَاقِبَ الرَّسُولِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ فِيهِ: وَ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَيْلَةَ وُلِدَ تَصْعَدُ وَ تَنْزِلُ وَ تُسَبِّحُ وَ تُقَدِّسُ وَ تَضْطَرِبُ النُّجُومُ وَ تَتَسَاقَطُ عَلَامَةٌ لِمِيلَادِهِ، وَ لَقَدْ هَمَّ إِبْلِيسُ بِالظَّعْنِ فِي السَّمَاءِ لَمَّا رَأَى مِنَ الْأَعَاجِيبِ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةِ، وَ كَانَ لَهُ مَقْعَدٌ فِي السَّمَاءِ الثَّالِثَةِ وَ الشَّيَاطِينُ يَسْتَرِقُونَ السَّمْعَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَوُا الْعَجَائِبَ أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَسْتَرِقُوا السَّمْعَ فَإِذَا هُمْ قَدْ حُجِبُوا عَنِ السَّمَاوَاتِ كُلِّهَا؛ وَ رُمُوا بِالشُّهُبِ جَلَالَةً لِنُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ.
* Tafsir Nur al-Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 437

It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, who speaks of the virtues of the Messenger of God, blessings and peace be upon him and his family. He says: “I saw the angels on the night of his birth, ascending and descending, glorifying and sanctifying God, while the stars were in tumult and fell from the sky. This was a sign of his birth. Satan had a place in the third heaven, and the devils would eavesdrop. When they witnessed those wonders, they tried to listen in, but were driven away by meteors, out of reverence for the prophethood of Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him and his family.”

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ: كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ إِذْ رُمِيَ بِنَجْمٍ فَاسْتَنَارَ فَقَالَ لِلْقَوْمِ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِثْلَ هَذَا قَالُوا كُنَّا نَقُولُ مَاتَ عَظِيمٌ وَ وُلِدَ عَظِيمٌ قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُرْمَى بِهِ لِمَوْتِ أَحَدٍ وَ لِحَيَاةِ أَحَدٍ وَ لَكِنْ رَبُّنَا إِذَا قَضَى أَمْراً سَبَّحَ حَمَلَةُ الْعَرْشِ وَ قَالُوا قَضَى رَبُّنَا بِكَذَا فَيَسْمَعُ ذَلِكَ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ الَّتِي تَلِيهِمْ فَيَقُولُونَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ ذَلِكَ أَهْلَ السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَسْتَرِقُ الشَّيَاطِينُ السَّمْعَ فَرُبَّمَا اعْتَلَقُوا شَيْئاً فَأَتَوْا بِهِ الْكَهَنَةَ فَيَزِيدُونَ وَ يَنْقُصُونَ فَتُخْطِئُ الْكَهَنَةُ وَ تُصِيبُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَنَعَ السَّمَاءَ بِهَذِهِ النُّجُومِ فَانْقَطَعَتِ الْكِهَانَةُ فَلَا كِهَانَةَ وَ تَلَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ع إِلَّا مَنِ اسْتَرَقَ السَّمْعَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهابٌ ثاقِبٌ وَ قَوْلُهُ وَ أَنَّا كُنَّا نَقْعُدُ مِنْها مَقاعِدَ لِلسَّمْعِ الْآيَة
* Bihar al-Anwar (Beirut edition), vol. 60, p. 280

Imam Ali, peace be upon him, relates: “One night, we were with the Messenger of God, blessings and peace be upon him, when a star shot across the sky and disappeared. The Prophet said to the people, ‘What would you say in the Age of Ignorance when you saw something like this?’ They replied, ‘We would say that a great man had died or a great man had been born.’ He said, ‘It is not cast forth on account of anyone’s death or anyone’s life. Rather, when our Lord commands and decrees something, the bearers of the Throne glorify Him and speak of it. Those in the heavens near them hear it and repeat it, until the news reaches the inhabitants of the lowest heaven. The jinn then listen intently, hoping to catch something and pass it on to the soothsayers, who add to it or take away from it. The soothsayers may sometimes be wrong and sometimes right. Then God barred their entry into the heavens with these stars, and soothsaying came to an end; there would be no more foretelling.’ Then Imam al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, recited this verse: ‘Except one who eavesdrops, whom a clear meteor pursues and drives away.’ (al-Hijr, 15:18) And he said, ‘This is what God has said:’ وَ أَنَّا کُنَّا نَقْعُدُ مِنْها مَقاعِدَ لِلسَّمْعِ فَمَنْ یَسْتَمِعِ الْآنَ یَجِدْ لَهُ شِهاباً رَصَدا.

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: ... ِ قَالَ (A heretic) فَمِنْ أَيْنَ أَصْلُ الْكِهَانَةِ وَ مِنْ أَيْنَ يُخْبَرُ النَّاسُ بِمَا يَحْدُثُ قَالَ إِنَّ الْكِهَانَةَ كَانَتْ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ فِي كُلِّ حِينِ فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ كَانَ الْكَاهِنُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْحَاكِمِ يَحْتَكِمُونَ إِلَيْهِ فِيمَا يَشْتَبِهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ الْأُمُورِ بَيْنَهُمْ فَيُخْبِرُهُمْ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ تَحْدُثُ وَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ وُجُوهٍ شَتَّى فِرَاسَةِ الْعَيْنِ وَ ذَكَاءِ الْقَلْبِ وَ وَسْوَسَةِ النَّفْسِ وَ فِتْنَةِ الرُّوحِ مَعَ قَذْفٍ فِي قَلْبِهِ لِأَنَّ مَا يَحْدُثُ فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْحَوَادِثِ الظَّاهِرَةِ فَذَلِكَ يَعْلَمُ الشَّيْطَانُ وَ يُؤَدِّيهِ إِلَى الْكَاهِنِ وَ يُخْبِرُهُ بِمَا يَحْدُثُ فِي الْمَنَازِلِ وَ الْأَطْرَافِ و وَ أَمَّا أَخْبَارُ السَّمَاءِ فَإِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ كَانَتْ تَقْعُدُ مَقَاعِدَ اسْتِرَاقِ السَّمْعِ إِذْ ذَاكَ وَ هِيَ لَا تُحْجَبُ وَ لَا تُرْجَمُ بِالنُّجُومِ، وَ إِنَّمَا مُنِعَتْ مِنِ اسْتِرَاقِ السَّمْعِ لِئَلَّا يَقَعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ سَبَبٌ يُشَاكِلُ الْوَحْيَ مِنْ خَبَرِ السَّمَاءِ، وَ يُلْبَسَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ مَا جَاءَهُمْ عَنِ اللَّهِ لِإِثْبَاتِ الْحُجَّةِ وَ نَفْيِ الشُّبْهَةِ، وَ كَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَسْتَرِقُ الْكَلِمَةَ الْوَاحِدَةَ مِنْ خَبَرِ السَّمَاءِ، وَ يَلْبَسُ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ مَا جَاءَهُمْ عَنِ اللَّهِ مِنْ خَبَرِ السَّمَاءِ بِمَا يَحْدُثُ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ فَيَخْتَطِفُهَا ثُمَّ يَهْبِطُ بِهَا إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَيَقْذِفُهَا إِلَى الْكَاهِنِ فَإِذَا قَدْ زَادَ كَلِمَاتٍ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَيَخْتَلِطُ الْحَقَّ بِالْبَاطِلِ فَمَا أَصَابَ الْكَاهِنُ مِنْ خَبَرٍ مِمَّا كَانَ يُخْبِرُ بِهِ فَهُوَ مِمَّا أَدَّاهُ إِلَيْهِ شَيْطَانُهُ مِمَّا سَمِعَهُ، وَ مَا أَخْطَأَ فِيهِ فَهُوَ مِنْ بَاطِلِ مَا زَادَ فِيهِ فَمُذْ مُنِعَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ عَنِ اسْتِرَاقِ السَّمْعِ انْقَطَعَتِ الْكِهَانَةُ، فَقَالَ: كَيْفَ صَعِدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ هُمْ أَمْثَالُ النَّاسِ فِي الْخِلْقَةِ وَ الْكَثَافَةِ وَ قَدْ كَانُوا يَبْنُونَ لِسُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ مِنَ الْبِنَاءِ مَا يَعْجِزُ عَنْهُ وُلْدُ آدَمَ؟ قَالَ: غُلِّظُوا لِسُلَيْمَانَ لَمَّا سُخِّرُوا، وَ هُمْ خَلْقٌ رَقِيقٌ غِذَاؤُهُمُ التَّنَسُّمُ، وَ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ صُعُودُهُمْ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ لِاسْتِرَاقِ السَّمْعِ وَ لَا يَقْدِرُ الْجِسْمُ الْكَثِيفُ عَلَى الِارْتِقَاءِ إِلَيْهِ إِلَّا بِسُلَّمٍ أَوْ بِسَبَبٍ.
Tafsīr Nūr al-Thaqalayn, vol. 5, p. 437

A heretic asked Imam Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him): “What is the root and origin of divination, and how do people foretell the future?”

Imam al-Ṣādiq replied: “Soothsaying and divination belong to the age of ignorance. In every age there is a period between prophets. A diviner is like a judge to whom people bring cases involving doubt and uncertainty, and he makes predictions for them. This takes several forms: sharp eyesight, keen intelligence, the prompting of the self, and a spirit’s casting something into the heart. For Satan knows of outward events taking place on earth, and it is he who tells the diviner and soothsayer, informing him of what happens in homes and their surroundings.

“As for news from the heavens, devils there occupy themselves with eavesdropping, because such news is not concealed or veiled from them, and the devils are not pelted with stars. They are prevented from eavesdropping only when something in the heavenly news could obstruct revelation, and they might try to make people doubt and question God’s commands. This is to establish proof and dispel uncertainty. A devil steals only one word of heavenly news—something that is to happen among people by God’s decree—then brings it down to earth and casts it into a soothsayer’s heart. When such words accumulate, he mixes truth with falsehood. Whatever is suggested to him is true news that he has heard from a devil; whatever he gets wrong is the falsehood he has added to it. Since the devils were barred from eavesdropping, soothsaying and divination have ceased. Today, devils tell their own diviners only what they know about people, both events they speak of and things yet to happen. Devils tell other devils of events due to occur far away, such as a thief who has stolen, a killer who has committed murder, or someone who has disappeared. Like people, they speak both truth and lies.”

The heretic asked: “How did the devils ascend to heaven, given that they resemble people in their constitution and weight? Yet they built structures for Solomon son of David (peace be upon them both) that other people are incapable of building.”

He replied: “They became dense and heavy for Solomon, just as they were made subject to him, though their nature was subtle and their food was the breeze. Their ascent to heaven to eavesdrop is evidence of this. Otherwise, how could a heavy body rise to heaven without a ladder or some other means?”

The heretic asked: “Tell me, what is the origin of sorcery and magic? And what is a sorcerer’s craft, with all the wonders attributed to it?”

He replied: “Magic takes several forms. One is like medicine: just as physicians prescribe a remedy for every illness, so too the art of magic uses deception to make every state of health vulnerable to some affliction, every remedy subject to some pain, and every purpose open to some trick.

“Another form is sleight of hand, dexterity, extraordinary feats, and illusion.

“Another is what the devils’ allies learn from them.”

The heretic asked: “From whom did the devils learn the art of magic?”

He replied: “From the same source as physicians learned medicine: partly through experience and partly through treatment.”

He asked: “What is your view of the two angels, Hārūt and Mārūt, and of what people claim—that they taught magic to others?”

Imam al-Ṣādiq replied: “They were in a place of trial and temptation. Among the praises offered by those two angels was this: ‘If a person does such-and-such today, this will happen; if he treats it in this way, that will happen’—in the various forms of magic and sorcery. People learned what came from the two angels, but the angels would say: ‘We are only a means of trial and testing. Do not take anything from us that will harm you and bring you no benefit.’”

He asked: “Can a sorcerer use magic to turn a person into a dog, a donkey, or some other creature?”

He replied: “He is too weak and powerless to alter God’s creation. Anyone who tries to undo what God has made and shaped, and to change it, would be God’s partner in creation. Exalted is God far above that—greatly exalted! If a sorcerer had the power you describe, he would surely remove from himself every weakness of old age, every affliction and illness; he would drive the white hairs from his head and cast poverty and want far from himself.

“Without doubt, the greatest form of magic is tale-bearing. By it, two friends are driven apart and hostility is brought between companions who were at peace. Through it, blood is shed, homes are ruined, and veils are torn aside. The tale-bearer is the worst person ever to walk the earth.

“The soundest definition of magic is that it is like medicine. A sorcerer casts a spell on someone, leaving him unable to have intercourse with women. He then goes to a physician, who treats him by another means, and he is cured.”