Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 33

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He said, “O ’Ādam, tell them the names of all these.” When he told them their names, Allah said, “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the skies and of the earth, and that I know what you disclose and what you conceal.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Allah said, “O Adam! Inform them of their names.” Then when Adam did, Allah said, “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”

Ruwwad Translation Center

He said, “O Adam, inform them of their names.” When he informed them of their names, Allah said, “Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”

A. J. Arberry

He said, 'Adam, tell them their names.' And when he had told them their names He said, 'Did I not tell you I know the unseen things of the heavens and earth? And I know what things you reveal, and what you were hiding.'

Abdul Haleem

Then He said, ‘Adam, tell them the names of these.’ When he told them their names, God said, ‘Did I not tell you that I know what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah said: O Adam! declare thou unto them the names of those objects. Then when he had declared unto them the names of those, He said: said I not unto you, verily I know the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and know that which ye disclose and that which ye are wont to conceal!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He said; "O Adam! Tell them their names." When he had told them, Allah said; "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?"

Abul Ala Maududi

Then Allah said to Adam, "Tell them the names of these things." When Adam told them the names of all those things, Allah declared, "Did I not tell you that I know those truths about the Earth and the Heavens which are hidden from you? I know what you disclose and what you hide."

Ahmed Ali

Then He said to Adam: "Convey to them their names." And when he had told them, God said: "Did I not tell you that I know the unknown of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you disclose and know what you hide?"

Ahmed Raza Khan

He said “O Adam! Inform them the names”; and when Adam had informed them their names, He said, “Did I not tell you that I know all the secrets of the heavens and the earth? And I know all what you disclose and all what you hide?”

Ali Quli Qarai

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 of the heavens and the earth, and that I know whatever you disclose and whatever you conceal?’

Ali Ünal

(In order to demonstrate the superiority of humankind more clearly, God) said: "O Adam, inform them of these things and beings with their names." When he (Adam) informed them with their names, He said (to the angels), "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and I know all that you reveal and all that you have been concealing?"

Amatul Rahman Omar

He said, `Adam! tell them (- the angels) their names (- names of the objects).´ So when he had told them their names He said, `Did I not tell you that, indeed I know the unseen things of the heavens and of the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal.´

English Literal

He said: "You, Adam, inform them with their names." so when he informed them with their names, He (God) said: "Did I not say to you, that I know the skies`/space`s and the earth`s/Planet Earth`s unseen and I know what you show, and what you were hiding/concealing."

Faridul Haque

He said "O Adam! Inform them the names"; and when Adam had informed them their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know all the secrets of the heavens and the earth? And I know all what you disclose and all what you hide?"

Hamid S. Aziz

Said the Lord, "O Adam declare to them the Names;" and when he had declared to them the Names, He said, "Did I not say to you, I know the secrets of the heavens and of the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?"

Hilali & Khan

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 Ghaib (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing?"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He said: O Adam, inform them of their names. So when he informed them of their names, He said: Did I not say to you that I know what is unseen in the heavens and the earth? And I know what you manifest and what you hide.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He said: O Adam! inform them of their names. Then when he had informed them of their names, He said: Did I not say to you that I surely know what is ghaib in the heavens and the earth and (that) I know what you manifest and what you hide?

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

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 secret of the heavens and the earth? And I know that which ye disclose and which ye hide.

Muhammad Sarwar

The Lord said to Adam, "Tell the names of the beings to the angels." When Adam said their names, the Lord said, "Did I not tell you (angels) that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth and all that you reveal or hide?"

Qaribullah & Darwish

Then He said to Adam: 'Tell them their names.' And when Adam had named them, He said: 'Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and earth, and all that you reveal and all that you hide'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

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 Ghayb (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing"

Wahiduddin Khan

Then He said, "O Adam, tell them their names." When Adam had told them the names, God said to the angels, "Did I not say to you: I know the secrets of the heavens and of the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?"

Talal Itani

He said, “O Adam, tell them their names.” And when he told them their names, He said, “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”

Tafsir jalalayn

He, exalted be He, said, `Adam, tell them, the angels, their names', all of the things named; so, he named each thing by its appellation and mentioned the wisdom behind its creation; And when he had told them their names He, exalted, said, in rebuke, `Did I not tell you that I know the Unseen in the heavens and the earth?, what is unseen in them, And I know what you reveal, what you manifested when you said, `What, will You appoint therein ...', and what you were hiding, what you were keeping secret when you were saying that God would not create anything more knowledgeable or more noble in His eyes than us.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

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 Ghayb (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing!"

Zayd bin Aslam said,

"You are Jibril, you are Mikhail, you are Israfil, until he mentioned the name of the crow."

Mujahid said that Allah's statement,
قَالَ يَا ادَمُ أَنبِيْهُم بِأَسْمَأيِهِمْ
(He said;"O Adam! Inform them of their names"),

"The name of the pigeon, the crow and everything."

Statements of a similar meaning were reported from Sa`id bin Jubayr, Al-Hasan, and Qatadah.

When Adam's virtue over the angels became apparent, as he mentioned the names that Allah taught him, Allah said to the angels,

أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالَارْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ


Did I not tell you that I know the Ghayb (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing!

This means, "Did I not state that I know the seen and unseen matters."

Similarly, Allah said,

وَإِن تَجْهَرْ بِالْقَوْلِ فَإِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى

And if you (O Muhammad) speak (the invocation) aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden. (20;7)

Also, Allah said about the hoopoe, that it said to Suleiman;

أَلاَّ يَسْجُدُواْ للَّهِ الَّذِى يُخْرِجُ الْخَبْءَ فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

(As Shaytan (Satan) has barred them from Allah's way) so they do not prostrate before Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne! (27;25-26)

They also have comments other than what we have said about the meaning of Allah's statement,

وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ


And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing.

It is reported from Ad-Dahhak that Ibn Abbas said that it means,

"`I know the secrets, just as I know the apparent things, such as, what Iblis concealed in his heart of arrogance and pride."

Abu Jafar Ar-Razi narrated that Ar-Rabi bin Anas said that,
وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
(And I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing) means,

"The apparent part of what they said was;`Do you create in it that which would commit mischief and shed blood!'

The hidden meaning was;`We have more knowledge and honor than any creation our Lord would create.'

But they came to know that Allah favored Adam above them regarding knowledge and honor.