سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 33
قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ ﴿33﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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 Ghaib (Unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing?"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قَالَ
qāla
He said
يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ
yāādamu
O Adam
أَنۢبِئْهُم
anbi'hum
Inform them
بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ ۖ
bi-asmāihim
of their names
فَلَمَّآ
falammā
And when
أَنۢبَأَهُم
anba-ahum
he had informed them
بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ
bi-asmāihim
of their names
قَالَ
qāla
He said
أَلَمْ
alam
Did not
أَقُل
aqul
I say
لَّكُمْ
lakum
to you
إِنِّىٓ
innī
Indeed, I
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
[I] know
غَيْبَ
ghayba
(the) unseen
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِ
wal-arḍi
and the earth
وَأَعْلَمُ
wa-aʿlamu
and I know
مَا
mā
what
تُبْدُونَ
tub'dūna
you reveal
وَمَا
wamā
and what
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you [were]
تَكْتُمُونَ
taktumūna
conceal
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
33. Allah said, "O Adam! Inform them of their names." So when Adam had informed them of their names [45], Allah said, "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?"
[45] When the angels became aware of Adam’s comprehensive knowledge and admitted their own lack of knowledge, Allah Almighty informed the angels of that which they did not know, and that was: if there is an aspect of mischief and evil in man, then there is also an aspect of righteousness and goodness, and the aspect of righteousness and goodness is dominant. That is why he is being made the caliph, and due to his intellectual excellence, he is worthy of it. Incidentally, from this story, it is also understood that knowledge is superior to worship. Worship is an act pertaining to the creation, whereas knowledge is related to both the Creator and the creation, and the greatest Knower and All-Knowing is Allah Himself. No doubt, man cannot worship like the angels or as much as them. However, on the basis of knowledge, he was deemed superior to the angels and deserving of caliphate.
[45] When the angels became aware of Adam’s comprehensive knowledge and admitted their own lack of knowledge, Allah Almighty informed the angels of that which they did not know, and that was: if there is an aspect of mischief and evil in man, then there is also an aspect of righteousness and goodness, and the aspect of righteousness and goodness is dominant. That is why he is being made the caliph, and due to his intellectual excellence, he is worthy of it. Incidentally, from this story, it is also understood that knowledge is superior to worship. Worship is an act pertaining to the creation, whereas knowledge is related to both the Creator and the creation, and the greatest Knower and All-Knowing is Allah Himself. No doubt, man cannot worship like the angels or as much as them. However, on the basis of knowledge, he was deemed superior to the angels and deserving of caliphate.
