قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ 33
Translations
He said, "O Adam, inform them of their names." And when he had informed them of their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal and what you have concealed."
Transliteration
Qala ya Adam anbi'hum bi-asma'ihim, falamma anba'ahum bi-asma'ihim qala alam aqul lakum inni a'lamu ghayba as-samawati wa-al-ardi wa-a'lamu ma tubdun wa-ma kuntum taktumun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah commanded Adam to inform the angels of the names of all things, and when Adam did so, Allah reminded the angels of His earlier statement that He possesses knowledge of the unseen of the heavens and earth, and knows what the angels reveal and what they conceal. This ayah demonstrates Adam's superiority over the angels through his knowledge granted by Allah, and serves as a response to the angels' questioning of why Allah would create mankind (as mentioned in 2:34). According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this knowledge refers to the divine sciences and wisdoms that Adam was taught, which the angels did not possess, establishing the foundation for human intellect and learning.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the context of the creation of Adam and the testing of the angels' obedience. It follows the account of Allah's creation of Adam and His teaching him the names of all things (2:31). The passage addresses the angels' earlier query about why Allah would create a successor on earth, answering that Allah's wisdom encompasses knowledge that surpasses even the angels' understanding.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (4:674) discusses Adam's knowledge and superiority, relating to the honor given to him through learning. Additionally, Tirmidhi reports a hadith regarding the angels' questioning about mankind's creation, contextualizing this ayah within the broader narrative of Adam's distinction.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that knowledge and understanding are divine gifts that elevate human dignity and responsibility, while reminding us that Allah's wisdom encompasses all that is hidden and revealed. For modern readers, it emphasizes the value of seeking and pursuing knowledge as a means of honoring the intellect Allah has granted humanity.