Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-Alaq -> The Honor and Nobility of Man is in His Knowledge

These Ayat inform of the beginning of man's creation from a dangling clot, and that out of Allah's generosity He taught man that which he did not know. Thus, Allah exalted him and honored him by giving him knowledge, and it is the dignity that the Father of Humanity, Adam, was distinguished with over the angels. Knowledge sometimes is in the mind, sometimes on the tongue, and sometimes in writing with the fingers. Thus, it may be intellectual, spoken and written. And while the last (written) necessitates the first two (intellectual and spoken), the reverse is not true. For this reason Allah says,

﴿اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الاٌّكْرَمُ - الَّذِى عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ - عَلَّمَ الإِنسَـنَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ﴾

(Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.) There is a narration that states, "Record knowledge by writing.'' There is also a saying which states, "Whoever acts according to what he knows, Allah will make him inherit knowledge that he did not know.''

﴿كَلاَّ إِنَّ الإِنسَـنَ لَيَطْغَى - أَن رَّءَاهُ اسْتَغْنَى - إِنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الرُّجْعَى - أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِى يَنْهَى - عَبْداً إِذَا صَلَّى - أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَانَ عَلَى الْهُدَى - أَوْ أَمَرَ بِالتَّقْوَى - أَرَءَيْتَ إِن كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّى - أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ يَرَى - كَلاَّ لَئِن لَّمْ يَنتَهِ لَنَسْفَعاً بِالنَّاصِيَةِ - نَاصِيَةٍ كَـذِبَةٍ خَاطِئَةٍ - فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ - سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ - كَلاَّ لاَ تُطِعْهُ وَاسْجُدْ وَاقْتَرِب ﴾

(6. Nay! Verily, man does transgress.) (7. Because he considers himself self-sufficient.) (8. Surely, unto your Lord is the return.) (9. Have you seen him who prevents) (10. A servant when he prays) (11. Have you seen if he is on the guidance) (12. Or enjoins Taqwa) (13. Have you seen if he denies and turns away) (14. Knows he not that Allah sees) (15. Nay! If he ceases not, We will scorch his forehead --) (16. A lying, sinful forehead!) (17. Then let him call upon his council.) (18. We will call out the guards of Hell!) (19. Nay! Do not obey him. Fall prostrate and draw near (to Allah)!)