It was also said that the accursed tree is the one that entwines itself around trees and dries them out—namely, dodder. (1)

“And We frighten them, but it only increases them in great transgression”—that is, in immense rebellion and insolence.

“And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ they all prostrated except Iblis. He said, ‘Should I prostrate to one whom You created from clay?’ He said, ‘Do You see this one whom You have honored above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely bring his descendants under my sway, all but a few.’ He said, ‘Go! Whoever of them follows you—then Hell shall be the recompense of you all, a full recompense. Incite whomever of them you can with your voice; rally against them with your cavalry and infantry; be a partner with them in their wealth and children; and make promises to them.’ But Satan promises them nothing but delusion.”

“And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate to Adam,’ they all prostrated except Iblis. He said, ‘Should I prostrate to one whom You created from clay?’” That is, whom You created from the clay that I brought. This is what was narrated from Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, from Ibn Abbas: Allah Most High sent Iblis, and he took a handful of earth from the land—of both its fresh and saline soil—and Allah created Adam from it. Whoever was created from the fresh soil is fortunate, even if he is the son of two disbelievers; and whoever was created from the saline soil is wretched, even if he is the son of two prophets. (2)

“He said”—that is, Iblis—“Do You see this one?” That is: tell me; the ending is used to emphasize the address. “This one whom You have honored above me”—that is, whom You have favored over me. “If You delay me”—that is, grant me respite—“until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely bring his descendants under my sway”: that is, I will eradicate them through leading them astray. One says that locusts have brought a crop under their sway when they have eaten it all. It was also said to derive from the Arabs’ expression for fastening a rope around an animal’s lower jaw in order to lead it; that is, I will lead them as I please. It was also said to mean: I will gain mastery over them through seduction.

“All but a few”—meaning the protected ones whom Allah, Most High, exempted in His saying: “Indeed, as for My servants, you will have no authority over them.” (al-Hijr 15:42)

Allah said: “Go! Whoever of them follows you—then Hell shall be the recompense of you all,” meaning, your recompense and that of your followers; “a full recompense,” that is, an abundant and complete recompense. The underlying verb means to make something plentiful.

“And incite”—that is, rouse, make them act lightly, and exert yourself against—“whomever of them you can,” meaning, from among the descendants of Adam.