The Story of Adam with Satan
Human beings have not attained more honor than the command of Allah to the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam, the father of human beings. Therefore, they should know how unique their position is with their Creator, Allah. This, accordingly, necessitates that people should react positively to such honor and live up to the level of devotion expected of them, and do what pleases Allah. The story of Adam with Satan has been mentioned seven times in the Quran. The following ayat mention the story of Adam with Satan.
(Mention when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ They prostrated except Satan. He said, ‘Shall I prostrate to the one You created from clay?’
He said, ‘Tell me about this being that you favored over me! If You give me a respite until the Day of Judgment, I will enticingly subdue his descendants except a few of them.
He said, ‘Go and do as you like! Those of them follow you - indeed, your recompense will be Hell, an ample recompense.’
Mislead whomever you can among them with your voice, mobilize your horsemen and footmen against them, share with them their wealth and children, and promise them; Satan’s promise is nothing, but deceit.
Indeed, you have no authority over My slaves. Your Lord is a Sufficient Guardian.) [Quran Surah al-Isra: 61-65]
Relationship with the Previous Part
Allah mentioned the great affliction the Messengerﷺ suffered at the hands of his people and his contemporaries. Likewise, the prophets of Allah before Muhammad suffered the same affliction from their contemporaries. For example, Adam suffered a great affliction from Satan.
The people of the Prophetﷺ rejected his message, were obstinate, and asked for corrupt requests out of arrogance and envy. Their arrogance prevented them from following the Prophetﷺ. They also envied the Prophetﷺ because Allah granted him prophet-hood, and great status. Thus, Allah mentioned that arrogance and envy were the causes led Satan to renounce belief in Allah and become a disbeliever.
In the previous part, Allah said, (We warn them, but it only increases them extreme transgression.). In this part, Allah stated the cause of this extreme transgression, that is to say, Satan vowed to entice the children of Adam except a few of them. Therefore, Allah mentioned the story of Adam with Satan.
Tafsir
(Mention when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ They prostrated except Satan. He said, ‘Shall I prostrate to the one You created from clay?’)[61]
The ayah reminds the children of Adam of what happened between their father, Adam, and Satan so that they learn lessons, and always remember that Satan is their sworn enemy.
O Messenger! Mention to the people when We commanded the angels to prostrate themselves before Adam to salute and honor him. The angels immediately obeyed the commandment, but Satan refused to prostrate. He said, ‘Shall I prostrate to the one whom You created from clay though I am better than him?’
(He said, ‘Tell me about this being that you favored over me! If You give me a respite until the Day of Judgment, I will enticingly subdue his descendants except a few of them.)[62]
Replying to Allah, Satan said, ‘Tell me about this being, who was created from clay, and You favored him over me. Why have you favored him, and commanded me to prostrate before him though I am better than him as he was created from clay, and I was created from fire?’
By posing this question, Satan wanted to belittle, and underestimate Adam’s rank. Satan believed that clay was inferior to fire.
Allah, Exalted is He, did not reply to Satan’s question, and ignored it as the latter objected to the command of his Creator, Allah, Exalted is He.
(If You give me a respite until the Day of Judgment, I will enticingly subdue his descendants except a few of them.)
Replying to Allah, who commanded Satan to prostrate before Adam, Satan said, ‘If You give me a respite until the Day of Judgment, I will enticingly subdue the descendants of Adam. I will lure them to disobey You by committing sins and following their whims. However, I cannot entice a few of them due to their firm belief in You and sincerity.’ Allah says, the interpretation of meaning,
(Indeed, You have no authority over My slaves except the misguided ones who follow you.) [Quran Surah al-Hijr: 42]
The righteous believers are the slaves of Allah whom Satan cannot misguides.
(He said, ‘Go and do as you like! Those of them follow you - indeed, your recompense will be Hell, an ample recompense.’) [63]
Allah, Exalted is He, granted Satan his request, and gave him a respite. Allah said to Satan, ‘Go and do as you like with the children of Adam. Hellfire will be the recompense of those who follow you. Indeed, it is an ample and sufficient recompense.
(Mislead whomever you can among them with your voice, mobilize your horsemen and footmen against them, share with them their wealth and children, and promise them; Satan’s promise is nothing, but deceit.)[64]
Threatening Satan, Allah, Exalted is He, said, ‘O Satan! Mislead, betray, and unceasingly disturb whoever you can among the children of Adam by means of enticing, and calling them to disobey My commands. Mobilize and rally all forces you can, e.g. horsemen, and footmen, against mankind so that they disobey Me.’
This description is meant to magnify the means that Satan uses to entice human beings, mislead, and convince them to disobey Allah. We can visualize a battle in which loud voices are heard, horses and soldiers are employed. A loud irritating outcry is sparked, and leads to confusion, which may cause a person to fall into a trap.
The scene is portrayed as if there was a bold horseman, who attacked some people. He loudly cried, causing confusion among them. Then he and his men violently destroyed them.
(…mobilize your horsemen and footmen against them.)
Mujãhid said, ‘Any horseman fighting for a cause in which Allah is disobeyed is one of Satan’s horsemen. Similarly, any footman walking for a cause in which Allah is disobeyed is one of Satan’s footmen.’
In other words, O Satan! Go and do, as you like. Verily, Hell will be the abode prepared for you and your followers. Do, as you like with your followers. Deceive them, and confuse them by whatever means you can, e.g. plots, beautifying sins, and mobilizing your soldiers against them in order to misguide them.
Indeed, the phrasing of the ayah is unique. It presents the great enmity Satan has for Adam and his children. He fights endless battles against them, in which he uses all means of evil to mislead them. However, he cannot achieve his evil goals as long as they devoutly obey Allah, and seek His help.
(… share with them their wealth and children, and promise them; Satan’s promise is nothing, but deceit.)
O Satan! Share with people their wealth by enticing them to collect and spend it unlawfully, e.g. usury, and prohibited transactions.
Share with people their children by prompting them to bring them up in a manner that disagrees with the Islamic teachings, facilitating for them means of fornication, and convincing them to name themselves names that Allah prohibits and dislikes. This is besides other temptations that involve disobedience of Allah.
After mentioning the scholars’ opinions on the meaning of ‘share with them their wealth and children…’ imam ibn Jarîr at-Tabarî said, ‘The most correct opinion is that it refers to every child who was named a name that Allah dislikes, and caused to embrace a religion that Allah does not approve. Moreover, any child who was born of fornication, killed and buried alive, or other things that do not limit the meaning of ‘share with them their children’ to a particular meaning. Thus, whatever act or statement of disobedience to Allah, and obedience to Satan constitutes an act or statement of sharing committed by whoever disobeys Allah and obeys Satan.’
(…and promise them; Satan’s promise is nothing, but deceit.)
O Satan! Promise people whatever false promises you want. Promise them that they will attain their utmost happiness in the worldly life so that they do whatever they wish to enjoy it without complying with the Islamic teachings or ethics. Furthermore, promise people that they will only enjoy the worldly life, and that there is no Hereafter, no resurrection on the Day of Judgment, no reckoning, no punishment, no reward, or no Paradise or hellfire.
(Satan’s promise is nothing, but deceit.)
Allah warns His slaves of following Satan and tells them that Satan’s promises are false. He says, ‘O Satan! Promise people whatever promises you wish. But your promises are mere deceit.’
Then the ayat are concluded with what brings tranquility and assurance in the hearts of the believers.
Indeed, you have no authority over My slaves. Your Lord is a Sufficient Guardian.) [65]
Satan will have no authority over the righteous and sincere slaves of Allah. He cannot misguide them, nor can he make them obey him. Allah will protect and guide them to what pleases Him.
The ayah used the word ‘My slaves’, which entails “honoring” as Allah describes the righteous believers as ‘My salves’ to denote that they are under His protection.
(Your Lord is a Sufficient Guardian.)
Indeed, Allah is a sufficient guardian for His slaves. He is the best supporter, and helper. This indicates that man is kept away from committing sins by the Grace of Allah alone, and he is unable to avoid misguidance by his mere own bootstraps.
Learned Lessons
• The disbeliever’s insistence on disobeying Allah reminds us of the story of Satan with Adam. Satan disobeyed Allah when He commanded the former to prostrate himself before Adam. Satan considered himself to be better than Adam as he was created from the fire, whereas, Adam was created from clay. He challengingly and arrogantly protested, and vowed to destroy the children of Adam by deceiving them and enticing them to disobey Allah, Exalted is He.
• Allah has threatened Satan and told him to do his best to deceive the children of Adam. Hellfire will then be the abode of whoever obeys him.
• Satan has no authority over the righteous and sincere slaves of Allah. Allah will protect them from the evil of Satan, and guide them to the right path.
