Tafseer Ibn Kathir of AL ISRAA' [63]

63. (Allah) said: ”Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all) an ample recompense. 64. ”And fool them gradually, those whom you can among them with your voice, Ajlib upon them with your cavalry and your infantry, share with them wealth and children, and make promises to them.'' But Shaytan promises them nothing but deceit. 65. ”Verily, My servants, you have no authority over them. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.'') When Iblis asked for respite, Allah said to him:

`(Go,) I will give you respite.' According to another Ayah (Allah) said:

(Verily, you are of those allowed respite till the Day of the time appointed.) (38:80-81). Then Allah warned him and those who follow him among the progeny of Adam about Hell:

((Allah) said: ”Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all)) meaning, for your deeds.

(an ample recompense.) Mujahid said, ”Sufficient recompense.'' Qatadah said, ”It will be abundant for you and will not be decreased for you.''

(And fool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice,) It was said that this refers to singing. Mujahid said, ”With idle entertainment and singing,'' meaning, influence them with that.

(And fool them gradually those whom you can among them with your voice,) Ibn `Abbas said, ”Every caller who calls people to disobey Allah.'' This was the view of Qatadah, and was also the opinion favored by Ibn Jarir.

(Ajib upon them with your cavalry and your infantry.) Send your troops and cavalry and infantry against them. The meaning is, send whatever forces you have at your disposal against them. This is a command (related to the divine decree), as Allah says elsewhere:

(See you not that We have sent the Shayatin against the disbelievers to push them to do evil. ) (19:83), meaning, to provoke them and drive them towards evil.

(Ajlib upon them with your cavalry and your infantry,) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, ”Everyone who rides or walks to go and commit sin and disobey Allah.'' Qatadah said, ”He has infantry and cavalry among the Jinn and among humans. They are the ones who obey him.'' The Arabs use the verb Ajlaba when describing somebody shouting at another person. Hence it is forbidden in races to shout at one another and push one another. From this root is also derived the word Jalabah, which means raising voices.

(and share with them wealth and children,) Ibn `Abbas and Mujahid said, ”This means what he commands them to do of spending money in disobedience to Allah, may He be exalted.''

(and children,) Ibn' Abbas, as reported by Al-`Awfi, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak said, ”This means the children of Zina (i.e., illegitimate children).'' `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, ”This means the children whom they used to kill out of folly, without knowledge.'' Qatadah reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basri said: ”Allah caused Shaytan to take a share of wealth and children by making them Magians, Jews and Christians, and making them follow any religion other than Islam, and by making them give a part of their wealth to the Shaytan.'' Qatadah said the same.

(and share with them wealth and children.) The fact that only wealth and children are mentioned in this Ayah, does not mean that it is limited only to those things. Everything in which a person disobeys Allah or obeys the Shaytan means that he is sharing with him. It was reported in Sahih Muslim from `Iyad bin Himar that the Messenger of Allah said:

(Allah the Mighty and Exalted says, ”I have created My servants as Hunafa' ﴿monotheists﴾, then the Shayatin come to them and lead them astray from their religion and (tell that) what I have permitted for them is forbidden to them.'') According to the Two Sahihs, the Messenger of Allah said:

(When one of you wants to have intercourse with his wife, let him say, `In the Name of Allah. O Allah, keep us away from Shaytan and keep Shaytan away from what you bestow on us (children).' Then if a child is decreed for them from that, the Shaytan will never harm him.)

(”...and make promises to them.'' But Shaytan promises them nothing but deceit.) As Allah tells us, Iblis will say, on the Day when the matter is decided:

(Verily, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you.) ï´¿14:22ï´¾

(Verily, My servants, you have no authority over them.) Here Allah tells us that He supports His believing servants, and guards and protects them against the accursed Shaytan. Allah says:

(And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.) meaning, as a Protector, Supporter and Helper.