The Message of the Quran

The Message of the Quran In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful Chapter 2, “When your Lord said to the angels: ‘I am placing a caliph on earth,’ they replied: ‘Will You put there one that will do evil and shed blood, when we have for so long sung Your praises and sanctified Your name?’ He said: ‘I know what you do not know.’ He taught Adam all the names and then set them before the angels, saying: ‘Tell me the names of these, if what you say be true.’ ‘Glory be unto You,’ they replied, ‘we have no knowledge except that which You have given us. You alone are wise and all-knowing.’ Then said He to Adam: ‘Tell them their names.’ And when Adam had named them, He said: ‘Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and all that you hid and all that you reveal?’” (Quran, 2:30-33) The literal meaning of the word ‘caliph’ is one who takes another’s place—a successor. In the age of hereditary rule it was generally used for a monarch who took the place of another monarch. According to its usage, then, the word came to refer to one invested with power. When God created man, He determined that man should wield power on earth. The angels were apprehensive of man being corrupted by his power and free-will, and causing bloodshed on earth. The angels were not mistaken in their apprehension: God too was fully aware of this possibility. But He was looking at the matter from another aspect. For if many human beings were corrupted by their power, a substantial proportion of mankind would acknowledge the fact that, in spite of their power and freedom on earth, they were really powerless before one Almighty God. Such people would, of their own accord, adopt the path of submission and obedience to God. True, they would be comparatively few in number, but they would be as precious as the grains of a crop. Grain is far outweighed by hay and straw, but so great is its value, that vast quantities of hay and straw are allowed to grow and flourish in the land, just so that grain can come into being. God, in His omnipotence, brought all the progeny of Adam before their first father. Then He said to the angels: ‘Look, this is the progeny of Adam. Can you give the name of each one of them, and tell what sort of people they will be?’ The angels, having no knowledge about them, could not tell. God told Adam their names and their characteristics, and then commanded him to pass the knowledge on to the angels.