7 replies to this topic

[ParadiseLost]

And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance, but iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers. (2:34)

In other english translations also it translates as things like: He was of those who reject Faith /was one of the disbelievers.

Does this mean that there were others among the jinn who also refused to bow to Adam?

[AHMAD_73]

alsalam-o alykom, sister
welcome back, and Ramadan Kareem

as i know, the same situation has been mentioned many times in different positions in the Quran, all of them tells about only one person, Iblis, who refused to follow Allah's order

007.011 S: And certainly We created you, then We fashioned you, then We said to the angels: Prostrate to Adam. So they did prostrate except Iblis; he was not of those who prostrated.
007.012 S: He said: What hindered you so that you did not prostrate when I commanded you? He said: I am better than he: Thou hast created me of fire, while him Thou didst create of dust.

in the verse you mentioned, it tells he, Iblis, became one of the disbelievers, Kafreen, not one of those who refused to bow. the disbelievers Kafreen, are those who cover up the truth.

Allah knows best

[Saracen21stC]

007.011 وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلا إِبْلِيسَ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنَ السَّاجِدِينَ

007.011 Walaqad khalaqn[a]kum thumma [s]awwarn[a]kum thumma quln[a] lilmal[a]-ikati osjudoo li-[a]dama fasajadoo ill[a] ibleesa lam yakun mina a(l)ss[a]jideen(a)


007.011 It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and they prostrate; not so Iblis; He refused to be of those who prostrate.

Al-Qur'an, 007.011 (Al-Araf [The Heights])




لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنَ السَّاجِدِينَ (lam yakun mina a(l)ss[a]jideen(a)) means not he was of those who prostrated. So, here it is referring to only one person.

[AHMAD_73]

brother, Saracene
the sister' question was about the verse in surah Al-Baqarah (2-34),
(

} وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ اسْجُدُواْ لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُواْ إِلاَّ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ {34})

i tried to explain, Allah told among the disbelievers which don't mean among those who didn't prostrate,

the meaning is more clear in another position of the quran in surat "Sa'ad"

إِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي خَالِقٌ بَشَرًا مِن طِينٍ {71} فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ سَاجِدِينَ {72}

فَسَجَدَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ {73} إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ اسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنْ الْكَافِرِينَ {74

038.071 S: When your Lord said to the angels; Surely I am going to create a mortal from dust:
038.072 S: So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down making obeisance to him.
038.073 S: And the angels did obeisance, all, all of them,
038.074 S: But not Iblis: he was proud and he was one of the unbelievers.

in this verse there is a double emphasize on the meaning All, All of them did prostrate but not Iblis, and he was one of the disbelievers.

[Saracen21stC]

^ Yes brother. You are correct. I understand now.

But I still believe that the translations (presented here) of 2.34 and 38.74 might cause some problems.
Due to presence of verse 7.11 (and other related verses which show the Iblis was only one person), وَكَانَ of verse 2.34 and 38.74 should mean 'and became...' rather than 'and was...' He just became among the disbelievers. And there were already many disbelievers when the verses were revealed .

[Saracen21stC]

And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam they did obeisance, but iblis (did it not). He refused and he was proud, and he was one of the unbelievers. (2:34)

In other english translations also it translates as things like: He was of those who reject Faith /was one of the disbelievers.

Does this mean that there were others among the jinn who also refused to bow to Adam?

No, this verse does not say he was one of those who rejected faith (at that time). The verse rather means he was one of those who reject faith. That means there will be more than one disbeliever. When the verse was revealed there were already many disbelievers. Many more will disbelieve in the future (even after receiving the message). Allah knows this (foreknowledge). But the first disbeliever was that Iblish. The rest became disbelievers after him. I have never seen any scholar of Islam disagreeing with this.

This verse is showing that Allah has knowledge of the past, present and future (aka all things). To show it by colouring,

he was one -------of the unbelievers.
(Past)-------------- (Past+Present+Future)

That's what I can understand.

[Saracen21stC]

In conclusion, Allah (SWT) always had (and have) the knowledge that the Iblis would disobey Allah by not prostrating, and there will be many other disbelievers (after him). So, Iblish is one of the disbelievers. This conclusion (at 2.34, 38.74) was drawn as Allah is able to see the future. Verily, Allah has knowledge of all things.

[ParadiseLost]

thank you both for clearing that up!