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
وَكَذَٰلِكَ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِيَتَسَآءَلُوا۟ بَيْنَهُمْ ۚ قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنْهُمْ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۚ قَالُوا۟ رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا لَبِثْتُمْ فَٱبْعَثُوٓا۟ أَحَدَكُم بِوَرِقِكُمْ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ إِلَى ٱلْمَدِينَةِ فَلْيَنظُرْ أَيُّهَآ أَزْكَىٰ طَعَامًا فَلْيَأْتِكُم بِرِزْقٍ مِّنْهُ وَلْيَتَلَطَّفْ وَلَا يُشْعِرَنَّ بِكُمْ أَحَدًا
And similarly, We awakened them that they might question one another. Said a speaker from among them, "How long have you remained [here]?" They said, "We have remained a day or part of a day." They said, "Your Lord is most knowing of how long you remained. So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city and let him look to which is the best of food and bring you provision from it and let him be cautious. And let no one be aware of you.
خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا
Wherein they abide eternally. They will not desire from it any transfer.
وَمَا مَنَعَ ٱلنَّاسَ أَن يُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِذْ جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا
And nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there [must] befall them the [accustomed] precedent of the former peoples or that the punishment should come [directly] before them.
فَٱنطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَـٰمًا فَقَتَلَهُۥ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةًۢ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَّقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْـًٔا نُّكْرًا
So they set out, until when they met a boy, he [i.e., al-Khiḍr] killed him. [Moses] said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than [having killed] a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."