(14–16) “He created humankind from sounding clay like pottery, * and He created the jinn from a flame of fire. * Which, then, of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?”

This is among the blessings He, Most High, has bestowed upon His servants, for He showed them [some] signs of His power and wondrous workmanship: He “created” the father of humankind, Adam—peace be upon him—“from sounding clay like pottery”; that is, from wet clay that had been thoroughly and carefully moistened until it dried and produced a ringing sound resembling that of pottery fired in a kiln (1).

“And He created the jinn”; that is, the father of the jinn, namely the accursed Iblis (2), “from a flame of fire”; that is, from a pure flame of fire, or one mixed with smoke. This demonstrates the nobility of the human element, created from clay and earth, which are characterized by steadiness, gravity, and usefulness, in contrast to the element of the jinn—fire—which is characterized by lightness, recklessness, evil, and corruption.

After explaining the creation of humans and jinn and the substance from which they were created (3)—this being a favor from Him [Most High] ⦗830⦘ to His servants (4)—He said: “Which, then, of your Lord’s favors will you both deny?”