Sad 38:76
The Letter "Saad" · Juz 23 · Page 457
قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارٖ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينٖ ٧٦
He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay."
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Tazkirul Quran
Brief · Short modern reflections on each passage.
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Commentary on 38:71–78
God made man a creature of exalted stature and, as a token thereof, He ordered the angels and the jinn to prostrate themselves before him. When Satan (Iblis) did not bow before Adam, he became the eternally cursed one. But this incident was not only serious from the viewpoint of Satan; it was of the utmost importance for Adam himself. By refusing to bow down before Adam, Satan forever became the enemy of the entire human race. This event foreboded that man’s journey through life would not be an easy one, and would be full of serious impediments. Man would have to strive to keep himself on the right path and resist the inducements and promptings of Satan in order to reach his destination safely. Satan’s evil scheming stands between man and Paradise. Only one who keeps himself safe from Satan’s machinations will enter the everlasting gardens of Paradise; those who fail to tear down the barrier of Satan’s treachery, will be deprived of Paradise.
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38:62
وَقَالُواْ مَا لَنَا لَا نَرَىٰ رِجَالٗا كُنَّا نَعُدُّهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَشۡرَارِ ٦٢
And they will say, "Why do we not see men whom we used to count among the worst?1
1 translator’s note
- They are referring to the believers. ↩
38:63
أَتَّخَذۡنَٰهُمۡ سِخۡرِيًّا أَمۡ زَاغَتۡ عَنۡهُمُ ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ ٦٣
Is it [because] we took them in ridicule, or has [our] vision turned away from them?"
38:64
إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَحَقّٞ تَخَاصُمُ أَهۡلِ ٱلنَّارِ ٦٤
Indeed, that is truth [i.e., reality] - the quarreling of the people of the Fire.
38:65
قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ مُنذِرٞۖ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡوَٰحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ ٦٥
Say, [O Muḥammad], "I am only a warner, and there is not any deity except Allāh, the One, the Prevailing,1
1 translator’s note
- Refer to footnotes in 12:39. ↩
38:66
رَبُّ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡغَفَّٰرُ ٦٦
Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, the Exalted in Might,1 the Perpetual Forgiver."2
38:67
قُلۡ هُوَ نَبَؤٌاْ عَظِيمٌ ٦٧
Say, "It is great news
38:68
أَنتُمۡ عَنۡهُ مُعۡرِضُونَ ٦٨
From which you turn away.
38:69
مَا كَانَ لِيَ مِنۡ عِلۡمِۭ بِٱلۡمَلَإِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰٓ إِذۡ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ ٦٩
I had no knowledge of the exalted assembly [of angels] when they were disputing [the creation of Adam].
38:70
إِن يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيَّ إِلَّآ أَنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ نَذِيرٞ مُّبِينٌ ٧٠
It has not been revealed to me except that I am a clear warner."
38:71
إِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرٗا مِّن طِينٖ ٧١
[So mention] when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I am going to create a human being from clay.
38:72
فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ ٧٢
So 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
- See footnote to 15:29. ↩
38:73
فَسَجَدَ ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعُونَ ٧٣
So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely,
38:74
إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ ٧٤
Except Iblees;1 he was arrogant and became among the disbelievers.
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:34. ↩
38:75
قَالَ يَٰٓإِبۡلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسۡجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقۡتُ بِيَدَيَّۖ أَسۡتَكۡبَرۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَالِينَ ٧٥
[Allāh] said, "O Iblees, what prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My hands?1 Were you arrogant [then], or were you [already] among the haughty?"
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:19. ↩
38:76
قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارٖ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينٖ ٧٦
He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay."
38:77
قَالَ فَٱخۡرُجۡ مِنۡهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَجِيمٞ ٧٧
[Allāh] said, "Then get out of it [i.e., Paradise], for indeed, you are expelled.
38:78
وَإِنَّ عَلَيۡكَ لَعۡنَتِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ ٧٨
And indeed, upon you is My curse until the Day of Recompense."
38:79
قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنظِرۡنِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ ٧٩
He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected."
38:80
قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنظَرِينَ ٨٠
[Allāh] said, "So indeed, you are of those reprieved
38:81
إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡوَقۡتِ ٱلۡمَعۡلُومِ ٨١
Until the Day of the time well-known."
38:82
قَالَ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغۡوِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ ٨٢
[Iblees] said, "By Your might, I will surely mislead them all
38:83
إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ ٨٣
Except, among them, Your chosen servants."