15. Surah Al Hijr

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الإِنسَانَ مِن صَلْصَالٍ مِّنْ حَمَإٍ مَّسْنُونٍ ﴿٢٦﴾   

15: 26.  We created man from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape;

C1966. Salsal.- dry clay which produces a sound, like pottery. Cf. 55:14.

Taking verses 26 and 29 together, I understand the meaning to be:

-        that man's body was formed from wet clay molded into shape and then dried until it could emit sound;

-        that it was then further fashioned and completed;

-        that into the animal form thus fashioned was breathed the spirit from Allah, which gave it a superiority over other Creation: and

-        that the order for obeisance was then given.

وَالْجَآنَّ خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن قَبْلُ مِن نَّارِ السَّمُومِ ﴿٢٧﴾   

15: 27.   And the Jinn race, We had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind.

C1967. Cf. 6:100 and .

Hidden or invisible forces are aptly typified as arising "from the fire of scorching winds."

Other Versions:

15: 26

Pickthall Verily We created man of potter's clay of black mud altered,

Yuksel We have created the human being from hardened clay of aged mud.*

Transliteration Wa laqad khalaqnal insa_na min salsa_lim min hama'im masnu_n(in).

15: 27

Pickthall And the jinn did We create aforetime of essential fire.

Yuksel The Jinn, We created him before that from the flames of fire.

Transliteration Wal ja_nna khalaqna_hu min qablu min na_ris samu_m(i).

[[ Ali’s notes - 1966 Salsal.- dry clay which produces a sound, like pottery. Cf. iv. 14. Taking verses 26 and 29 together, I understand the meaning to be: that man's body was formed from wet clay moulded into shape and then dried until it could emit sound; that it was then further fashioned and completed; that into the animal form thus fashioned was breathed the spirit from Allah, which gave it a superiority over other Creation: and that the order for obeisance was then given. (15.26)

1967 Cf. vi. 100 and n. 929. (15.27) ]]