The essence: the summary, because it emerges from among the impurities. 'Fa'alah' is a form indicating scarcity, like 'qalamah' and 'qimamah'. And from al-Hasan: water among the clay. If you say: what is the difference between 'min' and 'wa'? I say: the former is for beginning, and the latter is for clarification, like His saying 'min al-awthan'. If you say: what does it mean: 'We made man a drop'? I say:

Its meaning is that He created the essence of man first from clay, then made his essence thereafter a drop. The 'qarar' is the settled place, and the intended meaning is the womb. It is described by the status that is a characteristic of the settled place in it, like saying: a path that is traveled. Or by its status in itself, because it is enabled in such a way and secured. It was recited: 'azman' so we clothed the bone. And 'azaman' so we clothed the bones. And 'azman' so we clothed the bones. And 'azaman' so we clothed the bone: the singular is used in place of the plural to avoid ambiguity, because man has many bones.

A creation other than the first creation, a distinction that is far removed, where He made him an animal when he was inanimate, and articulate when he was mute, and hearing when he was deaf, and seeing when he was blind. And He placed within him and upon him - indeed every organ of his and every part of him - wonders of creation and strange wisdom that cannot be grasped by the description of the describer nor reached by the explanation of the explainer. And Abu Hanifah used this as evidence regarding one who seized an egg that hatched with him, saying: he is liable for the egg but does not return the chick, because it is another creation besides the egg. So blessed is Allah, exalted is He, in His power and knowledge, the best of creators, meaning: the best of those who decree, so He left the mention of the distinguished due to the indication of the creators. And similar to this is the dropping of the permission in His saying 'permission is given to those who are fought against' due to the indication of the connection.

It was narrated from Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that when the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, reached the saying 'a creation other', he said: So blessed is Allah, the best of creators. [And in the narration from Anas, it is said: Umar said: I agreed with my Lord in four matters, and he mentioned the hadith - and in it: then it was revealed 'And certainly We created man from a essence of clay', up to His saying 'a creation other'. I said: So blessed is Allah, the best of creators. Then it was revealed.] It was narrated that Abdullah ibn Sa'd ibn Abi Sarh used to write for the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, and he spoke this before it was dictated to him. The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, said to him: 'Write as it has been revealed.' Abdullah said: If Muhammad is a prophet to whom revelation comes, then I am a prophet to whom revelation comes. He then went to Mecca as a disbeliever, then he embraced Islam on the day of the conquest. [Thus it was mentioned by al-Thalabi from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them, and attributed by al-Wahidi to al-Kalbi, from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them.]