Al-Hijr 15:28
The Rocky Tract · Juz 14 · Page 263
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.
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 15:28–33
The creation of Adam, the Command to the Angels to prostrate to Him, and the Rebellion of Iblis
Allah informs us of how He mentioned Adam to His angels before He created him, and how He honored him by commanding the angels to prostrate to him. He mentions how His enemy Iblis, amidst all the angels, refused to prostrate to him out of envy, disbelief, stubbornness, arrogance, and false pride. This is why Iblis said:
لَمْ أَكُن لاًّسْجُدَ لِبَشَرٍ خَلَقْتَهُ مِن صَلْصَلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ
(I am not one to prostrate myself to a human, whom You created from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.) this is like when he said,
أَنَاْ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ
(I am better than him (Adam), You created me from Fire and him You created from clay.)(7:12) and
أَرَءَيْتَكَ هَذَا الَّذِى كَرَّمْتَ عَلَىَّ
("Do you see this one whom You have honored above me...") 17:62
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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