Al Ḥijr

وَحَفِظْنَاهَا مِن كُلّ‌ِ شَيْطَانٍ رَّجِيمٍ

إِلاَّ مَنِ اسْتَرَقَ السَّمْعَ فَاَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ مُّبِينٌ

17. “And We have guarded them against every accursed Satan.”
18. “Save him who steals the hearing, so there pursues him a clear flame.”

The Arabic word /’istir aq/ is derived from /sirqat/, and thus the Arabic phrase means: ‘the stealing of words’. The commentators have raised some issues with regard to this verse; among them one may name Fakhr-i-Razi and ’Alūsi who have said in their commentaries that the objective meaning, in talking about the sky, is this same apparent sky, and the objective in mind in talking about the meteor is this same celestial stone-like objects, which are thrown down and are set in flame.

However, some other commentators have suggested that here the objective in mind, when referring to the sky, is the ‘invisible world’, and the world of Truth, into which Satans have no way and permission to enter. Here are the verses:

“And We have guarded them against every accursed Satan.”

“Save him who steals the hearing, so there pursues him a clear flame.”

And, regarding its meaning, perhaps one can say: We have located identification figures and leaders in the spaces of spirituality, thus protecting the truth from the temptations of Satan. And whenever a person who has the qualities of Satan, is acting temptation, We will launch an attack on him, expelling and perishing all sorts of innovation, and eclecticism, as well as other temptations, by sound reasoning and sound logic of the true believers.

Thus, one can find the relationship between the birth of Hadrat-i-Massiah (as) and further-more, the birth of Hadrat-i-Muhammad (S) and the casting off of such Satans from the skies.

Explanations

The Satan is not only Iblis, but there are Satans. Eavesdropping and spying are both jobs of the Satan. A spy must be dealt with quickly and in a revolutionary manner.

“…so there pursues him a clear flame.”

Wherever a Satan-like individual was to be found, the enlightening people must chase and strike him with the torch of knowledge. The response to the Satanic acts must be provided with utmost explicitness, openness, quickness and with the maximum straight forwardness.