The Twenty-Eighth Point
of the Twenty-Eighth Flash
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
[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.(37:8-10) * And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles to drive away the evil ones.(67:5)
An important point concerning verses like these will be explained in connection with criticisms made by the people of misguidance. It is as follows:
Spies from among the jinn and satans eavesdrop on events in the heavens, and like soothsayers, mediums, and some spiritualists, convey news from the World of the Unseen. So that their giving information about the Unseen should not give rise to any doubts when the Qur’an was first revealed, their continual espionage was prevented to a greater extent and they were repulsed by shooting stars. The following is a brief reply to an extremely important question in three parts concerning the above verses, which are about this subject.
Q u e s t i o n : It is understood from verses like these that spying satans infiltrate the distant lands of the heavens in order to learn of some minor and even personal event in the Unseen. Rumours of such minor events as though spread everywhere in those vast lands, and any satan anywhere may hear a confused version of them and pass it on. However, reason and science cannot accept such a thing.
Also, it is said that some of the people of prophethood and some wonder-workers as though pluck the fruits of Paradise from nearby, which according to definite verses of the Qur’an, is above the heavens, and they sometimes gaze on Paradise from near at hand. This matter, which concerns infinite distance within infinite proximity, is not conformable with the understanding of the present age.
Also, the unimportant situation of an unimportant person being the subject of discussion in the Sublime Assembly in the universal, vast land of the heavens is not conformable with the wisdom of the utterly wise administration of the universe. Nevertheless, these three matters are considered to be among the truths of Islam.