Selected Exegesis

This verse, like the three preceding it, highlights the greatness of Adam and his qualification for the position of vicegerency. The previous three verses focus on the knowledge of God’s vicegerent, while this verse emphasizes his honored and sanctified status, which is rooted in his position of knowledge.

The prostration of the angels was an act of salutation and respect toward Adam and an expression of humility and worship to God, akin to the prostration made by Joseph’s father, mother, and brothers before him. This prostration was not a reprimand to the angels, as an interrogative question does not entail punishment.

While some exegetes believe that the command to prostrate was issued before the teaching of the names, and others think it occurred right after the spirit was breathed into Adam, the sequence and context of the verses in Sūrah al-Baqarah, which dominate over similar verses in other chapters, indicate that the prostration occurred after Adam was appointed as vicegerent and after he was taught the names, becoming their teacher.

Although the phrase “except Iblīs” seems grammatically connected, since Iblīs appeared to be part of the angels, it is, in fact, disconnected, as it is explicitly mentioned elsewhere that he was of the jinn.

The sequence of “he was arrogant” (istakbara) following “he refused” (abā) signifies that Iblīs’ refusal was due to arrogance, unlike the heavens’ refusal regarding the bearing of the trust, which was due to compassion and fear of incapability. What leads to a downfall from a high status is an arrogant refusal, not one based on compassion.

The use of “was” (kāna) in the phrase “he was of the disbelievers” (kāna min al-kāfirīn) suggests that disbelief was already present within Iblīs and does not imply that he “became” (ṣāra) a disbeliever.