Tafsir

The Creation of Man in Stages

Allah tells us that He has created everything well and formed everything in a goodly fashion. Malik said, narrating from Zayd bin Aslam:الَّذِى أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُ(Who made everything He has created good) means, "He created everything well and in a goodly fashion." When Allah mentions the creation of the heavens and the earth, He follows that by mentioning the creation of man.

Allah says:وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الإِنْسَـنِ مِن طِينٍ(and He began the creation of man from clay.) meaning, He created the father of mankind, Adam, from clay.ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلاَلَةٍ مِّن مَّآءٍ مَّهِينٍ (Then He made his offspring from semen of despised water.) means, they reproduce in this fashion, from a Nutfah which comes from the loins of men and from between the ribs of women.ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ(Then He fashioned him in due proportion,) means, when He created Adam from clay, He created him and gave him shape and made him upright.وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالاٌّبْصَـرَ وَالاٌّفْئِدَةَ(and breathed into him the soul; and He gave you hearing, sight and the sense of deduction.) means, reason.قَلِيلاً مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ(Little is the thanks you give!) means, for these strengths with which Allah has provided you; the one who is truly blessed is the one who uses them to worship and obey his Lord, may He be exalted and glorified.