The Holy Quran 18:50 — Surah Al-Kahf

Arabic text

وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ فَفَسَقَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّهِۦٓ ۗ أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُۥ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُۥٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۢ ۚ بِئْسَ لِلظَّـٰلِمِينَ بَدَلًا

Translation

(Remember the time) When We told the angels, “Prostrate before Aadam," they all prostrated except for Iblees. He was from the Jinn and disobeyed the command of his Rabb. (O mankind) Do you take him (Iblees) and his progeny (the Shayaateen) as friends besides Me, whereas they are your enemies. Evil indeed is the substitution (exchange) of the oppressors (they are extremely foolish to take their enemies as friends instead of their real Friend).

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

Iblis was one of the jinn: the preferred view is precisely that Iblis was of the species of the jinn and, by advancing in worship, came to be included among the company of the angels. That is why the command to prostrate that was given to the angels was given to him as well.

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