Meaning

What does the pronoun in "their names" (asmāʾihim) refer to?

Answer

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book Zād al-Masīr as follows:

It refers to the created beings that were presented to him. [Majority]
It refers to the angels. [Al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas]

Verses cited

2:33 Al-Baqarah قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ ۖ فَلَمَّآ أَنۢبَأَهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ Then He said, ‘Adam, tell them the names of these.’ When he told them their names, God said, ‘Did I not tell you that I know what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?’

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