2. [al-Baqarah, Medina 87 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذْ
قَالَ
رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ
إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ
فِي الأَرْضِ
خَلِيفَةً ...
2: 30. Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth."
... قَالُواْ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاء...
They said, "Wilt thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?
... وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ...
Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?"
... قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
He said: "I know what ye know not."
C47. It would seem that the angels, though holy and pure, and endued with power from Allah, yet represented only one side of Creation. We may imagine them without passion or emotion, of which the highest flower is love.
If man was to be endued with emotions, those emotions would lead him to the highest and drag him to the lowest.
The power of will or choosing would have to go with them, in order that man might steer his own bark. This power of will (when used aright) gave him to some extent a mastery over his own fortunes and over nature, thus bringing him nearer to the God-like nature which has supreme mastery and will.
We may suppose the angels had no independent wills of their own; their perfection in other ways reflected Allah's perfection but could not raise them to the dignity of vicegerency.
The perfect vicegerent is he who has the power of initiative himself, but whose independent action always reflects perfectly the will of his Principal.
The distinction is expressed by Shakespeare (Sonnet 94) in those fine lines:
"They are the lords and owners of their faces.
Others but stewards of their excellence."
The angels in their one-sidedness saw only the mischief consequent on the misuse of the emotional nature by man; perhaps they also, being without emotions, did not understand the whole of Allah's nature, which gives and asks for love. In humility and true devotion to Allah, they remonstrate; we must not imagine the least tinge of jealousy, as they are without emotion.
This mystery of love being above them, they are told that they do not know and they acknowledge (in 2:32 below) not their fault (for there is no question of fault) but their imperfection of knowledge. At the same time, the matter is brought home to them when the actual capacities of man are shown to them (2:31, 33).
وَعَلَّمَ
آدَمَ
الأَسْمَاء
كُلَّهَا ...
2: 31. And He taught Adam the names of all things;
C48. "The names of things": according to commentators means the inner nature and qualities of things, and things here would include feelings.
The particular qualities or feelings which were outside the nature of angels were put by Allah into the nature of man. Man was thus able to love and understand love, and thus plan and initiate, as becomes the office of vicegerent.
The angels acknowledged this. These things they could only know from the outside, but they had faith, or belief in the Unseen. And they knew that Allah saw all - what others see, what others do not see, what others may even wish to conceal.
Man has many qualities which are latent or which he may wish to suppress or conceal, to his own detriment. (R).
... ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلاَئِكَةِ...
then He placed them before the angels,
... فَقَالَ أَنبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاء هَـؤُلاء إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿٣١﴾
and said: "Tell Me the nature of these if ye are right."
قَالُواْ
سُبْحَانَكَ
لاَ عِلْمَ
لَنَا إِلاَّ
مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا
إِنَّكَ أَنتَ
الْعَلِيمُ
الْحَكِيمُ
﴿٣٢﴾
2: 32. They said:
"Glory to Thee, of knowledge we have none, save that Thou hast taught us:
in truth it is Thou who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."
قَالَ
يَا
آدَمُ
أَنبِئْهُم
بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ
...
2: 33. He said: "O Adam! tell them their natures."
فَلَمَّا أَنبَأَهُمْ بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ ...
When he had told them, Allah said:
... أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ...
"Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth,
... وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾
and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?"
وَإِذْ
قُلْنَا
لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ
اسْجُدُواْ
لآدَمَ ...
2: 34. And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam;"
... فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ ...
and they bowed down, not so Iblis,
C49. The Arabic may also be translated: "They bowed down, except Iblis."
In that case Iblis (Satan) would be one of the angels.
But the theory of fallen angels is not usually accepted in Muslim theology. In 18:50 Iblis is spoken of as a Jinn.
We shall discuss later the meaning of this word. (R).
.... أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ...
he refused and was haughty,
... وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٣٤﴾
he was of those who reject Faith.
2: 30
Asad And Lo! (note 21) Thy sustainer said unto the angels: “Behold, I am about to establish upon earth one who shall inherit it.” (note 22).
Pickthall And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.
Transliteration Wa iz qa_la rabbuka lil mala_'ikati inni ja_'ilun fil ardi khalifah(tan), qa_lu_ ataj'alu fiha_ may yufsidu fiha_ wa yasfikud dima_'(a), wa nahnu nusabbihu bihamdika wa nuqaddisulak(a), qa_la inni a'lamu ma_la_ ta'lamu_n(a).
[Ruby’s note: The comments the angles made is true but it is a partial truth, not the whole truth: truth that deals with only one aspect of the reality, they are talking about from a limited knowledge of nature of human beings, not the complete nature. Their truth belong to a smaller domain of truth, whereas God’s knowledge is complete and accounts for everything and takes into account everything, therefore truth or knowledge that is perfect. This idea is critical in human life. A human may know something that is correct and true in his/her limited sphere, however, he /she must be humble that only God knows the bigger picture and the bigger picture may supersede the smaller picture or make it invalid. Human knowledge is limited and therefore one should never think or claim that one’s knowledge is perfect and infallible.
More over, God’s comment negating this partial truth from the angels as “Verily, I know that which you do not know.” is confirming that definitely the actual truth is much different than this simple assessment of human beings as just mischief mongers who would shed blood on earth only. Human beings have faculty and capacity to do good and higher things as well. And that is why a human is God’s vicegerent on earth. ]
[Ruby’s note: The reason an angle is not a vicegerent of God is that an angle do not possess the ability to choose: they are created to comply with God’s law at all time. Whereas a human is created and given a faculty so that he/she can choose and be responsible for that choice. Moreover, God deliberately put conflicting and opposing tendencies and inclinations among humans. Therefore a human possess God like power.]
[Ali’s note: 47 It would seem that the angels, though holy and pure, and endued with power from God, yet represented only one side of Creation. We may imagine them without passion or emotion, of which the highest flower is love. If man was to be endued with emotions, those emotions would lead him to the highest and drag him to the lowest. The power of will or choosing would have to go with them, in order that man might steer his own bark. This power of will (when used aright) gave him to some extent a mastery over his own fortunes and over nature, thus bringing him nearer to the God-like nature which has supreme mastery and will. We may suppose the angels had no independent wills of their own; their perfection in other ways reflected God's perfection but could not raise them to the dignity of vicegerency. The perfect vicegerent is he who has the power of initiative himself, but whose independent action always reflects perfectly the will of his Principal. The distinction is expressed by Shakespeare (Sonnet 94) in those fine lines: "They are the lords and owners of their faces. Others but stewards of their excellence." The angels in their one-sidedness saw only the mischief consequent on the misuse of the emotional nature by man; perhaps they also, being without emotions, did not understand the whole of God's nature, which gives and asks for love. In humility and true devotion to God, they remonstrate; we must not imagine the least tinge of jealousy, as they are without emotion. This mystery of love being above them, they are told that they do not know and they acknowledge (in ii. 32 below) not their fault (for there is no question of fault) but their imperfection of knowledge. At the same time, the matter is brought home to them when the actual capacities of man are shown to them (ii. 31, 33). (2.30) ]
[Asad’s note 22: Lit., “established on earth a successor” or a “vice-gerent”. The term “khalifah – derived from the verb khalafa, “he succeeded [another]” – is used in this allegory to denote man’s rightful supremacy on earth, which is most suitably rendered by the expression “he shall inherit the earth” (in the sense of being given possession of it). See also 6:165, 27:62, and 35:39, where all human beings are spoken of as ‘khala if al-ard.’ ]
2: 31
Asad And He imparted unto Adam the names of all things (note 23) ; then He brought them within the ken of the angels and said: “Declare unto Me the names of these [things], if what you say is true.”
Pickthall And He taught Adam all the names, then showed them to the angels, saying: Inform me of the names of these, if ye are truthful.
Transliteration Wa 'allama a_damal asma_'a kullaha_ summa 'aradahum alal mala_'ikati fa qa_la ambi'u_ni bi asma_'i ha_'ula_'i in kuntum sa_diqin(a).
[ Asad’s note 23: Lit., “all the names”. The term ism (“name”) implies, according to all philologists, an expression “conveying the knowledge [of a thing]……..applied to denote a substance or an accident or an attribute,
2: 32
Pickthall They said: Be glorified! We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower, the Wise.
Transliteration Qa_lu_ subha_naka la_ 'ilma lana_ illa_ ma_ 'allamtana_, innaka antal 'alimul hakim(u).
2: 33
Pickthall He said: O Adam! Inform them of their names, and when he had informed them of their names, He said: Did I not tell you that I know the secret of the heavens and the earth? And I know that which ye disclose and which ye hide.
Transliteration Qa_la ya_ adamu ambi'hum bi asma_'ihim, fa lamma_ amba'ahum bi asma_'ihim, qa_la alam aqul lakum inni a'lamu gaibas sama_wa_ti wal ard(i), wa a'lamu ma_ tubdu_na wa ma_ kuntum taktumu_n(a).
2: 34
Pickthall And when We said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever.
Transliteration Wa iz qulna_ lil mala_'ikatis judu_ lia_dama fasajadu_ illa_ iblis(a), aba_ wastakbar(a), wa ka_na minal ka_firin(a).
===================================
7. [al-Araf, Mecca 39]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ
خَلَقْنَاكُمْ
ثُمَّ
صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ
...
7: 11. It is We who created you and gave you shape;
C996. Shape or form must be interpreted not only to refer to the physical form, which changes day by day, but also the various forms or shapes which our ideal and spiritual existence may take from time to time according to our inner experience; Cf. 82:8.
It was after Adam (as standing for all mankind) had been so taught that the angels were asked to prostrate to him, for, by Allah's grace, his status had actually been raised higher.
Note the transition from "you" (plural) in the first clause to "Adam" in the second clause: Adam and mankind are synonymous: the plural is reverted to in 7:14, 16-18. (R).
... ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلآئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ...
then We bade the angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis;
...لَمْ يَكُن مِّنَ السَّاجِدِينَ ﴿١١﴾
he refused to be of those who bow down.
C997. Iblis not only refused to bow down: he refused to be of those who prostrated.
In other words he arrogantly despised the angels who prostrated as well as man to whom they prostrated and he was in rebellion against Allah for not obeying His order.
Arrogance, jealousy, and rebellion were his triple crime.
قَالَ
مَا
مَنَعَكَ
أَلاَّ
تَسْجُدَ
إِذْ
أَمَرْتُكَ...
7: 12. (Allah) said: "What prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?"
...قَالَ أَنَاْ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ...
He said:
"I am better than he:
...خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ ﴿١٢﴾
thou didst create me from fire and him from clay."
C998. Notice the subtle wiles of Iblis: his egotism in putting himself above man, and his falsehood in ignoring the fact that Allah had not merely made man's body from clay, but had given him spiritual form, - in other words, had taught him the nature of things and raised him above the angels.
قَالَ
فَاهْبِطْ
مِنْهَا
فَمَا
يَكُونُ
لَكَ
أَن
تَتَكَبَّرَ
فِيهَا
...
7: 13. (Allah) said:
"Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here:
C999. "This": the situation as it was then- a rebellious creature impertinent to His Creator. At every step Iblis falls lower;
- arrogance,
- jealousy,
- disobedience,
- egotism and
- untruth.
...فَاخْرُجْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الصَّاغِرِينَ ﴿١٣﴾
get out, for thou art of the meanest (of creatures)."
قَالَ
فَأَنظِرْنِي
إِلَى
يَوْمِ
يُبْعَثُونَ
﴿١٤﴾
7: 14. He said: "Give me respite till the day they are raised up."
قَالَ
إِنَّكَ
مِنَ
المُنظَرِينَ
﴿١٥﴾
7: 15. (Allah) said: "Be thou among those who have respite."
C1000. Are there others under respite?
Yes, Iblis has a large army of wicked seducers, and those men who are their dupes. For though degradation takes effect at once, its appearance may be long delayed.
قَالَ
فَبِمَا
أَغْوَيْتَنِي
لأَقْعُدَنَّ
لَهُمْ
صِرَاطَكَ
الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
﴿١٦﴾
7: 16. He said:
"Because Thou hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on Thy straight way.
C1001. Another instance of Iblis's subtlety and falsehood.
He waits till he gets the respite. Then he breaks out into a lie and impertinent defiance.
- The lie is in suggesting that Allah had thrown him out of the Way, in other words misled him: whereas his own conduct was responsible for his degradation.
- The defiance is in his setting snares on the Straight Way to which Allah directs men.
Iblis now falls a step lower than the five steps mentioned in n. 999. His sixth step is defiance.
ثُمَّ
لآتِيَنَّهُم
مِّن
بَيْنِ
أَيْدِيهِمْ
وَمِنْ
خَلْفِهِمْ
وَعَنْ
أَيْمَانِهِمْ
وَعَن
شَمَآئِلِهِمْ
...
7: 17. "Then will I assault them from before them and behind them from their right and their left:
...وَلاَ تَجِدُ أَكْثَرَهُمْ شَاكِرِينَ ﴿١٧﴾
nor wilt Thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for Thy mercies).
C1002. The assault of evil is from all sides. It takes advantage of every weak point, and sometimes even our good and generous sympathies are used to decoy us into the snares of evil.
Man has every reason to be grateful to Allah for all His loving care and yet man in his folly forgets his gratitude and does the very opposite of what he should do.
قَالَ
اخْرُجْ
مِنْهَا
مَذْؤُومًا
مَّدْحُورًا...
7: 18. (Allah) said:
"Get out from this, disgraced and expelled.
...لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لأَمْلأنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿١٨﴾
If any of them follow thee, hell will I fill with you all."
وَيَا
آدَمُ
اسْكُنْ
أَنتَ
وَزَوْجُكَ
الْجَنَّةَ
...
7: 19. O Adam!
dwell thou and thy wife in the garden,
C1003. Now the story turns to man. He was placed in the Garden of innocence and bliss, but it was Allah's Plan to give him a limited faculty of choice.
All that he was forbidden to do was to approach the Tree, but he succumbed to Satan's suggestions. (R).
... فَكُلاَ مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا...
and enjoy (its good things) as ye wish:
C1004. Enjoy: literally, "eat."
Cf. the meaning of taama in 6:14, n. 847 and akala in and 5:66, n. 776.
...وَلاَ تَقْرَبَا هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٩﴾
but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression."
Other Versions:
7: 11
Asad Yea, indeed, We have created you, and then formed you [note 9]; and then We said unto the angels, “Prostrate yourselves before adam!” –whereupon they [all prostrated themselves, save Iblis: he was not among those who prostrated themselves [note 10].
Pickthall And We created you, then fashioned you, then told the angels: Fall ye prostrate before Adam! And they fell prostrate, all save Iblis, who was not of those who make prostration.
Transliteration Wa laqad khalaqna_kum summa sawwarna_kum summa qulna_ lil mala_'ikatisjudu_ li a_dama fasajadu_ illa_ iblis(a), lam yakum minas sa_jidin(a).
[[ Ruby’s note – There is much deeper meaning in this statement than is being explained and elaborated so far. I think what it means it that God has created the essence of a human being by creating the soul, the genetic formula that would help shape the human first and then the shape was given. The nature or the spirit was created first before the shape of a human being.]]
[[ Asad’s note 9 – The sequence of these two statements – “We have created you”……and then formed you” …is meant to bring about the fact of man’s gradual development, in the individual sense, from the embryonic stage to full-fledged existence, as well as of the evolution of the human race as such.
Note 10 – As regards God’s allegorical command to the angels to “prostrate themselves” before Adam, see 2:30-34, and the corresponding notes. The reference to all mankind which precedes the story of Adam in this surah makes it clear that his name symbolizes, in this context, the whole human race.]
[[ Ali’s notes - 996 It was after Adam (as standing for all mankind) had been so taught that the angels were asked to prostrate to him, for, by Allah's grace, his status had actually been raised higher. Note the transition from "you" (plural) in the first clause to "Adam" in the second clause: Adam and mankind are synonymous: the plural is reverted to in vii. 14, 16-18. (7.11)
997 Iblis not only refused to bow down: he refused to be of those who prostrated. In other words he arrogantly despised the angels who prostrated as well as man to whom they prostrated and he was in rebellion against Allah for not obeying His order. Arrogance, jealousy, and rebellion were his triple crime. (7.11)
7: 12
Asad [And God] said: “What has kept you from prostrating yourself when I commanded you?”
Answered [Iblis] : “I am better than he: You have created me out of fire, whereas him You have created out of clay.”
Pickthall He said: What hindered thee that thou didst not fall prostrate when I bade thee? (Iblis) said: I am better than him. Thou createdst me of fire while him Thou didst create of mud.
Transliteration Qa_la ma_ mana'aka alla_ tasjuda iz amartuk(a), qa_la ana khairum minh(u), khalaqtani min na_riw wa khalaqtahu_ min tin(in).
7: 13
Asad [God] said: “Down with you, then, from this [state] – for it is not meet for you
to show arrogance here! Go forth, then: verily, among the humiliated shall you be!”
Pickthall He said: Then go down hence! It is not for thee to show pride here, so go forth! Lo! thou art of those degraded.
Transliteration Qa_la fahbit minha_ fama_ yaku_nu laka an tatakabbara fiha_ fakhruj innaka minas sa_girin(a).
7: 14
Asad Said [Iblis] : “Grant me a respite till the Day when all shall be raised from the dead.”
Pickthall He said: Reprieve me till the day when they are raised (from the dead).
Transliteration Qa_la anzirni ila_ yaumi yub'asu_n(a).
7: 15
Asad [And God] replied: “Verily, you shall be among those who are granted a respite.”
Pickthall He said: Lo! thou art of those reprieved.
Transliteration Qa_la innaka minal munzarin(a).
7: 16
Asad [Whereupon Iblis ] said: ‘Now that You have thwarted me, I shall most certainly lie in ambush for them all along your Straight way, and shall most certainly fall upon the openly as well as in a manner beyond their ken, and from their right and from their left:
and most of them You will find ungrateful.”
Pickthall He said : Now, because Thou hast sent me astray, verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path.
Transliteration Qa_la fabima_ agwaitani la aq'udanna lahum sira_takal mustaqim(a).
7: 17
Pickthall Then I shall come upon them from before them and from behind them and from their right bands and from their left hands, and Thou wilt not find most of them beholden (unto Thee).
Transliteration Summa la a_tiyannahum mim baini aidihim wa min khalfihim wa 'an aima_nihim wa 'an syama_'ilihim, wa la_ tajidu aksarahum sya_kirin(a).
7: 18
Asad [And God] said: “ God forth from here, disgraced and disowned ! [And ] as for such of them as follow you – I will most certainly fill hell with you all!
Pickthall He said: Go forth from hence, degraded, banished. As for such of them as follow thee, surely I will fill hell with all of you.
Transliteration Qa_lakhruj minha_ maz'u_mam madhu_ra_(n), laman tabi'aka minhum la'amla'anna jahannama minkum ajma'in(a).
7: 19
Asad And [as for you], O Adam, dwell you and your wife in this garden, and eat, both of you , what ever you may wish; but do not approach this one tree, lest you become evildoers!”
Pickthall And (unto man): O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden and eat from whence ye will, but come not nigh this tree lest ye become wrong-doers.
Transliteration Wa ya_ a_damuskun anta wa zaujukal jannata fakula_ min haisu syi'tuma_ wa la_ taqraba_ ha_zihisy syajarata fataku_na_ minaz za_limin(a).
===================================
15. [ al-Hijr, Mecca 54]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذْ
قَالَ رَبُّكَ
لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ
إِنِّي خَالِقٌ
بَشَرًا مِّن
صَلْصَالٍ مِّنْ
حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ ﴿٢٨﴾
15: 28. Behold! thy Lord said to the angels:
"I am about to create man, from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape;
فَإِذَا
سَوَّيْتُهُ
وَنَفَخْتُ
فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي
فَقَعُواْ لَهُ
سَاجِدِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾
15: 29. "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
C1968. Among other passages where the creation of Adam is referred to, cf. the following;
Note that here the emphasis is on three points:
1. the breathing from Allah's spirit into man i.e., the faculty of God-like knowledge and will, which, if rightly used, would give man superiority over other creatures:
2. the origin of evil in arrogance and jealousy on the part of Satan, who saw only the lower side of man (his clay) and failed to see the higher side, the faculty brought in from the spirit of Allah;
3. that this evil only touches those who yield to it, and has no power over Allah's sincere servants, purified by His grace (15:40, 42).
Adam is not here mentioned by name, but only Man, whose symbol is Adam.
فَسَجَدَ
الْمَلآئِكَةُ
كُلُّهُمْ
أَجْمَعُونَ ﴿٣٠﴾
15: 30. So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together:
Pickthall’s Version:
15: 28
Pickthall And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered.
Transliteration Wa iz qa_la rabbuka lil mala_'ikati inni kha_liqum basyaram min salsa_lim min hama'im masnu_n(in).
15: 29
Pickthall So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.
Transliteration Fa iza-stawaituhu_ wa nafakhtu fihi mir ru_hi fa qa'u_ lahu_ sa_jidin(a).
15: 30
Pickthall So the angels fell prostrate, all of them together
Transliteration Fasajadal mala_'ikatu kulluhum ajma'u_n(a),
[[ Ali’s note -1968 Among other passages where the creation of Adam is referred to, cf. the following; ii. 30-39; vii. 11-25. Note that here the emphasis is on three points: (1) the breathing from Allah's spirit into man i.e., the faculty of God-like knowledge and will, which, if rightly used, would give man superiority over other creatures: (2) the origin of evil in arrogance and jealousy on the part of Satan, who saw only the lower side of man (his clay) and failed to see the higher side, the faculty brought in from the spirit of Allah; (3) that this evil only touches those who yield to it, and has no power over Allah's sincere servants, purified by His grace (xv. 40, 42). Adam is not here mentioned by name, but only Man. (15.29)
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18. [al-Kahf, Mecca 69 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا
لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ
اسْجُدُوا
لِآدَمَ ...
18: 50. Behold! We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam":
C2392. Cf. 2:34, where the story is told of the fall of mankind through Adam.
Here the point is referred to in order to bring home the individual responsibility of the erring soul.
Iblis is your enemy; you have been told his history; will you prefer to go to him rather than to the merciful Allah, your Creator and Cherisher?
What a false exchange you would make!'
... فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ...
they bowed down except Iblis.
... كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ...
He was one of the Jinns, and he broke the Command of his Lord.
C2393. Cf. 6:100, .
... أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَاء مِن دُونِي ...
Will ye then take him and his progeny as protectors rather than Me?
C2394. Satan's progeny: we need not take the epithet only in a literal sense.
All his followers are also his progeny. (R).
... وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ...
And they are enemies to you!
... بِئْسَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ بَدَلًا ﴿٥٠﴾
Evil would be the exchange for the wrongdoers!
C2395. Out of the limited free-will that man has, if he were to choose Evil instead of Good, Satan instead of Allah, what a dreadful choice it would be!
It would really be an evil exchange. For man is Allah's creature, cared for and cherished by Him. He abandons his Cherisher to become the slave of his enemy!
Other Versions:
18: 50
Transliteration Wa iz qulna_ lil mala_'ikati-sjudu_ li'a_dama fasajadu_ illa_ iblis(a), ka_na minal jinni fafasaqa 'an amri rabbih(i), afatattakhizu_nahu_ wa zurriyyatahu_ auliya_'a min du_ni wa hum lakum 'aduww(un), bi'sa liz za_limina badala_(n).
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20. [ta’ha, Mecca 45]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَا
إِلَى آدَمَ
مِن قَبْلُ...
20: 115. We had already, beforehand, taken the covenant of Adam,
C2640. The spiritual fall of two individual souls, Pharaoh and the Samiri, having been referred to, the one through overweening arrogance, and the other through a spirit of mischief and false harking back to the past,
our attention is now called to the prototype of Evil (Satan) who tempted Adam, the original Man, and to the fact that though man was clearly warned that Satan is his enemy and will only effect his ruin, he showed so little firmness that he succumbed to it at once at the first opportunity.
...فَنَسِيَ وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْمًا ﴿١١٥﴾
but he forgot: and We found on his part no firm resolve.
وَإِذْ
قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ
اسْجُدُوا
لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا
إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ
أَبَى ﴿١١٦﴾
20: 116. When We said to the angels, "Prostrate yourselves to Adam,"
they prostrated themselves, but not Iblis:
he refused.
فَقُلْنَا يَا
آدَمُ إِنَّ
هَذَا عَدُوٌّ
لَّكَ وَلِزَوْجِكَ...
20: 117. Then We said:
"O Adam! verily, this is an enemy to thee and thy wife:
...فَلَا يُخْرِجَنَّكُمَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَتَشْقَى ﴿١١٧﴾
so let him not get you both out of the Garden so that thou art landed in misery.
C2641. See last note.
The story is referred to in order to draw attention to man's folly in rushing into the arms of Satan though he had been clearly forewarned.
Asad’s Version:
20:115
AND, INDEED, long ago did We impose Our commandment on Adam; 102 but he forgot it, and
We found no firmness of purpose in him.
20:116
For [thus it was:] when We told the angels, "Prostrate yourselves before Adam!" - they all
prostrated themselves, save Iblis, who refused [to do it]; 103
(20:117) and thereupon We said: "O
Adam! Verily, this is a foe unto thee and thy wife: so let him not drive the two of you out of
[[Asad’s note -102 The relevant divine commandment - or, rather, warning - is spelled out in verse 117. The present passage connects with the statement in verse 99, "Thus do We relate unto thee some of the stories of what happened in the past", and is meant to show that negligence of spiritual truths is one of the recurrent characteristics of the human race (Razi), which is symbolized here - as in many other
places in the Qur'an - by Adam. ]]
[[Ali’s note - 2640 The spiritual fall of two individual souls, Pharaoh and the Samiri, having been referred to, the one through overweening arrogance, and the other through a spirit of mischief and false harking back to the past, our attention is now called to the prototype of Evil (satan) who tempted Adam, the original Man, and to the fact that though man was clearly warned that satan is his enemy and will only effect his ruin, he showed so little firmness that he succumbed to it at once at the first opportunity. (20.115) ]]
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38.Surah Sad [88 verses]
Mecca Period 38
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِذْ
قَالَ
رَبُّكَ
لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ
...
38: 71. Behold, thy Lord said to the angels:
C4225. Two passages may be compared with this: viz.:
1. 2:30-39, where merely the first stages of the Rebellion against Allah and its consequences to mankind are mentioned, and
2. 15:29-40, where the further intrusion of evil in man's life here below is referred to, and an assurance is given that Evil will have no power except over those who yield to it.
The latter is the passage most relevant here, as we are now dealing with the spiritual power of Revelation to defeat the machinations of Evil.
... إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَرًا مِن طِينٍ ﴿٧١﴾
"I am about to create man from clay:
C4226. This shows that the material world round us was created by Allah before Allah fashioned man and breathed of His soul into him. Geology also shows that man came on the scene at a very late stage in the history of this planet.
فَإِذَا
سَوَّيْتُهُ
وَنَفَخْتُ
فِيهِ
مِن
رُّوحِي
فَقَعُوا
لَهُ
سَاجِدِينَ
﴿٧٢﴾
38: 72. "When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
C4227. See n. 1968 to 15:29, where the spiritual significance of this is explained.
فَسَجَدَ
الْمَلَائِكَةُ
كُلُّهُمْ
أَجْمَعُونَ
﴿٧٣﴾
38: 73. So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together;
إِلَّا
إِبْلِيسَ...
38: 74. Not so Iblis:
... اسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنْ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٧٤﴾
he was haughty, and became one of those who reject Faith.
C4228. Arrogance (self-love) is thus the root of Evil and of Unfaith.
قَالَ
يَا
إِبْلِيسُ
مَا
مَنَعَكَ
أَن
تَسْجُدَ
لِمَا
خَلَقْتُ
بِيَدَيَّ...
38: 75. (Allah) said:
"O Iblis!
what prevents thee from prostrating thyself to one whom I have created with My hands?
C4229. Man, as typified by Adam, is in himself nothing but frail clay. But as fashioned by Allah's creative power into something with Allah's spirit breathed into him, his dignity is raised above that of the highest creatures.
... أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنتَ مِنَ الْعَالِينَ ﴿٧٥﴾
Art thou haughty?
Or art thou one of the high (and mighty) ones?"
C4230. If, then, Satan refuses, it is a rebellion against Allah. It arises from arrogance or haughtiness, an exaggerated idea of Self.
Or, it is asked, are you really sufficiently high in rank to dispute with the Almighty?
Of course he was not.
قَالَ
أَنَا
خَيْرٌ
مِّنْهُ...
38: 76. (Iblis) said:
"I am better than he:
... خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ ﴿٧٦﴾
Thou createdst me from fire, and him Thou createdst from clay."
قَالَ
فَاخْرُجْ
مِنْهَا
فَإِنَّكَ
رَجِيمٌ
﴿٧٧﴾
38: 77. (Allah) said:
"Then get thee out from here: for thou art rejected, accursed.
وَإِنَّ
عَلَيْكَ
لَعْنَتِي
إِلَى
يَوْمِ
الدِّينِ
﴿٧٨﴾
38: 78. "And My Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgement."
C4231. See n. 1972 to 15:35, where it is explained why the respite is to the Day of Judgment. The whole of that passage in Surah 15 forms a good commentary on this.
قَالَ
رَبِّ
فَأَنظِرْنِي
إِلَى
يَوْمِ
يُبْعَثُونَ
﴿٧٩﴾
38: 79. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised."
C4232. For the significance of the respite see n. 1973 to 15:36.
قَالَ
فَإِنَّكَ
مِنَ
الْمُنظَرِينَ
﴿٨٠﴾
38: 80. (Allah) said:
"Respite then is granted thee --
إِلَى
يَوْمِ
الْوَقْتِ
الْمَعْلُومِ
﴿٨١﴾
38: 81. "Till the day of the Time Appointed."
C4233. It is not an indefinite respite. It is for a period definitely limited, while this our Probation lasts in this world. It is part of the test as to how we use our limited free-will.
After that, our whole existence will be on a different plane. The good will have been sorted out, the chain of consequences of the present world will be broken, and "a new Creation" will have taken the place of the present World.
قَالَ
فَبِعِزَّتِكَ
...
38: 82. (Iblis) said:
"Then, by Thy power,
C4234. This phrase, this oath of Satan, is a fresh point introduced in this passage, because here we are dealing with Power,
- the Power of Good contrasted with Evil,
- the Power of Allah as contrasted with the power that we see in our earthly affairs.
Satan acknowledges that even his Power, such as it is, has no reality except in so far as it is permitted to operate by Allah in Allah's wise and universal Plan, and that it cannot harm the true and sincere worshippers of Allah.
... لَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿٨٢﴾
I will put them all in the wrong --
C4235. See n. 1974 to 15:39.
إِلَّا
عِبَادَكَ
مِنْهُمُ
الْمُخْلَصِينَ
﴿٨٣﴾
38: 83. "Except Thy Servants amongst them, sincere and purified (by Thy grace)."
قَالَ
فَالْحَقُّ
وَالْحَقَّ
أَقُولُ
﴿٨٤﴾
38: 84. (Allah) said:
"Then it is just and fitting -- and I say what is just and fitting --
C4236. Cf. n. 1990 to 15:64.
لَأَمْلَأَنَّ
جَهَنَّمَ
مِنكَ
وَمِمَّن
تَبِعَكَ
مِنْهُمْ
أَجْمَعِينَ
﴿٨٥﴾
38: 85. "That I will certainly fill Hell with thee and those that follow thee -- every one."
C4237. Cf. 7:18; 7:179; and 11:119, n. 1623.
The punishment of defiance, disobedience, and rebellion is inevitable and just, and the followers who chose to identify themselves with the disobedience must suffer as well as the leaders.
Cf. 10:33.
قُلْ
مَا
أَسْأَلُكُمْ
عَلَيْهِ
مِنْ
أَجْرٍ...
38: 86. Say:
"No reward do I ask of you for this (Qur'án),
C4238. Cf. 25:57; 26:109; and many other passages.
The prophet of Allah neither seeks nor expects any reward from men. On the contrary he suffers much at their hands. He is unselfish and offers his services under Allah's inspiration. He is satisfied with the hope "that each one who will may take a straight Path to his Lord." That is his reward.
And the reward he hopes for from Allah is similarly unselfish. He earnestly hopes to win His Good Pleasure i.e. "to see His Face."
... وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ ﴿٨٦﴾
nor am I a pretender.
C4239. Mutakallif.-
- a man who pretends to things that are not true,
- or declares as facts things that do not exist,
- one who takes upon himself tasks to which he is not equal.
True prophets are not people of that kind.
إِنْ
هُوَ
إِلَّا
ذِكْرٌ
لِّلْعَالَمِينَ
﴿٨٧﴾
38: 87. "This is no less than a Message to (all) the Worlds.
C4240. So far from there being any false or selfish motive in the Message proclaimed in Revelation, it is a healing mercy to all mankind. More, it is in accord with all parts of Allah's Creation, and makes us kin with all Creation, the handiwork of the One True God.
وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ
نَبَأَهُ
بَعْدَ
حِينٍ
﴿٨٨﴾
38: 88. "And ye shall certainly know the truth of it (all) after a while."
C4241. There may be many things which we in our "muddy vesture of decay" may not fully understand or take in. If we only follow the right Path, we shall arrive at the Goal in the Hereafter, and then everything will be dear to us.
Asad’s Version:
38:71 [For,] ~ thy Sustainer said unto the angels: "Behold, I am about to create a human being out of clay; 55
(38:72) and when I have formed him fully and breathed into him of My spirit, fall you down before him in prostration!" 56
(38:73) Thereupon the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together, (38:74) save Iblis: he gloried in his arrogance, and [thus] became one of those who deny the truth. 57
38:75 Said He: "O Iblis! What has kept thee from prostrating thyself before that [being] which I have created with My hands? 58 Art thou too proud [to bow down before another created being], or art thou of those who think [only] of themselves as high?" 5 '
38:76 Answered [Iblis): "I am better than he: Thou hast created me out of fire,' whereas him Thou hast created out of clay."
38:77 Said He: "Go forth, then, from this [angelic state] - for, behold, thou art henceforth accursed,
(38:78) and My rejection shall be thy due until the Day of Judgment!"
(38:79) Said [Iblis): "Then, O my Sustainer, grant me a respite till the Day when all shall be raised from the dead!"
38:80 Answered He: "Verily, so [be it:] thou shalt be among those who are granted respite
(38:81) till the Day the time whereof is known [only to Me).""
(38:82) [Whereupon Iblis) said: "Then [I swear) by Thy very might: I shall most certainly beguile them all into grievous error -
(38:83) [all) save such of them as are truly Thy servants!"
38:84 [And God) said: "This, then, is the truth!" And this truth do I state:
(38:85) Most certainly will I fill hell with thee and such of them as shall follow thee, all together!"
38:86
SAY [O Prophet): "No reward whatever do I ask of you for this [message); and I am not one of those who claim to be what they are not."
(38:87) This [divine writ], behold, is no less than a reminder to all the worlds - (38:88) and you will most certainly grasp its purport after a lapse
of time!"
Yuksel’s Version:
The First Racist Disobeys God
38:69 "I had no knowledge of the command up high, that they had quarreled."
38:70 "It is only inspired to me that I am a clear warner."
38:71 For your Lord said to the angels: "I am creating a human being from clay."
38:72 "So when I have evolved him, and breathed into him from My Spirit, then you shall submit to him."
38:73 The angels submitted, all of them,
38:74 Except Satan; he turned arrogant, and became one of the ingrates.
38:75 He said, "O Satan, what prevented you from submitting to what I have created by My hands? Are you too arrogant? Or are you one of those exalted?"
38:76 He said, "I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from clay."
38:77 He said, "Therefore exit from it, you are outcast."
38:78 "My curse will be upon you until the day of judgment."
38:79 He said, "My Lord, respite me till the day they are resurrected."
38:80 He said, "Then, you are granted respite,"
38:81 "Until the appointed day."
38:82 He said, "By Your majesty, I will mislead them all."
38:83 "Except for Your servants who are loyal."
38:84 He said, "The truth, and the truth is what I say.
38:85 That I will fill hell with you and all those who follow you."
38:86 Say, "I do not ask you for any wage, nor am I a fraud."
38:87 "It is but a reminder for the worlds."
38:88 "You will come to know its news after awhile."
[[ Asad’s notes -
52 For the allegorical contention of the angels ("the host on high") against the creation of man, see 2:30 ff. and the corresponding notes 22-24. The allegory of man's creation, of God's command to the angels to "prostrate themselves" before the new creature, and of Iblis' refusal to do so appears in the Qur'an six times (2:30-34, 7:11 ff, 15:28-44, 17:61-65, 18:50, and 38:69-85), each time with an accent on a different aspect of this allegory. In the present instance (which is undoubtedly the earliest in the chronology of revelation) it is connected with the statement, in 2:3 1 , that God "imparted unto Adam the names of all things", i.e., endowed man with the faculty of conceptual thinking (see note 23 on 2 : 3 1 ) and, thus, with the ability to discern between what is true and what false. Since he possesses this faculty, man has no excuse for not realizing God's existence and oneness - the "message tremendous" - referred to in the preceding passage.
53 Lit., "otherwise than that I be (ilia annama ana) a plain warner" - i.e., of the prospect of spiritual self-destruction inherent in a wilful disregard of the fact of God's existence and oneness, which is the core of all religious cognition and, hence, of all true prophethood.
54 For this rendering of idh, see surah 2, note 21 .
55 Seenole24on 15:26.
56 See 15:29 and the corresponding note 26.
57 See note 26 on 2:34 and note 31 on 15:41.
58 Cf. the metaphorical phrase "the things which Our hands have wrought" in 36:71, explained in the corresponding note 42. In the present instance, the stress lies on the God-willed superiority of man's intellect - which, like everything else in the universe, is God's "handiwork" - over the rest of creation (see note 25 on 2:34).
59 This "question" is, of course, only rhetorical, since God is omniscient. The phrase interpolated by me ("to bow down before another created being") reflects Zamakshari's interpretation of this passage.
60 I.e., out of something non-corporeal and, therefore (in the view of Iblis), superior to the "clay" out of which man has been created. Inasmuch as "fire" is a symbol of passion, the above "saying" of Iblis contains, I believe, a subtle allusion to the Qur'anic concept of the "satanic forces" (shayatin) active within man's own heart: forces engendered by uncontrolled passions and love of self, symbolized by the preceding characterization of Iblis, the foremost of the shayatin, as "one of those who think only of themselves as high" (min al-'alin).
61 The grant of "respite" to Iblis implies that he would have the power to tempt man until the end of time.
62 Cf. 15 41 - "This is, with Me, a straight way" - and the corresponding note 3 1 .
63 The expression mutakallif denotes, primarily, "a person who takes too much upon himself, be it in action or in feeling; hence, a person who pretends to be more than he really is, or to feel what he does not really feel, In this instance, it indicates the Prophet's disclaimer of any "supernatural" status.
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