سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 31
وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِى بِأَسْمَآءِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿31﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And He taught Adam all the names (of everything), then He showed them to the angels and said, "Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَعَلَّمَ
waʿallama
And He taught
ءَادَمَ
ādama
Adam
ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ
l-asmāa
the names
كُلَّهَا
kullahā
all of them
ثُمَّ
thumma
Then
عَرَضَهُمْ
ʿaraḍahum
He displayed them
عَلَى
ʿalā
to
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ
l-malāikati
the angels
فَقَالَ
faqāla
then He said
أَنۢبِـُٔونِى
anbiūnī
Inform Me
بِأَسْمَآءِ
bi-asmāi
of (the) names
هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ
hāulāi
(of) these
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you are
صَـٰدِقِينَ
ṣādiqīna
truthful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 31 to 33) ➊ When assigning responsibility for a workshop, it is considered who has knowledge of its tools; obviously, only the one who at least knows their names can use them. Allah Almighty taught Adam (peace be upon him) the names of the things of the earth and made it clear to the angels that for the vicegerency of the earth, mere glorification and sanctification are not sufficient, but knowledge of the names is also necessary, which has been granted to Adam, not to the angels. As for why this knowledge was not given to the angels and why they were not entrusted with the vicegerency of the earth, its wisdom is best known to Allah Almighty. He said: « اِنِّيْۤ اَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ » "Indeed, I know what you do not know."
➋ From this, it is understood that the knowledge of the angels is partial, and despite being close (to Allah), they do not possess knowledge of the unseen. No one knows the unseen except Allah. [ النمل : ۶۵ ] Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Whoever tells you that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew the unseen, then without doubt he has lied, for Allah Almighty says that no one knows the unseen except Him." [ بخاری، التوحید، باب «عالم الغیب فلا یظہر علی غیبہ أحدًا …» : ۷۳۸۰ ]
➋ From this, it is understood that the knowledge of the angels is partial, and despite being close (to Allah), they do not possess knowledge of the unseen. No one knows the unseen except Allah. [ النمل : ۶۵ ] Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Whoever tells you that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew the unseen, then without doubt he has lied, for Allah Almighty says that no one knows the unseen except Him." [ بخاری، التوحید، باب «عالم الغیب فلا یظہر علی غیبہ أحدًا …» : ۷۳۸۰ ]
