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Fatwa CenterThe jinn overhearing the heavenly matters after the advent of Islam
Question
Assalamu Alaikum, According to Quran (surah jinn), during the reveleation of quran, the jinns are forbidden to overhear the conversation among heavens and they are thus unable to know about future events. Is the same situation continues even to this day?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
This matter (preventing the jinn from overhearing the heavenly matters) is not restricted to the past; rather, it remains until the Day of Judgment. Even if its cause was the advent of Allaah’s Messenger Muhammad but this remained after his death and will continue as long as his message still remains.
The Prophet informed us that fortune-telling has been invalidated, so if the heavens were not guarded after his death, the jinn would go back again to overhear and fortune-telling would still exist; but this is not permissible after it was invalidated. Wisdom requires that guarding the heavens (from the devils) be continuous during his lifetime and after his death. Al-Qurtubi 
mentioned this meaning in his Tafseer (interpretation of the Quran).
It seems – and Allaah knows best – that what he (Al-Qurtubi ) meant by the invalidation of fortune-telling is the invalidation
Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet said: "Sometimes a flaming fire (shooting star) may strike the stealthy listener (the devil) before he can convey it to his companion, and sometimes he may convey it to that who is below him and so it reaches the earth before the flaming fire strikes him, then it reaches the lips of the magician (fortune-teller) and he adds to that word (statement which he has heard) a hundred lies. The people will then say, 'Didn't he (i.e. magician) tell such-and-such a thing on such-and-such date?' So, that magician is said to have told the truth because of the word which he has heard from the heaven." [Al-Bukhari]
Ibn Hajar said: “When Islam came, and the Quran was revealed, the heavens were guarded from the devils, and flaming fires were sent to destroy them, so what is left from their listening is what the devil on the above level hears and passes it on to those who are below him before the flaming fire strikes him; this is indicated in the Saying of Allaah (which means): {Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].} [Quran 37:10]
Before Islam, the soothsayers, in so many cases, happened to predict something and it came true; as happened in the story of Shiqq and Sutayh and others. However, in Islam, this became very rare to an extent that this has nearly disappeared, to Allaah be all praise.” [End quote]
Allaah Knows best.
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