exceed your station, for you are only one of the soothsayers’ brethren.’”

The same applies when someone listens to what they say and report from the jinn, just as Muslims listen to what unbelievers and evildoers say in order to learn what they have to say and draw lessons from it. Likewise, a wrongdoer’s report may be heard, examined, and verified, without judging it true or false except on evidence. As Allah Most High says:

“If a wrongdoer comes to you with news, verify it.”

It is established in Sahīh al-Bukhārī, on the authority of Abū Hurayra:

“The People of the Book used to read the Torah and explain it in Arabic. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘When the People of the Book tell you something, neither affirm nor deny it, for they may tell you something true and you would deny it, or something false and you would affirm it. Say, “We believe in what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to you. Our God and your God is One, and to Him we submit.”’”

Thus, Muslims were permitted to listen to what they said without either affirming or denying it. It has also been reported that Abū Mūsā al-Ash‘arī had received no news of ‘Umar for some time. There was a woman there who had a companion from among the jinn. He asked this jinn about ‘Umar, and the jinn told him that he had left ‘Umar branding the camels collected as charity.

Another report relates that ‘Umar dispatched an army. Someone then came to Medina and reported that they had defeated their enemy, and the news spread. ‘Umar asked about this, and when it was related to him, he said:

“This is Abū al-Haytham, the Muslims’ messenger from among the jinn. The human messenger will arrive later.”

He arrived several days afterward.