Allah the Almighty revealed:
“Remember when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Verily, I am going to place
mankind generations after generations on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You place
therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify
You with praises and thanks (exalted be You above all that they associate with
You as partners) and sanctify You.’ Allah said: ‘I know that which you do not
know.’
Allah taught Adam all the names of everything, then He showed them to the
angels and said: “Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful.” They (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.”
He said: “O Adam! Inform them of their names,” and when he had informed
them of their names, He said: “Did I not tell you that I know the unseen in the
heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been
hiding?”
Remember when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourself before Adam” They
prostrated except Iblis, he refused and was proud and was one of the
disbelievers(disobedient to Allah).”
We said: “O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and both of you
freely with pleasure and delight of things therein as wherever you will but come
not near this tree or you both will be of the Zalimeen (wrongdoers).”
Then the Satan made them slip therefrom (the Paradise), and got them out from
that in which they were. We said: “Get you down all with enmity between
yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment for a
time.”
Then Adam received from his Lord Words. His Lord pardoned him (accepted his
repentance). Verily He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the most
Merciful.
We said: “Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever
there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance there
shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve. But those who disbelieve and
belie Our Ayah (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, and signs and revelations,
etc) such are the dwellers of the Fire, they shall abide therein forever.” (Chapter
2:30-39, Qur’an).
Almighty Allah also revealed:
“And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the
noble shape of a human being), then We told the angels, “Prostrate to Adam”,
and they prostrated, except Iblis, he refused to be those who prostrate.
Allah said: “What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not postrate when I
commanded you?”
Iblis said: “I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire and him You
created from clay.”
Allah said: “O Iblis get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be
arrogant here. Get out for you are of those humiliated and disgraced.”
Iblis said: “Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up (Day of
Resurrection).”
Allah said: “You are of those allowed respite.”
Iblis said: “Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait against
them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from
before them and behind them, from their right and from their left and You will
not find most of them as thankful ones (they will not be dutiful to You).”
Allah said: “Get out from Paradise, disgraced and expelled. Whoever of them
(mankind) will follow you, then surely I will fill Hell with you all.”
“And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both
wish, but approach not this tree otherwise you both will be of the Zalimeen
(unjust and wrongdoers).”
“Then Satan whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which
was hidden from them of their private parts before, he said:” Your Lord did not
forbid you this tree save you should become angels or become of the immortals.”
Satan swore by Allah to them both saying: “Verily I am one of the sincere well
wishers for you both.”
So he misled them with deception. Then when they tasted of the tree, that which
was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest to them
and they began to stick together the leaves of Paradise over themselves (in order
to cover their shame). Their Lord called out to them saying “Did I not forbid you
that tree and tell you, Verily Satan is an open enemy unto you?”
They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and
bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.” Allah said:
“Get down one of you an enemy to the other (i.e. Adam, Eve, and Satan etc). On
earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment, for a time.” He said:
“therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be
brought out (resurrected).” (Chapter 7:11-25 Qur’an).
We imagine when Allah the Almighty decided to create Adam: He addressed His angels and told
them to prostrate before him. He did not mean to ask their opinion or take their advice, for He is
above that. Allah the Exalted told them that He was going to create a vicegerent on the earth who
would have children and grandchildren who would corrupt the earth and shed each other’s blood.
That is why the angels said to Allah the Almighty: “Will You place therein those who will make
mischief therein and shed blood!” (Chapter 2:30 Quran).
There are old traditions about the angels before the creation of Adam. According to Ibn Qatadah,
it was said that the angels were informed about the creation of Adam and his progency by the jinn
who lived before Adam. Abdullah Ibn Umar said that the jinn had existed for about 2000 years
before Adam and then shed blood. Therefore Allah sent on them an army of angels that drove
them out to the depths of the seas.
Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Ali jafar Al Baqer that the angels were informed that man would
cause wickedness and shed blood on earth. It was also said that they knew that no one would be
created on earth who would not be wicked and shed blood.
Whether or not these traditions are correct, the angels did understand that Allah would create a
vicegerent on earth. Allah the Almighty announced that HE was going to create a human being
out of clay, that HE would mold him and blow His spirit into him and then the angels should
prostrate before him.
Abi Musa al Sha’arai narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Allah
created Adam from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam have
been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore from mankind we have white,
red, black and yellow ones; we have good and evil, ease and sorrow, and what comes in between
them.” (Sahih al Bukhari).
Ibn Masud and other companions of the Prophet (PBUH) said that Allah the Almighty sent
Gabriel onto the earth to said that Allah the Almighty sent Gabriel onto the earth to get Him clay
therefrom. The earth said: “I seek refuge in Allah from your decreasing my quantity or disfiguring
me.” So Gabriel returned and did not take anything. He said: “My Lord, the land sought refuge in
You and it granted.”
So Allah sent Michael for the same purpose, and the land sought refuge with Allah and it was
granted. So he went back and said to Allah what Gabriel has said before him. Then Allah sent the
Angel of Death, and the land sought refuge in Allah, the angel said: “I also seek refuge with Allah
from returning without carrying out His command.” So he took clay from the face of the earth
and mixed it. He did not take from one particular place, but rather he took white, red, and black
clay from different places.
The Angel of Death ascended with it, Allah soaked the clay till it became sticky. Then Allah 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.” (Chapter 38:71-72 Quran).
So Allah shaped Adam into a human being, but he remained a figure of clay for fourty years. The
angels went past him. They were seized with fear by what they saw, and Iblis felt fear most. He
used to pass by the figure of Adam, buffeting it, which would make a sound like pottery. Allah
told us:
“He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery.” (Chapter 55:Quran).
When the time drew near to breathe the spirit into Adam, as Allah decreed, He commanded the
angels: “When I breathe My spirit into him prostrate before him.” Allah breathed His spirit into
Adam and when it reached his head Adam sneezed. The angels said: “Say all praise belongs to
Allah.” Adam repeated: “All praise belongs to Allah.” Allah said to him: “Your Lord has granted
you mercy.” When the spirit reached his eyes, Adam looked at the fruits of Paradise. When it
reached his abdomen Adam felt an appetite for food. He jumped hurriedly before the spirit could
reach his legs, so that he could eat from the fruits of Paradise. Allah, therefore, said:
“Man is created of haste.” (Chapter 21:37 Quran).
And then:
“The angels prostrated themselves all of them together. Except Iblis, he refused to be among the
prostrators. (Ch 15:31-32 Quran).
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Allah created Adam from dust
after He mixed the clay and left him for some time until it became sticky mud, after which Allah
shaped him. After that Allah left him till it became like potter’s clay. Iblis used to go past him
saying ‘You have been created for a great purpose.’ After that Allah breathed His spirit into him.
The first thing into which the spirit passed was his eye and then his nose. He sneezed. Allah said:
“May your Lord have mercy upon you, O Adam! Go to those angels and see what they would
say.’ So Adam went and greeted them. they replied saying: “Peace be upon you and the mercy and
blessings of Allah.” Allah said: “O Adam! This is your greeting and that of your offspring.” (Sahih
al Bukhari).