Quran 2:30 — Al-Baqara, verse 30
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
[Prophet], when your Lord told the angels, ‘I am putting a successor on earth,’ they said, ‘How can You put someone there who will cause damage and bloodshed, when we celebrate Your praise and proclaim Your holiness?’ but He said, ‘I know things you do not.’
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
wa-idh qāla rabbuka lil'malāikati innī jāʿilun fī l-arḍi khalīfatan qālū atajʿalu fīhā man yuf'sidu fīhā wayasfiku l-dimāa wanaḥnu nusabbiḥu biḥamdika wanuqaddisu laka qāla innī aʿlamu mā lā taʿlamūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- And when thy Lord said to the angels, 'I am setting in the earth a viceroy.' They said, 'What, wilt Thou set therein one who will do corruption there, and shed blood, while We proclaim Thy praise and call Thee Holy?' He said, 'Assuredly I know that you know not.'
- Muhammad Asad
- AND LO! Thy Sustainer said unto the angels: "Behold, I am about to establish upon earth one who shall inherit it." They said: "Wilt Thou place on it such as will spread corruption thereon and shed blood -whereas it is we who extol Thy limitless glory, and praise Thee, and hallow Thy name?" [God] answered: "Verily, I know that which you do not know."
- Sahih International
- And [mention, O Muḥammad], 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 exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?" He [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَإِذْwa-idh | And when | — |
| 2 | قَالَqāla | said | قول |
| 3 | رَبُّكَrabbuka | your Lord | ربب |
| 4 | لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِlil'malāikati | to the angels | ملك |
| 5 | إِنِّىinnī | Indeed, I (am) | — |
| 6 | جَاعِلٌۭjāʿilun | going to place | جعل |
| 7 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 8 | ٱلْأَرْضِl-arḍi | the earth | أرض |
| 9 | خَلِيفَةًۭ ۖkhalīfatan | a vicegerent | خلف |
| 10 | قَالُوٓا۟qālū | they said | قول |
| 11 | أَتَجْعَلُatajʿalu | Will You place | جعل |
| 12 | فِيهَاfīhā | in it | — |
| 13 | مَنman | (one) who | — |
| 14 | يُفْسِدُyuf'sidu | will spread corruption | فسد |
| 15 | فِيهَاfīhā | in it | — |
| 16 | وَيَسْفِكُwayasfiku | and will shed | سفك |
| 17 | ٱلدِّمَآءَl-dimāa | [the] blood[s] | دمو |
| 18 | وَنَحْنُwanaḥnu | while we | — |
| 19 | نُسَبِّحُnusabbiḥu | [we] glorify (You) | سبح |
| 20 | بِحَمْدِكَbiḥamdika | with Your praises | حمد |
| 21 | وَنُقَدِّسُwanuqaddisu | and we sanctify | قدس |
| 22 | لَكَ ۖlaka | [to] You | — |
| 23 | قَالَqāla | He said | قول |
| 24 | إِنِّىٓinnī | Indeed, I | — |
| 25 | أَعْلَمُaʿlamu | [I] know | علم |
| 26 | مَاmā | what | — |
| 27 | لَاlā | not | — |
| 28 | تَعْلَمُونَtaʿlamūna | you know | علم |