Tafseer Ibn Kathir of ASH SHAAFFAAT [6]

6. Verily, We have adorned the near heaven with the stars. 7. And to guard against every rebellious Shaytan. 8. They cannot listen to the higher group for they are pelted from every side. 9. Outcast, and theirs is a constant torment. 10. Except such as snatch away something by stealing, and they are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing brightness. Allah tells us that He has adorned the lowest heaven with the heavenly bodies for those among the people of the earth who look at it. The stars and planets in the sky give light to the people of earth, as Allah says:

(And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as) missiles to drive away the Shayatin, and have prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire.) (67:5),

(And indeed, We have put the big stars in the heaven and We beautified it for the beholders. And We have guarded it from every outcast Shaytan. Except him who steals the hearing then he is pursued by a clear flaming fire.) (15:16-18). And Allah says here:

(And to guard) meaning, to protect as it should be protected,

(against every rebellious Shaytan. ) means, every insolent and impudent devil, when he wants to eavesdrop (on news in the heavens), a piercing fire comes and burns him. Allah, may He be glorified, says:

(They cannot listen to the higher group) meaning, they cannot reach the higher group -- which refers to the heavens and the angels in them -- when they speak of what has been revealed by Allah of His Laws and decrees. We have already mentioned this when explaining the Hadiths quoted when we discussed the Ayah,

(when fear is banished from their hearts, they say: ”What is it that your Lord has said'' They say: ”The truth. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.) (34:23). Allah says:

(for they are pelted) meaning, they are hit,

(from every side.) means, from all directions from which they try to reach the heaven.

(Outcast,) means, they are rejected, and are repelled and prevented from reaching it, and they are pelted.

(and theirs is a constant torment.) means, in the Hereafter, they will have an ongoing, everlasting and painful torment, as Allah says:

(and ï´¿Weï´¾ have prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire) (67:5).

(Except such as snatch away something by stealing,) means, except for the one among the Shayatin who manages to get something, which is a word he has heard from the heaven. Then he throws it down to the one who is beneath him, who in turn throws it down to the one who is beneath him. Perhaps the flaming fire will strike him before he is able to throw it down, or perhaps he will throw it -- by the decree of Allah -- before the flaming fire strikes him and burns him. So the other devil takes it to the soothsayer, as we have seen previously in the Hadith. Allah says:

(Except such as snatch away something by stealing, and they are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing brightness.) meaning, shining brightly. Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, ”The Shayatin had places where they sat in the heavens listening to what was being revealed by Allah. The stars did not move and the Shayatin were not struck. When they heard the revelation, they would come down to earth and to every word they would add nine of their own. When the Messenger of Allah was sent, if a Shaytan wanted to take his seat in the heavens, the flaming fire would come and would not miss him; it would burn him every time. They complained about this to Iblis, may Allah curse him, and he said, `Something must have happened.' He sent his troops out and they found the Messenger of Allah standing in prayer between the two mountains of Nakhlah.'' -- Waki` said, ”This means in the valley of Nakhlah.'' -- ”They went back to Iblis and told him about that, and he said, `This is what has happened.'''