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
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَـٰطِينَ ٱلْإِنسِ وَٱلْجِنِّ يُوحِى بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَىٰ بَعْضٍ زُخْرُفَ ٱلْقَوْلِ غُرُورًا ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ رَبُّكَ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ
And thus We have made for every prophet an enemy - devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion. But if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so leave them and that which they invent.
وَهَـٰذَا كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ مُبَارَكٌ فَٱتَّبِعُوهُ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
And this [Qur’ān] is a Book We have revealed [which is] blessed, so follow it and fear Allāh that you may receive mercy.
۞ قُلْ تَعَالَوْا۟ أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَـٰدَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَـٰقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ ۖ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا۟ ٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ ۖ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلنَّفْسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ وَصَّىٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Say, "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, and to parents, good treatment, and do not kill your children out of poverty; We will provide for you and them. And do not approach immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed. And do not kill the soul which Allāh has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right. This has He instructed you that you may use reason."
قُلْ إِنِّى نُهِيتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ ٱلَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ قُل لَّآ أَتَّبِعُ أَهْوَآءَكُمْ ۙ قَدْ ضَلَلْتُ إِذًا وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ
Say, "Indeed, I have been forbidden to worship those you invoke besides Allāh." Say, "I will not follow your desires, for I would then have gone astray, and I would not be of the [rightly] guided."