إِلىٰ يَومِ الوَقتِ المَعلومِ

Until the day of the known time.’

EXPOSITION

God clarifies here that the respite given to Iblīs will not be till the day that he has asked for, but a time known to God, the day of the known time. In this sense, God is telling Iblīs that he will not be reprieved until the day they will be resurrected, but rather until a day of a specific time known only to God. This would be the day after which Satan could no longer whisper to others and direct them to sin.^{‎[1]Mizan, 12/159, 17/227.} When this is exactly is a matter that has divided the scholars and we do not know for certain.

There is a problem alluded to here, that if Iblīs knew the time of his death he would be able to simply repent before that time arrives. No one should know their time of death, no soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die (31:34), and Iblīs would be no exception to this. This is why God declares that Iblīs is postponed Until the day of the known time, meaning the time which is known only to God. Only God knows when Iblīs will die, when the trumpet will be blown, and when the Day of Judgement will occur.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 8/584.} Hence it is not a problem if God tells Iblīs that he has been given respite, because only He knows when that will occur, its knowledge is only with my Lord: none except Him shall manifest it at its time (7:187).^{‎[3]Razi, 19/142.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Yaḥyā ibn Abī al-ʿUlā al-Rāzī, that Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) was asked regarding this verse and he replied: ‘The day of the known time is the time when the first trumpet is blown and Iblīs will die between the first and the second blowing.’^{‎[4]Ilal, 2/402; Nur, 3/13-14.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

As for known time, the scholars are divided:

1. A time known to God.^{‎[5]Zamakhshari, 4/108; Razi, 19/141.} Rāzī says it is called known because it is known that all creatures would die at some point.
2. The first blowing of the trumpet.^{‎[6]Tabrisi, 6/518; Tabari, 14/22; Zamakhshari, 2/578; Razi, 19/141; Alusi, 7/292. This opinion has also been attributed to Ibn Abbas.} Ṭabrisī describes this as the last day of obligation (taklīf). Ṭabarī describes it as the death of all creatures.
3. A time somewhere between the two blowings of the trumpet.^{‎[7]Nemuneh, 19/343.}
4. The Day of Judgement.^{‎[8]Tibyan, 6/335.} This would be supported by the verse, [They] will all be gathered for the tryst of a known day (56:50), which refers to the Day of Judgement.
5. The time when satanic whisperings are removed and all people will act righteously without any diseases of the heart and faithlessness will be no more, as per the verse, indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth (21:105) and others like it.^{‎[9]Mizan, 12/160-161.} This opinion should be referring to the time following the appearance of Imam al-Mahdī (a).

All of these opinions are of course speculative, though we may favour one over another based on certain arguments. For more, see the commentary on verse 15:38.

Regarding Iblīs knowing the time of his death, Ṭūsī adds that just like God informs Iblīs that he will go to hell (verse 85), he also informs him that he is given respite. This does not contradict Iblīs’ obligation (taklīf), who still rationally should try to avoid increasing his own punishment.^{‎[10]Tibyan, 8/584.}

Many have argued that the reason why Iblīs asked to be delayed till the Day of Resurrection was so that he would never die, since apparently after resurrection no one would die.^{‎[11]See for example Razi, 19/141.} Even if we accept this, the primary purpose should still have been his desire to prove that Prophet Adam (a) and his progeny were undeserving of the great honour granted them.

Rāzī criticises the proposal that Iblīs would have known he is given respite until the Day of Judgement, saying that if that were so then Iblīs would know that there is a great deal of time between the creation of Prophet Adam (a) and the Day of Judgement, hence he would be assured that he has been given respite for a long time and his death is not near, causing the problem we discussed earlier.^{‎[12]Razi, 19/142.} This argument is superficially valid, however it is not conducive to the verses. In any way we interpret the statement known time, Iblīs would know he has been given respite for some time. He was also promised hell by God, so it was known to all that he had made up his mind as to what path he would follow. This is similar to Abū Lahab being promised hell in the Quran while he was still alive. It did not rob him of his free will nor his obligation, however it was clear that he would not repent. This is why the first thing God did was give Iblīs the chance to repent.

[1] Mizan, 12/159, 17/227.
[2] Tibyan, 8/584.
[3] Razi, 19/142.
[4] Ilal, 2/402; Nur, 3/13-14.
[5] Zamakhshari, 4/108; Razi, 19/141.
[6] Tabrisi, 6/518; Tabari, 14/22; Zamakhshari, 2/578; Razi, 19/141; Alusi, 7/292. This opinion has also been attributed to Ibn Abbas.
[7] Nemuneh, 19/343.
[8] Tibyan, 6/335.
[9] Mizan, 12/160-161.
[10] Tibyan, 8/584.
[11] See for example Razi, 19/141.
[12] Razi, 19/142.