Juz 23: Yā Sīn 28 to Az-Zumar 31
Section 16 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
The Story of Iblis and Adam
The cosmic drama between Iblis (Satan) and Adam (peace be upon him) represents one of the most profound narratives in the Qur'an, illustrating the nature of arrogance, disobedience, and the human struggle against temptation. In Surah Sad, Allah provides a detailed account of this pivotal moment in creation history.
The narrative begins with Allah informing the angels of His intention to create a human being from clay. This announcement came with the divine command that once this creation was complete and Allah had breathed His spirit into it, all angels were to prostrate to Adam as an act of honor and recognition of Allah's wisdom—not as worship of Adam himself.
إِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَرًا مِّن طِينٍ
“When your Lord said to the angels, 'I am going to create a human being from clay." (38:71)”
فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ
“So, when I have formed him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down in prostration before him." (38:72)”
The angels, beings of pure obedience and light, complied with this divine directive without hesitation. Their immediate response demonstrated their perfect submission to Allah's command:
فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ
“So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together." (38:73)”
However, Iblis—who was present among the angels but was created from fire—refused this command. His refusal was not based on theological disagreement but on arrogance and a sense of superiority because of his creation from fire versus Adam's creation from clay:
إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ اسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
“But Iblis did not (prostrate); he showed arrogance and became one of the disbelievers." (38:74)”
Allah directly confronted Iblis about his disobedience:
قَالَ يَا إِبْلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسْجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقْتُ بِيَدَيَّ أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنتَ مِنَ الْعَالِينَ
“He said, 'O Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating yourself to what I have created with My hands? Did you wax proud or were you among the lofty ones?'" (38:75)”
Iblis's response revealed the root of his disobedience—pride and a false sense of superiority based on his elemental origin:
قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ
“He said, 'I am better than him. You created me from fire, and created him from clay.'" (38:76)”
This response demonstrated the first instance of takabbur (arrogance) in creation—a quality that Allah abhors. Iblis made a subjective judgment about superiority based on elements, assuming fire to be superior to clay, when true worth in Allah's sight is determined by obedience and servitude, not by material composition.
As a consequence of this arrogance and disobedience, Allah expelled Iblis from His mercy:
قَالَ فَاخْرُجْ مِنْهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَجِيمٌ
“He said, 'Then get out from here, for you are accursed.'" (38:77)”
وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكَ لَعْنَتِي إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
“And surely upon you is My curse until the Day of Judgment.”