Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 34

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves before ’Ādam!” So, they prostrated themselves, all but Iblīs (Satan). He refused, and became one of the infidels.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And ˹remember˺ when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,”[[ Prostration in this verse does not mean worship, but an act of respect. A similar occurrence can be found in Sûrah 12, where Jacob (ﷺ), his wife, and his eleven children knelt down before Joseph (ﷺ).]] so they all did—but not Iblîs,[[ Iblîs was the name of Satan before his fall from grace. Iblîs was not an angel, but one of the jinn (see {18:50}). Jinn are another creation of Allah, similar to humans in that they—unlike angels—have free will, but are made of smokeless fire and live in another plane of existence.]] who refused and acted arrogantly,[[ The command to prostrate was a test of obedience. Satan arrogantly refused to comply because he believed he was superior to Adam—arguing that Adam was made of mud while Satan was made of fire (see {7:12}).]] becoming unfaithful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” and they prostrated except Iblīs; he refused and was arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers.

A. J. Arberry

And when We said to the angels, 'Bow yourselves to Adam'; so they bowed themselves, save Iblis; he refused, and waxed proud, and so he became one of the unbelievers.

Abdul Haleem

When We told the angels, ‘Bow down before Adam,’ they all bowed. But not Iblis, who refused and was arrogant: he was one of the disobedient.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time We said unto the angels: prostrate yourselves before Adam, they prostrated themselves; but not Iblis he refused and was stiff - necked and became of the infidels.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And behold, We said to the angels; "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis; he refused and was haughty; He was of those who reject Faith.

Abul Ala Maududi

Then We commanded the angels, "Bow yourselves to Adam. "All bowed but Iblis refused to do so; he waxed proud and joined the defiers.

Ahmed Ali

Remember, when We asked the angels to bow in homage to Adam, they all bowed but Iblis, who disdained and turned insolent, and so became a disbeliever.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And (remember) when We ordered the angels to prostrate before Adam, so they all prostrated, except Iblis (Satan – devil); he refused and was proud – and became a disbeliever.

Ali Quli Qarai

And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, but not Iblis: he refused and acted arrogantly, and he was one of the faithless.

Ali Ünal

And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate before Adam!" They all prostrated, but Iblis did not; he refused, and grew arrogant, and displayed himself as an unbeliever.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And (recall) when We said to the angels, `Make obeisance to Adam.´ So they obeyed except Iblîs, he refused stubbornly and waxed proud, and he was already one of the disbelievers.

English Literal

And when We said to the angels: "Prostrate to Adam." So they prostrated except Satan , he refused/hated and became arrogant, and he was from the disbelievers.

Faridul Haque

And (remember) when We ordered the angels to prostrate before Adam, so they all prostrated, except Iblis (Satan - devil); he refused and was proud - and became a disbeliever.

Hamid S. Aziz

And when we said to the angels, "Bow down before Adam," they bowed before him save only Iblis, who refused and was too proud and became one of the disbelievers.

Hilali & Khan

And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam.". And they prostrated except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And when We said to the angels, Be submissive to Adam, they submitted, but Iblis (did not). He refused and was proud, and he was one of the disbelievers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance, but Iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when We said unto the angels: Prostrate yourselves before Adam, they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He demurred through pride, and so became a disbeliever.

Muhammad Sarwar

When We told the angels to prostrate before Adam, they all obeyed except Iblis (Satan) who abstained out of pride and so he became one of those who deny the truth.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when We said to the angels: 'Prostrate (to Me) yourselves towards Adam,' they all prostrated themselves except iblis (satan, father of the jinn), who, in his pride refused and became an unbeliever.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam." And they prostrated except Iblis (Shaytan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah).

Wahiduddin Khan

When We said to the angels, "Bow down before Adam," they all bowed except for Iblis [Satan]. He refused and acted proudly and became an unbeliever.

Talal Itani

And We said to the angels, “Bow down to Adam.” They bowed down, except for Satan. He refused, was arrogant, and was one of the disbelievers.

Tafsir jalalayn

And, mention, when We said to the angels, `Prostrate yourselves to Adam', a prostration that is a bow of salutation; so they prostrated themselves, except Ibls, the father of the jinn, who was among the angels, he refused, to prostrate, and disdained, became proud and said, I am better than he [Q. 7;12]; and so he became one of the disbelievers, according to God's knowledge.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Honoring Adam when the Angels prostrated before Him

Allah tells;

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَيِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لادَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ



And (remember) when We said to the angels;"Prostrate yourselves before Adam." And they prostrated except Iblis (Shaytan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah).

This Ayah mentions the great honor that Allah granted Adam, and Allah reminded Adam's offspring of this fact.

Allah commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, as this Ayah and many Hadiths testify, such as the Hadith about the intercession that we discussed.

There is a Hadith about the supplication of Musa,

"O my Lord! Show me Adam who caused us and himself to be thrown out of Paradise."

When Musa met Adam, he said to him, "Are you Adam whom Allah created with His Own Hands, blew life into and commanded the angels to prostrate before!"

Iblis was among Those ordered to prostrate before Adam, although He was not an Angel

When Allah commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, Iblis was included in this command. Although Iblis was not an angel, he was trying - and pretending - to imitate the angels' behavior and deeds, and this is why he was also included in the command to the angels to prostrate before Adam.

Satan was criticized for defying that command, as we will explain with detail, Allah willing, when we mention the Tafsir of Allah's statement,
إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِ
(Except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the Jinn; he disobeyed the command of his Lord), (18;50).

Similarly, Muhammad bin Ishaq reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"Before he undertook the path of sin, Iblis was with the angels and was called `Azazil.' He was among the residents of the earth and was one of the most active worshippers and knowledgeable persons among the angels. This fact caused him to be arrogant. Iblis was from a genus called Jinn."
The Prostration was before Adam but the Obedience was to Allah

Qatadah commented on Allah's statement,
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَيِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لادَمَ
(And (remember) when We said to the angels;"Prostrate yourselves before Adam"),

"The obedience was for Allah and the prostration was before Adam. Allah honored Adam and commanded the angels to prostrate before him."

Some people said that this prostration was just a prostration of greeting, peace and honor, hence Allah's statement,

وَرَفَعَ أَبَوَيْهِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَخَرُّواْ لَهُ سُجَّدَا وَقَالَ يأَبَتِ هَـذَا تَأْوِيلُ رُوْيَـى مِن قَبْلُ قَدْ جَعَلَهَا رَبِّى حَقًّا

And he (Prophet Yusuf) raised his parents to the throne and they fell down before him prostrate. And he said;"O my father! This is the interpretation of my dream aforetime! My Lord has made it come true!" (12;100)

The practice of prostrating was allowed for previous nations, but was repealed for ours.

Mu`adh said to the Prophet,

"I visited Ash-Sham and found that they used to prostate before their priests and scholars. You, O Messenger of Allah, are more deserving of prostration."

The Prophet said,

لَاا لَوْ كُنْتُ امِرًا بَشَرًا أنْ يَسْجُدَ لِبَشَرٍ لَااَمَرْتُ الْمَرْأةَ أنْ تَسْجُدَ لِزَوجِهَا مِنْ عِظَمِ حَقِّهِ عَلَيْهَا

No. If I was to command any human to prostrate before another human, I would command the wife to prostrate before her husband because of the enormity of his right on her.

Ar-Razi agreed with this view.

Also, Qatadah said about Allah's statement,
فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ
(And they prostrated except Iblis (Shaytan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah),

"Iblis, the enemy of Allah, envied Adam because Allah honored Adam. He said, `I was created from fire, and he was created from clay.' Therefore, the first error ever committed was arrogance, for the enemy of Allah was too arrogant to prostrate before Adam."

I - Ibn Kathir - say, the following is recorded in the Sahih,

لَاا يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ مَنْ كَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ مِثْقَالُ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ كِبْر

No person who has the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance in his heart shall enter Paradise.

Iblis had disbelief, arrogance, and rebellion, all of which caused him to be expelled from the holy presence of Allah, and His mercy