Surah Al Isra Tafseer

The Story of Adam and Iblis

Allah tells:

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَليِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لادَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إَلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ

And (remember) when We said to the angels:"Prostrate yourselves unto Adam." They prostrated themselves except Iblis.

Allah mentions here the enmity of Iblis, may the curse of Allah be upon him and his progeny. This is an ancient hatred, dating from the time that Allah created Adam, when He commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam, and all of them prostrated except Iblis, who was too arrogant and he haughtily refused to prostrate to him. He said in a tone indicating contempt:

قَالَ أَأَسْجُدُ لِمَنْ خَلَقْتَ طِينًا

He said:"Shall I prostrate myself to one whom You created from clay!"

According to another Ayah, he said:

أَنَاْ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ

I am better than he. You created me from fire, and You created him from clay. (7:12)

He also said, speaking to the Lord with disbelief and insolence, but the Lord bore it patiently:

قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَكَ هَـذَا الَّذِي كَرَّمْتَ عَلَيَّ