There are a number of different reports about the jinn listening to the Qur’an. One quotes ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas as saying: “God’s Messenger did not read the Qur’an to the jinn, nor did he see them. What took place was that the Prophet and a group of his Companions once went to the ‘Ukaz market place. The jinn had previously been barred from trying to reach heaven to eavesdrop and were struck by shooting stars.
They went back to their people and told them what happened. They said:
‘Something must have happened to prevent you from learning anything from heaven. Go in pursuit of information throughout the earth to find out what has happened. They went in groups, travelling east and west throughout the earth. The group that went to Tihamah drew close to the Prophet when he was in the Nakhlah Valley, going to ‘Ukaz. He was leading his Companions in the Fajr, or Dawn, Prayer. They listened to him reciting the Qur’an. When he finished his recitation, they said to each other: ‘This is indeed what happened to cause you to be barred from learning news from on high.’ They went back to their people and told them: ‘ We have heard a wondrous discourse, giving guidance to what is sagacious, and we have come to believe in it. We shall never associate partners with our Lord! God then revealed the surah, The Jinn, to the Prophet speaking of this event.” [Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.] Another report mentions that 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud gave the following answer to the question about whether any of the Prophets Companions were present with him when he met the jinn: “None of us were present. However, we were with him one night when he went missing. We looked for him everywhere, in valleys and on the paths, but could not find him. Some of us thought that he might have been taken or even killed. That was our worst night. In the morning, we saw him coming to us from the direction of Hira’. We said: ‘Messenger of God! We missed you and looked for you everywhere but could not find you.
We had such a bad night.’ He said: A caller from the jinn came to me and so I went and read the Qur’an to them.’ He took us to the place and showed us their traces and the remains of the fires they lit. They asked him for food. He said: ‘Every bone of an animal slaughtered under God’s name will be in your hands full of meat; and all animal droppings will be wholesome feed for your animals.’ The Prophet then said to us:
‘Do not use these to wipe off your personal dirt, because they are food for your brethren’.” [Related by Muslim.] There is a third report also attributed to Ibn Mas'ud, but the chain of transmission of the one we have quoted makes it more reliable. We will, therefore, leave this and similar reports aside. The two authentic reports we have quoted seem to be mutually contradictory. Ibn 'Abbas says that the Prophet did not know of the jinn's presence when they listened to him reading the Qur’an, while Ibn Mas'ud says that they called upon the Prophet and he went with them. Al-Bayhaqi resolves this apparent contradiction by saying that the two reports speak of two different occasions, not just one.
A different report is given by Ibn Ishaq in his biography of the Prophet. He says that after the death of Abu Talib, the Prophet’s uncle, the Quraysh were able to inflict more harm on him than they could ever do during his uncle’s lifetime. Therefore, the Prophet went to Taif, seeking support from the Thaqlf, the major tribe living there. He went there alone, hoping to gain a positive response:
Once at la’if, the Prophet approached its leading personalities, explaining his message... For ten days the Prophet spoke to one of their chiefs after another. None gave him a word of encouragement.
The worst response came from three brothers, the sons of ‘Amr ibn ‘Umayr. These three brothers, ‘Abd Yalll, Mas‘ud and Habib, were the recognized leaders of Ta’if. One of them was married to a Qurayshi woman and the Prophet hoped that this relationship would work in his favour. In the event the three men were extremely rude in their rejection of the Prophets approach.
The first one said: “I would tear the robes off the Ka‘bah if it was true that God has chosen you as His Messenger.” The second said:
“Has God found no one other than you to be His Messenger?” The third said: “By God, I will never speak to you. If it is true that you are Gods Messenger, you are too great for me to speak to you. If, on the other hand, you are lying, you are not worth answering.” Fearing that the news of their rejection would serve to intensify the Qurayshs hostility to Islam, the Prophet requested the Thaqif notables not to publicize his mission. They refused him even that.
Instead they set on him a crowd of their teenagers and servants, who chased and stoned him. His feet were soon bleeding and he was in a very sorry state. Zayd tried hard to defend him and protect him from the stones. The Prophet then sought refuge in an orchard which belonged to two brothers from Makkah. They were in their orchard, and they saw Muhammad when he entered. At first they watched him quietly, but he did not see them.
As the Prophet sat down, he said this highly emotional and touching prayer:
To You, My Lord, I complain of my weakness, lack of support and the humiliation I am made to receive.
Most compassionate and merciful! You are the Lord of the weak, and You are my Lord. To whom do You leave me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom You have given power over me?
If You are not displeased with me, I do not care what I face.
I would, however, be much happier with Your mercy.
I seek refuge in the light of Your face by which all darkness is dispelled and both this life and the life to come are put on their right courses against incurring Your wrath or being the subject of Your anger. To You I submit, until I earn Your pleasure. Everything is powerless without Your support.
The owners of the orchard were none other than 'Utbah and Shaybah, the two sons of Rabi'ah, who commanded positions of high esteem in the Quraysh. Although the two brothers were opposed to Islam and to Muhammad, they felt sorry for him in his unenviable plight. Therefore, they called a servant of theirs, named 'Addas, and told him to take a bunch of grapes on a plate to Muhammad. 'Addas, who was a Christian from the Iraqi town of Nineveh, complied.
As the Prophet took the grapes he said, as Muslims do before eating: ‘In the name of God.’ Surprised, 'Addas said: ‘This is something no one in these areas says.’ When 'Addas answered the Prophets question about his religion and place of origin, the Prophet commented: ‘Then you come from the same place as the noble, divine Jonah.’ Even more surprised, 'Addas asked: ‘How did you know about Jonah? When I left Nineveh, not even ten people knew anything about him.’ The Prophet said: ‘He was my brother.
Like me, he was a prophet.’ 'Addas then kissed the Prophet’s head, hands and feet in a gesture of genuine love and respect. As they watched, one of the two owners of the orchard said to his brother:
‘That man has certainly spoilt your slave.’ When 'Addas joined them they asked him the reason for his very respectful attitude to Muhammad. He said: ‘There can be no one on earth better than him. He has indeed told me something which no one but a Prophet would know.’ They said: ‘You should be careful, 'Addas. He may try to convert you while your religion is better than his.’1
Continuing this report, Ibn Ishaq says: “When the Prophet despaired of receiving any good response in Ta’if, he returned to Makkah. When he was at Nakhlah, he stood up praying in the middle of the night. It was at this time that a group of the jinn - seven in number from the town of Nasibln [in northern Syria] as I was told - passed by and listened to him reading the Qur’an. When he finished his prayer, they left hurriedly to warn their people. They believed in Islam and God told the Prophet of what happened: “ We sent to you a group 0/jinn to listen to the Quran.
When they heard it, they said to one another, 'Listen in silence!" When the recitation ended, they returned to their people to warn them. Our people, ’ they said, *we have been listening to revelation bestowed from on high after Moses, confirming what came before it. It guides to the truth and to a straight path. Our people! Respond to God’s call and have faith in Him. He will forgive you your sins and deliver you from grievous suffering.” (46: 29-31)
He also revealed Surah 72, The Jinn.” Ibn Kathir has the following comment to make on this last report:
“The event itself is true, but to say that it took place on that night is questionable. The jinn's listening to the Qur’an occurred during the early days of prophethood, as clearly indicated in the above-quoted hadlth of Ibn 'Abbas. On the other hand, the Prophets trip to Ta’if occurred after his uncle’s death, one or two years before his migration to Madinah, as confirmed by Ibn Ishaq and others.” If Ibn Ishaq’s report is true and this incident took place when the Prophet was on his way back from Ta’if, hurt by the arrogant response of the Thaqif elders, and after he had expressed his passionate prayer appealing to God, his Lord and Protector, then it is most remarkable that God should have sent him those jinn and told him about what they said to their people. Moreover, it gives fine impressions of God’s care.
At whichever time and place this event took place, it is certainly very significant in itself and in what the jinn had to say about the Qur’an and Islam. We will now discuss its presentation in the surah