5.1. The jinn eavesdrop on news of heaven
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tells us that the jinn said (interpretation of the meaning), "We used to take up positions therein to eavesdrop, but now whoever eavesdrops will find a flaming fire waiting for him." (al-Jinn 72:9) Al-Qurtubi said, “In the verse (interpretation of the meaning), "We used to take up positions therein to eavesdrop, but now whoever eavesdrops will find a flaming fire waiting for him." (al-Jinn 72:9), the word therein means in heaven. They would take up positions there to listen out for news from heaven. What is meant is that the rebellious jinn would do that in order to hear news of heaven from the angels, so that they could pass it on to the soothsayers, as explained above. Then Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, guarded heaven, when He sent His Messenger, with flaming fire, after which the jinn said: but now whoever eavesdrops will find a flaming fire waiting for him. What is meant by the flaming fire is a burning meteor.” [283] See: Tafsir al-Qurtubi, 19/12.

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, "When Allah decrees a matter in heaven, the angels strike their wings in obedience to His command, as if what is heard is like the sound of a chain being dragged across a rock. "Then when the fear has been lifted from their hearts, they will say: What did your Lord say? The higher-ranking angels will say: The truth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great." (Saba’ 34:23) Then the eavesdroppers hear it, and the eavesdroppers are like this, one above the other – Sufyan demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating his fingers – The eavesdropper hears the word and passes it to the one who is below him, then the other one passes it to the one who is below him, until they pass it to the sorcerer or soothsayer. Sometimes the flaming fire strikes the eavesdropper before he can pass it on, and sometimes he passes it on before it strikes him. Then the soothsayer tells a hundred lies along with it. Then it is said: ‘Didn’t he the soothsayer tell us such and such a thing on such and such a day?’ So he is believed because of that word which he heard from heaven.” [284] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 7481.

According to another report: “That is a word from the jinn that the jinni snatches, and he cackles it into the ear of his familiar as a hen cackles, but they mix more than a hundred lies with it.” [285] Narrated by al-Bukhari, 6213; Muslim, 2228, from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).

Al-Mawardi said, “As for their eavesdropping, during the Jahiliyyah, before the sending of the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), they used to eavesdrop. Hence the jinn would pass on to the human soothsayers what they heard when they took up positions to get near to the heaven in order to eavesdrop, as Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "We used to take up positions therein to eavesdrop." (al-Jinn 72:9) [286] See: A‘lam al -Nubuwwah, p. 167.

Ibn Baz said, “Allah tests people by means of those who eavesdrop, and people become confused because of the one true word that the eavesdropper manages to overhear.” [287] See: al-Hulal al-Ibriziyyah, 3/410.

5.2. What is the nature of the news that the jinn pass on to humans?
The news and knowledge that the jinn pass on to humans is of two types:
i. That which has to do with matters of the unseen including the future
ii. That which has to do with current events or past events
The jinn are not able to speak of unseen matters, because Allah has kept knowledge of the unseen to Himself, as He Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him." (al-An‘am 6:59) But some unseen matters which Allah has decreed in heaven are known to whomever Allah wills of the angels (peace be upon them), and the jinn who eavesdrop may hear the word from heaven. Then the jinni may be struck by the flaming fire before he passes that word on to the soothsayer on earth, or he may pass it on before he is struck, then the soothsayer tells one hundred lies along with it, as mentioned above in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah.” [288] The text of the hadith is: When Allah decrees a matter in heaven, the angels strike their wings in obedience to His command, as if [what is heard] is like the sound of a chain being dragged across a rock. Then when the fear has been lifted from their hearts, they will say: What did your Lord say? [The higher-ranking angels] will say: The truth, and He is the Most High, the Most Great [Saba’ 34:23]. Then the eavesdroppers hear it, and the eavesdroppers are like this, one above the other – Sufyan demonstrated that by holding his hand upright and separating his fingers – [The eavesdropper] here is the word and passes it to the one who is below him, then the other one passes it to the one who is below him, until they pass it to the sorcerer or soothsayer. Sometimes the flaming fire strikes [the eavesdropper] before he can pass it on, and sometimes he passes it on before it strikes him. Then [the soothsayer] tells a hundred lies along with it. Then it is said: ‘Didn’t he [the soothsayer] tell us such and such a thing on such and such a day?’ So he is believed because of that word which he heard from heaven.” Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4800.

The story of the death of Allah’s Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him) also proves that the jinn do not have knowledge of the unseen. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), "Then, when We decreed Sulayman’s death, nothing made them aware of his death except a creature of the earth that ate away at his staff. When he fell down, the jinn realized that, if they had truly had knowledge of the unseen, they would not have had to continue their demeaning labour."
(Saba’ 34:14) As for knowledge having to do with current events or past events, it is possible for the jinn to tell humans about it, because they have the ability to travel between distant places. For humans, knowledge of such events is like the unseen, because they have not seen it and news of it did not reach them via the usual ways of learning about such things, whereas for the jinn it is current events that they see and witness. [289] See: al-Khatib: al-Tafsir al-Qur’ani li’l-Qur’an, 11/794.

The jinn may tell humans about past events because they live long lives that are longer than the lives of humans. So they may tell someone who is alive today about an incident that happened one hundred years or more ago. Moreover, a person may die and his qarin (companion) from among the jinn may outlive him, so he may tell something about the deceased.” [290] See: Majmu‘ al-Fatawa, 11/283.

We should not trust anything of what they tell us, because we do not know whether it is true or not.