وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ 34
Translations
And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.
Transliteration
Wa-idh qulna lil-mala-ikati asjudu li-Adam fa-sajadu illa Iblis aba wa-stakbar wa-kana mina al-kafirun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the divine command to the angels to prostrate to Adam as a sign of respect and honor, to which all angels obeyed except Iblis (Satan), who refused out of arrogance and pride, deeming himself superior because he was created from fire while Adam was created from clay. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this refusal constituted disbelief (kufr) and marked the beginning of Iblis's enmity toward Adam and his descendants, establishing the foundational reason for Satan's rebellion against Allah's command.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Medinan section of Al-Baqarah and provides crucial context for understanding the nature of Satan and the test of human obedience. It is part of the narrative establishing Adam's honored status in creation and serves as a thematic foundation for explaining human temptation and the eternal struggle between good and evil throughout Islamic history.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said regarding the angels: 'The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from fire, and Adam was created from what has been described to you' (Sahih Muslim). Additionally, the Quran itself references Iblis's refusal in Surah Al-Kahf 18:50, clarifying that Iblis was from the jinn, not among the angels.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true honor comes through obedience to Allah's commands, while arrogance and refusal to submit lead to disgrace and separation from divine mercy, regardless of one's perceived status or origin. It reminds believers that Satan's enmity toward humanity stems from his jealousy and pride, motivating Muslims to remain steadfast in faith and humble before Allah.
Related Ayahs
۞ قَوْلٌ مَّعْرُوفٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن صَدَقَةٍ يَتْبَعُهَآ أَذًى ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَلِيمٌ
Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allāh is Free of need and Forbearing.
وَلَتَجِدَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَصَ ٱلنَّاسِ عَلَىٰ حَيَوٰةٍ وَمِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ ۚ يَوَدُّ أَحَدُهُمْ لَوْ يُعَمَّرُ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ وَمَا هُوَ بِمُزَحْزِحِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْعَذَابِ أَن يُعَمَّرَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ بَصِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ
And you will surely find them the most greedy of people for life - [even] more than those who associate others with Allāh. One of them wishes that he could be granted life a thousand years, but it would not remove him in the least from the [coming] punishment that he should be granted life. And Allāh is Seeing of what they do.
بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ
Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is.
وَلِلْمُطَلَّقَـٰتِ مَتَـٰعٌۢ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ ۖ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
And for divorced women is a provision according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.