خَلَقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن صَلْصَـٰلٍ كَٱلْفَخَّارِ 14
Translations
He created man from clay like [that of] pottery.
Transliteration
Khalaqa al-insana min salsalin ka-al-fakhkhar
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the creation of humanity from salsāl (dried clay or mud that produces sound), likened to pottery. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that salsāl refers to clay that has been left to dry and harden, which when struck produces a sound—emphasizing the humble and malleable origin of mankind. This description follows the mention of Allah's blessings in Surah Ar-Rahman and underscores human creation as a sign of divine power and mercy, despite humanity's humble material composition.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rahman is a Medinan chapter that extols Allah's countless blessings to His creation. This ayah appears within a passage detailing the stages of human creation, following the mention of date palms and preceding the reference to jinn. It serves to remind believers of their humble origins and dependence upon their Lord.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Tirmidhi 3895), relating to the dignity restored to humanity despite its humble origins. Additionally, the Quran extensively discusses creation from clay in multiple surahs (6:2, 7:12, 23:12) with similar hadith traditions emphasizing human nobility despite material humility.
Themes
Key Lesson
Despite humanity being created from humble materials (clay), we possess immense dignity and purpose in Allah's sight, which should cultivate both humility before our Creator and respect for the human soul. This reminder encourages believers to balance self-worth with consciousness of their dependence on Allah and gratitude for the blessing of existence itself.