10إِلّا مَن خَطِفَ الخَطفَةَ فَأَتبَعَهُ شِهابٌ ثاقِبٌAli UnalExcepting one who snatches something by stealth, and is pursued (and destroyed) by a piercing shooting-star.1Particularly in the pre-Islamic era, soothsaying or fortune-telling was very widespread among the Arabs, as it is today throughout the world. Devils attempted to ascend to the heavens and listen to the angels’ conversations about the Divine truths and some future events, and if they could grasp something, they would convey it to the soothsayers and fortune-tellers with whom they had relationships, adding many untrue things as well. They made the same attempts when the Revelation began to be revealed to God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. But God did not permit them to do so; and if any among them snatched away something from the angels, they were destroyed with missiles. The devils never give up their attempts to ascend to the heavens; but in every attempt, they are repelled, and if some are able to obtain something from the angels, they are then destroyed. (For similar verses and explanations, see 15: 16–18, note 5; 26: 212; 67: 5, note 4; 72: 9.)