Subtleties and Allusions

1) A Sign of Being Firmly Grounded in Knowledge

According to the statement of the Commander of the Faithful, ʿAlī (a.s.), admitting one’s inability to reach things that have remained hidden is itself considered knowledge. Not discussing, delving into, or pondering the essence of such matters is regarded as being firmly grounded in knowledge. A general acknowledgment of the truth of all that has been veiled from humans in the unseen realm prevents one from making improper attempts to unlock the closed doors of knowledge:

“Know that those firmly grounded in knowledge are those who are content, instead of breaking through the barriers erected before the unseen, with acknowledging in general terms what they are ignorant of regarding its explanation from the veiled unseen. So God Almighty has praised their admission of inability to grasp that which they do not encompass in knowledge, and He has named their abandonment of delving into that whose essence they have not been charged with researching, as being firmly grounded [in knowledge].”(294)

It is evident from the verse under discussion that the angels recognized their existential level and position, understood their capacity, and admitted that many things are hidden from them and that they are incapable of perceiving and understanding them. This is evidence of their being firmly grounded in knowledge and a sign of their perfection.

2) The Possibility of Increasing Knowledge in Angels

It may be understood from the verse “We have no knowledge except what You have taught us” as well as from “And there is none of us except that he has a known position” that each angel has a specific rank from which they do not ascend. In other words, their beginning and end are the same, unlike the human soul, which, being corporeal in origination and spiritual in subsistence, possesses development and movement.

However, it can be argued that just as the human soul, despite being immaterial, can increase in knowledge due to its connection to the body, the angels, who have spiritual immateriality and are the administrators of the heavens and earth—akin to the spirits of these realms—may also have the potential to acquire new knowledge. In other words, it is possible that some angels possess a soul-like immateriality (as opposed to intellectual immateriality), meaning that, like the human soul, they have a faculty that reaches actuality through their connection to a body (which, in their case, might be the heavens and the earth or their own specific bodies).

Note:

a) What is immune from increase and decrease is an abstract existence up to an intellect that is free from any faculty, and applying this to any angel requires proof.

b) On the other hand, perfection is not limited to a being composed of soul and body; rather, the criterion for perfectibility is the companionship of faculty and the lack of complete intellectual abstraction, even if that being does not have a body.

c) However, the phrase “We have no knowledge except what You have taught us” does not necessarily imply that knowledge cannot increase, even from God, but rather it only negates the inherent nature of the angels’ knowledge. As for the verse “And there is none of us except that he has a known position” (37:164):

First, it may not apply to all angels.

Second, “known position” may refer to the specific mission of each angel, meaning that each has a specific duty and mission.

Third, it is possible that the “known position” has degrees, and some angels, though not all, may attain these degrees. While the perfection and growth of angels may have a known ceiling, it is possible to progress from lower to higher degrees within that ceiling.

3) The specialty of unmediated knowledge for the first emanation

The teaching of the names to Ādam represents a special distinction for him, one that cannot be paralleled by the angels, even if they were also taught these names. The key question here is: How did Ādam, who initially knew nothing, ascend to the rank of God’s vicegerent (khalīfat Allāh), while the angels, despite their knowledge, did not?

This question was previously addressed, and the summary of the answer is as follows: Knowledge of the names refers to direct and unmediated knowledge from God. This type of knowledge is only possible for a being who is perfect, with no intermediary or veil between them and God. In the hierarchy of existence, only the insān al-kāmil (the Perfect Human Being) meets this criterion.

The Perfect Human Being is the first and most complete locus of divine manifestation, while the angels occupy a secondary position. In this analogy, the Perfect Human Being is like the primary mirror reflecting the light of the heavens and the earth (nūr al-samāwāt wa-l-arḍ), while the angels are like secondary mirrors reflecting the same light.

The distinction lies in the nature of the knowledge and the role each plays in the cosmic order. The Perfect Human Being is the unmediated teacher of the angels and holds the position of God’s vicegerent, while the angels, who are students, receive their knowledge and understanding of divine realities through the intermediary of the Perfect Human Being. Due to their lower degree of existence, the angels cannot directly receive the realities of the divine names from God and thus cannot serve as immediate vicegerents of God. Hence, the objection that the angels could have been God’s vicegerents if they had been taught the names directly does not hold, as their existential rank precludes this possibility.

4) Admission of Ignorance

Qurṭubī narrates from Ibn Hurmuz that it is appropriate for a scholar to leave the phrase “I do not know” (lā adrī) as a legacy to his companions, so that this cultural practice remains with them. When asked about something they are unsure of, they should respond with “I do not know.” Haytham ibn Jamīl recounts that he witnessed Mālik ibn Anas being asked 48 questions, to which Mālik replied “I do not know” for 32 of them. The tendency to avoid saying “I do not know” stems from a desire for leadership and a lack of fairness in knowledge. Without fairness, one cannot truly understand or help others to understand.

Qurṭubī also narrates an incident where a man asked Imām ʿAlī (a.s.) about a matter. After the Imām gave his response, the man remarked, “O Commander of the Faithful, it is not like this; rather, it is like that.” Imām ʿAlī (a.s.) responded, “You have spoken correctly, and I was mistaken. Above every knowledgeable one is another who is more knowledgeable.”(295)

Note: Although the knowledge of contingent beings is limited compared to the knowledge of God the Glorified, the possessor of the lofty station of “Ask me before you lose me” (salūnī qabla an tafqidūnī)(296) is free from such matters.