Adam (prophet of Islam)

Adam is the first Prophet of Islam and mentioned in the Qur'an as the husband of Eve (Hawwa).

Adam in the Qur'an

Adam is mentioned in the Qur'an as the first man created by God. A verse in Sura al-Imran states:

The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be". And he was. (3:59)

Eve is not mentioned by name in the Qur'an, but she is nevertheless referred to as Adam's spouse, and Islamic tradition refers to her by an etymologically similar name - Hawwa. Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari recounts the tale of her creation, stating that she was named because she was created from a living thing.

Adam in Hadith

Tabari

The early Islamic commentator Tabari adds a number of details to the Torah, based on claimed hadith as well as specific Jewish traditions (so-called isra'iliyyat). Tabari records that when it came time to create Adam, God sent Gabriel (Jibril), then Michael (Mika'il), to fetch clay from the earth; but the earth complained, saying I take refuge in God from you, if you have come to diminish or deform me, so the angels returned empty-handed. Tabari goes on to state that God responded by sending the Angel of Death, who took clay from all regions, hence providing an explanation for the variety of appearances of the different races of mankind.

According to Tabari's account, after receiving the breath of God, Adam remained a dry body for 40 days, then gradually came to life from the head downwards, sneezing when he had finished coming to life, saying "Praised be God (al-hamd li-allah)".^[1] Having been created, Adam, the first man, is described as having been given dominion over all the lower creatures, which he proceeds to name. As one of the people to whom God is said to have spoken to directly, Adam is seen as a prophet in Islam.

Bukhari

According to the Sahih Bukhari, Adam was created about thirty meters in height. Since then the stature of human beings is being diminished continuously. (8:74:246) ^[2]

Other

At this point, Adam takes a prominent role in Islamic traditions concerning the fall of Satan, which is not recorded in the Torah, but in the Book of Enoch which is used in Oriental Orthodox churches. In these, when God announces his intention of creating Adam, some of the angels express dismay, asking why he would create a being that would do evil. Teaching Adam the names reassures the angels as to Adam's abilities, though commentators dispute which particular names were involved; various theories say they were the names of all things animate and inanimate, the names of the angels, the names of his own descendants, or the names of God.

When God orders the angels to bow to Adam one of those present, Satan (Iblis in Islam, regarded as a jinn rather than an angel, and hence avoiding questions about angels having free will), refuses due to his pride, and is summarily banished from the heavens. Liberal movements within Islam have viewed God's commanding the angels to bow before Adam as an exaltation of humanity, and as a means of supporting human rights.

More extended versions of the fall of Satan also exist in works such as that of Tabari, and the Shi'a commentator al-Qummi. In these explanations Iblis is sent against the jinn, who had angered God by sin and fighting. In such versions where Satan leads the battle on God's behalf, rather than his own, it is the pride and conceit resulting from his victory which results in his expulsion, since pride is seen as a sin. Islamic traditions further record that, in vengeful anger, Iblis promises God that he will lead as many humans astray as he can, to which God replies that it is the choice of humans - those who so desire will follow Satan, while those who so desire will follow God.

Al-Qummi records the opinion that Eden was not entirely earthly, and so, having been sent to earth, Adam and Eve first arrived at mountain peaks outside Mecca; Adam on Safa, and Eve on Marwa. In this Islamic tradition, Adam remained weeping for 40 days, until he repented, at which point God rewarded him by sending down the Kaaba, and teaching him the hajj. Other Islamic traditions hold that Adam was moved to Sri Lanka, as the next best thing to Eden, and, viewing Adam as having been a giant, human size having shrunk drastically before the great flood, Adam's Peak is said to contain his giant footprint.

The Qur'an also describes the two sons of Adam (named Qabil and Habil in Islamic tradition, but not mentioned by name in the Qur'an) that correspond to Cain and Abel.

References

References in the Qur'an

• Father of mankind: 2:30, 4:1, 6:98, 7:189, 15:29
• Creation of Adam and mankind: 2:28, 2:30, 4:1, 6:2, 6:98, 7:11, 7:12, 7:189, 15:26, 15:28, 15:29, 15:33, 19:67, 32:7, 39:6, 49:13, 55:3, 55:14, 67:23, 76:1, 80:18, 80:19, 80:20, 91:8, 92:3, 96:2
• Adam is created from dust, clay, mud: 3:59, 6:2, 11:61, 15:26, 15:28, 15:29, 15:33, 71:17
• Adam was taught some names: 2:31, 2:33
• Angels bowed to Adam: 2:34, 7:11, 15:30, 18:50, 20:116, 38:72, 38:73
• Tree whose fruit was eaten by Adam: 2:35, 2:36, 7:19, 7:20, 7:22, 20:120, 20:121
• Adam was sent to the earth: 2:36, 2:38, 7:24, 7:25, 7:27, 20:123
• Adam as prophet: 3:33, 20:122
• Adam's agreement with his children: 2:27, 2:84, 7:172, 20:115, 33:72, 36:60
• Human's behavior: 2:30, 2:36, 4:28, 4:32, 4:128, 17:11, 20:115, 89:15, 89:16

Footnotes

1. ↑ Chipman, Leigh (2001). "Mythic Aspects of the Process of Adam's Creation in Judaism and Islam". Studia Islamica (93): 5–25.
2. ↑ Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 74: Asking Permission

Prophets of Islam in the Qur'an

Adam

Idris

Nuh

Hud

Saleh

Ibrahim

Lut

Ismail

Ishaq

Yaqub

Yusuf

Ayub

آدم

ادريس

نوح

هود

صالح

ابراهيم

لوط

اسماعيل

اسحاق

يعقوب

يوسف

أيوب

Adam

Enoch

Noah

Heber

Shelah

Abraham

Lot

Ishmael

Isaac

Jacob

Joseph

Job

Shoaib

Musa

Harun

Dhul-Kifl

Daud

Sulayman

Ilyas

Al-Yasa

Yunus

Zakariya

Yahya

Isa

Muhammad

شعيب

موسى

هارون

ذو الكفل

داود

سليمان

إلياس

اليسع

يونس

زكريا

يحيى

عيسى

محمد

Jethro

Moses

Aaron

Ezekiel

David

Solomon

Elijah

Elisha

Jonah

Zacharias

John

Jesus