Islamic History: From Adam to Humanity

Adam and the beginning of humanity

Begin with Allah, the Creator, then follow the Qur'anic accounts of Adam, Idris and humanity. Stories stay with what the Qur'an and cited hadith establish, without inventing details the sources do not give.

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From Adam to Humanity

By Aslam Belim | Digital rights: Ummah Connect

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Prophets named in the Qur'an

Adam

Adam and the beginning of humanity

Allah is the Creator: the beginning of our story

Begin with Allah, the Creator of all things; then learn what revelation tells us about angels, jinn and Adam.

Source: Qur'an 35:1; 39:62; 57:3; 15:26-29; Sahih Muslim 2996 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam is taught the names

The Qur'an begins humanity's story with Adam's creation, knowledge and responsibility.

Source: Qur'an 2:30-34; 15:28-31; 18:50; 38:71-76 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Iblis refuses and vows to mislead

The Qur'an records Iblis's proud refusal, his request for respite and Allah's warning that he has no authority over sincere servants.

Source: Qur'an 7:11-18, 27; 15:32-44; 17:61-65; 18:50; 38:77-85 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam, his spouse and the garden

The Qur'an recounts a command, a whisper from Satan, a lapse, and Adam's awareness of his vulnerability.

Source: Qur'an 2:35-36; 7:19-22; 20:115-121 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam repents and begins again

After the lapse in the garden, the Qur'an emphasizes repentance, mercy and guidance.

Source: Qur'an 2:36-39; 7:23-25; 20:122-123 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam and his spouse on earth: what revelation tells us

The Qur'an tells that Adam and his spouse were sent to earthly life and humanity spread from them. It does not name a meeting place.

Source: Qur'an 2:36-38; 4:1; 7:24-25; 5:27-31 Adam and the beginning of humanity

The two sons of Adam

The Qur'an recounts a rejected offering, a murder and the first lesson in burying the dead.

Source: Qur'an 5:27-32 Adam and the beginning of humanity

The first murder and its continuing legacy

The Qur'an recounts the murder by one son of Adam; an authentic hadith warns that he bears a share of the burden when unjust murder is continued.

Source: Qur'an 5:27-31; Sahih al-Bukhari 3335; Sahih Muslim 1677 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam sees Dawud among his descendants

A report graded Hasan Sahih by al-Tirmidhi describes Adam seeing Dawud among his descendants and granting him forty years of his own lifespan.

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3076 (graded Hasan Sahih by al-Tirmidhi; chain graded Hasan by Zubair Ali Zai) Adam and the beginning of humanity

What authentic hadith add about Adam

Authenticated reports mention Adam's stature, a report about his image and protecting the face, Friday including his death, and his conversation with Moses; each is kept within its…

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3326, 6227, 6614; Sahih Muslim 854a, 2612, 2652; Sunan Abi Dawud 1046 (graded Sahih) Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam greets the angels

A rigorously authenticated report describes Adam greeting a group of angels and learning the greeting that would be used by his descendants.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3326; Sahih Muslim 2841 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam and the request for the great intercession

In the hadith about the great intercession, people first approach Adam, who remembers his eating from the tree and directs them to Noah.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 4476, 6565; Sahih Muslim 193a Adam and the beginning of humanity

The covenant of the children of Adam

The Qur'an says Allah made the children of Adam testify that He is their Lord, so they could not plead ignorance on the Day of Resurrection.

Source: Qur'an 7:172-173 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam's creation from the earth and human diversity

A hadith graded authentic in Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud relates Adam's creation to earth and describes the diversity of his descendants.

Source: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2955 (graded Sahih by al-Albani; Hasan Sahih by al-Tirmidhi); Sunan Abi Dawud 4693 (graded Sahih by al-Albani and Hasan Sahih by Shu`ayb al-Arna'ut); Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3955 (graded Hasan by al-Albani, Ahmad Muhammad Shakir, Bashar Awad Maarouf, and Zubair Ali Zai); Jami` at-Tirmidhi 877 (graded Sahih by Ahmad Muhammad Shakir and al-Albani, Hasan Sahih by Bashar Awad Maarouf, and Hasan by Zubair Ali Zai) Adam and the beginning of humanity

Adam meets the Prophet ﷺ during the Night Journey

In the hadith of the Night Journey, the Prophet ﷺ meets Adam in the nearest heaven, where Adam welcomes him as a son and a prophet.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3207 Adam and the beginning of humanity

Guidance, dignity and warning for the children of Adam

The Qur'an tells Adam's children to follow Allah's guidance, remember their dignity, guard themselves with taqwa, and resist Satan.

Source: Qur'an 2:38-39; 7:26-27, 31, 35; 17:70; 20:123; 36:60-62; 49:13