The meaning is: Had We willed, We would have removed his disbelief through Our signs that he possessed. Mujāhid and ‘Atā’ said: “We would have removed his disbelief through faith and protected him from it.”

This meaning is true, but the first interpretation is what the verse intends; this is a necessary consequence of that intended meaning. As noted earlier, the early generations often draw attention to a necessary implication of a verse’s meaning, which someone may then mistake for its intended meaning.

Regarding His words, “But he clung to the earth,” Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr said: “He inclined toward the earth.” Mujāhid said: “He settled.” Muqātil said: “He was content with worldly life.” Abū ‘Ubaydah said: “He adhered to it and lingered.”

A man described as mukhlid is one who walks slowly. Among animals, it describes one whose central incisors remain until its lateral incisors emerge.

Al-Zajjāj said: “Both khalada and akhlada are used. Their root is khulūd, meaning permanence and continued existence.” One says that someone akhlada in a place when he remains there. Mālik ibn Nuwayrah said:

“With clansmen from the tribes of Mālik
And ‘Amr ibn Yarbū‘, they settled and stayed.”

I say: Another instance is His saying, Most High:

56:17 “Ever-youthful boys will circulate among them.”

That is, they were created to endure; hence they neither change nor grow older, but remain the same age forever.

It has also been said that the expression means they wear earrings in their ears and bracelets on their arms. Those who hold this view have explained the word through some of its necessary implications: such adornment is a sign of remaining forever at that age. Thus, the two interpretations do not conflict.

Regarding His words, “And followed his own desire,” al-Kalbī said: “He pursued base things and abandoned lofty ones.” Abū Rawq said: “He chose this world over the Hereafter.” ‘Atā’ said: “He desired this world