account such evidence of its transmitter’s falsehood and its speaker’s ignorance that adopting a belief on its basis cannot be commended. Even supposing that some eminent figure had made this statement, it would contain errors sufficient to warrant rejecting it, whoever its speaker might be.

Likewise, Allah did not single Adam out by granting him letters; rather, He singled him out by teaching him all the names, as He, the Most High, said:

“He taught Adam all the names, then presented them to the angels and said, ‘Tell Me the names of these.’” [Surah al-Baqarah 31]

People have differed over whether this means the names of rational beings, in view of His words, “then presented them,” or the names of all things. These are the two views.

The first was preferred by Ibn Jarīr al-Tabarī, Abū Bakr ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, the companion of al-Khallāl, and others.

The second is more correct, because the hadith of intercession narrated from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the two Sahīh collections includes the words:

“O Adam, you are the father of mankind. Allah created you with His Hand, breathed into you of His spirit, made His angels prostrate before you, and taught you the names of all things.”

This is further clarified by the fact that the angels were speaking before Adam informed them