"both My Hands"

[Qurratu'l-Ayn]

Assalam alaikum everyone. 

"He said: O Iblis! What hinders you from falling prostrate before that which I have created with both My hands ? Are you too proud or are you of the high exalted ?"   38:75.

Pls interpret what Allah means by "both My Hands."

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Walaikum as Salam.   

It's basically a form of expression.  "both My Hands" implies that Allah created man directly, Himself.  He did not teach His angels to create man, rather Allah created man Himself. Thus Allah asks Satan what  prevented him from prostrating before that creation whom Allah created directly, Himself.

Also the words "both My Hands" is likely meant to refer to the fact that this new creation indicates an important aspect of Allah's power of creation. Because of the Spirit breathed into him, man has been granted qualities which place him in merit and intellect above all other creations with the ability for humans to choose their path of conduct.

Hope this explanation helps, InshAllah.

[Qurratu'l-Ayn]

Yes sister it helps.  JazekAllahKhair for the easy clarification.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

You're welcome. 

Here’s one point I forgot to add, my apology.  Some English translators have mentioned the translation of V.38:75 as "both My Hands" but that differs from the original Arabic. Literal and original translation of V.38:75 is “with My Hands" (original Arabic "biyadayya" which translates as "with My Hands" NOT “with both My Hands”).    

[Qurratu'l-Ayn]

Oh!  why did the translators use the additional word 'both' ? 

Which translators have done this?  The english translation I quoted is from Muhammad M. Pickthal.

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Quite a few of them have mistranslated as “with both My Hands” that include Pickthall, Mohsin Khan, Shakir who has mistranslated it as “with My two hands”  which is the same as “both Hands”   Arberry has translated it as “My own hands” which is also not accurate compared to the original.  There could be more.   The correct translation of V.38:75  mentioning “with My Hands” is in Sahih International, Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Sarwar that I know of.  I haven’t checked Abdel Haleem.

The reason for the differing translation “both My Hands” is that some translators presume the reference in V.38:75 is to two basic features of humans, which are:

1)   The spirit as created by Allah Almighty.
2)   The human characteristic of having a physical body as created by Allah Almighty.

This could be a correct reference which only Allah knows best.  But the fact is, the original says “with My Hands” not “with both My Hands”.   Thus, in translations the term “both” should be put in brackets because it is not stated in the original.

[Qurratu'l-Ayn]

JAK and thankx again for this input.  I didn't compare this translation with original so I didn't know it.  It's important point.