Name and Background
The Soorah reports an incident about Jinns, hence its name.
Jinns are a creation of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala who were created before human beings and enjoy freedom of making choices just like human beings. At the time of the creation of Adam 'alayhissalaam, Iblees was the leader of the Jinns, who refused to submit to human dominion when asked by Allaah to prostrate to Adam. We have been created from visible earthly elements, while Jinns have been created from some elements of energy (smokeless flame of fire), invisible to human beings.
Because Jinns are invisible to people, some people think that they do not exist. Some of them theorize that the word Jinn is used for uncivilized, primitive or barbarian people. The Qur-aan clearly contradicts them. It indicates their creation from two different sources in Al-A'raaf 7:12, Al-Ĥijr 15:26-27, and Ar-Raĥmaan 55:14-15. Al-Ĥijr 15:27 even mentions that Jinns were created before human beings. At seven places in the Qur-aan, the story of Adam and Iblees has been described, and at each of those places, it is clear that Iblees was present at the time of the creation of Adam. Al-Kahf 18:50 clarifies that Iblees was a Jinn. Soorah Al-A'raaf 7:27 states that Jinns can see human beings but human beings cannot see them. Unlike human beings, Jinns can travel high into the sky, although only up to a certain limit where heavy meteoric activity precludes them from venturing further, as is mentioned in Al-Ĥijr 15:16-18, Aŝ-Ŝaafaat 37:6-10 and Al-Mulk 67:5.
On the other extreme are people who entertain exaggerated views about Jinns. Arabs used to think that all uninhabited, deserted or wilderness areas are owned by Jinns. As a result, if they landed in a deserted area, they would first invoke refuge of the Jinns of that area. They also thought that Jinns could bring them news of the unseen. Actually, their soothsayers and fortune-tellers based all their business on the claim that they received all such news from Jinns. Some Arabs even used to worship them. The Qur-aan has condemned all these exaggerations. It rather explains that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala has delegated the dominion of the earth to human beings and made them vicegerents. That dominion includes Jinns, just as it does all other creations. Thus, human beings are superior to Jinns. Although it is true that Jinns do have some powers and faculties that are superior to what human beings are capable of, many other creatures also have various abilities, faculties or powers superior to what humans have.
It was in fact because of the dominion and superiority given to human beings that Iblees became upset and vowed to mislead them in order to prove them to be a species unworthy of that superiority.
Some people used to believe, and even believe today, that Jinns can enter the human body and make people do strange or extraordinary things. This is a baseless notion that has given rise to the exorcism industry, but whose legitimacy has been contradicted by the Qur-aan. The Qur-aan clearly states that Jinns can suggest ideas or incite human beings, but they do not have power to make them do anything physically. The matter of incitement from Shayŧaan (a Jinn) is clearly described in verses such as An-Nisaa 4:117-120, Al-A'raaf 7:11-17. In Ibraaheem 14:22, it clearly says that Shayŧaan, a Jinn, does not have any authority on any human being to make them do things against their will.
And the Shaytaan shall say after the affair is decided, "Surely Allaah promised you the promise of truth, and I gave you promises, but I betrayed you. But I had no authority over you, except that I invited you and you responded to me; therefore, do not blame me but blame yourselves." (Ibraaheem 14:22)
In other verses such as Al-Ĥijr 15:30-42, An-Naĥl 16:98-100 and Banee Israaeel 17:61-65, in another style saying that he does not have authority over Allaah's slaves. This style underscores the point that the people who are disobedient to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta'aala have submitted to the incitement of Shayŧaan on their own; thus they have accepted his authority voluntarily. As for Allaah's slaves who reject his incitement, it has been clarified that Shaytaan does not have authority to forces them to do what he wants them to do. That is why when the disobedient will blame Shayŧaan in the Hereafter for their wrongdoings, he will deny any responsibility and declare that I did not have any authority over you; I invited, you responded, so blame yourselves, not me. Thus, it is abundantly clear that Shayŧaan can only incite people but does not have any authority over them. Possession by a Jinn is having authority over the possessed, which is negated by the Qur-aan .
Message, Timing and Context
This Soorah describes how a group of Jinns heard the Prophet ŝall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam recite the Qur-aan and how they were so impressed with the beauty of the prose as well as the message that they became Muslim. 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Abbaas radhiallaahu 'anhu reported, "The Prophet was travelling to 'Ukaazh with some of his companions. On his way, he stopped at Nakhlah where he led Ŝalaatul Fajr. A group of Jinns was passing by. When they heard the recitation, they stopped and listened to it carefully." This happened during the early period of the Prophet ŝall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's mission. It was a new experience for the Jinns. It also answered their curiosity about increased surveillance and increased meteoric activity that they had noticed in the last little while. They did not know the reason for the increased security. After listening to the verses, they realized that it was due to the revelation of the Qur-aan that the security in the heavens had been tightened.
The elementary nature of the points given at the end of the Soorah that the Prophet ŝall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam was told to declare to the Makkans also indicates that this Soorah was revealed in the early period of the mission in Makkah.
The previous Soorah, Nooĥ, had given the Quraish of Makkah the example of the people of Nooĥ and their destruction. They were indirectly warned that their annoyance with and their arrogance against the Prophet ŝall Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and the Qur-aan would bring them a similar fate. This Soorah gives the Makkans the example of the Jinns in order to make them realize how the Jinns listened to the same Qur-aan, saw the light, appreciated the beauty of its message and accepted the guidance, as compared to them who were turning away from this beautiful guidance. In addition to accepting the guidance, the Jinns went back to their folks and presented them the same guidance and tried to reform other misguided Jinns among them. The mention of this incident also consoles the Prophet by showing him that those who have goodness in their hearts are eager to accept the message, and thus, he should not feel disheartened by the violent reaction of the Makkans. Clearly, there is nothing wrong in the message or in its delivery. The problem is with the close-mindedness of the Makkans.
To those Arabs who were fond of listening to the fabricated reports that the soothsayers and fortune-tellers were claiming to be coming from Jinns, this Soorah informs them of a true anecdote of Jinns' reaction to the Qur-aan, so that they also open their hearts for the message of the Qur-aan.
Some people who believe that a jinn can possess human beings stretch the meanings of two verses in their efforts to support their claim: Al-Baqarah 2:275 and Saad 38:41. Referring to the meanings of these verses in major books of Tafseer will show that none of these verses really support the concept of possession by a Jinn. 
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