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
إِنِّى وَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِىَ لِلَّذِى فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ حَنِيفًا ۖ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ
Indeed, I have turned my face [i.e., self] toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allāh."
وَعَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ حَرَّمْنَا كُلَّ ذِى ظُفُرٍ ۖ وَمِنَ ٱلْبَقَرِ وَٱلْغَنَمِ حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ شُحُومَهُمَآ إِلَّا مَا حَمَلَتْ ظُهُورُهُمَآ أَوِ ٱلْحَوَايَآ أَوْ مَا ٱخْتَلَطَ بِعَظْمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ جَزَيْنَـٰهُم بِبَغْيِهِمْ ۖ وَإِنَّا لَصَـٰدِقُونَ
And to those who are Jews We prohibited every animal of uncloven hoof; and of the cattle and the sheep We prohibited to them their fat, except what adheres to their backs or the entrails or what is joined with bone. [By] that We repaid them for their transgression. And indeed, We are truthful.
ذَٰلِكَ أَن لَّمْ يَكُن رَّبُّكَ مُهْلِكَ ٱلْقُرَىٰ بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا غَـٰفِلُونَ
That is because your Lord would not destroy the cities for wrongdoing while their people were unaware.
أَوَمَن كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَـٰهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُۥ نُورًا يَمْشِى بِهِۦ فِى ٱلنَّاسِ كَمَن مَّثَلُهُۥ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِّنْهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom? Thus it has been made pleasing to the disbelievers that which they were doing.