"Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low." Al-Hasan's interpretation is: He means by "man" here the polytheist, and "the lowest of the low" refers to Hell.
Muhammad said: It is said: The meaning is: We returned him to low places. It is said: A man is "safil" (low) if he is abased.
﴿ثمَّ رددناه أَسْفَل سافلين﴾ تَفْسِيرُ الْحَسَنِ: يَعْنِي: بِالْإِنْسَانِ هَاهُنَا الْمُشرك و (أَسْفَل سافلين﴾ يُرِيدُ جَهَنَّمَ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: قِيلَ: الْمَعْنَى: رَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَى أَمَاكِنَ سَافِلَةٍ، يُقَالُ: سَفُلَ الرَّجُلَ فَهُوَ سَافِلٌ إِذا كَانَ ذليلاً.
