Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when thy Lord said to the angels: “I am placing in the earth a successor,” they said: “Wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein, and shed blood, while we give glory with Thy praise and hallow Thee?” He said: “I know what you know not.”

وَاِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلٰٓئِكَةِ اِنّ۪ي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْاَرْضِ خَل۪يفَةًۜ قَالُٓوا اَتَجْعَلُ ف۪يهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ ف۪يهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَٓاءَۚ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَۜ قَالَ اِنّ۪ٓي اَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
Wa-ith qala rabbuka lilmala-ikatiinnee jaAAilun fee al-ardi khaleefatan qalooatajAAalu feeha man yufsidu feeha wayasfiku addimaawanahnu nusabbihu bihamdika wanuqaddisu lakaqala innee aAAlamu ma la taAAlamoon
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-idhAnd when
2qālasaidقول
3rabbukayour Lordربب
4lil'malāikatito the angelsملك
5innīIndeed, I (am)
6jāʿilungoing to placeجعل
7in
8l-arḍithe earthارض
9khalīfatana vicegerentخلف
10qālūthey saidقول
11atajʿaluWill You placeجعل
12fīhāin it
13man(one) who
14yuf'siduwill spread corruptionفسد
15fīhāin it
16wayasfikuand will shedسفك
17l-dimāa[the] blood[s]دمو
18wanaḥnuwhile we
19nusabbiḥu[we] glorify (You)سبح
20biḥamdikawith Your praisesحمد
21wanuqaddisuand we sanctifyقدس
22laka[to] You
23qālaHe saidقول
24innīIndeed, I
25aʿlamu[I] knowعلم
26what
27not
28taʿlamūnayou knowعلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    When your Lord said to the angels, ‘I am putting a khalif on the earth,’ they said, ‘Why put on it one who will cause corruption on it and shed blood when we glorify You with praise and proclaim Your purity?’ He said, ‘I know what you do not know. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And your Lord said to the Angels: "I am placing a successor on Earth. " They said: "Would You place in it he who would corrupt in it, and spill blood, while we sing Your glory, and praise You" He said: "I know what you do not know."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    He announced His Plan to the angels (the Universal physical Laws), "Behold, I am about to place a creation in the earth that will inherit it. " They exclaimed, "Will you place on it such creation as will cause disorder therein and shed blood! Whereas we strive to establish Your glory in the Universe and make it manifest that You Lord are Impeccable!" He answered, "Behold, I know that which you know not." ((15:27), (16:49-50)). Human evolution: ((6:2), (7:189), (22:5), (23:12-13), (25:54), (32:7-9), (35:11), (37:11), (71:17)).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when thy Lord said to the angels: “I am placing in the earth a successor,” they said: “Wilt Thou place therein one who will do harm therein, and shed blood, while we give glory with Thy praise and hallow Thee?” He said: “I know what you know not.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And your Lord said to the angels: "I am placing a successor on the earth." They said: "Will You place in it he who would make corruption in it, and spill blood; while we praise by Your glory, and exalt to You?" He said: "I know what you do not know."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Your Lord said to the controllers, "I am placing a successor on earth." They said, "Would You place in it he who would corrupt it, and shed blood, while we sing Your glory, and praise You?" He said, "I know what you do not know."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Recall that your Lord said to the angels, "I am placing a representative (a temporary god) on Earth." They said, "Will You place therein one who will spread evil therein and shed blood, while we sing Your praises, glorify You, and uphold Your absolute authority?" He said, "I know what you do not know."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Remember, when your Lord said to the angels: "I have to place a trustee on the earth," they said: "Will You place one there who would create disorder and shed blood, while we intone Your litanies and sanctify Your name?" And God said: "I know what you do not know. "

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    And , 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."

  • 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?" answered: "Verily, I know that which you do not know."

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Just think* when your Lord said to the angels:* "Lo! I am about to place a vicegerent* on earth," they said: “Will You place on it one who will spread mischief and shed blood* while we celebrate Your glory and extol Your holiness?”* He said: “Surely I know what you do not know.”*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    For once Allah made a proclamation, to the angels of a great event; He said to them: "I am inducting a Vicegerent* on earth. " The angels said: "Will You assign the earth to someone who shall make mischief therein, create discord and shed blood, while we adore Your Eternal Name and to You we express our feelings of warm approbation and extoll Your glorious attributes!" "But I am," said Allah, "AL-'Alim, Who knows what you do not know."

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Your Lord said to the angles: "I am going to place man as my representative on earth. " They said: “Will you place on earth the one who will make mischief and shed blood? You know that we sing Your praises and glorify You

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: "Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth." They said: "Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, - while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You." He (Allâh) said: "I know that which you do not know."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    ˹Remember˺ when your Lord said to the angels, "I am going to place a successive ˹human˺ authority on earth." They asked ˹Allah˺, “Will You place in it someone who will spread corruption there and shed blood while we glorify Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?” Allah responded, “I know what you do not know.”

  • Taqi Usmani

    (Remember) when your Lord said to the angels, "I am going to create a deputy on the earth!" They said, “Will You create there one who will spread disorder on the earth and cause bloodshed, while we proclaim Your purity, along with your praise, and sanctify Your name?” He said, “Certainly, I know what you know not.”

  • Abdul Haleem

    , 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.’

  • Arthur John 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.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And when thy Lord said unto the angels, 'I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth,' they said, 'Wilt Thou place therein one who will do evil therein and shed blood? we celebrate Thy praise and hallow Thee. ' Said (the Lord), 'I know what ye know not.'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And when your Lord said unto the angels, "I am about to place a Vicegerent (Agent, Successor, Inheritor) in the earth," they said, "Will you place therein one who will do evil therein and shed blood? While we celebrate Thy praise and glorify Thee. " Said (the Lord), "I know what you know not."

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And (remember) as your Lord said to the Angels, "Surely I am making in the earth a successor. " They said, "Will You make therein one who will corrupt in it and shed blood (Literally: bloods) while we (are the ones who) extol (with) Your praise and call You Holy? Literally: hallow for you)" He said, "Surely I know whatever you do not know."

  • George Sale

    When thy Lord said unto the angels, I am going to place a substitute on earth; they said, Wilt thou place there one who will do evil therein, and shed blood? But we celebrate thy praise, and sanctify Thee. God answered, verily I know that which ye know not;

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels; "I will create a vicegerent on earth. " They said: "Will You place in there, one who will make mischief and shed blood in there? While we (indeed) celebrate Your Praises and glorify Your Holy (Name)?" He said: "I do know what you do not know."

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And (recall) when your Lord said to the angels, `I am (according to My usual practice) going to appoint a supreme religious head in the land (to convey My Message to human beings and to execute My will in the universe). ' They said, `Will You create (also) therein such (people) as will cause disorder in it and shed blood while we already glorify You with Your true praise and extol Your holiness.' He (- God) answered, `I know that which you do not know.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    When your Lord said to the angels, ‘Indeed I am going to set a viceroy on the earth,’ they said, ‘Will You set in it someone who will cause corruption in it, and shed blood, while we celebrate Your praise and proclaim Your sanctity?’ He said, ‘Indeed I know what you do not know. ’