وَأَنّا لَمَسنَا السَّماءَ فَوَجَدناها مُلِئَت حَرَسًا شَديدًا وَشُهُبًا

Indeed we made for the heaven and found it full of mighty sentries and flames.

EXEGESIS

Lamasnā is a perfect tense verb that is affixed to the personal pronoun nā (we). It lexically derives from the root lams, which means to touch or to feel with the hand.^{‎[1]Hans Wehr, under l-m-s.} Put differently, it signifies to sense through the outer skin of the physical body.^{‎[2]Raghib, under l-m-s.} However, some lexicologists such as Rāghib have asserted that the term is also used to imply ‘to seek’. Taking this into account, Qurashī concludes that the term also incorporates the idea of seeking something, and as such, lams would imply to touch something with the intention of seeking some kind of knowledge about it.^{‎[3]Qamus, under l-m-s.}

In the verse under discussion, the verb lamasnā has been apparently used to figuratively^{‎[4]Tabrisi, 10/556.} denote ‘seeking’. It would hence read as: We sought to reach, or to ascend towards, the heavens.^{‎[5]Mizan, 20/42; Tabari, 29/69; Thaalabi, 5/495; Alusi, 15/97; Zamakhshari, 4/624; Razi, 30/668; Tabrisi.J, 4/373.} However, Ṭūsī is of the opinion that the verb has appeared here in its literal meaning which is ‘to touch by hand’.^{‎[6]Tibyan, 10/149.}

Samāʾ is a noun that comes from the root sumuww meaning highness and elevation. The highest part in position of something comprising different parts is called samāʾ (high). The roof of a house is referred to in the Arabic language as samāʾ due to its elevation above the ground, and similarly the term is used for a cloud.^{‎[7]Lisan, under s-m-w.} Hence, anything that is higher than other things in position such that it oversees them is termed in Arabic as samāʾ.^{‎[8]Tahqiq, under s-m-w.}

The word samāʾ (pl. samāwāt) has appeared in numerous occasions in the Quran with different connotations such as rainfall (71:11, 6:6, and 11:52), the sky and the space above the earth (2:2, 2:144, 14:24, 15:16, 25:61, and 85:1), and the celestial beings and bodies (51:47 and 2:164).^{‎[9]Qamus, under samāʾ.} It has occurred in the Quran in 7:40 to imply the metaphysical heavens as opposed to the visible one.

Nonetheless, considering the fact there is also a mention of flames in the verse under discussion, which are indisputably part of the celestial phenomena, it could be argued that the word samāʾ here signifies the outer space of the earth.^{‎[10] See Nemuneh, 11/43-44.} However, Tabatabai gives a possibility that the term flames in this verse and other verses of the Quran such as 15:18 and 37:10, like other similar concepts in the Quran such as the Throne, the seat, the tablet, and the book, are allegorical, and are meant to represent metaphysical realities through material objects, as is the style of the Quran, clearly mentioned in 29:43. Based on this explanation, the word samāʾ here would thus refer to the higher spiritual realms of existence (malakūt) and not the outer space of the earth.^{‎[11] Mizan, 17/124-125.} Although this view is substantial in its own right, expressions like manifest flame (15:18), piercing flame (37:10), as well as the verse, We have certainly adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and made them missiles against the devils (67:5), all seem to support the notion that what is meant by the term flame in these verses is the ordinary meaning of the word.^{‎[12] Qamus, under shihāb.} It can thus be concluded that the term samāʾ in the verse under discussion refers to the material and the visible heaven that is perceptible to all human beings.^{‎[13] Nemuneh, 11/48.}

Fa-wajadnāhā is a word that is composed of the conjunction fāʾ^{‎[14] Darwish, 10/237.} in the beginning of it, and of the verb wajada that has been affixed to the pronouns nā (we) and hā (it). Wajada means to find something or to come across it.^{‎[15] Hans Wehr and Ayn, under w-j-d.} It is worthy of note here that the verb wajada is commonly used in the Arabic language to also imply to exist or to be. However, the usage of this verb or the noun wujūd to denote existence is more of a figurative usage than literal.^{‎[16] Tahqiq, under w-j-d.}

Different verbal forms of the root wujūd have occurred several times in the Quran, all of which have been unexceptionally used in the literal meaning of the term, as explained earlier.^{‎[17] Tahqiq, under w-j-d.}

Muliʾat is a passive perfect tense verb that derives from the root malaʾa, meaning to fill or to occupy a space.^{‎[18] Hans Wehr and Qamus, under malaʾa.} Explaining further the lexical significance of the term, Muṣṭafawī asserts that it implies ‘to supply something to a particular place to the extent of its limit such that its capacity to receive more is exhausted’. This is however irrespective of whether the receiver and the thing received are material in nature or spiritual.^{‎[19] Tahqiq, under m-l-ʾ.}

Different derivatives of the root m-l-ʾ have appeared forty times in the Quran. Considering the meaning of the term as explained above, the verb muliʾat here would imply that the jinn found the heaven filled to its limit and entirely covered by mighty sentries and flames.

Ḥaras is the plural of the noun ḥāris which signifies a person who guards a place.^{‎[20] Raghib, under ḥ-r-s.} Ṭurayḥī appears to be of the view that the word specifically denotes guards of the rulers and emperors.^{‎[21] Bahrayn, under ḥ-r-s.} The term ḥars is used in the Arabic language mostly in relation to places and locations, unlike the noun ḥarz which is though similar in meaning to ḥars but frequently used with regard to material possessions.^{‎[22] Raghib, under ḥ-r-s.} The word ḥaras has appeared only once in the Quran and that is in the verse under discussion.^{‎[23] Qamus, under ḥaras.} It refers here to the angels guarding the lowest heaven.^{‎[24] Tabrisi, 10/556.}

Shadīd is an adjective which comes from the root shadd, which according to Ibn Manẓūr denotes rigidity and firmness as opposed to softness and pliability.^{‎[25] Lisan, under sh-d-d.} Hence, as an adjective the term shadīd would imply in the verse under discussion that the heaven is now being guarded by sentries that are robust and capable of chasing away those who intend to eavesdrop on the heavenly news.^{‎[26] Mizan, 20/42.}

Shuhub is the plural of the noun shihāb that lexically denotes a rising flame of fire.^{‎[27] Lisan and Raghib, under sh-h-b.} The term has occurred in the Quran four times in the singular form and once in the plural form. In Quranic terminology, the term shihāb appears to imply, according to many exegetes, the meteoroids that create a visible streak of light as they enter the earth’s atmosphere.^{‎[28] Qamus, under shihāb.} The sole basis for this interpretation seems to be mainly the adjectives used with the term ‘flame’ in the Quran such as ‘piercing’ and ‘manifest’, as well as verse 67:5 as mentioned earlier under the Exegesis of the term samāʾ. However, some exegetes, like Jaʿfarī^{‎[29] Kawthar, 6/33.} and Qurashī,^{‎[30] Ahsan al-Hadith, 5/342.} are of the opinion that the reality of the flames that chase away the jinn and the devils from the heaven still remains unknown to us.  

EXPOSITION

In this verse, the jinn are disclosing their findings about the changes they observed in the higher realm as compared with how they used to experience it. It can be inferred from this assertion of the jinn that they used to make their way to the heaven prior to this also,^{‎[31] Qurtubi, 20/11; Shawkani, 5/366. See also Tibyan, 10/150.} however, without having witnessed such rigorous patrolling of it as they did this time. Thus the unprecedented phenomenon that took them by surprise was the increase in the fortification of the heaven as understood from the verb muliʾat.^{‎[32] Tabrisi.J, 4/374.}

[1] Hans Wehr, under l-m-s.
[2] Raghib, under l-m-s.
[3] Qamus, under l-m-s.
[4] Tabrisi, 10/556.
[5] Mizan, 20/42; Tabari, 29/69; Thaalabi, 5/495; Alusi, 15/97; Zamakhshari, 4/624; Razi, 30/668; Tabrisi.J, 4/373.
[6] Tibyan, 10/149.
[7] Lisan, under s-m-w.
[8] Tahqiq, under s-m-w.
[9] Qamus, under samāʾ.
[10] See Nemuneh, 11/43-44.
[11] Mizan, 17/124-125.
[12] Qamus, under shihāb.
[13] Nemuneh, 11/48.
[14] Darwish, 10/237.
[15] Hans Wehr and Ayn, under w-j-d.
[16] Tahqiq, under w-j-d.
[17] Tahqiq, under w-j-d.
[18] Hans Wehr and Qamus, under malaʾa.
[19] Tahqiq, under m-l-ʾ.
[20] Raghib, under ḥ-r-s.
[21] Bahrayn, under ḥ-r-s.
[22] Raghib, under ḥ-r-s.
[23] Qamus, under ḥaras.
[24] Tabrisi, 10/556.
[25] Lisan, under sh-d-d.
[26] Mizan, 20/42.
[27] Lisan and Raghib, under sh-h-b.
[28] Qamus, under shihāb.
[29] Kawthar, 6/33.
[30] Ahsan al-Hadith, 5/342.
[31] Qurtubi, 20/11; Shawkani, 5/366. See also Tibyan, 10/150.
[32] Tabrisi.J, 4/374.