قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ ۖ وَإِنِّى عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِىٌّ أَمِينٌ
Important Words:
عفریت (stalwart) is derived from عفر. They say عفرہ i.e. he covered him with dust; he threw him on the ground. عفرہ(‘affara) means, he humbled or abased him. عفریت is a word which is used for men, the jinn and the devils and means, (1) strong and powerful; (2) sharp, vigorous and effective in an affair, exceeding ordinary bounds therein with intelligence and sagacity; (3) a chief; (4) evil in disposition and malignant; (5) insolent and audacious in pride, and in acts of rebellion and (6) one who rolls his adversary in the dust (Lane & Aqrab).
Commentary:
The words, "I possess power therefor and I am trustworthy," indicate that the said ‘ifrit was a very high official who wielded great authority and was therefore quite confident of carrying out the orders of his master to his entire satisfaction within the time allotted to him.
The words مقامک (thy camp) signify the place where Solomon had encamped on his way to Saba’ and was waiting for his envoys to come back with the reply to his letter to the Queen of Sheba.
Ifrit, derived from ‘Afara which means, he threw him on the ground or humbled him, is a word used both for men and jinn and means, (1) one strong and powerful; (2) sharp, vigorous and effective in an affair, exceeding ordinary bounds therein with intelligence and sagacity; (3) a chief, etc. (Lane).
These words indicate that the said ‘Ifrit was a very high official who wielded great authority and was, therefore, quite confident of carrying out the orders of his master to his entire satisfaction within the time allotted to him. Maqamika signifies the place where Solomon had encamped on his way to Saba’ and was waiting for his envoy to come back with the reply to his letter to the Queen of Sheba.