Transliteration:( Laqad khalaqnal insaana fee ahsani taqweem )
4. The polytheists regard human beings as the lowest in the entire creation, hence they worship stones, seas, moon, sun, etc. Monotheists were of the opinion that the jinns and angels are superior to human beings because jinns are greater in strength and the angels in the worship of Allah Almighty. It is for this reason that Allah Almighty has stressed the superiority of human beings through six ways: four oaths and through the letter LAAM and use of undoubtedly. If the human can understand his own status he will neither indulge in the worship of idols nor in committing sins, because the possessor of lofty being should also do deeds which are lofty. The Prophets of Allah Almighty came for the purpose of acquainting the human being of his true status. This is the very meaning of: "He who has understood himself has understood his Lord." The meaning of the word TAQWEEM is physical appearance as well as stature and both meanings are correct. Allah Almighty has created the human being with His own Hand of power.
That is why it is called BASHAR (human being) i.e. a being created through the Hand of Allah Almighty. The word MUBASHIRAT (copulation) is made from growth. Also, before creating him He declared about his greatness and vicegerency by - preparing the angels for his prostration. Then He granted him a unique appearance or form: a straight stature and a beautiful face so much so that even the jinns and angels adore him. In fact, even the Beloved of Allah the Holy Prophet too was created in human form. He was provided with hands to eat so that he does not have to bow before it but bow before Allah Almighty alone. He provided him every limb in the correct proportion i.e. neither is his nose as long as the trunk of the elephant nor concealed like that of birds, etc. He provided him with such a body through which he could perform standing in Salaah (QIYAAM), bowing (RUKU), prostration (SAJDAH), sitting between prostrations (QA'DAH) and all other forms of worship. This is not found in the other creation.
For this reason when Hazrat Jibrael (On whom be peace) would come present to Salaah to the Holy Prophet ? he would appear in human form because it was not possible to perform Salaah in the form of Jibraeel. When a human being sits he becomes Muhammad: the head becomes MEEM, the shoulder the letter HA, the waist the letter MEEM and the knees the letter DAL. If the word TAQWEEM were to mean physical stature then it would mean that Allah Almighty has created the human being with appropriate limbs because his limbs perform those deeds which are not performed by the limbs of animals. Through his eyes he can see and make signs and weeps to seek forgiveness for his sins. He can use the tongue to taste, to speak; his heart is the abode of the beloved.
In it are four places of anger, haste, suspicion and thinking on which the intellect rules. The ministers of the intellect are the soul and the heart. For the guidance of the intellect He has provided the light of Shariah. The beloveds of Allah Almighty say that Allah Almighty has created an assembly of man from the good and the evil. Just like you will find in a home a toilet as well as a bedroom, similarly among human beings you will find the likes of the Pharaoh and Hazrat Musa (On whom be peace). This is the finest or fairest stature of the assembly of man. Just as the toilet is not like the bedroom, although both are constructed from bricks and lime, likewise the non-Prophets are not like the Prophets, although their limbs may be the same.
The tafsir of Surah Tin verse 4 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Tin ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 1 through 8.
(95:4) surely We created man in the best mould;[3]
3. This is the truth for which the oath has been sworn by the lands of the fig and the olive (i.e. Syria and Palestine) and Mt. Sinai and Makkah, the city of peace. Man’s having been created in the most excellent of molds means that he has been given the finest body which no other living being has been given, and he has been blessed with the noblest faculties of thought, knowledge and intellect which no other creature has been blessed with. Then, since the most sublime model these excellencies and unique merits of mankind’s are the Prophets and no creation can have a higher rank than them, so that Allah may choose it for appointment to the office of Prophethood, an oath has been sworn by the places associated with the Prophets of God to bear testimony to man’s having been created in the finest of molds. The land of Syria and Palestine is the land where a large number of Prophets, from the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) to the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), were raised. Mt. Toor is the place where the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was blessed with Prophethood. As for Makkah, it was founded by the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them) themselves. It was on account of their association with it that it became the holiest central place of Arabia. It was the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) who had prayed: O my Lord, make this city a city of peace and security. (Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 126); and it was because of this prayer that in the midst of chaos and confusion prevailing everywhere in Arabia only this city continued to remain an island of peace for some 2500 years or more. Thus, the verse means to say: We created mankind in such an excellent mold that it produced men who attained to the most sublime rank of Prophethood.
[1948]- i.e., upright, symmetrical, and balanced in form and nature.
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