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Al-Baqarah (The Cow)

Verse 33of 286

قَالَ يَٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ﴿٣٣

Translation (Sahih International)

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."

Word-by-word meaning

قَالَqālaHe said
يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُyāādamuO Adam
أَنۢبِئْهُمanbi'humInform them
بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ ۖbi-asmāihimof their names
فَلَمَّآfalammāAnd when
أَنۢبَأَهُمanba-ahumhe had informed them
بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْbi-asmāihimof their names
قَالَqālaHe said
أَلَمْalamDid not
أَقُلaqulI say
لَّكُمْlakumto you
إِنِّىٓinnīIndeed, I
أَعْلَمُaʿlamu[I] know
غَيْبَghayba(the) unseen
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِl-samāwāti(of) the heavens
وَٱلْأَرْضِwal-arḍiand the earth
وَأَعْلَمُwa-aʿlamuand I know
مَاwhat
تُبْدُونَtub'dūnayou reveal
وَمَاwamāand what
كُنتُمْkuntumyou [were]
تَكْتُمُونَtaktumūnaconceal

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Virtue of Adam over the AngelsAllah stated the virtue of Adam above the angels, because He taught Adam, rather than them, the names of everything. This occurred after they prostrated to him. This discussion precedes that event here, only to show the importance of his position, and the absence of the angels' knowledge about creating the Khalifah when they asked about it.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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