فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُۥ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ 29
Translations
And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration."
Transliteration
Fa-idha sawwaytuhu wa nafakhtu fihi min roohi fa-qaw'u lahu sajideen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records Allah's command to the angels to prostrate before Adam after He had perfected his creation and breathed His spirit into him. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this prostration was an act of obedience to Allah's command, not worship of Adam himself, and it honored the special station Allah granted to mankind through reason, intellect, and the divine spirit. The phrase 'from My spirit' (min roohi) indicates the honor and distinction Allah bestowed upon human beings, making them unique among creation.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative in Surah Al-Hijr (15:28-44) that recounts the creation of Adam and the angels' prostration to him, followed by Iblis's refusal and his subsequent expulsion from Allah's mercy. This passage provides crucial context for understanding the origins of Satan's rebellion and establishes the elevated status of humanity in Islamic theology. The surah was revealed in Mecca during the early period of the Prophet Muhammad's mission.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records a hadith from Abu Hurairah in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that Allah created Adam in His image (or with His attributes of knowledge and power), which complements the Quranic emphasis on human dignity. Additionally, Tirmidhi reports a hadith about the angels' amazement at humanity's creation, reflecting the significance of this event.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that humanity possesses inherent dignity and honor granted directly by Allah through the bestowal of intellect and divine spirit, which should inspire Muslims to uphold their moral responsibilities and treat themselves and others with the respect befitting Allah's honored creation.