قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَآ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْعَلِيمُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
“They said: Be glorified! We have no knowledge saving that which Thou hast taught us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Knower, the Wise.” — M. M. Pickthall
Taberî9-10. c.✓ Citation verified
Taberî conveys that the angels' statement 'We have no knowledge except that which You have taught us' expresses their turning back to Allah (evbe) in acknowledging that they know nothing beyond what has been made known to them, and they negate knowledge of the unseen from themselves and attribute it solely to Allah. He states that these verses contain admonition, counsel, and an exposition of the subtle wisdoms of the Qur'an; that Allah supports His Prophet with this knowledge of the unseen against the Jews. Furthermore, he reports that the expression 'subhâneke' carries the meaning of exalting Allah regarding His knowledge of the unseen, and that the angels thereby absolve themselves from knowledge of the unseen.
قال أبو جعفر: وهذا خبر من الله جل ذكره عن ملائكته بالأوبة إليه، وتسليم علم ما لم يعلموه له، وتبريهم من أن يعلموا أو يعلم أحد شيئا إلا ما علمه تعالى ذكره.
Fahreddin er-Râzî12-13. c.✓ Citation verified
Râzî interprets the angels' statement in this section as an excuse; their asking questions stems from abandoning what is preferable, which is a fault, and they have therefore offered an apology for it. He also explains the angels' statement 'we do not know' in two ways: either as their acknowledgment of their powerlessness or as their acceptance that all knowledge comes from Allah. Nevertheless, he notes that the verse is evidence that knowledge of the unseen can only be known through Allah's teaching, not through the science of stars and divination, and he mentions the narrative of Hârût and Mârût in this context.
قلنا نحن نسلم أن الأولى للملائكة أن لا يوردوا ذلك السؤال ، فلما تركوا هذا الأولى كان ذلك الاعتذار اعتذارا من ترك الأولى
Kurtubî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Kurtubî, the angels' statement 'subhâneke' expresses exaltation by establishing that no one besides Allah can know the unseen; this is their acknowledgment in response to the question 'tell us' that they have no knowledge beyond what they have been taught. From this context, the exegete concludes that it is obligatory for a person asked about something they do not know to say 'Allah knows' or 'I do not know,' following the example of the angels, prophets, and scholars. He cites many examples from the Companions, the Successors, and jurists on this matter.
الواجب على من سئل عن علم أن يقول إن لم يعلم : الله أعلم ولا أدري أقتداء بالملائكة والأنبياء والفضلاء من العلماء
İbn Kesîr14. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Ibn Kesîr, the angels' statement 'subhâneke' is their exalting Allah while acknowledging that no one can attain anything from His knowledge without His permission, and that they can only know as much as Allah has taught them. With this statement, the angels have completely exalted themselves from knowledge of the unseen and have acknowledged that all knowledge and wisdom belong to Allah. Thereafter, Ibn Kesîr relates the narrative of the creation of Adam and the creation of Eve from him, based on Isrâ'îliyât sources.
هذا تقديس وتنزيه من الملائكة لله تعالى ان يحيط أحد بشيء من علمه إلا بما شاء وان يعلموا شيئا إلا ما علمهم الله تعالى
Beydâvî13. c.✓ Citation verified
According to Beydâwî, the angels' statement 'subhâneke, we have no knowledge except that which You have taught us' is an acknowledgment of powerlessness and fault that shows their question is not an objection but merely an inquiry. This expression also indicates that the superiority of mankind and the wisdom in their creation has become clear to the angels, that they give thanks for the blessing that Allah has taught them, and that by propriety they refer all knowledge to Him. Beginning the statement with the word 'subhâneke' is an apology for not knowing the truth; for this reason, the same word is made the key in the repentance narratives of Moses and Jonah.
وتصدير الكلام به اعتذار عن الاستفسار والجهل بحقيقة الحال، ولذلك جعل مفتاح التوبة فقال موسى عليه السلام: سبحانك تبت إليك وقال يونس: سبحانك إني كنت من الظالمين
Comparison
Common ground
All exegetes agree on the point that the expression 'subhâneke' carries the meaning of exalting Allah regarding His knowledge of the unseen, and that the angels absolve themselves from knowledge of the unseen while acknowledging that all types of knowledge belong to Allah. Moreover, there is also agreement (among Taberî, Râzî, and Beydâwî) that the angels' statement is not an objection but an acknowledgment of powerlessness/fault or an apology, and that their question is for the purpose of inquiry. Linguistic and rhetorical analysis (particularly the masdar form of the word 'subhân' and its meaning of exaltation) is nearly a common methodological foundation among all exegetes.
Differences
While Taberî addresses this verse in the context of the Prophet being supported with knowledge of the unseen against the Jews, Râzî brings the matter into a theological discussion and invokes the narrative of Hârût and Mârût to prove against the Mu'tazilites that knowledge of the unseen can only be known through Allah's teaching; this is a methodological reflection of his identity as a theologian. Kurtubî, on the other hand, derives a juridical-moral conclusion from the verse by establishing the judgment that saying 'Allah knows' about a matter one does not know is obligatory, supporting this with the practices of the Companions and Successors; this is an approach in which his identity as a jurist becomes prominent. Ibn Kesîr, in accordance with his narration-oriented methodology, tends to relate statements of the Companions/Successors and the Adam-Eve narrative derived from Isrâ'îliyât sources, while Beydâwî, unlike the others, counts the angels' statement as an indicator of mankind's superiority and the wisdom in their creation, and by comparing this with the use of 'subhâneke' in the repentance narratives of Moses and Jonah, offers a literary-contextual reading.
Historical context
Taberî (early period, narration-based exegesis) establishes the basic meaning on the basis of reports of earlier scholars; Ibn Kesîr likewise continues a similar narration methodology but treats Isrâ'îliyât elements more extensively. Râzî (middle period, theological-philosophical exegesis) enriches the narration foundation with theological discussions and adds a dimension of refutation against the Mu'tazilites; this reflects the period in which theology's influence in the exegetical tradition increased. Kurtubî (middle-late period, juridical exegesis) adds a practical dimension by linking the same basic meaning to juridical-moral conclusions. Beydâwî (late period, reasoning/rhetorical exegesis) broadens the meaning through a concise and literary approach by relating the verse to other narratives. Thus, while the fundamental emphasis on exaltation remains constant throughout all periods, the methods and emphases vary according to the exegete's school (narration, theology, jurisprudence, rhetoric).
Modern connection
The expression 'subhâneke' in this verse reminds us that admitting the limits of human knowledge is a virtue; in our time, despite advances in science and technology, being able to humbly say 'Allah knows' about matters we do not know can offer a healthy balance both in terms of knowledge and faith. The fact that the angels' question carries the intent of learning and understanding rather than objection can serve as an example of an inquisitive yet respectful manner of asking questions in today's educational and research environments. As Kurtubî emphasizes, acknowledging that one does not know being considered a moral virtue can be viewed as an attitude that nurtures mutual tolerance and humility in social relations and within the family.
AI analysis — not a fatwa or ruling, not yet reviewed by a scholar