Surah 38:73
Show Full Scripture Context (38:71-85) — 15 Verses
إِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرٗا مِّن طِينٖ
(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Surely I am going to create a human being from clay.
فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ
When I have fashioned him, and breathed some of My spirit into him, fall down before him in prostration.’
فَسَجَدَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعُونَ
So the angels prostrated themselves – all of them together
إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ ٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ
– except Iblīs. He became arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers.
قَالَ يَـٰٓإِبۡلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسۡجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقۡتُ بِيَدَيَّۖ أَسۡتَكۡبَرۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَالِينَ
He said, ‘Iblīs! What prevented you from prostrating yourself before what I created with My two hands? Have you become arrogant, or are you one of the exalted?’
قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارٖ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينٖ
He said, ‘I am better than him. You created me from fire, but You created him from clay.’
قَالَ فَٱخۡرُجۡ مِنۡهَا فَإِنَّكَ رَجِيمٞ
He said, ‘Get out of here! Surely you are accursed!
وَإِنَّ عَلَيۡكَ لَعۡنَتِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ
surely My curse (is going to remain) on you until the Day of Judgment.’
قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنظِرۡنِيٓ إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ يُبۡعَثُونَ
He said, ‘My Lord, spare me until the Day when they are raised up.’
قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُنظَرِينَ
He said, ‘Surely you are one of the spared
إِلَىٰ يَوۡمِ ٱلۡوَقۡتِ ٱلۡمَعۡلُومِ
– until the Day of the known time.’
قَالَ فَبِعِزَّتِكَ لَأُغۡوِيَنَّهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ
He said, ‘Then, by Your honor, I shall indeed make them err – all (of them)
إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنۡهُمُ ٱلۡمُخۡلَصِينَ
– except for Your devoted servants among them.’
قَالَ فَٱلۡحَقُّ وَٱلۡحَقَّ أَقُولُ
He said, ‘(This is) the truth, and the truth I say:
لَأَمۡلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكَ وَمِمَّن تَبِعَكَ مِنۡهُمۡ أَجۡمَعِينَ
I shall indeed fill Gehenna with you and those of them who follow you – all (of you)!’
Allah mentions this story in Surat Al-Baqarah, at the beginning of Surat Al-A'raf, in Surat Al-Hijr, Al-Isra', Al-Kahf and here. Before creating Adam, peace be upon him, Allah told the angels that He was going to create a human being from sounding clay of altered smooth black mud. He told them that when He finished creating and forming him, they were to prostrate to him as a sign of honor and respect, and out of obedience to the command of Allah, may He be exalted. All of the angels obeyed this command except for Iblis, who was not one of them. He was one of the Jinn, and his nature betrayed him at his time of greatest need. He refused to prostrate to Adam, and he disputed with his Lord about him, claiming that he was better than Adam, because he was created from fire while Adam was created from clay, and fire was better than clay, or so he said. He made a mistake by doing this, and he went against the command of Allah, thus committing the sin of disbelief. So Allah exiled him, humiliated him, and cast him out of His mercy and His sacred Presence, and called him "Iblis" symbolizing that he had Ablasa min Ar-Rahmah (despaired of mercy) - that there was no hope for him of mercy. He cast him down from the heavens, disgraced and rejected, to the earth. Iblis asked Allah to give him a reprieve until the Day of Resurrection, so the Forbearing One, Who does not hasten to punish those who disobey Him, gave him a reprieve. When he knew that he was safe from destruction until the Day of Resurrection, he rebelled and transgressed. "Iblis] said: "By Your might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your true servants amongst them."" This is like the Ayah: [[Iblis] said: "See this one whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring all but a few!". These few are the ones who are excepted in another Ayah, which is: Verily, My servants - you have no authority over them. And All-Sufficient is your Lord as a Guardian.. "(Allah) said: "The truth is - and the truth I say that I will fill Hell with you and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together."" Some of them, including Mujahid, read this as meaning, "I am the Truth and the truth I say." According to another report narrated from Mujahid, it means, "The truth is from Me and I speak the truth." Others, such as As-Suddi, interpreted it as being an oath sworn by Allah. This Ayah is like the Ayat: the Word from Me took effect, that I will fill Hell with Jinn and mankind together., and (Allah) said: "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely, Hell will be the recompense of you (all) - an ample recompense..