Surah 15. Al-Hijr

For, no single thing exists that does not have its source with Us;¹⁹ and nought do We bestow from on high unless it be in accordance with a measure well-defined.²⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "but with Us are its storehouses".

Lit., "and We do not send it down [i.e., "create it"] otherwise than according to a measure known [to Us]": that is, in accordance with the exigencies of God's plan as such and with the function which any particular thing or phenomenon is to have within that plan.

There is nothing which is not in Our inexhaustible treasure and sent down in appropriate measure.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

There is not any means 'of sustenance' whose reserves We do not hold, only bringing it forth in precise measure.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And there is not a thing but with Us are the stores thereof. And We send it not down save in appointed measure.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And there is not a thing but its (sources and) treasures (inexhaustible) are with Us; but We only send down thereof in due and ascertainable measures. ^{1958 1959}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Khaza'in: treasures; store-houses; places where valuable things are accumulated, from which supplies are distributed from time to time as need arises.

All the wonderful gifts and forces and energies which we see in the world around us have their sources and fountain-heads with Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the Worlds. And what we see, or perceive or imagine is just a small portion of what exists. That portion is sent out to us and to our world according to our needs or its needs from time to time as the occasion arises. It is strictly limited according to rule and plan. Its source is unlimited and inexhaustible. In the same way the forces which we see operating around us, in nature or in the spiritual world, according to laws which we can grasp and, ascertain, are mere derived forces, in the 2nd, 3rd, or nth degree. Their source and ultimate fountain head is with Allah.

And We let loose the winds to fertilize [plants],²¹ and We send down water from the skies and let you drink thereof: and it is not you who dispose of its source -

  - Mohammad Asad

I.e., by pollination as well as by bringing rain-clouds.

We send the fertilizing winds and send down water from the sky for you to drink; it is not you who hold the storage of this wealth.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We send fertilizing winds, and bring down rain from the sky for you to drink. It is not you who hold its reserves.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And We send the winds fertilizing, and cause water to descend from the sky, and give it you to drink. It is not ye who are the holders of the store thereof.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And We send the fecundating winds then cause the rain to descend from the sky therewith providing you with water (in abundance) though ye are not the guardians of its stores. ^{1960 1961 1962}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Lawaqih, plural of laqih, from laqaha, to impregnate or fecundate the female date-palm by putting the pollen of the male tree on to the ovaries of the female tree. The date palm is uni-sexual. The wind performs this office for many flowers. Here, by a bold metaphor, its fecundating quality is transferred to the clouds, which by means of rain produce all kinds of fruit, grain, and vegetation. The clouds as vapour are manipulated by the winds, which set up atmospheric currents resulting in condensation and the descent of rain. Note the appropriateness of the little article "then", showing the connection of winds with rain.

Cf. the previous verse, and n. 1958. Man may store water in cisterns, tanks, lakes, and head-waters of canals. But he has no control over its original sources, which are the clouds, which by the help of the winds, act as the grand distributors of water over wide spaces of the world's surface.

This verse must be understood as furnishing an example of illustration of what is said in the last verse.

for, behold, it is We - We alone - who grant life and deal death, and it is We alone who shall remain after all else will have passed away!²²

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "We are [or "shall be"] the inheritors (al-warithun)": an idiomatic metaphor based, according to the consensus of all classical commentators, on the use of the term "inheritor" or "heir" in the sense of "one who remains after his predecessor has passed away" - in this case, after all creation has perished. (Cf. the expression "the heritage of the heavens and of the earth" used, with reference to God, in 3:180 and 57:10 .)

Certainly it is We Who give life and cause to die, and We are the inheritors of all.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Surely it is We Who give life and cause death. And We are the 'Eternal' Successor.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 Allah will remain eternally after all pass away.

Lo! and it is We, even We, Who quicken and give death, and We are the Inheritor.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And verily it is We Who give life and who give death: it is We Who remain Inheritors (after all else passes away). ^{1963 1964}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Note how the argument has mounted up from xv. 16 onwards to xv. 23-from things most remote from man to things touching his inmost being, and each of them in its own way is a wonderful instance of Allah's glory and goodness, and the beauty, order and harmony of His creation. First, the heavens, the zodiacal Signs, the stars , and the mysterious phenomena that we see above us; then the earth, and the perfect balance of life and forces therein, with man as an important factor, but not the only factor; then, the inexhaustible sources of energy, of which Allah alone is the Provider, but which come to us in measured proportions, as needed; and lastly, Life and Death itself, which will pass away but Allah will remain. A noble passage, and a fine vindication of Allah's wisdom and providence in dealing with His creatures.

Literally, "We are the Heirs, or Inheritors," Cf. iii. 180; "To Allah belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth." See also the latter part of n. 988 to vi. 165.

And well do We know [the hearts and deeds of all human beings - both] those who lived before you and those who will come after you;²³

  - Mohammad Asad

Or: "those of you who hasten forward [towards Us], and those who lag behind". Both these interpretations are considered equally legitimate by the early commentators.

Certainly We have full knowledge of those who have gone before you and certainly We know those who will come later.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

We certainly know those who have gone before you and those who will come after 'you'.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And verily We know the eager among you and verily We know the laggards.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

To Us are known those of you who hasten forward and those who lag behind. ¹⁹⁶⁵

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Meaning may be: "those who preceded you in point of time and those who come after you in point of time; they are all known to Allah, and He will gather them all together on the Day of Judgment."

and, behold, it is thy Sustainer who will gather them all together [on Judgment Day]: verily, He is wise, all-knowing!

  - Mohammad Asad

Surely your Rabb will gather them together; surely He is Wise, Knowledgeable.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Surely your Lord 'alone' will gather them together 'for judgment'. He is truly All-Wise, All-Knowing.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Lo! thy Lord will gather them together. Lo! He is Wise, Aware.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Assuredly it is thy Lord who will gather them together: for He is Perfect in Wisdom and Knowledge.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

AND, INDEED, We have created man out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted²⁴ -

  - Mohammad Asad

There are many references in the Qur'an to man's having been "created out of clay (tin)" or "out of dust (turab)", both these terms signifying man's lowly biological origins as well as the fact that his body is composed of various organic and inorganic substances existing - in other combinations or in their elementary forms - on or in the earth. The term ,salsal, occurring in three verses of this surah as well as in 55:14 , adds a further dimension to this concept. According to most of the philological authorities, it denotes "dried clay that emits a sound" (i.e., when it is struck); and since it is used in the Qur'an exclusively with reference to the creation of man, it seems to contain an allusion to the power of articulate speech which distinguishes man from all other animal species, as well as to the brittleness of his existence (cf. the expression "like pottery" in 55:14 ). As the construction of the sentence shows, this salsal is stated to have evolved (Razi) out of hama' - which, according to some authorities, is the plural of ham'ah, signifying "dark, fetid mud" or "dark slime" - while the participial adjective masnun which qualifies this noun denotes, as Razi points out, both "altered" (i.e., in its composition) and "brought into shape": hence my rendering of this expression as "transmuted", which to some extent combines both of the above meanings. To my mind, we have here a description of the primeval biological environment out of which the "sounding clay" - the matrix, as it were - of man's physical body has evolved in accordance with God's plan of creation.

We created man from sounding clay, black mud moulded into shape;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Indeed, We created man from sounding clay moulded from black mud.

  - Mustafa Khattab

Verily We created man of potter's clay of black mud altered,

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

We created man from sounding clay from mud molded into shape; ¹⁹⁶⁶

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Salsal.- dry clay which produces a sound, like pottery. Cf. iv. 14. Taking verses 26 and 29 together, I understand the meaning to be: that man's body was formed from wet clay moulded into shape and then dried until it could emit sound; that it was then further fashioned and completed; that into the animal form thus fashioned was breathed the spirit from Allah, which gave it a superiority over other Creation: and that the order for obeisance was then given.

whereas the invisible beings We had created, [long] before that, out of the fire of scorching winds.²⁵

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. 55:15 - "out of the confusing flame of fire (marij min nar)": i.e., of non-corporeal elements. The noun al-jann, rendered by me as "the invisible beings", is in reality a singular, denoting here the kind of these particular beings or forces, similar to the use of the singular noun "man" (al-insan) which describes the collective entity "mankind". The etymology of the word jann (the plural of which is jinn) has been briefly touched upon in note [86] on 6:100 ; a more detailed discussion of its meaning is found in Appendix III.

while before him We had created Jinn from smokeless fire.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

As for the jinn, We created them earlier from smokeless fire.

  - Mustafa Khattab

And the jinn did We create aforetime of essential fire.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

And the Jinn race We had created before from the fire of a scorching wind. ¹⁹⁶⁷

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. vi. 100 and n. 929.

And lo! Thy Sustainer said unto the angels: "Behold, I am about to create mortal man out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted;

  - Mohammad Asad

Remember when your Rabb said to the angels: "I am about to create a man from sounding clay, black mud moulded into shape;

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

'Remember, O Prophet' when your Lord said to the angels, 'I am going to create a human being from sounding clay moulded from black mud.¹

  - Mustafa Khattab

 This does not contradict other verses that say Adam was created out of dust and those that say he was made out of mud. Adam was created in stages: first from dust, which was later turned into mud, then clay. This is similar to saying: I made a loaf of bread out of grain, or flour, or dough.

And (remember) when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter's clay of black mud altered.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create man from sounding clay from mud molded into shape;

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and when I have formed him fully and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down before him in prostration!"²⁶

  - Mohammad Asad

Cf. {2:30-34} and the corresponding notes, as well as {7:11-18}. The allegorical character of all the passages bearing on the creation of man and on God's command to the angels to prostrate themselves before him is brought out clearly in God's saying, "I am about to create mortal man...; and when I have formed him fully...", etc.: for it is obvious that, in reality, no lapse of time is required for God's completing His creation - since, "when He wills a thing to be, He but says unto it, 'Be'- and it is" (cf. 2:117 , 3:47 and {59}, 6:73 , 16:40 , 19:35 , 36:82 and 40:68 ). God's "breathing of His spirit" into man is obviously a metaphor for His endowing him with life and consciousness: that is, with a soul.

when I complete his moulding and breath into him of My spirit, kneel down and prostrate before him."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So when I have fashioned him and had a spirit of My Own 'creation' breathed into him, fall down in prostration to him.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

So, when I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit fall ye down in obeisance unto him." ¹⁹⁶⁸

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Among other passages where the creation of Adam is referred to, cf. the following; ii. 30-39; vii. 11-25. Note that here the emphasis is on three points: (1) the breathing from Allah's spirit into man i.e., the faculty of God-like knowledge and will, which, if rightly used, would give man superiority over other creatures: (2) the origin of evil in arrogance and jealousy on the part of Satan, who saw only the lower side of man (his clay) and failed to see the higher side, the faculty brought in from the spirit of Allah; (3) that this evil only touches those who yield to it, and has no power over Allah's sincere servants, purified by His grace (xv. 40, 42). Adam is not here mentioned by name, but only Man.

Thereupon the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together,

  - Mohammad Asad

Accordingly the angels prostrated altogether,

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

So the angels prostrated all together-

  - Mustafa Khattab

So the angels fell prostrate, all of them together

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

So the angels prostrated themselves all of them together:

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

save Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves.²⁷

  - Mohammad Asad

See note [10] on 7:11 . For the deeper meaning of this "rebellion", see note [31] below.

except Iblees (The Satan); he refused to join those who prostrated.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

but not Iblîs,¹ who refused to prostrate with the others.

  - Mustafa Khattab

 See footnote for 2:34.

Save Iblis. He refused to be among the prostrate.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves. ^{1969 1970 1971}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Cf. n. 49 to ii. 34.

Iblis: the name has in it the root-idea of desperateness or rebellion. Cf. n. 52 to ii. 36.

Apparently Iblis's arrogance had two grounds: (1) that man was made of clay while he was made of fire; (2) that he did not wish to do what others did. Both grounds were false; (1) because man had the spirit of Allah breathed into him; (2) because contempt of the angels who obeyed Allah's words showed not Iblis's superiority but his inferiority.

Said He: "O Iblis! What is thy reason for not being among those who have prostrated themselves?"

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah asked: "O Iblees! What is the matter with you that you did not join those who prostrated?"

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah asked, 'O Iblîs! What is the matter with you that you did not join others in prostration?'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: O Iblis! What aileth thee that thou art not among the prostrate?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Allah) said: "O Iblis! what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?"

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[Iblis] replied: "It is not for me to prostrate myself before mortal man whom Thou hast created out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted!"

  - Mohammad Asad

He replied: "It does not behoove me to prostrate myself to this man whom You have created from sounding clay, black mud moulded into shape."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

He replied, 'It is not for me to prostrate to a human You created from sounding clay moulded from black mud.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: Why should I prostrate myself unto a mortal whom Thou hast created out of potter's clay of black mud altered?

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Iblis) said: "I am not one to prostrate myself to man whom thou didst create from sounding clay from mud molded into shape."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Said He: "Go forth, then, from this [angelic state]: for, behold, thou art [henceforth] accursed,

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah said: "Get out of here, you are accursed.

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah commanded, 'Then get out of Paradise, for you are truly cursed.

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: Then go thou forth from hence, for verily thou art outcast.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Allah) said: "Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected accursed.

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

and [My] rejection shall be thy due²⁸ until the Day of Judgment!"

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "is upon thee".

The curse will remain on you till the Day of Judgement."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

And surely upon you is condemnation until the Day of Judgment.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

And lo! the curse shall be upon thee till the Day of Judgment.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"And the Curse shall be on thee till the Day of Judgment." ¹⁹⁷²

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

After the Day of Judgment the whole constitution of the universe will be different. There will be a new world altogether, on a wholly different plane. (Cf. xxi. 104).

Said [Iblis]: "Then, O my Sustainer, grant me a respite till the Day when all shall be raised from the dead!"

  - Mohammad Asad

At this Iblees requested: "Rabb! Give me respite till the Day of Resurrection."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Satan appealed, 'My Lord! Then delay my end until the Day of their resurrection.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: My Lord! Reprieve me till the day when they are raised.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! give me then respite till the Day the (dead) are raised." ¹⁹⁷³

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

What was this respite? The curse on Iblis remained, i.e. he was deprived of Allah's grace and became in the spiritual world what an outlaw is in a political kingdom. An earthly kingdom may not be able to catch and destroy an outlaw. But Allah is Omnipotent, and such power as Iblis may have can only come through the respite granted by Allah. The respite then is what is expressed in xv. 39 below. In Allah's grant of limited free-will to man is implied the faculty of choosing between good and evil, and the faculty is exercised through the temptations and allurements put forward by Satan, "the open enemy" of man. This is for the period of man's probation on this earth. Even so, no temptations have power over the sincere worshippers of Allah, who are purified by His grace.

Answered He: "Verily, so be it: thou shalt be among those who are granted respite

  - Mohammad Asad

Allah said: "All right! You are given the respite

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Allah said, 'You will be delayed

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: Then lo! thou art of those reprieved

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Allah) said: "Respite is granted thee

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

till the Day the time whereof is known [to Me alone]."

  - Mohammad Asad

till the Day of appointed time."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

until the appointed Day.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Till an appointed time.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Till the Day of the Time Appointed."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

[Whereupon Iblis] said: "O my Sustainer! Since Thou hast thwarted me,²⁹ I shall indeed make [all that is evil] on earth seem goodly to them, and shall most certainly beguile them into grievous error -

  - Mohammad Asad

See surah {7}, note [11].

Iblees said: "Rabb! Since You let me go astray, I will make evil fair-seeming to them on earth and I will seduce them all

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

Satan responded, 'My Lord! For allowing me to stray I will surely tempt them on earth and mislead them all together,

  - Mustafa Khattab

He said: My Lord, Because Thou has sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and shall mislead them every one.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

(Iblis) said: "O my Lord! because Thou hast put me in the wrong I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth and I will put them all in the wrong ^{1974 1975}

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Agwaitani: 'thrown me out of the way, put me in the wrong': Cf. vii. 16. Satan cannot be straight or truthful even before Allah. By his own arrogance and rebellion he fell; he attributes this to Allah. Between Allah's righteous judgment and Satan's snares and temptations there cannot be the remotest comparison. Yet he presumes to put them on an equal footing. He is taking advantage of the respite.

Iblis (the Satan) is powerless against Allah. He turns therefore against man.

[all] save such of them as are truly Thy servants!"³⁰

  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "Thy sincere servants": i.e., those who are so deeply conscious of God that no "blandishment of Satan" can lead them astray. (See also note [32] below.)

except those of them who are Your sincere devotees."

  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik

except Your chosen servants among them.'

  - Mustafa Khattab

Save such of them as are Thy perfectly devoted slaves.

  - Marmaduke Pickthall

"Except Thy servants among them sincere and purified (by Thy grace)."

  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali