وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَـٰكُمْ ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ لَمْ يَكُن مِّنَ ٱلسَّـٰجِدِينَ 11
Translations
And We have certainly created you, [O mankind], and given you [human] form. Then We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated.
Transliteration
Wa-laqad khalaqnakum thumma sawwarnakum thumma qulna lil-mala'ikati asjudu li-Adam fa-sajadu illa Iblis lam yakun min al-sajideen.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Allah's creation of humanity in stages—first the creation (khalq) and then the shaping/forming (taswir)—followed by the command to the angels to prostrate before Adam. The angels obeyed except Iblis, whose refusal marked the beginning of his rebellion and eventual expulsion from Allah's mercy. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this prostration as one of respect and honor for Adam, not worship, emphasizing that Adam's superiority lay in his intellect, will, and capacity for knowledge, which the angels lacked.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-A'raf, which is a Meccan surah addressing the fundamental beliefs of Islamic monotheism. It contextualizes humanity's honored position in creation and serves as a prelude to the story of Adam and Eve's dwelling in Paradise and their eventual descent to earth—a major narrative arc in the Quran addressing human nature, free will, and accountability.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Allah created Adam in His image' (Sahih Bukhari 6227). Additionally, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj records in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet explained the superiority of humans lies in their intellect and moral reasoning, distinguishing them from other creations including angels.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that humans possess intrinsic honor and dignity in Allah's sight, granted through careful creation and divine wisdom, which should inspire gratitude and righteous conduct. It also warns against arrogance and disobedience to Allah's commands, as exemplified by Iblis, reminding us that no status or knowledge exempts one from submission to the Divine will.
Related Ayahs
وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰٓ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ غَضْبَـٰنَ أَسِفًا قَالَ بِئْسَمَا خَلَفْتُمُونِى مِنۢ بَعْدِىٓ ۖ أَعَجِلْتُمْ أَمْرَ رَبِّكُمْ ۖ وَأَلْقَى ٱلْأَلْوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأْسِ أَخِيهِ يَجُرُّهُۥٓ إِلَيْهِ ۚ قَالَ ٱبْنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱسْتَضْعَفُونِى وَكَادُوا۟ يَقْتُلُونَنِى فَلَا تُشْمِتْ بِىَ ٱلْأَعْدَآءَ وَلَا تَجْعَلْنِى مَعَ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
And when Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved, he said, "How wretched is that by which you have replaced me after [my departure]. Were you impatient over the matter of your Lord?" And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by [the hair of] his head, pulling him toward him. [Aaron] said, "O son of my mother, indeed the people overpowered me and were about to kill me, so let not the enemies rejoice over me and do not place me among the wrongdoing people."
وَمِن قَوْمِ مُوسَىٰٓ أُمَّةٌ يَهْدُونَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَبِهِۦ يَعْدِلُونَ
And among the people of Moses is a community which guides by truth and by it establishes justice.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
But those who deny Our signs - We will progressively lead them [to destruction] from where they do not know.
وَإِخْوَٰنُهُمْ يَمُدُّونَهُمْ فِى ٱلْغَىِّ ثُمَّ لَا يُقْصِرُونَ
But their brothers - they [i.e., the devils] increase them in error; then they do not stop short.