The use of the first person pronominal suffix "-î of innî," although the first person plural is used in "We said (qulnâ)" in the following verses, indicates that there are no intermediaries in His creation and giving of exis-tence as there are in His speech and address. These fine points are illustrated also in the verse "We have sent down to you the Book in truth. That you might judge between men in accordance with what Allâh has taught you."(4:105) Here, the first person plural in " We have sent down" indicates the existence of an intermediary in [the sending down of] revelation and infers its splendour. [That is, it indicates the angel(s) of revelation, who manifest the splendour of the One who sends them.] While the third person singular in "in accordance with what Allâh has taught you" indicates that there are no intermediaries in the inspiration of meanings.

The choice of "place (jâ'il)" rather than 'create' indicates that what causes the doubts and questioning is mankind being 'placed' on the earth and appointed to cultivate it, not [man's] creation and being given existence. For existence is pure good and creation is an essential act (fi'l dhâti) [of Allâh] and [as such] cannot be questioned.

And the choice of "in (fi)" in the phrase "in the earth" rather than 'on,' despite mankind being on the earth, intimates that humankind resembles the spirit breathed into the earth, and if it ever quits the earth, the earth will fall apart and expire.

"Vicegerent (khalîfatan)" suggests that before conditions on the earth were readied for human life, there were intelligent creatures for whose lives, conditions during the earth's early epochs were suitable. This [view] is in conformity with the questions of science (qadîyya al-hikma). The most widely held [view] is that these creatures were a species of jinn, but they spread corruption [on the earth] so were succeeded by mankind.

The parts of the sentence: "They said: Will You place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? (qâlû a taj'alu fi-hâ man yuf-sidufi-hâ wa yasfiku al-dimâ'a)"

Consider this: "They said" being apparently unconnected to what precedes it (istinaf) suggests that the Most High's turning to and addressing the angels drives the listener to ask: "What will [the angels'] attitude be towards their neighbours, seeing that their houses are side by side? Will they be happy to have them as fellows? What is their opinion of them?" So the Qur'an says: "They said: Will You place therein..?"

This last phrase, "They said: Will You place (qâlû a taj'alu)" is the consequence of the conditional particle "idh" [in the phrase "Behold (lit. and then) (your Lord) said (Wa idh qâla)"] [but the necessary phrase (luzûm) is unstated, implying the words:] "Allâh the Most High ruled that man should be made His vicegerent on the earth, which was under the supervision of the angels, although He was in no need of officers or ministers. This meant that the angels had to declare how they would meet [human beings]."