We as Muslims believe that Adam [peace be upon him] was created directly by Allah. So no evolution of species has taken place. Then He created the wife of Adam [peace be upon him], Hawwa. Then the people came forth, because Adam and Hawwa had children. This is also the creation of Allah, but here there is a Sabab [means], namely Adam and Hawwa. Thus says Allah: “O mankind, fear your Lord who created you from one creature, who created from him his wife, and who brought forth from them both many males and females and scattered them [over the earth]. Fear Allah in whose name you ask each other and respect the ties of kinship. Allah is the Guardian over you.”‘
Contents
The creation of man
We believe that man was created from earth and that the Rooh [soul] was later breathed into it. Allah ordered the angel Jibreel to take soil from the earth, but this failed. Then Mikail was asked, but this also failed, because the earth asked in the name of Allah not to do it. Then the angel of death [Malak al-Mawt] was instructed and he came back with different types (colors) of soil. The scholars say that the different races have to do with the different types of soil. In addition to man, Allah has also created angels from light and the jinn from smokeless fire. Angels were created to obey Allah alone and they have no will of their own. This in contrast to the Jinns who, like humans, have their own will. So they can be both good and bad.
The story of Adam [peace be upon him]
The story of Adam [peace be upon him] can be read in the following chapters: Surat al-Baqara, Surat Ali Imran, Surat al-A’raf and Surah Ta Ha. Thus says Allah in the Qur’an: “When your Lord said to the angels, ‘I am going to appoint a deputy on the earth,’ they said, ‘Will you appoint there one who destroys and sheds blood, while we praise you and honor holiness?” He said, “I know what you don’t know.” And He taught Adam all the names. Then He presented them to the angels and said, “Tell me the names of these, if you are right.” They said, “Praise be to you! We only know what You’ve taught us.
You are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. He said, “Adam, tell them their names.” Then when he told them their names, he said, “Did I not tell you that I know the unseen things of the heavens and the earth and know what you do openly and in secret.” When We said to the angels: Bow down reverently to Adam,” they bowed reverently, except Iblees; he refused and was proud, for he was one of the disbelievers. And We said: “Adam, you and your wife may dwell in the garden and you may eat of it in abundance wherever you please, but you must not approach this tree, for then you will be among the wrongdoers.” Then Satan caused them to commit a false step.
So he brought them out from the place where they were, and We said: ‘Come down as enemies of one another; and temporarily there is for you on the earth an abode and usufruct.” Then Adam received words from his Lord, and He turned to him in mercy; He is the Repentant, the Merciful.”2
And also: “We created you and then formed you. Then We said to the angels: Bow down before Adam in reverence. And they bowed down in reverence, except Iblis, who was not of those who bowed down in reverence. He said, “What prevents you from bowing down in reverence when I commanded you?” He said, “I am better than him. You created me from fire and you created him from clay.”
He said, “Come down from here. It is not for you to act proudly. So get out of here. You belong to the belittled.” He said, “Give me respite until the day they are raised up.” He said, “You are among those who have been reprieved.” He said, “But because You have deceived me, I will for them lie in wait on your right path. Then I will come against them, from affront and from behind, and from their right and from their left. And You will find that most of them give no thanks.” He said, “Get out of here,
despised and rejected. And if one of them follows you? I will fill hell with all of you together.”
And: “O Adam, you and your wife live in the garden and eat from what you like, but you must not approach this tree, for then you will be among the transgressors.” Then Satan whispered to them to show them openly what was hidden of their shame, and he said, “Your Lord has only kept you from this tree so that you should not become angels or become
those who last forever.” And he adjured them, “I am indeed a good counselor to you.” Thus he deceived them by deceit. When they had tasted the tree, their shame became visible before them, and they began to cover themselves with leaves from the garden bound together. And their Lord called out to them: “Had I not forbidden you this tree and told you that Satan is a declared enemy of yours?” They said: “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves and if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, then we are among the losers.” He said: “Come down—enemies to one another—for you have temporary residence and usufruct on the earth.”3
The comment of the angels
The angels said, “Will you appoint there one who destroys and sheds blood, while we praise you and honor your holiness?” They said this not in protest, but as a question. They saw that the jinn’s sow destruction on the world and feared that humans would do the same. But humans can also be very good. He can be even better than the angels.
Test of Iblees
The Iblees [Satan] seemed the best among the Jinns. He seemed so good and had so much knowledge that he lived among the angels. The angels didn’t know any better and looked up to him very much. Allah, of course, knew from the creation of Iblees that he would disobey Him. Then Adam
[peace be upon him] was created, all the angels present and Iblees were asked to prostrate before Adam [peace be upon him]. All the angels did this, but Iblees did not.
Angels have no will of their own and always obey Allah. Iblees belonged to the Djinns and therefore he had a will of his own, which in this case he used for evil. So Iblees and the jinn’s are not fallen angels. That the angels performed the prostration [Sajdah] is not because they thought or believed that Adam [peace be upon him] was a god, but they did it to obey Allah. In the legislation of the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam it is not permissible to prostrate [Sajdah] to anyone or anything other than Allah.
The pride [Kibr] of iblees has caused him to dwell in hellfire for eternity. Pride is the worst quality you can have as a human being
Only Allah may and can indeed be the Pride [al-Mutakabbir], for it is His right. So the disbelief [Kufr] of iblees is in the fact that he saw himself higher and better than the other and not because he disbelieved in Allah. He knew that Allah existed, yet he is a disbeliever [Kafir]. There are narrations that iblees also occasionally kicked the body of Adam [peace be upon him] before his soul was blown into it
Then there was a resounding sound, as if a pot of earth had been tapped.
Allah taught Adam [peace be upon him] all the names. This means that he was not a primeval man. He had knowledge and so did his children. For example, his son Habil was a cattle rancher and his son Qabil a farmer. He in turn taught the names to the angels. When the soul was breathed in through the nose of Adam [peace be upon him], the first words of Adam [peace be upon him] were: alhamdu lillah, or all praise to Allah.
Man is a revered creation. Thus says Allah: “We have most certainly honored the children of Adam…4
The scholars say that the honoring of Adam [peace be upon him] by the angels is actually the honoring of mankind. If someone behaves like a human being, i.e. follows the commandments and stays away from the prohibitions, then even the angels will honor and respect such a person. The angels love the people when the people obey Allah. For example, there are traditions in which it can be read that the angels travel through the world and see which people have gathered to remember Allah, so that they can make supplications for them.
The forbidden tree
Adam and Hawwa stayed in heaven [Jannah] for a period of time. The scholars differ as to the length and place of this sojourn. However, these are not essential matters of our faith. During this stay in Jannah, Adam and Hawwa were allowed to do anything, but only not to go near a tree. The iblees, however, devised a ruse; he told Adam and Hawwa they could become immortal. He swore in the name of Allah that he was telling the truth, which made Adam and Hawwa believe him. They could not imagine that someone could lie while using the Name of Allah. After they
had eaten from the tree, their shame [Awrah] was exposed, after which they quickly covered themselves and hid. It is human nature to be ashamed and this is also a characteristic of a Muslim.
The Prophet (sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Shame [Haya] is of faith [Iman] and faith is in heaven.”
After they ate from the tree, they were placed on the earth. Allah has forgiven Adam and Hawwa, because they both immediately recognized and accepted that they had made a wrong decision.
Abel [Habil] and Cain [Qabil]
Allah says in the Qur’an: “And read to them the statement concerning the two sons of Adam in truth. When they offered an offering and it was accepted from one of them. And it was not accepted from the other. Who [Cain] said, “I’ll kill you!” He [Habil] said: “Allah takes only from the
God-fearing. Though you stretch out your hand to kill me, I will not stretch out my hand to kill you. I fear God, the Lord of the inhabitants of the world. I wish that you bring sin to me and your sin upon you, and then be among the inhabitants of the fire. That is retribution for the wrongdoers.” Then he set himself to kill his brother and he killed him and thus became among the losers. Allah then sent a raven that burrowed into the earth to show him how to cover his brother’s corpse. He said: “Woe to me! Am I not able to be like this raven and cover my brother’s corpse?”
Thus he became of those who have remorse. So We have prescribed for the Israelites that whoever kills anyone, other than for murder or for causing mischief in the earth, is as if he had killed the people altogether, and whoever saves anyone’s live is as if he had saved the people altogether. Our ambassadors came to them with the clear proofs, but many of them were immoderate on earth after that.5
On earth, Adam and Hawwa procreated. It is narrated that Hawwa gave birth to twenty twins. These twins were always one boy and one girl. Two of the sons of Adam [peace be upon him] were Habil and Qabil. The kids were not allowed to marry their own twin brother or sister. The girl Habil was allowed to marry was more beautiful than the girl Cain was allowed to marry. This made him jealous and wanted the girl who was actually destined for Habil. Then they had to make a sacrifice
for Allah. The owner of the accepted offering was allowed to marry the girl. Habil sacrificed his best cattle for this, while Cain sacrificed his rotten harvest. Lightning came from heaven and took Habil’s sacrifice. So Cain’s offering was rejected, which made him jealous. Cain couldn’t have this and decided to kill his brother Habil. This was humanity’s first murder. Cain did not know what to do with his brother’s corpse, so Allah sent a raven to show him how to bury his brother.
When Adam [peace be upon him] passed away, he left behind many children. It is narrated that Jibreel came with the angels to wash Adam [peace be upon him], to wrap him in the shroud [Kafan] and then to bury him. This tradition has continued to this day.
Sources
1 Surat an-Nisa, verse 1
2 Surat al-Baqara, verses 30-37
3 Surat al-A’raf, verses 11-24
4 Surat al-Isra, verse 70
5 Surat al-Ma’idah, verses 27-32