Creation of Adam
With regard to the creation of mankind, Allah says in the Qur'an:
"Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again"
(Qur'an 20:55)
"Verily, the likeness of 'Eesa (Jesus) before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust..."(Qur'an 3:59)
Who was the first person?
The first of humans to be created was Adam (Aadam in Arabic) (peace be upon him) and all humans since that time come from Adam and his wife Eve (Hawwa in Arabic). Allah created Adam in many different stages, each of which are described in different places in the Qur'an and expanded on through the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
What did Adam look like?
Allah created Adam (PBUH) sixty cubits (30 metres) tall, then mankind gradually grew shorter until they stopped and remained as they are now. The evidence for the hadith where the Prophet (PBUH) said:
"Allah created Adam sixty cubits tall, then mankind kept getting shorter until now."
(Hadith)
This means that each
generation grew shorter than the generation before, and that decrease in
height ended with this people, and that is how they stayed.
How did Allah create Adam?
Adam was created from the earth i.e. from its dust. An angel who was sent to earth from the heavens by Allah for this purpose gathered the dust from the entire earth.
"I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: 'Allah created Adam from a handful that He gathered from the entire earth, so the sons of Adam come like the earth. Some of them are red, some are white, some are black and some are in between. Some of them are easy, some of them are difficult, some are evil and some are good."
(Hadith)
The dust was then mixed with water to form mud, which then became black, stinking mud that was sticky (viscous). This dust was created from the earth that is partly sand and so when it is mixed and dries it becomes sounding clay, like the clay of pottery.
"Verily, We created them of a sticky clay"
(Qur'an 37:11)
"And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud"(Qur'an 15:26)
Then the wind was sent upon the clay and it dried out it out, until it became clay like pottery. Then it was given shape and limbs and faculties, and each part of it was given a shape suited to its purpose. Then Allah breathed Adam's spirit (that was created by Allah) into Adam and completed his creation. When He had finished He commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam (not as a form of worship, since this is only for Allah, but in recognition of the higher status of mankind above other creation and as an act of obedience towards Allah).
"(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: 'Truly, I am going to create man from clay.
So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him.'
So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them,
Except Iblees (Satan), he was proud and was one of the disbelievers"(Qur'an 38:71-74)
Allah informs the Angels of His plan
Then Allah told the angels that He was going to place Adam on earth and make generations after generations of his offspring, as He said (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: 'Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth'...."
(Qur'an 2:30)
From this verse it should be noted that Allah intended to place Adam (and his subsequent offspring) on earth even before He created Adam. It is therefore incorrect to say that Allah did not know that Adam and his wife would eat from the forbidden tree and thus they would be displaced from paradise. Rather, Allah knew that this would be the case.
In response to being told about mankind being placed on Earth, the angels asked Allah why He was going to do this - not out of envy or to dispute with Allah, but to understand the wisdom behind Him creating mankind:
"And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee ? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not."
(Qur'an 2:30)
Angels only have knowledge of that which Allah has told them and they do not have free will. Therefore, they spend their lives in total worship of Allah and never rebel or go against His commands. Despite the angels thinking that Allah's new creation would create harm on Earth, Allah informed them that He knew better than them and that even though they would create mischief, the benefit gained would be greater as many people would dutifully worship Him, die for His sake and follow His commandments.
Allah teaches Adam the Names of Everything
Then Allah taught Adam all the names of every object and so on, without omitting anything. Then Allah asked the angels to name the same things, but they could not because their knowledge was limited to what Allah had taught them.
"And He taught Adam all the names (of everything), and then He showed them to the angels and said "Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful. They (the angels) said "Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise" "
(Qur'an 2:31-32)
Then Allah asked Adam to inform the angels of the names and he did so. This showed the noble status of mankind above Allah's other creation, because Allah taught Adam the names, not the angels. However, Allah reminds us that:
"And if it were Our will, We would have destroyed you (mankind) all, and made angels to replace you (Yakhlufun) on the earth.
(Qur'an 43: 60)
Indeed Allah has destroyed many nations before our time because of their obstinacy in committing evil and turning away from the Worship of their Lord. We should not think that we are any different and realise that if Allah willed every person on Earth would be dead in a second without any effort on His part.
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