Fatwa ID: 07652
Answered by Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Question:
I have questions regarding Surah Baqarah Ayah 2:30,
“How did the angels know [2:30] that man would spread corruption and shed blood even before Allah created him?”
I am looking forward for your kind and well explained response on this question.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
Your question regarding Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 30, is a profound one that has been discussed by many Islamic scholars throughout history. The verse in question is:
“And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority (khalifah).’ They said, ‘Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?’ Allah said, ‘Indeed, I know that which you do not know.’”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:30)
- Understanding the Angels’ Knowledge
The question arises: How did the angels know that humans would cause corruption and shed blood even before Allah created Adam (peace be upon him)?
In the Hanafi tradition, one of the explanations provided is that the angels had prior knowledge from their experience with the jinn, who inhabited the earth before humans. The jinn, like humans, were also endowed with free will and had caused corruption and bloodshed. The angels, observing the jinn, made a logical deduction that a new creation with free will, like humans, might act similarly.1
- The Angels’ Perception and Wisdom
Another interpretation from Hanafi scholars is that the angels, by their nature, understood the potential consequences of free will, which includes the capacity for both good and evil. They were aware that a creation given free will could choose to disobey, leading to corruption and violence.
In Tafsir Baydawi it is mentioned that the angels might have been informed by Allah about some aspects of human nature, or they understood it through the wisdom granted to them by Allah.
“لعله أطلعهم على أحوال البشر فأخذوه عن الغيب، أو قاسوه على أحوال من سبقهم من الجن، أو عرفوه من تركيبهم”
“Perhaps Allah informed them about the conditions of humans, so they derived it from the unseen, or they compared it to the conditions of those who preceded them, such as the jinn, or they understood it from the nature of their creation.”
(Vol. 1, pg. 67)
This suggests that the angels’ statement could be based on either direct knowledge from Allah or through their own understanding and wisdom.
- Allah’s Response to the Angels
Allah’s response, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know,” indicates that while the angels had concerns based on their knowledge and understanding, Allah’s knowledge is complete and encompasses wisdom that the angels do not have. This includes the potential for great good that humans could achieve, despite their capacity for wrongdoing.
In Al-Muhit Al-Burhani (المحيط البرهاني) by Al-Burhan al-Din al-Bukhari:
“في قوله إني أعلم ما لا تعلمون: علم الله من آدم وذريته من سيفعل الخير، ومن سيعبد الله ويكون من الأنبياء والصالحين”
“In His statement ‘I know that which you do not know,’ Allah knew from Adam and his descendants who would do good, worship Allah, and be among the prophets and the righteous.”
(Vol. 1, pg. 104)
This emphasises that Allah’s knowledge includes the overall wisdom behind creating humans, which involves their ability to perform great acts of worship and righteousness, as well as the existence of prophets and pious individuals among them.
Thus, the angels’ knowledge that humans would cause corruption and shed blood likely came from their observation of previous creations like the jinn, their understanding of the potential outcomes of free will, or possibly direct knowledge from Allah. However, Allah’s knowledge is complete and encompasses the greater wisdom behind the creation of humans, which includes the capacity for righteousness, worship, and the existence of prophets and pious individuals.
I hope that this answers the question.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by: Alimah Shireen Mangera-Badat
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 Ahkam al-Qur’an (أحكام القرآن) by Al-Jassas:
“قد روي أن الله تعالى خلق الجن قبل آدم، فسفكوا الدماء في الأرض، فأرسل إليهم الجنود من الملائكة، فقتلوهم وأخرجوهم منها، فلما أراد الله تعالى أن يخلق آدم قالوا ذلك”
“It is narrated that Allah created the jinn before Adam, and they shed blood on the earth. So, Allah sent armies of angels to them, who killed them and expelled them from the earth. When Allah intended to create Adam, the angels mentioned this.”
(Vol. 1, pg. 20)
