Selected Exegesis

This verse, which can be divided into two parts—the declaration of human successive authority or vicegerency (khilāfah) by God the Glorified, and the exchange between God and the angels about this declaration—marks the beginning of a significant section of ten verses. These verses determine the position of man within the divine cosmic order. The verse highlights that man possesses a unique capacity for understanding realities, distinguishing him in the divine order. It also clarifies the position of the angels in relation to man, emphasizing their lack of capacity and capability for the role of divine vicegerency.

It cannot be conclusively established that the mention of the angels in this verse applies to all angels, particularly to the group who are constantly annihilated in and immersed in God, and thus do not perceive themselves in any way, making them incapable of comparing themselves to Ādam.

The use of the emphatic particle inna (“Indeed”) at the beginning of the nominal sentence (“Indeed, I will make...”) emphasizes the seriousness of God’s decision to appoint a vicegerent and also highlights the continuity of the existence of God’s vicegerent. The singular pronoun in innī may suggest the absence of angelic mediation in this appointment, as the foundation of vicegerency lies in the reality and essence of God’s vicegerent—a stage of existence that serves as the teacher of the angels and remains incomprehensible to them, thereby not requiring their mediation.

The phrase fī l-arḍ (upon the earth) serves as a restriction on the appointment itself, not the appointee. This indicates that the origin of man in the arc of ascent and the location of his elemental body is the earth. However, the perfect man, at least, is the vicegerent of God across all worlds, both hidden and visible.

The intended meaning of “vicegerent” is not the individual person of Ādam, but rather the legal personality of Ādam and the station of humanity. In other words, the vicegerents of God encompass all human beings, or at the very least, the type of perfect human beings. The one who is “succeeded” by this authority on earth is God the Glorified, not a group of angels who lived on earth, nor some corrupt and violent jinn who became extinct, nor the earlier humans known as nasnās, nor any other beings of the world.

The question posed by the angels was not asked in denial, objection, or out of pride. Rather, it was an inquiry driven by astonishment, coupled with a desire to understand the wisdom behind assigning vicegerency to Ādam. This inquiry was also mixed with a concern for the potential outcomes of this divine decision.

The expression “who will cause corruption therein” (man yufsidu) instead of “what will cause corruption therein” (mā yufsidu) may suggest that the angels were aware of the free will, choice, intellect, and the specific existential composition of Ādam and the implications of these attributes. The response “Indeed, I know that which you do not know” directly addresses this point, indicating that the angels had only perceived one aspect of this composition and were unaware of the pure and righteous individuals who would also emerge from it.

The addition of praise (ḥamd) in the phrase “with Your praise” (bi ḥamdika) to the verb of glorification highlights that the glorification performed by the glorifiers should always be accompanied by praise.

In the phrase “and we sanctify for You” (wa nuqaddisu laka), the object of sanctification is the pure essence of God, not the world and its creatures, nor the angels themselves or their actions.

The concise response, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know,” might be implying that for a servant who submits to the Wise Lord, a detailed explanation of the wisdom behind His decrees is not necessary.