سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 34
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ﴿34﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam.". And they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allâh).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذْ
wa-idh
And when
قُلْنَا
qul'nā
We said
لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
lil'malāikati
to the angels
ٱسْجُدُوا۟
us'judū
Prostrate
لِـَٔادَمَ
liādama
to Adam
فَسَجَدُوٓا۟
fasajadū
[so] they prostrated
إِلَّآ
illā
except
إِبْلِيسَ
ib'līsa
Iblis
أَبَىٰ
abā
He refused
وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ
wa-is'takbara
and was arrogant
وَكَانَ
wakāna
and became
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
l-kāfirīna
the disbelievers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 34) ➊ The first virtue of Adam (peace be upon him) was the manifestation of knowledge, now this is the second honor that the angels were commanded to prostrate before him. This was not merely to show respect or obedience, but rather to place their foreheads on the ground, because this is the real meaning of prostration. This was not a prostration of worship, because worshiping other than Allah is shirk, which was never permitted in any nation, so how could Allah command the angels to commit shirk? Rather, this was a prostration of respect, which was permissible in previous nations, but is forbidden in our nation, just as in some previous nations marriage to a sister was permissible, but is now forbidden.
Abdullah bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when Muadh (may Allah be pleased with him) returned from Syria, he prostrated to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Muadh! What is this?" He said, "I went to Syria and saw them prostrating to their priests and leaders, so I wished in my heart that we should do the same with you." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not do this, for if I were to command anyone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have commanded a woman to prostrate to her husband." [ ابن ماجہ، النکاح، باب حق الزوج علی المرأۃ : ۱۸۵۳] But alas, ignorant Sufis and common people, when they visit the saints, prostrate to them, and they too remain silent and encourage them in this.
➋ Iblis was not an angel but was from the jinn. [ الکہف : ۵۰ ] Here, the command to the angels to prostrate does not mean that Iblis was an angel, nor that he was not commanded, rather the matter is stated briefly here. In Surah Al-A'raf (12) there is detail that Allah, besides the angels, specifically commanded Iblis to prostrate, saying: { « مَا مَنَعَكَ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ اِذْ اَمَرْتُكَ » } [ الأعراف : ۱۲ ] "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?"
The cause of Iblis's refusal was his arrogance. Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He will not enter Paradise who has even an atom's weight of arrogance in his heart." [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب تحریم الکبر و بیانہ : ۹۱ ]
Abdullah bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when Muadh (may Allah be pleased with him) returned from Syria, he prostrated to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Muadh! What is this?" He said, "I went to Syria and saw them prostrating to their priests and leaders, so I wished in my heart that we should do the same with you." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not do this, for if I were to command anyone to prostrate to other than Allah, I would have commanded a woman to prostrate to her husband." [ ابن ماجہ، النکاح، باب حق الزوج علی المرأۃ : ۱۸۵۳] But alas, ignorant Sufis and common people, when they visit the saints, prostrate to them, and they too remain silent and encourage them in this.
➋ Iblis was not an angel but was from the jinn. [ الکہف : ۵۰ ] Here, the command to the angels to prostrate does not mean that Iblis was an angel, nor that he was not commanded, rather the matter is stated briefly here. In Surah Al-A'raf (12) there is detail that Allah, besides the angels, specifically commanded Iblis to prostrate, saying: { « مَا مَنَعَكَ اَلَّا تَسْجُدَ اِذْ اَمَرْتُكَ » } [ الأعراف : ۱۲ ] "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?"
The cause of Iblis's refusal was his arrogance. Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He will not enter Paradise who has even an atom's weight of arrogance in his heart." [ مسلم، الإیمان، باب تحریم الکبر و بیانہ : ۹۱ ]
