He said, "What has prevented you from submitting when I have ordered you?" He said, "I am better than him, You created me from fire and created him from clay!"
Translation endnotes
[7:12] It is interesting that God does not kick out the Perverse from His presence as soon as he disobeys the divine order; by directing him to defend his action, God wants to inform us about the source of his disobedience. Perverse demonstrated an unjustified pride in something that was not his own work. Racism finds its roots in such a diabolic false pride. See 15:28.