Archaeological Insights into the Angels’ Knowledge of Human Corruption on Earth: An Analysis of Qur’an 2:30 (مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

چکیده

Verse 2:30 of the Qur’an recounts a dialogue between God and the angels regarding the creation of humankind and their appointment as a caliph on Earth, during which the angels express concern about the potential for corruption and bloodshed by humans. This verse has historically been subject to various analyses by Muslim exegetes, who have generally expressed differing perspectives regarding the origin of the angels’ knowledge about human corruption and bloodshed on Earth. Among these perspectives are the angels’ awareness of the Preserved Tablet ( al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ ), their predictions based on human nature, and their experience with the corruption of the jinn on Earth. This article employs a descriptive-analytical method to critically examine the various interpretations of Q. 2:30 offered by exegetes. After highlighting the weaknesses of each viewpoint, it proposes a hypothesis supported by archaeological evidence. Accordingly, the existence of violence and killing among early hominids (Neanderthals), referred to in Islamic traditions as Nasnās , could be the origin of such a notion among the angels. The article also examines the narratives related to this theory in terms of their sanad (chain of transmission) and meaning, demonstrating the reliability of the narrators and the relevance of their statements to the proposed claim.