Surah Al-Hijr 15:36

قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنظِرْنِي إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ

15:36-37 The respite which Iblîs asked for and which was granted to him should not be understood as the acceptance of the wish of Iblîs by the Holy Lord. The words are used here metaphorically (cf. 2:34). Iblîs is a person in despair, a person in whom good and virtue have been attenuated, who is broken in spirit, mournful, perplexed, and unable to find his way, who has become silent on account of grief or despair, who was cut short or silenced in argument, who is no longer able to continue his journey, who has been prevented from attaining his wish, or a person of desperate character. Metaphorically, Iblîs stands in for those human beings who behave proudly and arrogantly, and who disobey Divine commands. We are told that these characteristics in human beings will always stand in the way of their spiritual elevation, and a human being will have to struggle in order to overcome these hindrances. We are also told that vice and Iblîsiyyat will continue to fight against Divine laws and will continue to reject them. Respite is granted by Allâh in the sense that a human being is granted and endowed with free will: the Lord does not impress His will, and does not choose a way for him or force him to follow it. He will however continue to send His guidance through His Prophets and His books. In general, those who reject truth, whatever their religion, will always be in conflict with those who follow truth. Qâla قال (- said) is not in the sense of takallamâ تكلٌما (which is a discourse that actually took place as in the case of Moses and and God in 20:12-24; cf. 2:30).