سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 12
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن سُلَـٰلَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ ﴿12﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And indeed
خَلَقْنَا
khalaqnā
We created
ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ
l-insāna
the humankind
مِن
min
from
سُلَـٰلَةٍۢ
sulālatin
an essence
مِّن
min
of
طِينٍۢ
ṭīnin
clay
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
12. And indeed, We created man from an extract of clay [11].
[11]
The Creation of Man and the Meaning of the Essence of Clay:
﴿سلاَلَةٌ﴾ means extract, essence, quintessence, the useful part taken out from anything (Mufradat al-Quran). There can be two meanings of creating man from the extract of clay: one is that the figure of Adam ؑ was made from clay. First, it was dry clay. Then water was added to it, so it became mud. Then it was left to ferment, which caused it to develop a smell. Then it was kneaded, and its sticky and adhesive part was taken, and it was dried. Then it was heated until it began to sound like pottery. Just as clay pots and their various shapes are made and baked in fire, and only the sticky and useful part of the clay is used in them. From this very clay, the figure of Adam ؑ was prepared, into which Allah breathed into it from His spirit, and thus a living, breathing human came into existence. After that, the progeny of Adam continued through procreation and sperm. The second meaning is that sperm itself is formed in the human body from the very foods that are obtained from the earth. In this sense, sperm is ultimately also the essence of the earth.
[11]
The Creation of Man and the Meaning of the Essence of Clay:
﴿سلاَلَةٌ﴾ means extract, essence, quintessence, the useful part taken out from anything (Mufradat al-Quran). There can be two meanings of creating man from the extract of clay: one is that the figure of Adam ؑ was made from clay. First, it was dry clay. Then water was added to it, so it became mud. Then it was left to ferment, which caused it to develop a smell. Then it was kneaded, and its sticky and adhesive part was taken, and it was dried. Then it was heated until it began to sound like pottery. Just as clay pots and their various shapes are made and baked in fire, and only the sticky and useful part of the clay is used in them. From this very clay, the figure of Adam ؑ was prepared, into which Allah breathed into it from His spirit, and thus a living, breathing human came into existence. After that, the progeny of Adam continued through procreation and sperm. The second meaning is that sperm itself is formed in the human body from the very foods that are obtained from the earth. In this sense, sperm is ultimately also the essence of the earth.
