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
حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ ٱلشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِى عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِندَهَا قَوْمًا ۗ قُلْنَا يَـٰذَا ٱلْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّآ أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّآ أَن تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا
Until, when he reached the setting of the sun [i.e., the west], he found it [as if] setting in a body of dark water, and he found near it a people. We [i.e., Allāh] said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish [them] or else adopt among them [a way of] goodness."
فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَىٰهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِن سَفَرِنَا هَـٰذَا نَصَبًا
So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue."
وَإِذِ ٱعْتَزَلْتُمُوهُمْ وَمَا يَعْبُدُونَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهَ فَأْوُۥٓا۟ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ يَنشُرْ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُم مِّن رَّحْمَتِهِۦ وَيُهَيِّئْ لَكُم مِّنْ أَمْرِكُم مِّرْفَقًا
[The youths said to one another], "And when you have withdrawn from them and that which they worship other than Allāh, retreat to the cave. Your Lord will spread out for you of His mercy and will prepare for you from your affair facility."
ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا
Then he followed a way.