And when that was, it may have misled that Iblis has a matter concerning himself. He negated it by saying: ﴿And there is﴾ meaning that he ﴿was﴾ not at all ﴿for them﴾ meaning those who followed him or others. And he emphasized what is the truth of the negation by saying: ﴿of authority﴾ meaning a dominating control over something from the things, because he is like them in being a powerless, subdued servant, humiliated, fearful, and driven away. Al-Qushayri said: he is empowered, and if it were possible for him to mislead others, it would have been possible for him to hold onto guidance himself. ﴿Except﴾ meaning but we have empowered him over them with our authority and made him their leader by our overpowering; and he expressed the distinction that is the reason for knowledge by saying: ﴿So that We may know﴾ meaning by what we have of greatness ﴿who believes﴾ meaning who brings forth faith in Allah ﴿in the Hereafter﴾ meaning so that our knowledge may be related to that in the realm of testimony at the time of his distinction, a relation by which the proof stands in the customary practices of humans as it was related to him in the realm of the unseen ﴿from whom is from it﴾ meaning from the Hereafter ﴿in doubt﴾ for he does not have any faith renewed by it at all, because doubt is a condition surrounding him. And he only borrowed “except” in place of “but” as an indication that he was granted a complete empowerment that made him like one who has true authority.

And when this was, it may have caused a misunderstanding of a deficiency in knowledge or in ability. He said, indicating that he, glorified and exalted is He, facilitated this sincere group and made most of them from his nation. He said: ﴿And your Lord﴾ meaning the one who is good to you by silencing the devil with your prophethood and silencing him from your nation ﴿over everything﴾ of those who are obligated and others ﴿is a Guardian﴾ meaning the one who preserves with complete preservation, encompassing it, managing it in the manner of highness with His complete knowledge and His comprehensive ability. So the devil or others do not do anything except by His knowledge and permission.