It is enough to note that all Muslims have recited this surah since the time of their Prophet, yet these two interpretations have been reported only from certain grammarians. The statements transmitted from the Companions and those who followed them in righteousness contain nothing of the kind. Rather, they contain only the interpretation we have defended. Thus, in Maʿmar’s Tafsīr, Qatāda comments on the words “from among jinn and humankind”:

“There are devils among the jinn and devils among humankind, so we seek refuge in Allah from the devils among humankind and the jinn.”

Qatāda thus explained that the meaning is to seek refuge from the devils among humankind and the jinn. Ibn Wahb also narrated that ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn Zayd ibn Aslam said concerning His words, “the whisperer who withdraws”:

“The one who withdraws is one who sometimes whispers and sometimes withdraws, whether from among the jinn or humankind.”

Ibn Zayd thus explained that the whisperer who withdraws may belong to either kind. It used to be said: “Human devils are harder on people than devils among the jinn: a devil among the jinn whispers without your seeing him, whereas this one confronts you face to face.”

Ibn Jurayj said concerning “from among jinn and humankind”:

“There are only two whisperers: a whisperer from among the jinn, who is ‘the one who withdraws,’ and a whisperer from a person’s own self, referred to in His words, ‘and humankind.’”

Although this third interpretation resembles al-Zajjāj’s, it is better than his, for it takes the whispering that comes from a person’s own self to be what is meant by “humankind.” Its meaning is therefore better. Ibn Abī Hātim recorded all three accounts in his Tafsīr.