The Quran

قالَ يا إِبليسُ ما مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسجُدَ لِما خَلَقتُ بِيَدَيَّ ۖ أَستَكبَرتَ أَم كُنتَ مِنَ العالينَ

Ali Unal

(God) said: “O Iblīs! What prevents you from prostrating before the being whom I have created with My two Hands?¹ Are you too proud (to bow down before any created being in defiance of My command), or are you (of those who think themselves) so high in honor (that they cannot be ordered to prostrate before anyone)?”

In 36: 71, God says that He has originated many things and beings with His Hands. However, in this verse, He states that He has created humanity with both of His Hands. The hand signifies power. Therefore, mentioning two Hands in this verse has two important meanings: one is that God has created humankind in the perfect form, as the best pattern of creation; the other is that humankind has two dimensions in its existence, spiritual and material. Verse 71 refers to humankind’s material origin (clay), while verse 72 refers to its real value, which lies in the spiritual dimension of its existence.