قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِى مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُۥ مِن طِينٍ 12
Translations
[Allāh] said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" [Satan] said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay [i.e., earth]."
Transliteration
Qala ma mana'aka alla tashjuda idh amarutuk. Qala ana khayrun minhu khalaqtani min narin wa khalaqtahu min tin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah records the dialogue between Allah and Iblis (Satan) after his refusal to prostrate to Adam. When Allah questioned why Iblis disobeyed the command to prostrate, Iblis arrogantly responded that he was superior to Adam because he was created from fire while Adam was created from clay. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that Iblis's response revealed his arrogance and misplaced pride in his own creation, which became the root cause of his expulsion from Allah's mercy.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the broader narrative in Surah Al-A'raf (ayahs 11-18) detailing the story of Adam's creation and Iblis's rebellion, which was revealed in Mecca. The context illustrates the beginning of enmity between humanity and Satan, establishing a central theme of human struggle against evil throughout the Quran.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned in various hadiths that Iblis was from the jinn and was among the angels in rank until his disobedience. Related hadith: 'The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from fire, and Adam was created from what was described to you' (Sahih Muslim). Also relevant: Iblis's oath to lead humanity astray, mentioned in Surah Al-A'raf 7:16-18.
Themes
Key Lesson
True honor and superiority do not come from the material of one's creation but from obedience to Allah and righteous conduct; arrogance and refusal to submit to Divine command, regardless of one's perceived excellence, leads to destruction and separation from Allah's mercy.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ مِن قَوْمِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَتَذَرُ مُوسَىٰ وَقَوْمَهُۥ لِيُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَذَرَكَ وَءَالِهَتَكَ ۚ قَالَ سَنُقَتِّلُ أَبْنَآءَهُمْ وَنَسْتَحْىِۦ نِسَآءَهُمْ وَإِنَّا فَوْقَهُمْ قَـٰهِرُونَ
And the eminent among the people of Pharaoh said, "Will you leave Moses and his people to cause corruption in the land and abandon you and your gods?" [Pharaoh] said, "We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them."
قَالُوٓا۟ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتَلْفِتَنَا عَمَّا وَجَدْنَا عَلَيْهِ ءَابَآءَنَا وَتَكُونَ لَكُمَا ٱلْكِبْرِيَآءُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا نَحْنُ لَكُمَا بِمُؤْمِنِينَ
They said, "Have you come to us to turn us away from that upon which we found our fathers and so that you two may have grandeur in the land? And we are not believers in you."
قَالَ لَمْ أَكُن لِّأَسْجُدَ لِبَشَرٍ خَلَقْتَهُۥ مِن صَلْصَـٰلٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ
He said, "Never would I prostrate to a human whom You created out of clay from an altered black mud."
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ ٱتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ أَخَذَتْهُ ٱلْعِزَّةُ بِٱلْإِثْمِ ۚ فَحَسْبُهُۥ جَهَنَّمُ ۚ وَلَبِئْسَ ٱلْمِهَادُ
And when it is said to him, "Fear Allāh," pride in the sin takes hold of him. Sufficient for him is Hellfire, and how wretched is the resting place.