Adam, peace be upon him: the journey

Before any human walked the earth, there were the angels, made of light, and the jinn, made of fire.

The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from what has been described to you.

Sahih Muslim 2996

Quran 15:27

Then Allah told the angels of something new.

إِنِّي جَاعِلٞ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةٗۖ

…"Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." …

Quran 2:30

The angels asked: would it be one who spreads corruption and sheds blood, while they glorified Him without end?

قَالَ إِنِّيٓ أَعۡلَمُ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ

…Allah said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."

Quran 2:30

A handful was taken from all of the earth. Every colour of soil. Every kind of ground. His children would come the same way.

Allah created Adam from a handful He took from the whole earth, so the children of Adam came according to the earth: some red, some white, some black and in between; some gentle, some harsh, some bad and some good.

Abu Dawud 4693 · Tirmidhi 2955

Water was added, and the earth became clay, then dark, altered mud, then a form that dried until it rang like pottery.

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرٗا مِّن صَلۡصَٰلٖ مِّنۡ حَمَإٖ مَّسۡنُونٖ

And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud.

Quran 15:28

Quran 55:14Quran 23:12

The form lay still for as long as Allah willed. Iblis circled it, studying it. He saw that it was hollow, and took that for a weakness.

When Allah shaped Adam in Paradise, He left him as long as He willed. Iblis began to circle around him, looking at what he was. When he saw that he was hollow, he knew he had been created a creature that would not have full control over itself.

Sahih Muslim 2611

Then Allah breathed into him of the soul He created. Clay became a living man.

فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ

And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration."

Quran 15:29

Quran 32:9

Adam sneezed. His first words were praise: Alhamdulillah. The first words he heard were mercy.

When Allah created Adam and breathed the soul into him, he sneezed and said, "Alhamdulillah," praising Allah by His permission. His Lord said to him, "May Allah have mercy on you, O Adam."

Tirmidhi 3368

He stood sixty cubits tall. He was told to greet a gathering of angels and listen to their reply. As-salamu alaykum, he said. As-salamu alayka wa rahmatullah, they answered. Every salam since began with his.

Go and greet that group of angels sitting there, and listen to how they greet you, for that will be your greeting and the greeting of your descendants.

Sahih al-Bukhari 3326 · Muslim 2841

Allah taught Adam the names, all of them. Even the bowl and the little cup, said Ibn Abbas.

وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِي بِأَسۡمَآءِ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ

And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful."

Quran 2:31

Reported by Ibn Kathir, from Ibn Abbas

The things were shown to the angels: "Tell Me their names." They could not, and they did not pretend to.

قَالُواْ سُبۡحَٰنَكَ لَا عِلۡمَ لَنَآ إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمۡتَنَآۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ

They said, "Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise."

Quran 2:32

Then Adam named them, one by one. Knowledge was the first honour given to mankind.

قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئۡهُم بِأَسۡمَآئِهِمۡۖ

He said, "O Adam, inform them of their names." …

Quran 2:33

The command came. Every angel fell down in prostration at once. Except one.

وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسۡجُدُواْ لِأٓدَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسۡتَكۡبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ

And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam"; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers.

Quran 2:34

Iblis was not an angel. He was of the jinn. He weighed fire against clay, and chose pride over his Lord's command.

قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسۡجُدَ إِذۡ أَمَرۡتُكَۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرٞ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارٖ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينٖ

[Allah] said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" [Satan] said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay."

Quran 7:12

Quran 18:50Quran 38:76

He was cast out, disgraced. He asked for time until the Day of Resurrection, and it was given. Then he blamed his Lord, and swore to come at Adam's children from every side.

قَالَ فَبِمَآ أَغۡوَيۡتَنِي لَأَقۡعُدَنَّ لَهُمۡ صِرَٰطَكَ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقِيمَ

[Satan] said, "Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path.

Quran 7:16

Quran 7:13Quran 7:14Quran 7:17

Adam was given the Garden to live in.

وَقُلۡنَا يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسۡكُنۡ أَنتَ وَزَوۡجُكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنۡهَا رَغَدًا حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمَا

…O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will …

Quran 2:35

He was alone there, the scholars report, with no one like himself. He slept, and woke to find Hawwa beside him, created from him, so that he could find rest with her.

۞هُوَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٖ وَٰحِدَةٖ وَجَعَلَ مِنۡهَا زَوۡجَهَا لِيَسۡكُنَ إِلَيۡهَاۖ

It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her. …

Quran 7:189

Reported by Ibn Kathir, from Ibn Abbas and Ibn Mas'ud

Everything was theirs, except one tree. And a warning came with it: Iblis is your enemy. Do not let him drive you out.

وَلَا تَقۡرَبَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

…But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers …

Quran 2:35

Quran 20:117Quran 20:118

He did not come with a threat. He came with a whisper. He never called it the forbidden tree. He called it the tree of eternity.

فَوَسۡوَسَ إِلَيۡهِ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ قَالَ يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ هَلۡ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَىٰ شَجَرَةِ ٱلۡخُلۡدِ وَمُلۡكٖ لَّا يَبۡلَىٰ

Then Satan whispered to him; he said, "O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?"

Quran 20:120

He told them it was forbidden only so they would not become angels, or live forever. Then he swore by Allah that he was their sincere adviser. A believer, said Qatadah, can be deceived by one who swears by Allah.

وَقَاسَمَهُمَآ إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ ٱلنَّـٰصِحِينَ

And he swore [by Allah] to them, "Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors."

Quran 7:21

Quran 7:20Reported by Ibn Kathir, from Qatadah

They ate. At once they saw themselves uncovered, and reached for the leaves of the Garden.

فَدَلَّىٰهُمَا بِغُرُورٖۚ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا ٱلشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتۡ لَهُمَا سَوۡءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخۡصِفَانِ عَلَيۡهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلۡجَنَّةِۖ

So he made them fall, through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten together over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. …

Quran 7:22

Quran 20:121

Then their Lord called to them.

وَنَادَىٰهُمَا رَبُّهُمَآ أَلَمۡ أَنۡهَكُمَا عَن تِلۡكُمَا ٱلشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوّٞ مُّبِينٞ

…And their Lord called to them, "Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is to you a clear enemy?"

Quran 7:22

Adam did not argue, and he did not blame. Allah Himself taught him the words to come back with.

فَتَلَقَّىٰٓ ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ كَلِمَٰتٖ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.

Quran 2:37

These were the words, say many of the early scholars:

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ

They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."

Quran 7:23

Reported by Ibn Kathir, from Mujahid, Sa'id ibn Jubayr and al-Hasan al-Basri

Two mistakes. Two answers. Iblis blamed his Lord. Adam blamed himself.

• Iblis: “Because You have put me in error…” (7:16)
• Adam and Hawwa: “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves…” (7:23)

ثُمَّ ٱجۡتَبَٰهُ رَبُّهُۥ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡهِ وَهَدَىٰ

Then his Lord chose him and turned to him in forgiveness and guided [him].

Quran 20:122

Forgiven, yet still sent down. The earth had been the plan from the first announcement. They went with a promise.

قُلۡنَا ٱهۡبِطُواْ مِنۡهَا جَمِيعٗاۖ فَإِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدٗى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ

We said, "Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.

Quran 2:38

Quran 2:30

It was a Friday. The historians report that Adam came down in India, and Hawwa far away, near Jeddah. Allah knows best.

The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday. On it Adam was created, on it he was sent down, on it his repentance was accepted, and on it he died.

Abu Dawud 1046

Reported by al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir

They searched for each other across the land. They met again on a plain near Makkah. Some say that is why it is called Arafat: where they came to know each other again.

Reported by al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir · Allah knows best

Now there was hunger, thirst and the heat of the sun, everything the Garden had kept away. Adam was made from this earth. Now he worked it.

قَالَ فِيهَا تَحۡيَوۡنَ وَفِيهَا تَمُوتُونَ وَمِنۡهَا تُخۡرَجُونَ

He said, "Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth."

Quran 7:25

Quran 20:118Quran 20:119

Children were born, a son and a daughter at each birth, the scholars report. The human family began.

وَبَثَّ مِنۡهُمَا رِجَالٗا كَثِيرٗا وَنِسَآءٗۚ

…dispersed from both of them many men and women. …

Quran 4:1

Reported by Ibn Kathir, from as-Suddi

Two brothers each brought an offering. Habil, a shepherd, brought the best of his flock. Qabil, a farmer, brought the worst of his crop. Fire came down and took Habil's.

إِذۡ قَرَّبَا قُرۡبَانٗا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنۡ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمۡ يُتَقَبَّلۡ مِنَ ٱلۡأٓخَرِ

…when they both offered a sacrifice [to Allah], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. …

Quran 5:27

Reported by Ibn Kathir, from Ibn Abbas

Qabil said: I will kill you. Habil said: Allah accepts only from those who fear Him.

لَئِنۢ بَسَطتَ إِلَيَّ يَدَكَ لِتَقۡتُلَنِي مَآ أَنَا۠ بِبَاسِطٖ يَدِيَ إِلَيۡكَ لِأَقۡتُلَكَۖ إِنِّيٓ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ

If you should raise your hand against me to kill me - I shall not raise my hand against you to kill you. Indeed, I fear Allah, Lord of the worlds.

Quran 5:28

The first human blood was spilled by a brother.

فَطَوَّعَتۡ لَهُۥ نَفۡسُهُۥ قَتۡلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُۥ فَأَصۡبَحَ مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰسِرِينَ

And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers.

Quran 5:30

No soul is killed unjustly except that the first son of Adam bears a share of its blood, because he was the first to make killing a practice.

Sahih al-Bukhari 3335 · Muslim 1677

He stood over his brother, not knowing what to do. Then Allah sent a crow, scratching at the ground.

فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ غُرَابٗا يَبۡحَثُ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لِيُرِيَهُۥ كَيۡفَ يُوَٰرِي سَوۡءَةَ أَخِيهِۚ قَالَ يَٰوَيۡلَتَىٰٓ أَعَجَزۡتُ أَنۡ أَكُونَ مِثۡلَ هَٰذَا ٱلۡغُرَابِ فَأُوَٰرِيَ سَوۡءَةَ أَخِيۖ فَأَصۡبَحَ مِنَ ٱلنَّـٰدِمِينَ

Then Allah sent a crow searching in the ground to show him how to hide the disgrace of his brother. He said, "O woe to me! Have I failed to be like this crow and hide the body of my brother?" And he became of the regretful.

Quran 5:31

Because of that day:

مَن قَتَلَ نَفۡسَۢا بِغَيۡرِ نَفۡسٍ أَوۡ فَسَادٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعٗا وَمَنۡ أَحۡيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحۡيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعٗاۚ

…whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. …

Quran 5:32

Allah brought out from Adam every soul that would ever be born, until the Last Day. Between the eyes of each was a gleam of light. One shone so brightly that Adam asked who he was.

"A man from the last of the nations among your children. His name is Dawud." "My Lord, how long is his life?" "Sixty years." "My Lord, give him forty years of mine."

Tirmidhi 3076

Every soul was asked one question. Every human who would ever live was there.

أَلَسۡتُ بِرَبِّكُمۡۖ قَالُواْ بَلَىٰ شَهِدۡنَآۚ

…"Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." …

Quran 7:172

Musnad Ahmad, from Ibn Abbas: at Na'man, near Arafah

Adam's long life came to its end. When the angel of death came, Adam said: Are there not forty years left of my life? Did you not give them to your son Dawud?

Adam denied, so his children deny. Adam forgot, so his children forget. Adam erred, so his children err.

Tirmidhi 3076

He died on a Friday. The angels washed him, shrouded him, prayed over him and buried him. Then they told his children: this is your way, from now on.

Musnad Ahmad, from Ubayy ibn Ka'b · Abu Dawud 1046

Before he died, the historians say, he entrusted his children to his son Shith. The guidance that began with Adam would pass from prophet to prophet, to the last of them, Muhammad ﷺ.

Quran 33:40Reported by al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir