Sad 38:79
The Letter "Saad" · Juz 23 · Page 457
قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنظِرۡنِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ ٧٩
He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected."
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Ibn Kathir (abridged)
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Commentary on 38:71–85
The Story of Adam and Iblis
Allah mentions this story in Surat Al-Baqarah, at the beginning of Surat Al-A`raf, in Surat Al-Hijr, Al-Isra', Al-Kahf and here. Before creating Adam, peace be upon him, Allah told the angels that He was going to create a human being from sounding clay of altered smooth black mud. He told them that when He finished creating and forming him, they were to prostrate to him as a sign of honor and respect, and out of obedience to the command of Allah, may He be exalted. All of the angels obeyed this command except for Iblis, who was not one of them. He was one of the Jinn, and his nature betrayed him at his time of greatest need. He refused to prostrate to Adam, and he disputed with his Lord about him, claiming that he was better than Adam, because he was created from fire while Adam was created from clay, and fire was better than clay, or so he said. He made a mistake by doing this, and he went against the command of Allah, thus committing the sin of disbelief. So Allah exiled him, humiliated him, and cast him out of His mercy and His sacred Presence, and called him "Iblis" symbolizing that he had Ablasa min Ar-Rahmah (despaired of mercy) -- that there was no hope for him of mercy. He cast him down from the heavens, disgraced and rejected, to the earth. Iblis asked Allah to give him a reprieve until the Day of Resurrection, so the Forbearing One, Who does not hasten to punish those who disobey Him, gave him a reprieve. When he knew that he was safe from destruction until the Day of Resurrection, he rebelled and transgressed.
فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لأغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَإِلاَّ عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ
(Iblis said: "By Your might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your true servants amongst them.") This is like the Ayat:
أَرَءَيْتَكَ هَذَا الَّذِى كَرَّمْتَ عَلَىَّ لَئِنْ أَخَّرْتَنِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَمَةِ لأَحْتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ إَلاَّ قَلِيلاً
(Iblis said: "See this one whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring all but a few!") (17:62). These few are the ones who are excepted in another Ayah, which is:
إِنَّ عِبَادِى لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَنٌ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ وَكِيلاً
(Verily, My servants -- you have no authority over them. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.) (17:65)
قَالَ فَالْحَقُّ وَالْحَقَّ أَقُولُ
لاّمْلاّنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكَ وَمِمَّن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
((Allah) said: "The truth is -- and the truth I say that I will fill Hell with you and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together.") Some of them, including Mujahid, read this as meaning, "I am the Truth and the truth I say." According to another report narrated from Mujahid, it means, "The truth is from Me and I speak the truth." Others, such as As-Suddi, interpreted it as being an oath sworn by Allah. This Ayah is like the Ayat:
وَلَكِنْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنْى لاّمْلأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ
(but the Word from Me took effect, that I will fill Hell with Jinn and mankind together.) (32:13), and
قَالَ اذْهَبْ فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمْ جَزَاءً مَّوفُورًا
((Allah) said: "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all) - an ample recompense.) (17:63).
Page 457
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."
Translation: Saheeh International · Text and layout: Quran Foundation · Mushaf fonts: King Fahd Complex, provided by Quran Foundation · Privacy