Generation after generation
The first generations
Allah created Adam, and from him He created his wife, and once they were on Earth, from their progeny He created men and women. Every person that exists today originally came from these two people who started to multiply. The generations after Adam and Eve were created through water which is the sperm and fluids which are emitted by men and women, as is well known. This is explained by the Qur'an in the verses:
"And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth). Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman). Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators"
(Qur'an 23:12-14)
Adam and Eve first had a set of twins - one boy and one girl. The boy's name was Cain (Qabil). Later, Adam and Eve gave birth to another set of twins, with one being a boy and one being a girl - just as before. The name of this twin boy was Abel (Habil).
Under normal circumstances Allah does not allow brothers and sisters to marry one another. However, in the case of Adam and Eve's children an exception was made due to necessity. Allah commanded Adam to marry each of his two boys to the twin sister of the other boy. Cain was not happy with Allah's command because he desired his own twin sister over Abel's because she was more beautiful. In the end Cain killed Abel and Cain went on to have children.
Many years after the birth of their first two sets of twins when Adam and Eve were very old, Eve gave birth to Seth (Shiith) through whom all the prophets (other than Adam of course) mentioned in the Qur'an were descended from. More details about the genealogy of the Prophets from Adam to Abraham, and the descendents of Adam can be seen here. Note: not all the descendents of some people are shown in this diagram, only those that are relevant to the lineage of the prophets.
Every couple after Adam and Eve's children used to have a boy and a girl in the very beginning. Hence, the girl of one couple were married to the boy of another couple. It is reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said that Adam did not have (in his grandchildren) a baby boy unless it was accompanied by a girl, so the male of one couple was married to the female of another, and the female of a couple to the male of another. In this way, the marriages between closely related couples rapidly ceased.
Subsequent generations and the creation of new humans
Since that time, many generations have followed and the way in which new humans are created is something to be marvelled at. Yet, we know that Allah is Able to do all things. He created Adam with no father or mother, and He created Eve from a father with no mother, and He created 'Eesa (Jesus) from a mother with no father, and He created us from a father and a mother.
"And it is He Who has created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by blood, and kindred by marriage"
(Qur'an 25:54)
Allah tells us in the Qur'an how He brings about generation after generation of people:
"Who made everything He has created good and He began the creation of man from clay. Then He made his offspring from semen of despised water (male and female sexual discharge). Then He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him the soul (created by Allah for that person); and He gave you hearing (ears), sight (eyes) and hearts. Little are the thanks you give!"
(Qur'an 32:7-9)
How a person is created in the womb, and the stages which that person goes through, is a wondrous thing and this is mentioned in the first verse given on this page (23: 12-14). Indeed with all our knowledge and science we still marvel at how to create a human being. By ourselves we have no power over anything, Allah Alone creates whatever He wills. He knows what is in the wombs, and He decrees provision and lifespans (for His creatures):
"To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills. Or He bestows both males and females, and He renders barren whom He wills. Verily, He is the All Knower and is Able to do all things"
(Qur'an 42:49-50)
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
"Allah has appointed an angel over the womb. He says, 'O Lord, a drop of semen (nutfah); O Lord, a clot ('alaqah); O Lord, a little lump of flesh (mudghah).' Then if Allah wishes (to complete) its creation, the angel asks, (O Lord) male or female, wretched (doomed to Hell) or blessed (destined for Paradise)? How much will his provision be? And what will his lifespan be?' So that is written whilst (the child) is still in the mother's womb."
(Hadith)
Muslims must believe that Allah has decreed certain things for us and this is one of the Articles of Faith in Islam - belief in define predestination. Allah has already determined what will be our fate in this life and the Hereafter.
This of course does not mean that as humans we do not have the freewill to make choices. Rather, Allah knows what outcome we will choose if we are given options. So based on Allah's knowledge of the past, present and everything in the future, He knows what decisions we will make (whether they be good or bad) and He knows what His judgement will be of us based on our decisions, actions and intentions. For this reason, He knows whether our final abode will be Hell or Paradise.
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