not brought it. And it behoves them not, nor have they the power to do it. Surely they are far removed even from hearing it” (26:192-212). In the face of these words, it is impossible to maintain that the Holy Qur’ān upholds the doctrine of the devils’ access to Divine secrets. The Divine message is entrusted to Gabriel, who is here called the Faithful Spirit to show that it is quite safe with him; and this message he brings direct to the heart of the Holy Prophet. The idea that the devils can overhear it by eavesdropping is strongly condemned; they do not ascend to heaven as is popularly supposed, nor do they come down to earth with the Divine secrets; nor does it behove them, nor have they the power to ascend to heaven and come down with the revelation; they are far removed even from the hearing of it, so their stealthy listening to the Divine secrets is only a myth. Another verse states: “Or have they the means by which they listen (to Divine secrets)? Then let their listener bring a clear authority” (52:38). Here too the claim made by superstition on behalf of the devils, that they can ascend into heaven and listen to the Divine secrets, is plainly rejected. And yet in a third verse it is reported that Divine secrets are safely entrusted to the apostles, and that no one else has access to them: “He makes known to none His secrets except a messenger whom He chooses. For surely He makes a guard to go before him and after him” (72:26,27).

The entire idea of the devils’ eavesdropping on Divine secrets appears to have arisen from a misunderstanding of certain words, particularly the words shaiṭān and rajm. Shaiṭān (devils), as already shown, has admittedly been used for the iniquitous leaders of opposition to the Holy Prophet, as in the case of hypocrites: “And when they are alone with their devils (shayāṭīn), they say we are with you” (2:14). All commentators are agreed that here by their devils are meant their leaders in unbelief.33 The opposition to the Holy Prophet came chiefly from two sources, viz., the worldly leaders and the diviners or soothsayers (kāhin). As the simple faith of Islām was the death-knell of all superstitions, and the office of kāhin represented one of the greatest superstitions that ever enthralled the Arab mind, at all times prone to superstition, the diviners fought the Holy Prophet tooth and nail. They deceived the people by their oracular utterances, and by presuming to foretell that the Holy Prophet