Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:168

"Halalan" (Lawful): It is the object of the verb "eat," or a circumstantial qualifier (hal) for what is in the earth.

"Tayyiban" (Wholesome): Pure from every suspicion.

"And do not follow the footsteps of Satan": Lest you fall into the forbidden, the suspicious, the prohibiting of the lawful, or the permitting of the forbidden. The "min" (in mimma - from what) is for partitive purposes, because not everything on earth is edible.

(Note on linguistic variants: "Khutuwāt" is read with two dammahs; "Khutwāt" with a damma and sukun; "Khutu'āt" with two dammahs and a hamza, treating the damma on the ta' as if it were on the waw; "Khatawāt" with two fathas; and "Khatwāt" with a fatha and sukun. The "Khatwah" is a single instance of "Khatw" (stepping), and it refers to the distance between the feet of the walker. They are like "Ghurfah" and "Gharfah," or "Qabdah" and "Qibdah.")

It is said: "He followed his footsteps" and "He trod upon his heels" when one imitates him and follows his tradition.

"Mubin" (Manifest): Clear in enmity, with no concealment.

"He only commands you": This is an explanation for the necessity of forbidding his followers and the clarity of his enmity. It means: He never commands you to do good; he only commands you...

"With evil": With that which is ugly.

"And indecency": That which exceeds the limit in ugliness among the major sins. It is said: "Evil" is that for which there is no prescribed punishment (hadd), while "indecency" is that for which a punishment is prescribed.

"And that you say about Allah what you do not know": This is your saying, "This is lawful and this is forbidden," without knowledge. This includes everything attributed to Allah the Exalted that is not permissible for Him.

If you ask: How can Satan be a "commander" when it is said, "You have no authority over them" (Al-Hijr: 42)? I say: His beautification and incitement to evil are likened to the command of a commander. Just as you say, "My soul commanded me to do such and such." This implies that you are in the position of those commanded by him due to your obedience to him and your acceptance of his whispers. That is why He said: "And I will command them, so they will change the creation of Allah" (An-Nisa: 119). And Allah the Exalted said: "Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil" (Yusuf: 53), because when a human obeys it, he grants it what it desires.

"And when it is said to them, 'Follow what Allah has revealed,' they say, 'Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers upon.' Even if their fathers understood nothing and were not guided?"

"And the example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at that which hears nothing but calls and cries; deaf, dumb, blind, so they do not understand."