Al-Hijr 15:26
The Rocky Tract · Juz 14 · Page 263
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَٰلٖ مِّنۡ حَمَإٖ مَّسۡنُونٖ ٢٦
And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.
Tafsir · in English
Ibn Kathir (abridged)
Medium · The classic, abridged: ayahs explained by ayahs and hadith.
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Commentary on 15:26–27
The Substances from which Mankind and Jinns were created
Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah said that Salsal means dry mud. The apparent meaning is similar to the Ayah:
خَلَقَ الإِنسَنَ مِن صَلْصَلٍ كَالْفَخَّارِ - وَخَلَقَ الْجَآنَّ مِن مَّارِجٍ مِّن نَّارٍ
(He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the potter's clay, And He created the Jinns from a smokeless flame of fire.) (55:14-15) It was also reported from Mujahid that,
صَلْصَلٍ
(dried (sounding) clay) means "putrid", but it is more appropriate to interpret an Ayah with another Ayah.
مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ
(of altered mud) means the dried clay that comes from mud, which is soil. "Altered" here means smooth.
وَالْجَآنَّ خَلَقْنَهُ مِن قَبْلُ
(And the Jinn, We created earlier) means before creating humans.
مِن نَّارِ السَّمُومِ
(from the smokeless flame of fire.) Ibn `Abbas said, "It is the smokeless flame that kills." Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi said that Shu`bah narrated to them from Abu Ishaq, who said: "I visited `Umar Al-Asamm when he was sick, and he said: `Shall I not tell you a Hadith that I heard from `Abdullah bin Mas`ud He said: `This smokeless flame is one of the seventy parts of the smokeless fire from which the Jinn where created. Then he recited,
وَالْجَآنَّ خَلَقْنَهُ مِن قَبْلُ مِن نَّارِ السَّمُومِ
(And the Jinn, We created earlier from the smokeless flame of fire)."' The following is found in the Sahih,
«خُلِقَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ نُورٍ، وَخُلِقَتِ الْجَانُّ مِنْ مَارِجٍ مِنْ نَارٍ، وَخُلِقَ آدَمُ مِمَّا وُصِفَ لَكُم»
(The angels were created from light, the Jinn were created from a smokeless flame of fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.) The Ayah is intended to point out the noble nature, good essence and pure origin of Adam.
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15:16
وَلَقَدۡ جَعَلۡنَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجٗا وَزَيَّنَّٰهَا لِلنَّٰظِرِينَ ١٦
And We have placed within the heaven great stars and have beautified it for the observers.
15:17
وَحَفِظۡنَٰهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيۡطَٰنٖ رَّجِيمٍ ١٧
And We have protected it from every devil expelled [from the mercy of Allāh]
15:18
إِلَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَرَقَ ٱلسَّمۡعَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُۥ شِهَابٞ مُّبِينٞ ١٨
Except one who steals a hearing and is pursued by a clear burning flame.
15:19
وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ مَدَدۡنَٰهَا وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا فِيهَا رَوَٰسِيَ وَأَنۢبَتۡنَا فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ مَّوۡزُونٖ ١٩
And the earth - We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.
15:20
وَجَعَلۡنَا لَكُمۡ فِيهَا مَعَٰيِشَ وَمَن لَّسۡتُمۡ لَهُۥ بِرَٰزِقِينَ ٢٠
And We have made for you therein means of living and [for] those for whom you are not providers.1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh has put at your service other men and animals for which He provides. An additional meaning is that Allāh provides means for your living and for all other creatures as well. ↩
15:21
وَإِن مِّن شَيۡءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَآئِنُهُۥ وَمَا نُنَزِّلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِقَدَرٖ مَّعۡلُومٖ ٢١
And there is not a thing but that with Us are its depositories, and We do not send it down except according to a known [i.e., specified] measure.
15:22
وَأَرۡسَلۡنَا ٱلرِّيَٰحَ لَوَٰقِحَ فَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَسۡقَيۡنَٰكُمُوهُ وَمَآ أَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ بِخَٰزِنِينَ ٢٢
And We have sent the fertilizing winds1 and sent down water from the sky and given you drink from it. And you are not its retainers.
1 translator’s note
- Causing precipitation in rainclouds or carrying pollen. Another meaning is "pregnant winds," i.e., those carrying rainclouds. ↩
15:23
وَإِنَّا لَنَحۡنُ نُحۡيِۦ وَنُمِيتُ وَنَحۡنُ ٱلۡوَٰرِثُونَ ٢٣
And indeed, it is We who give life and cause death, and We are the Inheritor.1
1 translator’s note
- Allāh (subḥānahu wa taʿālā) remains after all creation has passed away. ↩
15:24
وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا ٱلۡمُسۡتَقۡدِمِينَ مِنكُمۡ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمۡنَا ٱلۡمُسۡتَـٔۡخِرِينَ ٢٤
And We have already known the preceding [generations] among you, and We have already known the later [ones to come].
15:25
وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ يَحۡشُرُهُمۡۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٞ ٢٥
And indeed, your Lord will gather them; indeed, He is Wise and Knowing.
15:26
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَٰلٖ مِّنۡ حَمَإٖ مَّسۡنُونٖ ٢٦
And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.
15:27
وَٱلۡجَآنَّ خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن قَبۡلُ مِن نَّارِ ٱلسَّمُومِ ٢٧
And the jinn We created before from scorching fire.
15:28
وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرٗا مِّن صَلۡصَٰلٖ مِّنۡ حَمَإٖ مَّسۡنُونٖ ٢٨
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.
15:29
فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ ٢٩
And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul,1 then fall down to him in prostration."
1 translator’s note
- The element of life and soul which Allāh created for that body, not His own spirit or part of Himself (as some mistakenly believe). ↩
15:30
فَسَجَدَ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعُونَ ٣٠
So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely,
15:31
إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ مَعَ ٱلسَّٰجِدِينَ ٣١
Except Iblees;1 he refused to be with those who prostrated.
1 translator’s note
- Who was of the jinn. See 18:50. ↩
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy