THE STORY OF PROPHET ADAM A.S.

Who is Adam?

Prophet Adam (A.S.) is our first ancestor and the first human being on Earth. He is one of the prophets mentioned in the Holy Quran and holds a special place in my heart due to the profound lessons Allah has provided throughout his life.

Before creating humans, Allah created the jinn from smokeless fire.

Informing Angels about new creation

When Allah expressed His intention to create humans among the angels, they questioned, “Will You create a being that will spread corruption and shed blood on Earth, while we glorify Your praises and are always in Your worship?” Allah responded, “I know what you do not know.”

The angels’ concern was not out of defiance but rather from witnessing the jinn causing chaos and bloodshed on Earth before.

Adam’s Creation

Allah then created Adam from different types of soil gathered from various places on Earth, which accounts for the physical diversity among humans. The creation of Adam involved three stages: first, Allah took sticky clay and turned it into a malleable substance by mixing it with water. Then, He molded it into shape and hardened it by exposure to intense heat, finally breathing life into Adam with His spirit.

Height of Adam

authentic narration in Sahih Bukhari mentions that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said Adam (A.S.) was sixty cubits tall.(Sahih Bukhari-6227)

Virtue of Adam over the Angels

After creating Adam, Allah taught him the names of all things. He then presented these items to the angels and asked them to name them, but they could not. When He asked Adam, he correctly named each item. Allah then said to the angels, “Did I not tell you that I know the unseen aspects of the heavens and the Earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”

At this moment, many wonder and question if Allah specifically taught Adam the names of all things. How could the angels know the names of these things? Some may wonder why the angels didn’t know the names. The Quran does not explicitly state that angels were absent when Allah taught Adam. Adam had inherent qualities bestowed by Allah, enabling him to name the items, qualities that the angels lacked. Allah knows best. This event demonstrated the superiority of Adam and humanity to the angels.

Angels prostration and Iblis’s disobedience

Allah then commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam as a sign of respect, not worship. All the angels obeyed except Iblis.

Introduction of Iblis

Now, Who is Iblis, and where did he come from? If he were an angel, how did he defy Allah? The Quran clarifies that Iblis was one of the jinn.

Iblis was initially a devout worshiper of Allah, so much so that Allah elevated his status, allowing him to be among the angels in the heavens. He had the privilege of directly communicating with Allah. However, when Allah commanded him to prostrate to Adam, Iblis refused out of pride, arguing that he was superior because he was created from fire while Adam was made from clay. Iblis believed fire to be superior to clay. Allah became extremely angry and expelled him from heaven, yet granted his request to live until the Day of Judgment. Iblis vowed to lead Adam and his descendants astray, stating he would attack from all directions, and most would be ungrateful. Allah accepted the challenge, stating He would fill Hell with Iblis and those who follow him.

A Sahih Bukhari narration mentions that Iblis flows through human veins like blood. Thus began the eternal enmity between Adam’s descendants and Iblis.

Hawwa’s (Eve) creation

When Adam realized he was alone, Allah created a companion for him from his being, named Hawwa (Eve), the first woman on Earth.

Forbidden tree

Allah placed Adam and Hawwa in Paradise, allowing them to enjoy all its bounties except for one forbidden tree. Iblis, however, was determined to mislead them. Disguised, he whispered to them that eating from the tree would make them eternal residents of Paradise. Eventually, they succumbed to his deception, ate from the tree, and immediately realized their mistake as their heavenly garments fell, revealing their nakedness. They hastily covered themselves with leaves.

Allah called out to Adam, questioning why he disobeyed. Adam and Hawwa felt deep remorse and sought Allah’s forgiveness, admitting their wrongdoing. Allah accepted their repentance but decreed that they be sent to Earth. He assured them that His guidance would reach them, and those who follow it would never go astray.

Landing on earth

Historical accounts vary regarding where Adam and Hawwa were sent. Some say Adam descended to Dhahna, between Mecca and Taif, while others say he landed in Sri Lanka. Hawwa is believed to have landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They were eventually reunited at Mount Arafat.

Life on earth

On Earth, Adam and Hawwa had the primary task of populating and cultivating the land. Their children were born in pairs, a boy and a girl each time. The first pair was Qabil (Cain) and his sister Iqlima, followed by Habil (Abel) and his sister Labuda. To ensure population growth, Allah decreed that siblings from different pairs could marry each other.

Story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Qain)

Conflict arose when Qabil refused to accept this arrangement, desiring to marry his sister Iqlima instead. Adam instructed them to make offerings to Allah to settle the matter. Qabil offered inferior crops, while Habil presented the best of his flock. Allah accepted Habil’s offering, angering Qabil, who then killed Habil in a fit of jealousy—the first murder on Earth.

Allah’s messenger, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), said that Qabil would bear a portion of the sin for every murder until the Day of Judgment.

Qabil, unsure of what to do with Habil’s body, saw a crow burying another crow and mimicked the action, thus performing the first human burial.

Adam A.S. gave advice to his children

During this time, Adam was engaged in building the Kaaba or performing Hajj in Mecca. Upon returning, he was deeply saddened by the events and admonished Qabil, warning his other children about Iblis and urging them to worship Allah alone.

Death of Adam

Adam lived for a thousand years before passing away. There are varying accounts of his burial place, with some saying he was buried in Mecca and others in Jerusalem.

The teaching from Adam’s story.

• Pride: Pride is a trait of the Creator; it does not suit His creations. Iblis was prideful, believing himself superior to Adam, and as a result, he became cursed and condemned. Therefore, we must avoid pride.
• Obscenity: Iblis’s first mission was to strip humans of their clothing; nudity and immorality are his main weapons. In Paradise, when he tempted them, Adam and Eve forgot Allah’s command and ate the forbidden fruit, causing their heavenly garments to fall away. When Allah warned Adam, He did not just say not to eat the fruit but also not to go near the tree,Just as Allah has said, do not even go near immorality. We must avoid falling into immorality through Satan’s deceit.
• Repent: Iblis disobeyed Allah by refusing to bow to Adam, and Adam disobeyed Allah by eating from the forbidden tree. However, after his disobedience, Iblis argued and justified his actions, while Adam felt remorse and sought Allah’s forgiveness. Allah forgave Adam, and he succeeded. Allah says that the best among sinners are those who repent and seek forgiveness. Therefore, if we sincerely repent and ask for Allah’s forgiveness for any sin, He will surely forgive us.
• Hard Work: When Adam and Eve were sent to Earth, everything was not prepared for them. They had to perform various tasks to sustain themselves, including farming and raising livestock. They struggled to make a living. Similarly, in our lives, we will face various challenges. Instead of giving up, we must struggle and persevere to elevate ourselves to a suitable position.
• Power of Du’a: If you observe carefully, Allah did not reject even Iblis’s supplications. Yet, we often lose hope quickly. Iblis asked Allah for the opportunity to live eternally, and Allah granted it. Iblis wanted to tempt humans from all directions, and Allah allowed it. Iblis wished to enter the veins of humans to deceive them, and Allah accepted this. If Allah accepts Iblis’s supplications, He will surely accept ours. Du’a is a powerful weapon. We must pray to Allah sincerely, and He will undoubtedly accept our prayers.
• Insatiable: Never being satisfied and always wanting more can lead to restlessness. No matter how much we have, we often desire more. For instance, Adam and Eve lacked nothing in Paradise, yet they still ate the forbidden fruit because Satan tempted them, making them feel they needed more. Working hard and striving to improve oneself is good, but falling into Satan’s trap of never being content and always craving more is not beneficial for us.