Topic: From Clay

15:27; 23:13; 32:8; 37:12; 38:72.

71:5.

Commentary:

The creation of man referred to in the words, Who created you, is meant as an illustration of the light mentioned in the previous verse, while the decreeing of a term, i.e. the ordaining of death, is meant as an illustration of "darkness". The verse ascribes both these acts to God as acts of mercy, thus refuting those who believe in two separate Gods, one of evil and the other of good.

The words, there is another term fixed with Him, refer to the Day of Judgement or of Resurrection when men, after passing through the gate of death, will receive their rewards from their Lord.

2:35; 7:12; 15:30-31; 18:51; 20:117; 38:73-75.

Important Words:

لادم (to Adam). لام as حرف جارہ (Preposition) is used in about twenty-two senses, the most important of which are the following: (1) It is used in the sense of فی as in من لی i.e. who is or will be for me as my defender or surety? (2) in the sense of علی as in یخرون للاذقان سجدا i.e. they fall down prostrate upon their faces; (3) in the sense of بعد as in للیلة خلتi.e. after the night that has passed; (4) in the sense of لام عاقبة as in لدواللموت وابنواللخراب i.e. bear children that they should die and build houses that they should fall into ruins; (5) in the sense of الی as in اوحی له i.e. he revealed to him; (6) to express a right as in الحمد للّٰه و العزة لهi.e. all praise is for God and all honour is due to Him; and (7) in the sense of مع (with or in spite of) as in فلما تفرقنا کانی ومالکا لطول اجتماع لم نبت لیلة معا i.e. when we separated, I felt as if with (or in spite of) our having lived together for a long time, I and Malik had not lived together even for one night (Aqrab).

Commentary:

The particle ل possesses, as shown under Important Words, a vast variety of meanings one of which isمع (with). In the expression لادم (to Adam) the particle ل means, "with"; thus the whole sentence اسجدوا لادم may mean, "submit to God along with Adam".

In the previous verses reference was made to the transgressions of the Jews. In order to throw further light on the subject, the verse under comment cites the case of Adam by way of example. The Prophets of God have always met with strong opposition from disbelievers. Adam who was the first Prophet was also opposed by Iblis, who said that he was superior to him (Adam) and therefore could not render obedience to him. The same obstacle lay in the way of the Jews. They looked upon themselves as superior to the Holy Prophet and his people. They were obsessed with the idea that, being the progeny of Isaac, all the blessings promised to Abraham were to be inherited by them alone to the exclusion of their cousins, the children of Ishmael. This false and foolish notion proved a stumbling block in the way of their accepting the Holy Prophet.

32:8-9.

Important Words:

سلالة (extract) is derived from سل (salla). They say سل الشیء i.e. he drew out the thing or he drew it out from another thing gently. سلالة means, what is or becomes drawn forth from a thing. سلالة الشیء means, an extract of a thing; the clear or pure part or the choice, the best or most excellent part of a thing; the sperma genitalis of a man; the water that is drawn from the back; progeny (Lane & Aqrab).

طین (clay) is derived from طان. They say طانه i.e. he plastered it with clay or mud. طانه اللّٰه علی الخیر means, God created him with a good natural disposition. طین means, clay, mud, earth, mould, soil (Lane & Aqrab).

Commentary:

With this verse begins a description of the process of creation of the noblest handiwork of God—man, from the earliest stage when he lies dormant in the form of dust. The inorganic constituents of the earth through a subtle process of change become converted into the germ of life by way of food which a human being eats.

6:3; 15:27; 37:12.

Commentary:

In this and the next few verses an illustration is given of how Islam from its very small beginnings will, as the result of its present renaissance, spread and become a mighty force. The illustration is to be found in the creation of man. Man’s origin is from mere clay and after going through a long process of development he is born a full-fledged human being, the apex and pride of the whole creation. In the same way, the verse implies that Islam will rise from its present very insignificant beginnings and will march from strength to strength. For a detailed explanation of how, starting from mere earth or clay and going through different stages of evolution, man takes his birth, see. 23:13, 15.

6:3; 23:13; 32:8; 38:72.

Important Words:

لازب (cohesive) is active participle from لزب which means, it was or remained fixed, settled, firm or constant; it (mud) cohered, and became hard. لازب means, adhering or adhesive or cohesive clay or mud; being or remaining fixed, settled, firm, or constant (Lane).

In the word من (whom) the allusion may be to those righteous Companions of the Holy Prophet to whom reference has been made in vv. 2-5 above. In this sense of the word the verse under comment would mean that the doubters and deniers of truth can bear no comparison with those true and noble Companions of the Holy Prophet who have been created of cohesive clay i.e. they are of firm and strong character.

2:35; 7:12-13; 15:29-33; 17:62; 18:51.

Commentary:

The verse refers to God’s intention which He disclosed to "the exalted Assembly" of the select angels and which the angels had been discussing, as mentioned in verse 70 above. Verses 72-86, however, may apply equally to every Prophet, but they have particular application to the Holy Prophet Muhammad. This and the next verse purport to say that when a Prophet is raised in the world, angels are commanded to help him in the furtherance of his cause and to render null and void all the schemes and machinations of his enemies. See also 15:29-45.