“Indeed, He is All-Wise”: He places all things in their proper places, assigns them their appropriate stations, and requites every doer according to his deeds—good for good and evil for evil.

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[26–44] “Indeed, We created man from sounding clay made from altered mud. And We created the jinn before him from scorching fire. And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I am creating a human being from sounding clay made from altered mud. When I have fashioned him fully and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down before him in prostration.’ So the angels all prostrated together, except Iblis, who refused to be among those who prostrated.”

The Exalted mentions His favor and kindness toward our father Adam, peace be upon him, and what occurred with his enemy Iblis. This also contains a warning to us against Iblis’s evil and temptation. The Exalted said: “Indeed, We created man”—that is, Adam, peace be upon him—“from sounding clay made from altered mud”; that is, from clay that had dried after being left to age until it produced a ringing sound like pottery. Altered mud is clay whose color and odor have changed from remaining so long.

“And the jinn”—the forefather of the jinn, namely Iblis—“We created before” Adam “from scorching fire”; that is, from intensely hot fire. When Allah willed to create Adam, He said to the angels: “I am creating a human being from sounding clay made from altered mud. When I have fashioned him fully”—as a complete body—“and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down before him in prostration.” They therefore obeyed their Lord’s command.

“So the angels all prostrated together.” This is emphasis upon emphasis, indicating that not one of them held back. They did so in reverence for Allah’s command and in honor of Adam, who knew what they did not know.

“Except Iblis, who refused to be among those who prostrated.” This was the beginning of his enmity toward Adam and his descendants.