وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِۦٓ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۢ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًا 50
Translations
And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was of the jinn and departed from [i.e., disobeyed] the command of his Lord. Then will you take him and his descendants as allies other than Me while they are enemies to you? Wretched it is for the wrongdoers as an exchange.
Transliteration
Wa-idh qulna lil-mala-ikati asjudoo li-Adam fa-sajadoo illa Iblis kana min al-jinn fa-fasaqa an amri Rabbihi, a-fattakhidhunahu wa-dhurriyyatahu awliya-a min dunee wa-hum lakum aduww, bi'sa lil-zzalimeen badal.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah reveals that Allah commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam as a sign of respect, and they obeyed except Iblis, who refused due to arrogance and pride. The ayah clarifies that Iblis is from the jinn, not from the angels, and thus subject to desires and disobedience. Allah then warns humanity against taking Iblis and his descendants as allies and protectors instead of Allah, emphasizing that such a choice would be an evil exchange for those who do wrong.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Al-Kahf, a Meccan surah focused on trials and tests of faith. It provides crucial theological context about Iblis's nature and his enmity toward humans, warning the early Muslim community against being misled by Satan's whispers and temptations. The broader narrative emphasizes divine wisdom in testing human resolve.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, 'When Allah created Adam, He patted him on the back and brought forth from him all the descendants he would have to the Day of Resurrection.' Also, numerous hadiths in Sahih Bukhari detail Iblis's disobedience and his request for respite until the Day of Judgment, which Allah granted.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that Iblis represents a real spiritual enemy whose goal is to lead humans away from Allah's guidance, and that choosing to follow worldly desires and Satan's suggestions over Allah's commands is the worst of exchanges. We must recognize our inherent dignity as humans created in Allah's best form and never allow pride or arrogance to distance us from obedience to our Lord.
Related Ayahs
فَمَا ٱسْطَـٰعُوٓا۟ أَن يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا ٱسْتَطَـٰعُوا۟ لَهُۥ نَقْبًا
So they [i.e., Gog and Magog] were unable to pass over it, nor were they able [to effect] in it any penetration.
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ لَّمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُم مِّن دُونِهَا سِتْرًا
Until, when he came to the rising of the sun [i.e., the east], he found it rising on a people for whom We had not made against it any shield.
وَرَبُّكَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ذُو ٱلرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُم بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابَ ۚ بَل لَّهُم مَّوْعِدٌ لَّن يَجِدُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦ مَوْئِلًا
And your Lord is the Forgiving, the possessor of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.
وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ نَادُوا۟ شُرَكَآءِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ فَدَعَوْهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لَهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُم مَّوْبِقًا
And [warn of] the Day when He will say, "Call My 'partners' whom you claimed," and they will invoke them, but they will not respond to them. And We will put between them [a valley of] destruction.