Quran Universe
38:69

مَا كَانَ لِيَ مِنۡ عِلۡمِۭ بِٱلۡمَلَإِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰٓ إِذۡ يَخۡتَصِمُونَ

Ma kana liya min AAilmin bialmalai alaAAla ith yakhtasimoona

I had no knowledge of the exalted assembly [of angels] when they were disputing [the creation of Adam].

Word by word
  1. مَاNot
  2. كَانَis
  3. لِيَfor me
  4. مِنۡany
  5. عِلۡمِۭknowledge
  6. بِٱلۡمَلَإِ(of) the chiefs
  7. ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰٓthe exalted
  8. إِذۡwhen
  9. يَخۡتَصِمُونَthey were disputing
Sad · 38:69Makkah

I had no knowledge of the assembly on high.

The story he could only know by revelation

How he knew
the Prophet ﷺno way to know
except
revelationfrom Allah
about
the angels' disputeconcerning Adam
Where his knowledge came from
his own inventionas they claimed
divine revelationthe only source

Ibn Kathir says it means: were it not for revelation, how could I have known about the dispute on high? It refers to the matter of Adam, and how Iblis refused to prostrate and argued with his Lord. The story follows next.

Your friend asks a question about the unseen and you feel you have to have an answer. Even the Prophet ﷺ said: I only know what was revealed. It is fine to say Allah knows best.

I should have an answer for everything about religion.

What we know of the unseen comes only from revelation, and the rest I leave to Allah.

Try this

When asked something you do not know about the deen today, say: I am not sure, Allah knows best.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 38:65)

Say: "I am only a warner and there is no God (worthy of worship) except Allah the One, the Irresistible, (65)"The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving. (66)Say: "That is a great news, (67)"From which you turn away! (68)"I had no knowledge of the chiefs (angels) on high when they were disputing and discussing. (69)"Only this has been revealed to me, that I am a plain warner. (70)

The Message of the Messenger ﷺ is a Great News

Allah tells His Messenger ﷺ to say to those who disbelieved in Allah, associated others in worship with Him and denied His Messenger: 'I am a warner, I am not as you claim.'

وَمَا مِنْ إِلَٰهٍ إِلَّا اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ

(and there is no God (worthy of worship) except Allah, the One, the Irresistible,) means, He Alone has subjugated and controlled everything.

رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا

(The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them,) means, He is the Sovereign of all that and is in control of it.

الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفَّارُ

(the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving.) means, He is Oft-Forgiving as well as being Almighty and All-Powerful.

قُلْ هُوَ نَبَأٌ عَظِيمٌ 

(Say: "That (this Qur'an) is a great news,") means, 'something very important, which is that Allah has sent me to you.

أَنْتُمْ عَنْهُ مُعْرِضُونَ 

(From which you turn away!) means, 'you neglect it.'

مَا كَانَ لِيَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ بِالْمَلَإِ الْأَعْلَىٰ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ

(I had no knowledge of the chiefs (angels) on high when they were disputing and discussing.) meaning, 'were it not for the divine revelation, how could I have known about the dispute of the chiefs on high (the angels)?' This refers to their dispute concerning Adam, peace be upon him, and how Iblis refused to prostrate to him and argued with his Lord because He preferred him (Adam) over him. This is what Allah says: