قالَ يا إِبليسُ ما مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسجُدَ لِما خَلَقتُ بِيَدَيَّ ۖ أَستَكبَرتَ أَم كُنتَ مِنَ العالينَ

He said: ‘O Iblīs! What keeps you from prostrating before that which I have created with My [own] two hands? Are you arrogant, or are you [one] of the exalted ones?’

EXEGESIS

Astakbarta (are you arrogant) comes from the root kibr, meaning largeness or greatness. Istikbār is to seek to be great unduly and artificially.

ʿĀlīn (exalted ones) is the plural of ʿālī, meaning the one who is high (from the root ʿuluww). In the Quran it is only seemingly used negatively, such as, for Pharaoh was indeed a tyrant (ʿālin) in the land (10:83), or, but they acted arrogantly and they were a tyrannical (ʿālīn) lot (23:46).

It should also be noted that all the verbs in this verse are in the past tense, although for stylistic reasons in the English translation they are rendered in the present.

EXPOSITION

Even though Iblīs had committed a grave sin and revealed his disbelief through his refusal to obey God’s command, God did not immediately take reprisal, but rather allowed Iblīs to explain himself and gave him a chance to repent, asking him What keeps you from prostrating? This is a great example of God’s mercy and His willingness to give His servants a chance to return to Him.

Although some have argued that this is in fact meant as an explanation to the angels, to clarify to them that there was indeed no excuse for Iblīs to disobey God.^{‎[1]Tabrisi, 8/757.}

To make sure that Iblīs understands what he is doing, God explains the situation to him. He tells Iblīs that Prophet Adam (a) is not like other creatures. The descriptions in this surah – the statements like My spirit in verse 72) and My two hands in this verse – indicate that God created Prophet Adam (a) without any intermediary causes such as birth.^{‎[2]Tibyan, 8/581; Tabrisi, 8/757; Alusi, 12/215; Shawkani, 4/510; Fadlallah, 19/287.} While we know that God has created all human beings, we are most of us brought into being through intermediary causes, namely our parents, and their parents, and so on. The immediacy and closeness attributed to Prophet Adam’s (a) creation suggests it was dissimilar to this. This is like someone offering you bread and saying ‘I made this with my own two hands’, meaning there was no intermediary involved, it was not purchased in a store, for example, from someone else who had made it.

The creation of Prophet Adam (a) directly by God’s two hands is a beautiful figure of speech to signify a great honour for him, and that is why God asks Iblīs ‘why do you not prostrate to that which was created in this honourable way and is different to the rest of creation?’ Prophet Adam (a) was unlike the other things that God had created and this itself was a mark of his special status. The apparent meaning of the verse suggests that the reason for Prophet Adam’s (a) superiority and that the angels should prostrate to him is linked to him being created by God’s two hands.^{‎[3]Razi, 26/412.}

It is as if God is pre-emptively answering what He knows Iblīs will say, that he is better because he is created of fire; trying to get him to understand that means of creation by itself is not what constitutes merit, but rather spiritual perfection is what counts, and even if he wished to look at it in that perspective he should know he is not superior to Prophet Adam (a).

This also supports what we had alluded to earlier, namely that bashar – a sort of pre-cursor to Prophet Adam (a), which was apparently already known to the angels – was different to Prophet Adam (a), who was created directly by God and without any intermediary causes, shaped from clay, and given life.

What should definitely not be understood from the verse is that God actually has hands, two or otherwise. God is not similar to human beings in shape or form, nor does He have any physical traits, nor is He comprised of parts. This issue is extensively discussed in theological works.^{‎[4]See also Razi, 26/410.}

God follows this by giving Iblīs another reminder to ponder the enormity of what he has done, asking Are you arrogant, or are you of the exalted ones? This means in effect ‘are you one who seeks to be proud, or one who seeks superiority to creation through means of arrogance and tyranny?’^{‎[5]Tibyan, 8/582; Tantawi, 12/182.} As is apparent, these two meanings are almost the same, it is like saying to someone who behaves foolishly, ‘are you a simpleton or a fool?’ It is meant to convey that there is no legitimate excuse for such behaviour. This is supported by comparing this verse to the verse, What prevented you from prostrating, when I commanded you (7:12). Certainly, there is no excuse for disobeying the command of God and the question is a rhetorical one, meant to give Iblīs pause to realise the gravity of what he has done. Only one who is arrogant and conceited would disobey God’s direct command.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. From Muhammad ibn Muslim, that he asked Imam al-Bāqir (a) concerning this verse, who then told him: ‘Hand (yad) in Arabic means strength and blessing. God said: and remember Our servant, David, [the man] of strength (ayd) [verse 17] meaning strength, and: We have built the sky with might (ayd) [51:47], meaning strength, and: He has strengthened (ayyada) them with a spirit from Him [58:22], meaning strength. It is said that so-and-so has a “white hand with me”, meaning blessing.’^{‎[6]Tawhid, p. 153; Maani, p. 16; Nur, 4/472.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

There are many opinions mentioned regarding My two hands:

1. That it means ‘by My power’.^{‎[7]Tabrisi, 8/757; Qurtubi, 15/228; Muhit, 9/174; Nemuneh, 19/337; Mudarrisi, 11/406.} Rāzī criticises this by saying that in this case it should mean God has two powers, which he claims makes no sense. He likewise points out that Iblīs and the angels were also created by God’s power, so there would be no special reason to mention it for Prophet Adam (a).^{‎[8]Razi, 26/412.} This has been replied to, in that the dual may have been used for emphasis, like Look again, once more (karratayn) (67:4).^{‎[9]Mizan, 17/225; Alusi, 12/215.} This interpretation would also be supported by the hadith that we mentioned.
2. That it means ‘by My blessing (niʿmah)’.^{‎[10]Qurtubi, 15/228.} The two blessings then would be either the blessings of the world and the hereafter, or the apparent and the hidden blessings.^{‎[11]Razi, 26/412.} There is nothing in the context to suggest this meaning though.
3. From Mujāhid, that it is used for emphasis, meaning that God created it. Like the verse, lasting is the face of your Lord (55:27) is said to mean that ‘lasting is your Lord’.^{‎[12]Thalabi, 8/216.} Qurṭubī argues that this is to show the significance of the matter, like a boss who does not personally get involved in doing something in his company except if it is of great importance.^{‎[13]Qurtubi, 15/228.} Depending on how one looks at it, this interpretation can be very close to what we mentioned.
4. It is to signify its importance.^{‎[14]Mizan, 17/225.} Like attributing the spirit, or the Kaaba, or mosques, to God.
5. Ṭūsī says the dual is used to emphasise that God created Prophet Adam (a) without any intermediary causes such as birth. Ālūsī also says that and lists other possibilities as well, such as Prophet Adam (a) being comprised of spirit and body, or having capacity for faith and actions, or being capable of good and evil. None of these are very convincing; rather, the use of the dual should be simply understood as a figure of speech.

Ṭabarī reports from ʿAbd-Allāh ibn ʿUmar that God created four things ‘with His hands’: the Throne, Eden, the pen, and Adam (a).^{‎[15]Tabari, 23/119; Suyuti, 5/321.}

Some have said that the dual here is used even though the plural is intended, referring to the verse, Have they not seen that We have created for them, of what Our hands have worked (36:71).^{‎[16]Thalabi, 8/216.}

Many of the debates about the meaning of the verse are based on reading too much into what is a simple figure of speech. Unfortunately, these similar debates occur with every verse that seemingly ascribes a body part to God and is a result of a lack of ability to understand metonymy as just that, or by reading too much into expressions. It is as if someone says ‘you cannot escape the long arm of the law’ and then scholars debating the nature and length of the said arm, is there one arm or many, does the law have other body parts, and so on. There is no compelling or convincing reason to accept any of these when the figure of speech used in the verse is clear and makes perfect sense.

In addition to what we mentioned earlier, there are various meanings suggested for the statement, Are you arrogant, or are you [one] of the exalted ones?:

1. Have you become proud now, or were you always of the arrogant and haughty?^{‎[17]Razi, 26/413; Muhit, 9/175.}
2. Are you arrogant, or do you consider yourself of those who are too exalted to prostrate?^{‎[18]Tabrisi, 8/758; Alusi, 12/217; Nemuneh, 19/339; Fadlallah, 19/287.} Makārim Shīrāzī elucidates that when Iblīs answered that he is better, it means he chose the second option.
3. Are you arrogant, or do you consider yourself of those who have been excused from prostrating? It is said that the exalted ones were a group of high-ranking angels who did not know of any creation but themselves (because they were so engrossed in worship) and were not ordered to prostrate. In this sense, Iblīs is being asked if he is of those high-ranking angels and thus exempt from the command.^{‎[19]Shawkani, 4/511; Alusi, 12/217; Mizan, 17/226.} This is the weakest of the meanings suggested for the verse as it does not fit with the usage of ʿālīn in other verses. It also makes little sense why God would ask that from Iblīs.
4. Are you arrogant towards Me, or do you think yourself better than Adam (a)?^{‎[20]Furqan, 25/276.}

Some of these are attractive options – some more so than others – however, what we mentioned earlier is the most fitting with the meaning of the word ʿālī and the way the question is being posed, as well as in comparison to other verses.

Zamakhsharī has tried to argue that one of the reasons Iblīs refused to prostrate to Prophet Adam (a) was because he did not want to prostrate to a created being (makhlūq).^{‎[21]Zamakhshari, 4/106.} This is, however, not an acceptable proposition, since it is not mentioned anywhere in the Quran. If it truly was so, it seems to be significant enough that it should have been brought up in the scripture. Ālūsī also points out that the statement I have created with My [own] two hands is clearly meant as a praiseworthy quality of Prophet Adam (a), not as an excuse not to prostrate. Also there is no need to play literal devil’s advocate.^{‎[22]Alusi, 12/216.}

For more on this concept of God creating with His hands see the commentary on verse 36:71.

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me?^{‎[23]Job 10:8.}
2. Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.^{‎[24]Psalms 119:73.}

[1] Tabrisi, 8/757.
[2] Tibyan, 8/581; Tabrisi, 8/757; Alusi, 12/215; Shawkani, 4/510; Fadlallah, 19/287.
[3] Razi, 26/412.
[4] See also Razi, 26/410.
[5] Tibyan, 8/582; Tantawi, 12/182.
[6] Tawhid, p. 153; Maani, p. 16; Nur, 4/472.
[7] Tabrisi, 8/757; Qurtubi, 15/228; Muhit, 9/174; Nemuneh, 19/337; Mudarrisi, 11/406.
[8] Razi, 26/412.
[9] Mizan, 17/225; Alusi, 12/215.
[10] Qurtubi, 15/228.
[11] Razi, 26/412.
[12] Thalabi, 8/216.
[13] Qurtubi, 15/228.
[14] Mizan, 17/225.
[15] Tabari, 23/119; Suyuti, 5/321.
[16] Thalabi, 8/216.
[17] Razi, 26/413; Muhit, 9/175.
[18] Tabrisi, 8/758; Alusi, 12/217; Nemuneh, 19/339; Fadlallah, 19/287.
[19] Shawkani, 4/511; Alusi, 12/217; Mizan, 17/226.
[20] Furqan, 25/276.
[21] Zamakhshari, 4/106.
[22] Alusi, 12/216.
[23] Job 10:8.
[24] Psalms 119:73.