Surah Al-Jinn — Ayah 9 (72:9)

English translation (Saheeh International)

And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing,¹ but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.

1. - Before the prophethood of Muḥammad (ﷺ) the jinn used to collect information by eavesdropping on the angels and then pass it on to fortunetellers and soothsayers.

Brief commentary

And that we in the past used to assume positions in the sky from where we could hear what the angels were deliberating, and then we would convey this to the fortune-tellers on earth. Now things have changed. Anyone of us who now tries to listen finds a flaming fire ready for him. When he goes near, it is released on him and he is burnt by it.