وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ فَمُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمُسْتَوْدَعٌ ۗ قَدْ فَصَّلْنَا ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَفْقَهُونَ 98
Translations
And it is He who produced you from one soul and [gave you] a place of dwelling and of storage. We have detailed the signs for a people who understand.
Transliteration
Wa huwa alladhi anshaakum min nafsin wahidatin fa mustaqarrun wa mustawda. Qad fassalna al-ayati liqawmin yafqahun.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah is the One who created all of humanity from a single soul (Adam), establishing the unity of human origin and dignity. The terms 'mustaqarr' (permanent dwelling) and 'mustawda' (temporary trust/deposit) refer to the stages of human life—some souls remain in the womb and are born to live on earth, while others remain in the womb temporarily before returning to Allah. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize this ayah as a profound statement of human equality before Allah, derived from one source, with all distinctions of provision, lifespan, and station being divinely ordained.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-An'am, a Meccan surah that frequently addresses the themes of divine creation, monotheism, and refutation of idolatry. The broader context emphasizes Allah's unique powers in creation and sustenance, confronting the Meccan polytheists' rejection of resurrection and divine judgment.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'All people are from Adam, and Adam was created from earth' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, in his farewell sermon, the Prophet emphasized: 'O people, your Lord is one and your father is one. All of you are from Adam' (Sunan Ibn Majah and Ahmad), directly connecting to the principle of human unity established in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that all humanity shares a common origin and dignity before Allah, transcending artificial distinctions of race, tribe, or status, while reminding us that our lifespans and circumstances are divinely appointed—encouraging acceptance of Allah's decree with wisdom and compassion toward all people.
Related Ayahs
قَدْ جَآءَكُم بَصَآئِرُ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ فَلِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَنْ عَمِىَ فَعَلَيْهَا ۚ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ عَلَيْكُم بِحَفِيظٍ
There has come to you enlightenment from your Lord. So whoever will see does so for [the benefit of] his soul, and whoever is blind [does harm] against it. And [say], "I am not a guardian over you."
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَجَعَلَ ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ وَٱلنُّورَ ۖ ثُمَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ يَعْدِلُونَ
[All] praise is [due] to Allāh, who created the heavens and the earth and made the darkness and the light. Then those who disbelieve equate [others] with their Lord.
وَحَآجَّهُۥ قَوْمُهُۥ ۚ قَالَ أَتُحَـٰٓجُّوٓنِّى فِى ٱللَّهِ وَقَدْ هَدَىٰنِ ۚ وَلَآ أَخَافُ مَا تُشْرِكُونَ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ رَبِّى شَيْـًٔا ۗ وَسِعَ رَبِّى كُلَّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًا ۗ أَفَلَا تَتَذَكَّرُونَ
And his people argued with him. He said, "Do you argue with me concerning Allāh while He has guided me? And I fear not what you associate with Him [and will not be harmed] unless my Lord should will something. My Lord encompasses all things in knowledge; then will you not remember?
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا۟ مَا ذُكِّرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَٰبَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَرِحُوا۟ بِمَآ أُوتُوٓا۟ أَخَذْنَـٰهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ
So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.