Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said in His noble Book: (And when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I am going to place a successor on earth.” They said, “Will You place therein one who will cause corruption therein and shed blood, while we glorify You and purify You?” He said, “Indeed, I know what you do not know.”)
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The questioner : Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said in His noble Book: [Al-Baqarah 2:30] Question: O honorable Shaykh, how did the angels know that Adam and his descendants would cause corruption on earth and that some of them would shed the blood of others? Does this indicate that there were humans created before Adam? It is known that when Allah, the Exalted, presented the names to the angels, they said: “We do not know,” and this is what came in His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:31-32] ?
The Shaykh : The answer regarding the noble verse in His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:30] The exegetes differed on it. Some said: The meaning of His saying “successor” is one who succeeds those who came before him, and there were inhabitants on earth before Adam, and these inhabitants would shed blood and cause corruption on earth. These scholars cited as evidence the saying of the angels, peace be upon them: [Al-Baqarah 2:30] and the fact that the jinn were created before the humans, as He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Hijr 15:26-27] .
And some said: Rather, the intended meaning of His saying “successor” is a people who succeed one another, so some people go and others come. In my view, the first opinion is closer to the apparent meaning of the verse, which is that Adam and his descendants will be successors to those who preceded them on earth, and that the angels said:[Al-Baqarah 2:30] based on what happened with those people whom Adam and his descendants succeeded on earth.
And in the second verse cited by the questioner, which is the saying of the angels when Allah said to them:[Al-Baqarah 2:31-32] there is evidence that if a person is asked about something he does not know, he should say something like this, saying: “Allah knows best” or “We have no knowledge except what Allah has taught us” or similar words. For it is not permissible for a person to proceed to issue a fatwa or to judge between people without knowledge, because that is among the major sins. Allah, the Exalted, said: [Al-A'raf 7:33] And He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Isra 17:36] .
And indeed, speaking about the religion of Allah, the Exalted, without knowledge has become widespread among people today, from the general public and from students of knowledge who have not verified what they say and issue as fatwas. This is a very serious matter, not only for the mufti alone, nor for the one seeking a fatwa alone, but for the mufti and the one seeking a fatwa, and indeed for Islam. Because a fatwa without knowledge leads to much disagreement, as it is based on mere limited opinion, and every person has his own opinion and temperament. The standard and the scale are the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So when people all speak with what they have, opinions differ, disputes increase, the general public wavers, and they doubt the truth they are upon, saying, “What is this religion? Everyone says this and everyone says that?” And the matter becomes confused, resulting in great harm.
So I advise myself and my brothers to stand by the limits of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and not to speak about the religion of Allah with what we do not know of His religion, and with what we do not know is permissible for us to speak about. And we have heard many things of this type. A person comes and hears a general hadith and takes it by its generality, although clear and explicit evidence has indicated its specification. Indeed, he may judge by evidence that has been abrogated and whose ruling has been lifted from its origin. And he may take from reports and weak hadiths that cannot withstand the authentic hadiths recorded in the famous books of Islam in hadith.
Therefore, it is obligatory for a person to fear Allah regarding himself and his Muslim brothers. It does not harm him in any way if he is asked about something and says, “I do not know,” if he does not know it. Rather, this increases his elevation in the sight of Allah and in the sight of people. And people trust his word if he says, “I do not know,” about what he does not know, because people know from him his scrupulousness and that he does not speak except with knowledge.
But if he speaks about everything he is asked about, and then his error becomes apparent once and again, then people do not trust him. And I ask Allah to make us guides and guided, and righteous and reformers.
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." 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."
وإذ قال ربك للملائكة إني جاعل في الأرض خليفة قالوا أتجعل فيها من يفسد فيها ويسفك الدماء ونحن نسبح بحمدك ونقدس لك قال إني أعلم ما لا تعلمون(31) And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful." (32) They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise."
وعلم آدم الأسماء كلها ثم عرضهم على الملائكة فقال أنبئوني بأسماء هؤلاء إن كنتم صادقين قالوا سبحانك لا علم لنا إلا ما علمتنا إنك أنت العليم الحكيمThe Shaykh : The answer regarding the noble verse in His saying, the Exalted:
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."
وإذ قال ربك للملائكة إني جاعل في الأرض خليفةWill You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?
أتجعل فيها من يفسد فيها ويسفك الدماء ونحن نسبح بحمد ونقدس لك(26) And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. (27) And the jinn We created before from scorching fire.
ولقد خلقنا الإنسان من صلصال من حمأ مسنون والجان خلقناه من قبل من نار السمومAnd some said: Rather, the intended meaning of His saying “successor” is a people who succeed one another, so some people go and others come. In my view, the first opinion is closer to the apparent meaning of the verse, which is that Adam and his descendants will be successors to those who preceded them on earth, and that the angels said:
Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood
أتجعل فيها من يفسد فيها ويسفك الدماءAnd in the second verse cited by the questioner, which is the saying of the angels when Allah said to them:
"Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful." (32) They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise."
أنبؤوني بأسماء هؤلاء إن كنتم صادقين قالوا سبحانك لا علم لنا إلا ما علمتنا إنك أنت العليم الحكيمSay, "My Lord has only forbidden immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed - and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know."
قل إنما حرم ربي الفواحش ما ظهر منها وما بطن والإثم والبغي بغير الحق وأن تشركوا بالله ما لم ينزل به سلطانا وأن تقولوا على الله ما لا تعلمونAnd do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.
ولا تقف ما ليس لك به علم إن السمع والبصر والفؤاد كل أولئك كان عنه مسؤولاًAnd indeed, speaking about the religion of Allah, the Exalted, without knowledge has become widespread among people today, from the general public and from students of knowledge who have not verified what they say and issue as fatwas. This is a very serious matter, not only for the mufti alone, nor for the one seeking a fatwa alone, but for the mufti and the one seeking a fatwa, and indeed for Islam. Because a fatwa without knowledge leads to much disagreement, as it is based on mere limited opinion, and every person has his own opinion and temperament. The standard and the scale are the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So when people all speak with what they have, opinions differ, disputes increase, the general public wavers, and they doubt the truth they are upon, saying, “What is this religion? Everyone says this and everyone says that?” And the matter becomes confused, resulting in great harm.
So I advise myself and my brothers to stand by the limits of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and not to speak about the religion of Allah with what we do not know of His religion, and with what we do not know is permissible for us to speak about. And we have heard many things of this type. A person comes and hears a general hadith and takes it by its generality, although clear and explicit evidence has indicated its specification. Indeed, he may judge by evidence that has been abrogated and whose ruling has been lifted from its origin. And he may take from reports and weak hadiths that cannot withstand the authentic hadiths recorded in the famous books of Islam in hadith.
Therefore, it is obligatory for a person to fear Allah regarding himself and his Muslim brothers. It does not harm him in any way if he is asked about something and says, “I do not know,” if he does not know it. Rather, this increases his elevation in the sight of Allah and in the sight of people. And people trust his word if he says, “I do not know,” about what he does not know, because people know from him his scrupulousness and that he does not speak except with knowledge.
But if he speaks about everything he is asked about, and then his error becomes apparent once and again, then people do not trust him. And I ask Allah to make us guides and guided, and righteous and reformers.