Tafheem ul Quran

Surah 38 Sad, Ayat 75-76

قَالَ يٰۤـاِبۡلِيۡسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ اَنۡ تَسۡجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقۡتُ بِيَدَىَّ​ ؕ اَسۡتَكۡبَرۡتَ اَمۡ كُنۡتَ مِنَ الۡعَالِيۡنَ‏ ﴿38:75﴾ قَالَ اَنَا خَيۡرٌ مِّنۡهُ​ ؕ خَلَقۡتَنِىۡ مِنۡ نَّارٍ وَّخَلَقۡتَهٗ مِنۡ طِيۡنٍ‏ ﴿38:76﴾

(38:75) The Lord said: “O Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating yourself before him whom I created of My Two Hands.64 Are you waxing proud, or fancy yourself to be too exalted?” (38:76) He replied: “I am nobler than he. You created me from fire and created him from clay.”


Notes

64. These words have been used to point out the honor, rank and glory bestowed on man by his Creator. In other words, Allah did not get man created through his angels but created him by Himself because his creation was a highly noble task. Therefore, what is meant to be said is: What has prevented you from prostrating yourself before him whom I have made directly Myself?

The words be-yadaiia (both hands) probably are meant to refer to the fact that this new creation combines in itself two important aspects of Allah’s power of creation: (1) That man has been given an animal body on account of which he belongs to the animal kingdom. (2) That on account of the Spirit breathed into him, he has been characterized with qualities which place him in honor and merit above all earthly creations and creatures.