Tafsir of Al-Jinn 72:7

Surah Al-Jinn (72): Verse 7

And [they said]: "And that they [the jinn] had thought, just as you [mankind] have thought..."

Know that this verse and the one preceding it might be part of the speech of the Jinn, or they might be part of the revelation itself.

1. If they are part of the Jinn's speech (which is the view held by some commentators): The implied meaning would be: "And that We (the Jinn) thought just as you (mankind) thought."

2. If they are part of the revelation: The implied meaning would be: "And that the Jinn thought just as you (the disbelievers of Quraysh) thought."

In either interpretation, the verse indicates that just as among the Jinn there were disbelievers, Jews, and Christians, there were also among them those who denied the Resurrection.

Another possible meaning is that they believed no one is sent as a messenger (a view held by the Brahmins).

However, attributing this speech to the Jinn is preferable because what precedes and follows this verse is clearly the speech of the Jinn, and inserting speech foreign to their discourse in the middle is inappropriate.

[72:8] {And that we have sought to reach the heaven, but we found it filled with stern guards and shooting stars.}