[[ 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.]]
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."
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,
===================================
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: “ Go 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:
15: 31. Not so
C1969. Cf. n. 49 to 2:34.
... إِبْلِيسَ...
Iblis:
C1970. lblis: the name has in it the root-idea of desperateness or rebellion.
Cf. n. 52 to 2:36.
...أَبَى أَن يَكُونَ مَعَ السَّاجِدِينَ ﴿٣١﴾
he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.
C1971. Apparently Iblis's arrogance had two grounds:
- that man was made of clay while he was made of fire;
- that he did not wish to do what others did.
Both grounds were false;
- because man had the spirit of Allah breathed into him;
- because contempt of the angels who obeyed Allah's words showed not Iblis's superiority but his inferiority.
The word "bashar" for man (verse 33) suggests a gross physical body.
قَالَ
يَا إِبْلِيسُ
مَا لَكَ أَلاَّ
تَكُونَ مَعَ
السَّاجِدِينَ ﴿٣٢﴾
15: 32. (Allah) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?"
قَالَ
لَمْ أَكُن
لِّأَسْجُدَ
لِبَشَرٍ خَلَقْتَهُ
مِن صَلْصَالٍ
مِّنْ حَمَإٍ
مَّسْنُونٍ ﴿٣٣﴾
15: 33. (Iblis) said:
"I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape."
قَالَ
فَاخْرُجْ
مِنْهَا فَإِنَّكَ
رَجِيمٌ ﴿٣٤﴾
15: 34. (Allah) said:
"Then get thee out from here;
for thou art rejected, accursed.
وَإِنَّ
عَلَيْكَ اللَّعْنَةَ
إِلَى يَوْمِ
الدِّينِ ﴿٣٥﴾
15: 35. "And the Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgment."
C1972. After the Day of Judgment the whole constitution of the universe will be different. There will be a new world altogether, on a wholly different plane. (Cf. 21:104).
قَالَ
رَبِّ فَأَنظِرْنِي
إِلَى يَوْمِ
يُبْعَثُونَ ﴿٣٦﴾
15: 36. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised."
C1973. What was this respite?
The curse on Iblis remained, i.e. he was deprived of Allah's grace and became in the spiritual world what an outlaw is in a political kingdom. An earthly kingdom may not be able to catch and destroy an outlaw. But Allah is Omnipotent, and such power as Iblis may have can only come through the respite granted by Allah. The respite then is what is expressed in 15:39 below.
In Allah's grant of limited free-will to man is implied the faculty of choosing between good and evil, and the faculty is exercised through the temptations and allurements put forward by Satan, "the open enemy" of man. This is for the period of man's probation on this earth.
Even so, no temptations have power over the sincere worshippers of Allah, who are purified by His grace.
قَالَ
فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ
الْمُنظَرِينَ ﴿٣٧﴾
15: 37. (Allah) said:
"Respite is granted thee --
إِلَى
يَومِ الْوَقْتِ
الْمَعْلُومِ ﴿٣٨﴾
15: 38. "Till the Day of the Time Appointed."
قَالَ
رَبِّ بِمَآ
أَغْوَيْتَنِي
لأُزَيِّنَنَّ
لَهُمْ فِي
الأَرْضِ...
15: 39. (Iblis) said:
"O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth,
C1974. Agwaitani: 'thrown me out of the way, put me in the wrong': Cf. 7:16.
Satan cannot be straight or truthful even before Allah. By his own arrogance and rebellion he fell; he attributes this to Allah. Between Allah's righteous judgment and Satan's snares and temptations there cannot be the remotest comparison. Yet he presumes to put them on an equal footing. He is taking advantage of the respite.
...وَلأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾
and I will put them all in the wrong --
C1975. Iblis (the Satan) is powerless against Allah. He turns therefore against man and becomes Satan (the Enemy).
إِلاَّ
عِبَادَكَ
مِنْهُمُ
الْمُخْلَصِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾
15: 40. "Except Thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy grace)."
قَالَ
هَذَا صِرَاطٌ
عَلَيَّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٤١﴾
15: 41. (Allah) said:
"This (Way of My sincere servants) is indeed a Way that leads straight to Me.
C1976. To be sincere in the worship of Allah is to obtain purification from all stain of evil and exemption from all influence of evil. It changes the whole nature of man. After that, evil cannot touch him. Evil will acknowledge him to be beyond its power and will not even tempt him.
Apart from such purified souls, everyone who worships Allah invites Allah's grace to protect him. But if he puts himself in the way of wrong and deliberately chooses evil, he must take the consequences. The blame is not even on Satan, the power of evil, it is on the sinner himself, who puts himself into his power; 14:22: 15:42.
إِنَّ عِبَادِي
لَيْسَ لَكَ
عَلَيْهِمْ
سُلْطَانٌ...
15: 42. "For over My servants no authority shalt thou have,
...إِلاَّ مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ ﴿٤٢﴾
except such as put themselves in the wrong and follow thee."
وَإِنَّ
جَهَنَّمَ
لَمَوْعِدُهُمْ
أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿٤٣﴾
15: 43. And verily, Hell is the promised abode for them all!
15: 44. To it are seven Gates:
C1977. The ways of sin are numerous, and if they are classified into seven, each of them points to a Gate that leads to Hell.
...لِّكُلِّ بَابٍ مِّنْهُمْ جُزْءٌ مَّقْسُومٌ ﴿٤٤﴾
for each of those Gates is (special) class (of sinners assigned).
Other Versions:
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.
Yuksel Your Lord said to the angels: "I am creating a human from hardened clay of aged mud."
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.
Yuksel "So when I perfect him, and blow of My Spirit in him, you shall fall prostrate to 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
Yuksel Thus, all of the angels fell prostrate to him,
Transliteration Fasajadal mala_'ikatu kulluhum ajma'u_n(a),
15: 31
Pickthall Save Iblis. He refused to be among the prostrate.
Yuksel Except for Satan, he refused to be with the prostrators.
Transliteration Illa_ iblis(a), aba_ ay yaku_na ma'as sa_jidin(a).
15: 32
Pickthall He said: O Iblis! What aileth thee that thou art not among the prostrate?
Yuksel He said, "O Satan, what is the matter that you are not with the prostrators?"
Transliteration Qa_la ya_ iblisu ma_ laka alla_ taku_na ma'as sa_jidin(a).
15: 33
Pickthall He said: Why should I prostrate myself unto a mortal whom Thou hast created out of potter's clay of black mud altered?
Yuksel He said, "I am not to prostrate to a human You have created from a hardened clay of aged mud."
Transliteration Qa_la lam akul li'asjuda li basyarin khalaqtahu_ min salsa_lim min hama'im masnu_n(in).
15: 34
Pickthall He said: Then go thou forth from hence, for verily thou art outcast.
Yuksel 15:34 He said, "Exit from here, you are cast out."
Transliteration Qa_la fa-khruj minha_ fa innaka rajim(uw),
15: 35
Pickthall And lo! the curse shall be upon thee till the Day of Judgment.
Yuksel 15:35 "A curse shall be upon you until the day of judgment."
Transliteration Wa inna 'alaikal la'nata ila_ yaumid din(i).
15: 36
Pickthall He said: My Lord! Reprieve me till the day when they are raised.
Yusel 15:36 He said, "My Lord, respite me until the day they are resurrected."
Transliteration Qa_la rabbi fa anzirni ila_ yaumi yub'asu_n(a).
15: 37
Pickthall He said: Then lo! thou art of those reprieved
Yuksel 15:37 He said, "You are given respite,"
Transliteration Qa_la fa innaka minal munzarin(a),
15: 38
Pickthall Till an appointed time.
Yuksel 15:38 "Until the day of the appointed time."
Transliteration Ila_ yaumil waqtil ma'lu_m(i).
15: 39 Satan's Limited Power
Pickthall He said: My Lord, Because Thou has sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and shall mislead them every one.
Yuksel 15:39 He said, "My Lord, you sent me astray, I will make the earth appear beautiful for them, and I will mislead them all,"
Transliteration Qa_la rabbi bima_ agwaitani la uzayyinanna lahum fil ardi wa la'ugwiyannahum ajma'in(a),
15: 40
Pickthall Save such of them as are Thy perfectly devoted slaves.
Yuksel "Except Your devoted servants."
Transliteration Illa_ 'iba_daka minhumul mukhlasin(a).
15: 41
Pickthall He said: This is a right course incumbent upon Me:
Yuksel 15:41 He said, "This is a straight path to Me."
Transliteration Qa_la ha_za_ sira_tun 'alayya mustaqim(un).
15: 42
Pickthall Lo! as for My slaves, thou hast no power over any of them save such of the froward as follow thee,
Yuksel "For My servants, you shall have no authority over them, except those who are misled and follow you."
Transliteration Inna 'iba_di laisa laka 'alaihim sulta_nun illa_ man-ittaba'aka minal ga_win(a).
15: 43
Pickthall And lo! for all such, hell will be the promised place.
Transliteration Wa inna jahannama lamau'iduhum ajma'in(a),
15: 44
Pickthall It hath seven gates, and each gate hath an appointed portion.
Transliteration Laha_ sab'atu abwa_b(in), likulli ba_bim minhum juz'um maqsu_m(un).
[[ Ali’s notes - 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)
1969 Cf. n. 49 to ii. 34. (15.31)
1970 Iblis: the name has in it the root-idea of desperateness or rebellion. Cf. n. 52 to ii. 36. (15.31)
1971 Apparently Iblis's arrogance had two grounds: (1) that man was made of clay while he was made of fire; (2) that he did not wish to do what others did. Both grounds were false; (1) because man had the spirit of Allah breathed into him; (2) because contempt of the angels who obeyed Allah's words showed not Iblis's superiority but his inferiority. (15.31)
1972 After the Day of Judgment the whole constitution of the universe will be different. There will be a new world altogether, on a wholly different plane. (Cf. xxi. 104). (15.35)
1973 What was this respite? The curse on Iblis remained, i.e. he was deprived of Allah's grace and became in the spiritual world what an outlaw is in a political kingdom. An earthly kingdom may not be able to catch and destroy an outlaw. But Allah is Omnipotent, and such power as Iblis may have can only come through the respite granted by Allah. The respite then is what is expressed in xv. 39 below. In Allah's grant of limited free-will to man is implied the faculty of choosing between good and evil, and the faculty is exercised through the temptations and allurements put forward by Satan, "the open enemy" of man. This is for the period of man's probation on this earth. Even so, no temptations have power over the sincere worshippers of Allah, who are purified by His grace. (15.36)
1974 Agwaitani: 'thrown me out of the way, put me in the wrong': Cf. vii. 16. Satan cannot be straight or truthful even before Allah. By his own arrogance and rebellion he fell; he attributes this to Allah. Between Allah's righteous judgment and Satan's snares and temptations there cannot be the remotest comparison. Yet he presumes to put them on an equal footing. He is taking advantage of the respite. (15.39)
1975 Iblis (the Satan) is powerless against Allah. He turns therefore against man. (15.39)
1976 To be sincere in the worship of Allah is to obtain purification from all stain of evil and exemption from all influence of evil. It changes the whole nature of man. After that, evil cannot touch him. Evil will acknowledge him to be beyond its power and will not even tempt him. Apart from such purified souls, everyone who worships Allah invites Allah's grace to protect him. But if he puts himself in the way of wrong and deliberately chooses evil, he must take the consequences. The blame is not even on Satan, the power of evil, it is on the sinner himself, who puts himself into his power; xiv. 22: xv. 42. (15.41)
1977 The ways of sin are numerous, and if they are classified into seven, each of them points to a Gate that leads to Hell. (15.44) ]]
[[ 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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17. [al-Israa, Mecca # 50 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا
لِلْمَلآئِكَةِ
اسْجُدُواْ
لآدَمَ ...
17: 61. Behold! We said to the angels: "Bow down unto Adam":
C2251. Cf. 7:11-18, which deals, as is the case here, with the temptation of the individual human soul, while 2:30-38 deals with the collective race of man through Adam. Arrogance, jealousy, spite, and hatred are the ingredients in the story of Iblis.
... فَسَجَدُواْ إَلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ...
they bowed down except Iblis:
...قَالَ أَأَسْجُدُ لِمَنْ خَلَقْتَ طِينًا ﴿٦١﴾
he said,
"Shall I bow down to one whom Thou didst create from clay?"
قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَكَ
هَـذَا الَّذِي
كَرَّمْتَ
عَلَيَّ...
17: 62. He said,
"Seest Thou? This is the one whom thou hast honored above me!
...لَئِنْ أَخَّرْتَنِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لأَحْتَنِكَنَّ ذُرِّيَّتَهُ إَلاَّ قَلِيلاً ﴿٦٢﴾
If Thou wilt but respite me to the Day of Judgment, I will surely bring his descendants under my sway -- all but a few!"
C2252. The power of Evil (Satan) over man is due to man's limited free-will.
In other words man hands himself to Evil. As to those who loyally worship and serve Allah, Evil has no power over them.
This is expressly mentioned in verse 65 below, and in other places.
17: 63. Allah said:
"Go thy way;
C2253. The power of Evil is summarily dismissed, but not without a clear warning.
"Do thy worst; if any of them misuse their limited free-will and deliberately follow thee, they must take the consequences with thee; all of you must answer according to your personal responsibility."
... فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمْ جَزَاء مَّوْفُورًا ﴿٦٣﴾
if any of them follow thee, verily Hell will be the recompense of you (all) -- an ample recompense.
وَاسْتَفْزِزْ
مَنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ
مِنْهُمْ ...
17: 64. "Lead to destruction those whom thou canst among them,
C2254. "Do thy worst; but ye are both warned that that path leads to destruction."
... بِصَوْتِكَ...
with thy (seductive) voice;
C2255. Evil has many snares for mankind. The one that is put in the foreground is the voice,
- the seductive personal appeal, that "makes the worse appear the better part".
...وَأَجْلِبْ عَلَيْهِم بِخَيْلِكَ وَرَجِلِكَ...
make assaults on them with thy cavalry and thy infantry;
C2256. The forcible assault of Evil is next mentioned under the metaphor of cavalry and infantry.
It is when cajolery and tempting fair-seeming seem to fail that an attack is made in force with weapons of violence, of all kinds, like the different arms in an organized army.
...وَشَارِكْهُمْ فِي الأَمْوَالِ وَالأَوْلادِ وَعِدْهُمْ...
mutually share with them wealth and children; and make promises to them.
C2257. If the first assaults are resisted. Evil has other weapons in its armoury.
- Tangible fruits are dangled before the eyes, ill-gotten gains and children of sin, that follow from certain very alluring methods of indulgence in passions.
- Or it may be children dedicated to sin or worldly gains, etc. And then there are all kinds of promises for the future.
...وَمَا يَعِدُهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ إِلاَّ غُرُورًا ﴿٦٤﴾
But Satan promises them nothing but deceit.
C2258. This is a parenthetical clause inserted to show up what the promises of the Satan are worth.
إِنَّ عِبَادِي
لَيْسَ لَكَ
عَلَيْهِمْ
سُلْطَانٌ...
17: 65. "As for My servants, no authority shalt thou have over them."
C2259. This verse should be read along with the two preceding ones to complete their meaning. Evil has no power except over those who yield to its solicitations.
...وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ وَكِيلاً ﴿٦٥﴾
Enough is thy Lord for a Disposer of affairs.
C2260. As Evil has no authority over the sincere servants of Allah, they should put their trust completely in Him. For He is All-Sufficient to carry out their affairs, and by His grace, to save them from all harm and danger.
Other Versions:
17: 61
Pickthall And when We said unto the angels: Fall down prostrate before Adam and they fell prostrate all save Iblis, he said: Shall I fall prostrate before that which Thou hast created of clay?
Transliteration Wa iz qulna_ lil mala_'ikati-sjudu_ li a_dama fasajadu_ illa_ iblis(a), qa_la a'asjudu liman khalaqta tina_(n).
17: 62
Asad [And] he added: “Tell me, is this [foolish delight] the one whom You have exalted above me? ……..I shall most certainly cause his descendants – all but a few – to obey me blindly! [note 76].
Pickthall He said: Seest Thou this (creature) whom Thou hast honored above me, if Thou give me grace until the Day of Resurrection I verily will seize his seed, save but a few.
Yuksel He said, "Shall I show You this one whom You have preferred over me, that if You respite me until the day of Resurrection, I will destroy his progeny, except for a few."
Transliteration Qa_la ara'aitaka ha_zal lazi karramta 'alayya la'in akhkhartani ila_ yaumil qiya_mati la'ahtanikanna zurriyyatahu_ illa_ qalila_(n).
[[ Asad’s note 76 – Cf. 7:16-17. The verb “hanaka” denotes, literally, : he put a rope around the lower jaw” (hanak) [of a horse]”, i.e., in order to lead it; hence, the form ihtanaka means “he made [another being follow him submissively” or “obey him blindly”.
17: 63
Asad [God] answered: “Go! But as for such of them as shall follow you – behold, hell will be the recompense of you [all]’ a recompense most ample!
Pickthall He said: Go, and whosoever of them followeth thee--lo! Hell will be your payment, ample payment.
Transliteration Qa_la-zhab faman tabi'aka minhum fa inna jahannama jaza_'ukum jaza_'am maufu_ra_(n).
17: 64
Asad Entice, then, with your voice such of them you can, and bear upon them with all your horses and all your men, and be their partner in worldly goods and children, ………
Pickthall And excite any of them whom thou canst with thy voice, and urge thy horse and foot against them, and be a partner in their wealth and children, and promise them. Satan promiseth them only to deceive.
Transliteration Wa-stafziz man-istata'ta minhum bi sautika wa ajlib 'alaihim bi khailika wa rajilika wa sya_rik-hum fil amwa_li wal aula_di wa 'idhum, wa ma_ ya'iduhumusy syaita_nu illa_ guru_ra_(n).
17: 65
Asad “Behold, you shall have no power over My servants: for none is as worthy of trust as your Sustainer.”
Pickthall Lo! My (faithful) bondmen--over them thou hast no power,--and your Lord sufficed as (their) guardian.
Inna 'iba_di laisa laka 'alaihim sulta_n(un), wa kafa_ bi rabbika wakila_(n).
[[ Ali’s Notes - 2251 Cf. vii. 11-18, which deals, as is the case here, with the temptation of the individual human soul, while ii. 30-38 deals with the collective race of man through Adam. Arrogance, jealousy, spite, and hatred are the ingredients in the story of Iblis. (17.61)
2252 The power of Evil (Satan) over man is due to man's limited free-will. In other words man hands himself to Evil. As to those who loyally worship and serve Allah, Evil has no power over them. This is expressly mentioned in verse 65 below, and in other places. (17.62)
2253 The power of Evil is summarily dismissed, but not without a clear warning. "Do thy worst; if any of them misuse their limited free-will and deliberately follow thee, they must take the consequences with thee; all of you must answer according to your personal responsibility." (17.63)
2254 "Do thy worst; but ye are both warned that that path leads to destruction." (17.64)
2255 Evil has many snares for mankind. The one that is put in the foreground is the voice,-the seductive personal appeal, that "makes the worse appear the better part". (17.64)
2256 The forcible assault of Evil is next mentioned under the metaphor of cavalry and infantry. It is when cajolery and tempting fair-seeming seem to fail that an attack is made in force with weapons of violence, of all kinds, like the different arms in an organised army. (17.64)
2257 If the first assaults are resisted. Evil has other weapons in its armoury. Tangible fruits are dangled before the eyes, ill-gotten gains and children of sin, that follow from certain very alluring methods of indulgence in passions. Or it may be children dedicated to sin or worldly gains, etc. And then there are all kinds of promises for the future. (17.64)
2258 This is a parenthetical clause inserted to show up what the promises of the Satan are worth. (17.64)
2259 This verse should be read along with the two preceding ones to complete their meaning. Evil has no power except over those who yield to its solicitations. (17.65)
2260 As Evil has no authority over the sincere servants of Allah, they should put their trust completely in Him. For He is All-Sufficient to carry out their affairs, and by His grace, to save them from all harm and danger. (17.65) ]]
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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. Sura Taha
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.
إِنَّ
لَكَ أَلَّا
تَجُوعَ فِيهَا
وَلَا تَعْرَى ﴿١١٨﴾
20: 118. "There is therein (enough provision) for thee not to go hungry nor to go naked,
C2642. Not only had the warning been given that Satan is an enemy to man and will effect his destruction, but it was clearly pointed out that all his needs were being met in the Garden of Happiness. Food and clothing, drink and shelter, were amply provided for.
وَأَنَّكَ
لَا تَظْمَأُ
فِيهَا وَلَا
تَضْحَى ﴿١١٩﴾
20: 119. "Nor to suffer from thirst, nor from the sun's heat."
فَوَسْوَسَ
إِلَيْهِ
الشَّيْطَانُ...
20: 120. But Satan whispered evil to him:
قَالَ يَا آدَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لَّا يَبْلَى ﴿١٢٠﴾
he said, "O Adam! shall I lead thee to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?"
C2643. The suggestion of Satan is clever, as it always is: it is false, and at the same time plausible.
It is false, because;
- that felicity was not temporary, like the life of this world, and
- they were supreme in the Garden, and a "kingdom" such as was dangled before them would only add to their sorrows.
It was plausible, because;
- nothing had been said to them about Eternity, as the opposite of Eternity was not yet known, and
- the sweets of Power arise from the savour of Self, and Self is an alluring (if false) attraction that misleads the Will.
فَأَكَلَا
مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ
لَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا...
20: 121. In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them:
C2644. Hitherto they knew no evil. Now, when disobedience to Allah had sullied their soul and torn off the garment, their sullied Self appeared to themselves in all its nakedness and ugliness, and they had to resort to external things (leaves of the Garden) to cover the shame of their self-consciousness..
...وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ...
they began to sew together, for their covering, leaves from the Garden:
...وَعَصَى آدَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَى ﴿١٢١﴾
thus did Adam disobey His Lord, and allow himself to be seduced.
C2645. Adam had been given the will to choose, and he chose wrong, and was about to be lost when Allah's Grace came to his aid. His repentance was accepted, and Allah chose him for His Mercy, as stated in the next verse.
ثُمَّ
اجْتَبَاهُ
رَبُّهُ فَتَابَ
عَلَيْهِ
وَهَدَى ﴿١٢٢﴾
20: 122. But his Lord chose him (for His Grace):
He turned to him, and gave him guidance.
قَالَ اهْبِطَا
مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا
بَعْضُكُمْ
لِبَعْضٍ
عَدُوٌّ...
20: 123. He said:
"Get ye down, both of you -- all together, from the Garden, with enmity one to another;
C2646. The little variations between this passage and 2:38 are instructive, as showing how clearly the particular argument is followed in each case.
Here ihbita ('get ye down') is in the dual number, and refers to the two individual souls, our common ancestors.
in 2:38 ihbita is in the plural number, to include all mankind and Satan, for the argument is about the collective life of man.
On the other hand, "all together" includes Satan, the spirit of evil, and the enmity "one to another" refers to the eternal feud between Man and Satan, between our better and Evil.
...فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَى ﴿١٢٣﴾
but if, as is sure, there comes to you guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery.
C2647. For the same reason as in the last note, we have here the consequences of Guidance to the individual, viz.: being saved from going astray or from falling into misery and despair.
In 2:38, the consequences expressed, though they apply to the individual, are also appropriate taken collectively: "on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve."
وَمَنْ
أَعْرَضَ عَن
ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ
لَهُ مَعِيشَةً
ضَنكًا...
20: 124. "But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down,
...وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَى ﴿١٢٤﴾
and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment."
C2648. Again, as in the last two verses, there is a variation from the previous passage (2:39).
The consequences of the rejection of Allah's guidance are here expressed more individually: a life narrowed down, and a blindness that will persist beyond this life.
"A life narrowed down" has many implications:
- it is a life from which all the beneficent influences of Allah's wide world are excluded;
- in looking exclusively to the "good things" of this life, it misses the true Reality.
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 this garden and render thee unhappy. 104
(20:118) Behold, it is provided for thee that thou shalt not hunger here or feel naked, 105
(20:119) and that thou shalt not thirst here or suffer from the heat of the sun."
[[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) ]]
100 Lit., "be not hasty with the Qur'an" (see next note).
101 Although it is very probable that - as most of the classical commentators point out - this exhortation was in the first instance addressed to the Prophet Muhammad, there is no doubt that it applies to
every person, at all times, who reads the Qur'an. The idea underlying the above verse may be summed up thus: Since the Qur'an is the Word of God, all its component parts - phrases, sentences, verses
and surahs - form one integral, coordinated whole (cf the last sentence of 25 :32 and the corresponding note 27). Hence, if one is really intent on understanding the Qur'anic message, one must beware of
a "hasty approach" - that is to say, of drawing hasty conclusions from isolated verses or sentences taken out of their context - but should, rather, allow the whole of the Qur'an to be revealed to
one's mind before attempting to interpret single aspects of its message. (See also 75:16-19 and
the corresponding notes.)
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.
103 See 2:30-34 and the corresponding notes, especially 23, 25 and 26, as well as note 31 on 15:41. Since - as I have shown in those notes - the faculty of conceptual thinking is man's outstanding endowment, his "forgetting" God's commandment - resulting from a lack of all "firmness of purpose"
in the domain of ethics - is an evidence of the moral weakness characteristic of the human race (cf. 4:28 - "man has been created weak"): and this, in its turn, explains maris dependence on
unceasing divine guidance, as pointed out in verse 113 above.
1 04 Lit. , " so that thou wilt become unhappy" . Regarding the significance of "the garden" spoken of here, see surah 2, note 27.
105 Lit., "be naked": but in view of the statement inverse 121 (as well as in 7:22) to the effect that only after their fall from grace did Adam and Eve become "conscious of their nakedness", it is but logical to assume that the words "that thou shalt not... be naked" have a spiritual significance, implying that man, in his original state of innocence, would not feel naked despite all absence of clothing. (For the deeper implications of this allegory, see note 14 on 7:20.)
20:120
But Satan whispered unto him, saying: "O Adam! Shall I lead thee to the tree of life eternal;
and [thus] to a kingdom that will never decay?" 106
20:121
And so the two ate [of the fruit] thereof: and thereupon they became conscious of their nakedness and began to cover themselves with pieced-together leaves from the garden. And [thus] did Adam disobey his Sustainer, and thus did he fall into grievous error. 107
20:122
Thereafter, [however,) his Sustainer elected him [for His grace], and accepted his repentance,and bestowed His guidance upon him,
(20:123) saying: "Down with you all 108 from this [state of innocence, and be henceforth] enemies unto one another! None the less, there shall most certainly come unto you guidance from Me: and he who follows My guidance will not go astray, and neither will he be unhappy.
(20:124) But as for him who shall turn away from remembering Me - his shall be a life of narrow scope; 109 and on the Day of Resurrection We shall raise him up blind. "
106 This symbolic tree is designated in the Bible as "the tree of life" and "the tree of knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis ii, 9), while in the above Qur'anic account Satan speaks of it as "the tree of life eternal (al-khuld)". Seeing that Adam and Eve did not achieve immortality despite their tasting the forbidden fruit, it is obvious that Satan's suggestion was, as it always is, deceptive. On the other hand, the Qur'an tells us nothing about the real nature of that "tree" beyond pointing out that it was Satan who described it - falsely - as "the tree of immortality" : and so we may assume that the forbidden tree is simply an allegory of the limits which the Creator has set to man's desires and actions: limits beyond which he may not go without offending against his own, God-willed nature. Man's desire for immortality on earth implies a wishful denial of death and resurrection, and thus of the ultimate reality of what the Qur'an describes as "the hereafter" or "the life to come" (al-akhirah). This desire is intimately connected with Satan's insinuation that it is within man's reach to become the master of "a kingdom that will never decay" : in other words, to become "free" of all limitations and thus, in the last resort, of the very concept of God - the only concept which endows human life with real meaning and purpose.
107 Regarding the symbolism of Adam and Eve's becoming "conscious of their nakedness", see note 105 above as well as the reference, in 7:26-27, to "the garment of God-consciousness", the loss of whichmade man's ancestors "aware of their nakedness", i.e., of their utter helplessness and, hence, their dependence on God.
108 See surah 7, note 16.
109 I.e., sterile and spiritually narrow, without any real meaning or purpose: and this, as is indicated in the subsequent clause, will be a source of their suffering in the hereafter.
===================================
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.
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!"
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.
