And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.
Sahih International
Grammar, phrase by phrase
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
(And [mention] when We said to the angels,)
Root قول — to say, speak, tell · 1,722 times in the Quran
Root ملك — to possess, to rule; sovereignty, kingship, angels · 206 times in the Quran
وَإِذْword 1
Resumptive Particle · حرف استئنافA resumptive particle is a وَ or فَ that begins a fresh statement after a pause or shift. The prefix وَ here opens the next scene: the command to prostrate. L14 · R1
Time Adverb · ظرف زمانA time adverb is a naming word of time that anchors a sentence to when its action happened. إِذْ means 'when (back then)', anchoring what follows to a past moment: 'when We said…'. Its own written shape stays fixed, closing with the sukūn ـْ — the small circle meaning no vowel sound follows. L16 · R10
قُلْنَاword 2
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. قُلْنَا names an action — saying — from the root قول, to say, speak, tell. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb carries its person marker as an ending glued to the verb's tail. On قُلْنَا that ending is نَا, the 'We' marker — note the sukūn ـْ, the small circle above the ل, closing the verb before it: 'We said'. L8 · R2
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften or vanish. The root of قُلْنَا is قول; its weak middle و has dropped away in this shape, leaving the short قُلْ. L24 · R2
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending نَا on قُلْنَا is such a suffix, standing for 'We'. L3 · R7
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending نَا on قُلْنَا is that doer, 'We'; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one. L9 · R4
لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِword 3
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word that relates one thing to another and pulls the naming word after it into the genitive — the after-preposition ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. The prefix لِ means 'to': said 'to the angels'. L4 · R1
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ال ('the') fixed to the front of a naming word to mark a specific, known group — written here simply as لْ, joined straight after the preposition لِ. It marks مَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ as 'the angels'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word ending with the letter ة (tā marbūṭah) is a noun — a naming word. مَلَٰٓئِكَةِ ends in that ة and names beings: the angels, from the root ملك, to possess, rule; angels. L1 · R3
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she', with 'he' — masculine — as the default. مَلَٰٓئِكَةِ is counted masculine: the ة at its end here belongs to this word's plural shape rather than serving as a 'she' marker. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more — made either by adding an ending or by reshaping the word from the inside, which is called a broken plural. مَلَٰٓئِكَة is such a broken plural: the singular مَلَك (angel) is reshaped from within. L2 · R6
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the ending a naming word takes after a preposition, shown by a kasrah ـِ — a small slanted stroke below the last letter. مَلَٰٓئِكَةِ carries that kasrah ـِ because the preposition لِ stands before it. L2 · R12
This ayah mentions the great honor that Allah granted Adam, of which He reminded Adam's offspring.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:34
ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ
(…"Prostrate before Adam";)
Root سجد — to prostrate · 92 times in the Quran
ٱسْجُدُوا۟word 4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ٱسْجُدُ names an action — prostrating — from the root سجد, to prostrate. L1 · R7
Imperative Verb · فعل أمرAn imperative verb is a direct command addressed to 'you', formed from the present-tense verb by removing its تَـ prefix and adding a helping ٱ when what remains starts with a vowelless letter. ٱسْجُدُوا۟ shows exactly that helping ٱ, commanding a group: 'prostrate!' — the ending وا۟ pointing the order at 'you all'. L10 · R1
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وا۟ on ٱسْجُدُوا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'you all' — the angels commanded. L3 · R6
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending وا۟ on ٱسْجُدُوا۟ is that doer, 'you all'; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one. L9 · R4
لِـَٔادَمَword 5
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word that relates one thing to another and pulls the naming word after it into the genitive — the after-preposition standing. The prefix لِ means 'to/before': prostrate 'before Adam'. L4 · R1
Noun · اسمA noun is a naming word — it covers proper names as well as things and ideas. ءَادَمَ is the proper name of Adam. L1 · R6
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the standing a naming word takes after a preposition, usually shown by a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. But ءَادَمَ is a partially flexible word — a non-Arabic proper name, one of the categories that never take tanwīn and show their genitive with a fathah ـَ (a small stroke above the letter) instead of the kasrah. After لِ 'to', it therefore ends in that fathah ـَ. L2 · R14
Qatadah said: the obedience was for Allah and the prostration was before Adam — Allah honored Adam by commanding the angels to prostrate before him; some said it was a prostration of greeting and honor.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:34
So far: “And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam";”
فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ
(…so they prostrated, except for Iblees.)
Root سجد — to prostrate · 92 times in the Quran
فَسَجَدُوٓا۟word 6
Result Particle · فاء الجوابThe result particle is a فَ introducing what follows from a command or condition, translating as 'so/then'. The prefix فَ here gives the outcome of the command: 'so they prostrated'. L14 · R2
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. سَجَدُ names an action — prostrating — from the root سجد, to prostrate. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb carries its person marker as an ending glued to the verb's tail. On فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ that ending is وٓا۟, the 'they' marker of the past conjugation: 'they prostrated'. L8 · R2
Attached Pronoun · ضمير متصلAn attached pronoun is a mini-word glued onto the end of a verb. The ending وٓا۟ on فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ is such a suffix, standing for 'they' — the angels. L3 · R6
Doer (Fa'il) · فاعلThe doer is the one performing the action, so it stands in the nominative — the doer's form, usually shown by a ḍammah ـُ, a small curl above the last letter. The ending وٓا۟ on فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ is that doer, 'they'; on this attached pronoun the shape is fixed, so no ḍammah appears, but the role it fills is the nominative one. L9 · R4
إِلَّآword 7
Exception Particle · أداة الاستثناءAn exception particle carves someone out of a general statement, and إِلَّآ 'except' is the chief one. All the angels prostrated — إِلَّآ pulls one out of that whole: 'except Iblees'. L19 · R2
إِبْلِيسَword 8
Noun · اسمA noun is a naming word — it covers proper names as well as things and ideas. إِبْلِيسَ is the proper name of Iblees. L1 · R6
Accusative · منصوبThe accusative is the ending shown by a fathah ـَ — a small slanted stroke above the last letter. إِبْلِيسَ ends in exactly that fathah ـَ: when a whole group is stated and one is carved out after 'except', the carved-out one wears this accusative ending. L2 · R11
Iblis, though not an angel, was included in the command because he was among them imitating their behavior; Ibn Abbas said that before his sin he was called Azazil, one of the most active worshippers — and he was of the Jinn.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:34
أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ
(…He refused and was arrogant)
Root ابي — to refuse, to decline, to reject · 13 times in the Quran
Root كبر — to be great, big, mighty; to be arrogant, proud; elder · 161 times in the Quran
أَبَىٰword 9
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. أَبَىٰ names an action — refusing — from the root ابي, to refuse, decline, reject. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb in its base shape is the bare 'he' form with no added ending, naming a completed action. أَبَىٰ is exactly that bare form — 'he refused' — its opening أَ being the first letter of the root itself. L8 · R1
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften into long vowels. The root of أَبَىٰ is ابي, whose weak final letter softens here into the long 'ā' sound written ىٰ at the word's close. L24 · R2
Hamzated Verb · فعل مهموزA hamzated verb has the hamza ء as one of its root letters. The root of أَبَىٰ is ابي, whose first letter is that hamza — seated on an alif as أَ at the front of the word. L24 · R11
وَٱسْتَكْبَرَword 10
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word that ties one action to another. The prefix وَ joins 'was arrogant' to 'refused'. L4 · R4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action tied to a time. ٱسْتَكْبَرَ names an action — being arrogant — from the root كبر, to be great, mighty; to be arrogant, proud. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb in its base shape is the bare 'he' form with no added person ending, naming a completed action. ٱسْتَكْبَرَ is that bare form — 'he was arrogant' — its opening ٱسْتَـ belonging to the verb's pattern, not to any person marker. L8 · R1
Form X Verb · اِسْتَفْعَلَA Form X verb is identified by the addition اِسْتَـ in front of the root letters, typically meaning seeking or requesting the action. ٱسْتَكْبَرَ carries exactly that ٱسْتَـ before its root كبر (greatness): seeking greatness for himself — 'he was arrogant'. L13 · R6
Qatadah said: Iblis, the enemy of Allah, envied Adam because Allah honored him, saying 'I was created from fire, and he was created from clay' — so the first error ever committed was arrogance.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:34
وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
(…and became of the disbelievers.)
Root كون — to be, exist, happen · 1,390 times in the Quran
Root كفر — to disbelieve, reject faith; disbelief, ingratitude · 525 times in the Quran
وَكَانَword 11
Conjunction · حرف عطفA conjunction is a small joining word that ties one statement to another. The prefix وَ joins 'became of the disbelievers' to what came before. L4 · R4
Verb · فعلA verb is a word for an action or state tied to a time. كَانَ names a state — being, becoming — from the root كون, to be, exist, happen. L1 · R7
Past Tense Verb · فعل ماضٍA past tense verb in its base shape is the bare 'he' form with no added ending, naming a completed state. كَانَ is exactly that bare form: 'he became'. L8 · R1
Weak Verb · فعل معتلA weak verb is one whose root contains the weak letter و or ي — letters that love to soften into long vowels or vanish. The root of كَانَ is كون: its middle و hides here behind the long ا. L24 · R2
Kāna Verb · كان وأخواتهاكَانَ 'was/became' is an incomplete verb: saying only 'he became' leaves the thought hanging — became WHAT? — so it needs both a topic and a comment to finish its meaning. Here the topic is the understood 'he', Iblees, and the comment is the phrase 'of the disbelievers', which completes it: 'he became of the disbelievers'. L18 · R1
مِنَword 12
Particle · حرفA particle is a small helper word with no meaning standing alone; it takes no ending and does not name or act. مِنَ is such a helper word here. L1 · R8
Preposition · حرف جرA preposition is a little word that relates one thing to another and pulls the naming word right after it into the genitive — the after-preposition ending, usually a kasrah ـِ, a small stroke below the last letter. مِنَ means 'of/among': 'of the disbelievers'. L4 · R1
ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَword 13
Definite Article · أل التعريفThe definite article is the prefix ٱلْ ('the') fixed to the front of a naming word to mark a specific, known group. Here it marks كَٰفِرِينَ as 'the disbelievers'. L2 · R9
Noun · اسمA word that accepts the prefix ٱلْ ('the') is a noun — a naming word. This word carries that prefix and names a group: 'the disbelievers', from the root كفر, to disbelieve, reject faith. L1 · R1
Masculine Noun · اسم مذكرArabic treats every naming word as grammatically 'he' or 'she'. This word carries no feminine marker such as a ة at its end, so it falls to the default and is treated as 'he': a masculine noun. L2 · R3
Plural Noun · جمعA plural noun refers to three or more. The sound masculine plural carries its role in its ending — ـُونَ for the nominative (the 'subject form', with the ḍammah ـُ sound), ـِينَ for the accusative and genitive (the 'object' and 'of' forms); كَٰفِرِينَ ends in exactly that ـِينَ: the many disbelievers. L2 · R6
Genitive · مجرورThe genitive is the ending a naming word takes after a preposition; for this kind of plural that ending is ـِينَ, carrying the kasrah sound. كَٰفِرِينَ ends in ـِينَ because the preposition مِنَ 'of' stands before it. L2 · R12
Active Participle · اسم فاعلAn active participle is a naming word built from a verb's root on the pattern فَاعِل to name the doer of the action. كَٰفِر is built on that pattern from the root كفر (to reject faith): ones who disbelieve. L11 · R1
Iblis had disbelief, arrogance, and rebellion, all of which caused him to be expelled from the holy presence of Allah and His mercy.
Ibn Kathir (abridged), on 2:34
So far: “And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.”