The devils had certain positions in the sky where they used to hear what came down from Heavens to the earth to be executed. They used to pick up some words from the Heavenly Revelations and add to them a thousand of lies. When the Messenger Muhammad (saws) was sent with the Message of Islam, the devils were prevented from these positions. In regard of the devils which had these positions of listening, Allah (swt) says:

 إِنَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّمْعِ لَمَعْزُولُونَ

(Indeed they, from [its] hearing, are removed.) (Ash-Shu’araa: 12)

Thus, the jinn are prevented from eavesdropping by means of burning flame and shooting stars, which are the meteors. Moreover, they were prevented from listening to the Diving Revelation and the Angels’ discussion about the future events on earth, such as the cases of death, rainfalls and other matters.

(  فَمَن يَسْتَمِعِ الْآنَ يَجِدْ لَهُ شِهَابًا رَّصَدًا… ) (…but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him): Some of the jinn tried to eavesdrop on the Heaven but they were faced with the meteors and burning flames. So, they were trying to listen secretly. Allah (swt) says:

إِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ فَأَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ

(Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].) (As-Saffat: 10)

Even that the rebellious jinn could snatch some pieces of the Heavenly news, they cannot flee with them and communicate them to their allies. This is because they are pursued by a burning flame, as indicated in the verse. (piercing) means to go through the space till they hit the targets very quickly.

Someone may ask: ‘Why are the devils not prevented from listening from the beginning?’ The scholars say that there is a difference between preventing from something from the beginning, and getting it without being able to benefit from them. Allah (swt) enabled them to listen to some pieces of the news of the Heaven, but burning stars attack them from every direction, leading to their great distress and sorrow for not taking the advantage of what they heard.