Tafsir Ibn Abbas: Al-Kahf, Ayah 50
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Other Scholars on This Ayah
Tafsir
And when idh is dependent because it is governed by an implicit udhkur ‘mention when’ We said to the angels ‘Prostrate before Adam’ a prostration involving a bow not placing one’s forehead down to the ground as a greeting to him; and so they prostrated all except Iblīs. He was one of the jinn — some say that these creatures are a species of angels in which case the exceptive clause illā Iblīs ‘except Iblīs’ is a continuous one; but it is also said to be discontinuous since Iblīs is considered the progenitor of all the jinn having offspring who are mentioned alongside him further below; angels on the other hand do not have offspring; and he transgressed against his Lord’s command that is to say he rebelled against obedience to Him by refraining from performing the prostration. Will you then take him and his offspring — this address is to Adam and his progeny the final pronominal suffix hā’ in both words refers to Iblīs for your patrons instead of Me obeying them when they are an enemy to you? in other words when they are your enemies wa-hum lakum ‘aduwwun is a circumstantial qualifier. How evil for the evildoers is that substitute! of Iblīs and his offspring in obeying them instead of obeying God.
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Ibn Abbas Commentary
(And (remember) when We said unto the angels) who were on the earth: (Fall prostrate before Adam) a prostration of greeting, (and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis) their leader. (He was of the jinn) of the tribe of the jinn, (so he rebelled against his Lord's command) he disobeyed his Lord and refused to prostrate to Adam. (Will ye choose him) will you worship him (and his seed for your protecting friends) as lords (instead of Me) instead of Allah, (when they are an enemy unto you) whose enmity is quite manifest? (Calamitous is the exchange) in worship; it is also said that this means: evil is that which they exchanged: they exchanged the worship of Allah with the worship of Satan; and it is also said: they exchanged the protecting friendship of Allah with the protecting friendship of Satan (for evil-doers) for idolaters!