Juz 15: Al-Isrāʾ to Al-Kahf 74
Section 14 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Story of Adam and Iblis: Warning Against Arrogance
The third significant example provided in Surah Al-Kahf addresses the danger of arrogance through the story of Adam (peace be upon him) and Iblis (Satan). This serves as a timeless warning against the sin of pride that led to the first act of disobedience against Allah (swt).
In verse 50, Allah (swt) states:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِن دُونِي وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا
“And when We said to the angels: 'Prostrate yourselves before Adam.' So, they prostrated themselves, all but Iblis. He was of the jinn, so he rebelled against the command of his Lord. Do you still take him and his progeny as friends instead of Me, while they are enemy to you? Evil is the substitute for the wrongdoers.”
This verse recounts the divine command given to the angels to prostrate before Adam as a sign of honor and recognition of his status as Allah's vicegerent on earth. All the angels complied immediately with this command, demonstrating their complete submission to Allah's will. However, Iblis—who was among them but was of the jinn—refused to prostrate.
His refusal stemmed from arrogance. Unable to accept that a being created from clay should be honored above one created from fire, Iblis considered himself superior to Adam. This misplaced pride led him to disobey Allah (swt) directly, resulting in his expulsion from divine mercy and his eternal damnation.
The inclusion of this story in Surah Al-Kahf serves as a powerful warning against the sin of arrogance. After presenting examples dealing with the dangers of materialism and the transient nature of worldly possessions, the Quran now addresses a spiritual danger that can affect even those who have rejected worldly temptations—the danger of pride and self-importance.
Arrogance is particularly insidious because it can manifest in various forms. It may appear as intellectual pride, where one values their own opinion above divine guidance; spiritual pride, where one considers themselves superior to others due to their worship or knowledge; or social pride, where one looks down on others because of status or wealth. In all its forms, arrogance represents a rejection of one's true position as a servant of Allah (swt).
This example completes a trilogy of warnings in Surah Al-Kahf: against material obsession (the story of the two men), against attachment to the transient world (the parable of rain and vegetation), and now against spiritual arrogance (the story of Adam and Iblis). Together, these three examples form a comprehensive protection against the major temptations that can lead believers astray.
Allah (swt) reinforces the importance of these examples in verse 54:
وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لِلنَّاسِ مِن كُلِّ مَثَلٍ وَكَانَ الْإِنسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا
“Indeed, We have diversified in this Qur'an all kinds of examples for the people. But man is”