Aug 12
Prophet Adam (AS) was born and entered the Paradise
Sunday 10 Moharram, 0772
Aug 12
Sunday 10 Moharram, 0772
Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was the first human and prophet. Islamic traditions explain that the name ‘Adam’ comes from the fact that Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) obtained the clay with which he created Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) from the ‘skin’ (adam) of the Earth.
Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) has been mentioned by name in the Holy Quran twenty-five times. The seventh verse of Surah Al-Ahzab, the 33rd surah of the Holy Quran, mentions Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) alongside Hazrat Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), Hazrat Ibrahim (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), Hazrat Musa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), and Hazrat Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). It states that they are the prophets with whom Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) established an agreement.
The Holy Quran also mentions Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) in verses 30 to 38 of Surah Al-Baqarah, the second surah of the Quran. Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) is also referenced in verses 11 to 25 of Surah Al-A'raaf, the seventh surah of the Quran.
Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was one of four prophets from Syria, alongside Hazrat Seth (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) , Hazrat Idris (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ), and Hazrat Nuh (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). Various accounts from different Islamic scholars suggest that Hazrat Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) lived for almost 1000 years following his creation.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) informed the angels about the creation of Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) as humanity’s representative. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) told the angels that Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was destined to be His successor (khalifah) and had the responsibility of flourishing the Earth. However, the angels expressed concern that this creation (human) would cause mischief and bloodshed on the Earth.
This conversation is referenced in Surah Al-Baqarah:
وَاِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلٰۗىِٕكَۃِ اِنِّىْ جَاعِلٌ فِى الْاَرْضِ خَلِيْفَۃً۰ۭ قَالُوْۗا اَتَجْعَلُ فِيْہَا مَنْ يُّفْسِدُ فِيْہَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاۗءَ۰ۚ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ۰ۭ قَالَ اِنِّىْۗ اَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ۳۰
Remember, when your Lord said to the angels: “I have to place a trustee on the Earth,” they said: “Will You place one there who would create disorder and shed blood, while we intone Your litanies and sanctify Your name?” And God said: "I know what you do not know.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30)
In this verse, Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) statement ‘Indeed, I know that which you do not know’ reassures the angels that He knows that the advantages of creating this being surpass the harm they feared, and they were unaware of the benefits and virtues of man that only Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) knew.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) created Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) directly from clay. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) also instantly breathed His soul into Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was given far more intellect than any other creation of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). This enabled him to learn, observe, and comprehend various matters.
It comes in Surah Sad (38:71-71):
اِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلٰۗىِٕكَۃِ اِنِّىْ خَالِقٌۢ بَشَرًا مِّنْ طِيْنٍ۷۱
فَاِذَا سَوَّيْتُہٗ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيْہِ مِنْ رُّوْحِيْ فَقَعُوْا لَہٗ سٰجِدِيْنَ۷۲
When your Lord said to the angels: “I am going to create a man from clay;
And when I have made him and have breathed into him of My spirit. Fall down in homage before him.”
Allah emphasized Adam’s (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) superiority over the angels by giving him immense knowledge and teaching him the names of everything. This included the names humans use for different things like animal, sky, Earth, land, and sea, as well as the names of various other species.
Allah also commanded the angels to bow down to Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ). This serves as a symbol of their acceptance of him being a superior creation and Adam's (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) greater knowledge compared to angels.
These verses of the Holy Quran highlight the creation of Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and his superiority in terms of knowledge given to him by Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى):
وَعَلَّمَ اٰدَمَ الْاَسْمَاۗءَ كُلَّہَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَھُمْ عَلَي الْمَلٰۗىِٕكَۃِ۰ۙ فَقَالَ اَنْۢبِــُٔـوْنِىْ بِاَسْمَاۗءِ ھٰۗؤُلَاۗءِ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صٰدِقِيْنَ۳۱
Then He gave Adam knowledge of the nature and reality of all things and everything, and set them before the angels and said: “Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:31)
قَالُوْا سُبْحٰــنَكَ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَاۗ اِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا۰ۭ اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيْمُ الْحَكِيْمُ۳۲
And they said: “Glory to You (O Lord), knowledge we have none except what You have given us, for You are All-Knowing and All-Wise.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:32)
قَالَ يٰۗاٰدَمُ اَنْۢبِئْـھُمْ بِاَسْمَاۗىِٕہِمْ۰ۚ فَلَمَّاۗ اَنْۢبَاَھُمْ بِاَسْمَاۗىِٕہِمْ۰ۙ قَالَ اَلَمْ اَقُلْ لَّكُمْ اِنِّىْۗ اَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضِ۰ۙ وَاَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُوْنَ وَمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْتُمُوْنَ۳۳
Then He said to Adam: “Convey to them their names.” And when he had told them, God said: “Did I not tell you that I know the unknown of the heavens and the earth, and I know what you disclose and know what you hide?”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:33)
The following hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) highlights the creation of Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and his meeting with the angels:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, “Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring).” So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, "As-salamu Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi" (i.e. Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus the angels added to Adam’s salutation the expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi,' Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam’s creation.
(Al-Bukhari: 3326)
This hadith indicates that Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was created at a height of 60 ziras (approximately 40 meters). However, some Islamic scholars state that this represents his height in Paradise. When he was sent to Earth, he was given a height suitable for Earth, as is also stated at the end of the hadith.
After Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was born, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) instructed the angels to prostrate before him. All angels obeyed the command, except for Iblis, the father of the jinns, who was among the angels and refused to bow down to Adam. Iblis said to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) that he was better than Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) since he was among the jinns and had been created from the fire, while Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) had been made from clay/mud.
This arrogant act by Iblis was the first ever act of disobedience and arrogance carried out by any of Allah’s creations. Due to this pride of Iblis and his refusal to bow down to Adam according to Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) command, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) punished him by casting him out of heaven.
This incident is stated in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:34):
وَاِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلٰۗىِٕكَۃِ اسْجُدُوْا لِاٰدَمَ فَسَجَدُوْۗا اِلَّاۗ اِبْلِيْسَ۰ۭ اَبٰى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ۰ۤۡوَكَانَ مِنَ الْكٰفِرِيْنَ۳۴
“Remember, when We asked the angels to bow in homage to Adam, they all bowed but Iblis, who disdained and turned insolent, and so became a disbeliever.”
Iblis, who is better known as Shaitan among the world, pridefully accepted Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) punishment. However, he requested the chance for everlasting life until the Day of Judgment. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) accepted his request, granting him eternal life until the Resurrection Day.
Nevertheless, Iblis showed no gratitude for Allah’s (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) gift. Instead, he vowed to mislead Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) and his offspring from every angle and to entice them to stray from the right path. He challenged Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) that he would tempt his creation to perform forbidden acts, encourage them to disregard religious commandments, and influence them to forget to thank Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) for His blessings and mercy.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) subsequently addressed the accursed Iblis, saying that he and his followers would ultimately perish in the Hellfire. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) ensured Iblis that his followers would not go astray and would trust in Him completely. They would possess a steadfast faith and Iblis would not be able to persuade them through his false charms and promises.
Many Islamic scholars state that after the incident with Iblis, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) made Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) go to sleep. He then took a rib from Prophet Adam’s (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) left side and caused flesh to form in its place. Hazrat Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) was asleep and oblivious to all this.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) subsequently created Hazrat Hawwa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) from Prophet Adam’s (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) rib, making her a woman. When Prophet Adam (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) awoke and noticed Hazrat Hawwa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) beside him, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) united them and provided them comfort.
This is mentioned in Surah Al-Baqarah (2:35):
وَقُلْنَا يٰۗاٰدَمُ اسْكُنْ اَنْتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّۃَ وَكُلَا مِنْہَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِـئْتُمَـا۰۠ وَلَا تَـقْرَبَا ھٰذِہِ الشَّجَرَۃَ فَتَكُوْنَا مِنَ الظّٰلِــمِيْنَ۳۵
And We said to Adam: “Both you and your spouse live in the Garden (in Paradise), eat freely to your fill wherever you like, but approach not this tree or you will become transgressors.”
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) created Hazrat Hawwa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) as Prophet Adam’s (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) companion so that he would not be alone and could fulfill his natural desire to have children. You can read about Prophet Adam’s (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) life on Earth as the first human and first messenger of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) here.