Ith qala rabbuka lilmala-ikati innee khaliqun basharan min teen (surah Sad: 71)

Tafseer Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi

(38:71) When your Lord said to the angels: *59 'Verily I am creating a human being from clay. *60

Iz qaala Rabbuka lilmalaaa`ikati innee khaaliqum basharam min teen

*59) This is the explanation of the dispute referred to about, and the dispute implies Satan's dispute with God, as becomes evident from the verses that follow. In this regard, one should bear in mind the fact that "the exalted ones" implies the angels, and the dialogue between Allah and Satan was not direct but it took place through some angel. Therefore, no one should havc the misunderstanding that Allah also was included among the exalted ones. This story has already been narrated at the following places about: Al-Baqarah: 30-39, AI-A'raf: 11-25, Al-Hijr: 26-44, Bani Isra'il: 61-65, Al-Kahf: 50, Ta Ha: 116-126.
*60) Lexically, bashar means a gross body whose surface is bare and uncovered by anything else. After the creation of man this word has been used for man himself, but mentioning him by the word bashar before his creation and making him from clay clearly means: "I am about to make an image of clay, which will be without any feathers and hair, etc., whose skin will not be covered by wool or hair or feathers like the skin of other animals.