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Hadrat Adam ( - Peace Be Upon Him)

When Allah had created the heavens and the earth, He said to the angels, “I will create a Khalifa on earth, someone to carry out my orders.” They asked Allah, “Will you place someone on earth who will make mischief and shed blood, while we praise you and glorify your name?” And Allah said, “I know what you know not.”

So Allah created Adam () out of clay, and taught him the names of all things. He placed the things before the angels and asked the angels to tell Him the names of them, but the angels answered, “You are the exalted, and we know nothing except what you have taught us.” Allah then asked Adam () the same question, and Adam () was able to answer correctly.

Allah ordered the angels to bow down to Adam () and they did so. But Iblis, or Shetan, did not bow down. When Allah asked, “What kept you from bowing down when I commanded you ?” Iblis answered, “I am better than he. I was created from fire while he was made from clay.” 

Upon hearing this response, Allah threw Shetan out of paradise, but Shetan vowed that he would lie in wait for Adam () and his descendants, trying to divert them from the Straight Way. To which Allah replied, “If any of them follow you, Hell will I fill with you all.”

Meanwhile, Allah had created a wife, Hauwa, for Adam (), and he told them to live in the garden of paradise, Jannah, but he warned them to stay away from one particular tree, lest it bring harm to them. Shetan started whispering suggestions to Adam and Hauwa (). He spoke in such a clever way that they were convinced he was only concerned for their well-being. He told them that the forbidden tree would make them immortal and that they would live forever like the angels if they ate from it.
Shetan spoke so convincingly that Adam and Hauwa () believed him. As soon as they tasted the tree, they realized that they were naked, and started trying to cover themselves with leaves from the garden, for it now seemed wrong to be uncovered.

Then Allah called to them, “Did I not tell you to stay away from that tree, and didn’t I warn you that Shetan was your sworn enemy?”

Adam and Hauwa () were immediately full of remorse and begged for forgiveness and mercy from Allah. Allah ordered them out of Jannah and sent them to live on earth. He said, “Therein shall you live, and therein shall you die, but from it you shall be taken out at last.” Adam () and his offspring began to live on earth according to Allah’s command. 

And so we are all the descendants of Adam and Hauwa (), the first humans to be placed on earth. Here on earth we shall all live and die, and from here we shall all be made to return to Allah. It is our choice whether we shall be taken to Jannah or join the disobedient and deceitful Shetan in Hell. Allah, in His infinite mercy, realizes that we will sometimes be led astray by Shetan. Allah taught Adam () some prayers for repentance and seeking pardon for wrongdoing.

Adam () was the first prophet to bring Allah’s message to mankind, so that we might know how to worship Allah and how to seek forgiveness for our mistakes. This message was completed to perfection by Allah through his last prophet Muhammad ().

The story of Adam () can be found in the Quran, Surah 2, Ayat 30-37 and Surah 7, Ayat 10-27.

 

Published: June 1991