Surah 2:34
"(Remember) when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam,’ and they prostrated themselves, except Iblīs. He refused and became arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers."
Nature of Iblis: Angel or Jinn
Supporting Verses
Surah 15:30 → "So the angels prostrated themselves – all of them together"
Surah 15:31 → "– except Iblīs. He refused to be with the ones who prostrated themselves."
Surah 20:116 → "(Remember) when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam,’ and they prostrated themselves, except Iblīs. He refused."
Surah 38:73 → "So the angels prostrated themselves – all of them together"
Surah 38:74 → "– except Iblīs. He became arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers."
Opposing Verses
Surah 18:50 → "(Remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam,’ and they prostrated themselves, except Iblīs. He was one of the jinn, and acted wickedly (against) the command of his Lord. Do you take him and his descendants as allies instead of Me, when they are your enemy? Evil is the exchange for the evildoers!"
There is a perceived textual discrepancy in the Quran regarding the nature of Iblis. Certain verses describe the angels prostrating to Adam except for Iblis, which linguistically groups him with the angels. Conversely, another verse explicitly identifies Iblis as being one of the jinn.
Obedience, Prostration, and Arrogance of Heavenly Beings
Supporting Verses
Surah 15:30 → "So the angels prostrated themselves – all of them together"
Surah 15:31 → "– except Iblīs. He refused to be with the ones who prostrated themselves."
Surah 17:61 → "(Remember) when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam,’ and they prostrated themselves, except Iblīs. He said, ‘Shall I prostrate myself before one whom You have created (from) clay?’"
Surah 20:116 → "(Remember) when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam,’ and they prostrated themselves, except Iblīs. He refused."
Surah 38:73 → "So the angels prostrated themselves – all of them together"
Surah 38:74 → "– except Iblīs. He became arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers."
Opposing Verses
Surah 16:48 → "Do they not see anything of what God has created? (How) its shadows revolve from the right and the left, prostrating themselves before God, and they are humble?"
Surah 16:49 → "Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth prostrates itself before God – every living creature and the angels (too) – and they are not arrogant."
Surah 16:50 → "They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded."
The texts present varying accounts regarding the obedience, prostration, and potential for arrogance among angels and other heavenly beings. Certain verses indicate that angels and all creatures in the heavens and earth prostrate to God alone, are perfectly obedient to His commands, and exhibit no arrogance. In contrast, other verses narrate that angels were explicitly commanded to prostrate before Adam—a command they fulfilled—while Iblis, who was commanded alongside them, refused the order and displayed arrogance.