Simple Islam Present
Prophet Adam (A.S.) was the first man descended by Allah to earth, along with his wife named Hawwa (Eve). Prophet Adam has been mentioned in The Quran in several Verses, among them Verses from 30 to 38 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2nd Surah of Quran) and verses from 11 to 25 of Surah Al-A'raaf (7th Surah of Quran). The children of Adam and Eve were born twins, that is, every baby boy was born together with a baby girl.
Prophet Adam (A.S.) was created directly from the hands of Allah from clay and his soul was immediately blown by the Almighty Himself. In addition, the Prophet Adam (A.S.) was also equipped with the intellect that makes him able to learn, observe and understand things. The same is evident from the following verses of Quran:
Then Allah gave Adam knowledge of the nature and reality of all things and everything, and set them before the angels and said: `Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful.` ( Surah Al-Baqarah 2:31)
And they (Angels) said: `Glory to You (O Allah), we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.` ( Surah Al-Baqarah 2:32)
Then Allah said, `O Adam, inform them of their names.` And when he had informed them of their names, Allah said, `Did I not tell you that I know the unknown of the heavens and the earth? And I know what you reveal and what you have concealed.` ( Surah Al-Baqarah 2:33)
Allah stated the virtue of Adam above the angels, because He taught Adam, rather than them, the names/knowledge of everything, that is, the names that people use, such as human, animal, sky, earth, land, sea, including the names of the other species. This occurred after Angels prostrated to Adam. This discussion proceeds only to show the importance of Adam’s position, and the absence of the angel’s knowledge about creating the Khalifah when they asked about it. This shows the Adam's superiority over Angels in knowledge.
Allah honoured the first human, Prophet Adam(pbuh) in countless ways.Allah blew his soul into him, He fashioned him with His own hands and He ordered the Angels to bow down before him. And Allah said to the Angels:
”Prostrate to Adam and they prostrated except Iblees (Satan)....” (Quran 7:11)
While worship is reserved for Allah Alone this prostration by the Angels to Prophet Adam(pbuh) was a sign of respect and the first man is recognized as an honoured creature, covered with the infinite Mercy of Allah.
When Allah commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, Iblis (Shaitan/Devil/Satan) was included in this command. All Angels complied with Allah’s command except for Iblis as he was too arrogant to prostrate before Adam. He said, “I am superior than him. You created me from the fire and created Adam from the clay/mud.” So this act of arrogance by Iblis was the first ever act of disobedience/error/misdeed committed by any of Allah’s creatures. Because of Satan' arrogance and disobedience to prostrate, Allah punishes him by expelling him from heaven.
Satan arrogantly accepted the punishment of Allah and he only begged Him to be given the opportunity for eternal life until the Day of Judgment. Allah approved his petition and Satan was allowed eternal life until the day of resurrection. Satan was not grateful for the granting by Allah but instead he threatened to mislead Prophet Adam(pbuh) and his descendant from all directions to persuade them to leave the straight path, invite them to forbidden things, tempting them to abolish the religious orders and influence them not to be grateful to Allah for good deeds.
Then Allah (s. w. t) spoke to the cursed Iblis:
Go with your followers who will be the fuel of hell. You will not be able to mislead My servants who have believed in me with all their heart and have a steady faith which will not be roared by your appeal.
Satan was removed from the ranks of angels and he became Allah’s biggest enemy till the Day of Judgment.
After commanding the angels to prostrate before him, Prophet Adam (pbuh) was given a place by Allah in heaven/paradise and for him created Eve to accompany him and become his life friend, eliminating his loneliness.
And Allah said, `O Adam, both you and your spouse live in the Paradise, eat freely to your fill wherever you like, but approach not this tree or you will become transgressors/wrongdoers.` ( Surah Al-Baqarah 2:35)
There are different opinions over the nature of the tree mentioned here. Some said that it was the grape tree, barley, date tree, fig tree and so forth (neither Allah has mentioned anything in the Quran nor there is any authentic Hadith about the nature of this tree). The point here is that Allah forbade Adam and his wife from eating from a certain tree in Paradise.According to many Islamic Scholars, after Allah finished criticizing Satan, Adam fell asleep. Then Allah took one of Adam's left ribs and made flesh grow in its place, while Adam was asleep and unaware. Allah then created Eve from Adam’s rib and made her a woman. Adam woke up and saw Eve next to him.
Adam and Eve understood that they were forbidden to eat the fruit of that tree. Adam was, however, human and man tends to forget. Satan summoned all the envy within him and took advantage of Adam’s humanity to exploit it. He started to whisper to him day after day “Shall I guide you to the tree of immortality and the eternal kingdom”.
Years went by but both of them were preoccupied with the thoughts of that tree. Then one day, they decided to eat the fruit of this tree. Both forgot about Allah’s warning about that tree. Adam picked one of its fruit and offered it to Eve. They both ate the forbidden fruit of the tree.
As Quran says: 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. 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?` ( Surah Al-Arraf 7:22)
Prophet Adam(pbuh) repents and supplicates to Allah: At this time, Allah called out to them: `Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you: Verily, Satan is an open enemy unto you.`
In reply, Prophet Adam (pbuh) said: 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.` ( Surah Al-Arraf 7:23)
After realizing that they both have violated the Allah’s warning/command, they started to repent and sought forgiveness of Allah.
Allah accepted their supplication and gave His forgiveness to them. As mentioned in Quran:
Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and Allah accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is Allah who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. ( Surah Al-Baqarah 2:37)
Ibn Asakar reported that Prophet Adam(pbuh) wept for 60 years for his loss of paradise and 70 years for his mistake. Allah accepted their repentance because it was sincere but also deprived them from the blessings of paradise/heaven. Both Adam and Eve(peace be upon them) left paradise and descended upon the earth. Allah told them that the earth would be their realm and origin where they would live and die.
As mentioned in Quran:
[ Allah ] said, `Descend, being to one another enemies. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time.` He said, `Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth.`( Surah Al-Arraf 7:24 – 25)
When downgraded to Earth,Prophet Adam and Eve (peace be upon them) were then separated in two different places. Ibn-e-Abi Hatim recorded Ibn-e-Abbas saying that Allah sent Adam to earth to an area called “Dahna”, between Makkah and At-Taif. Al-Hasan-Al-Basri said that Adam was sent down to India, while Eve was sent to Jeddah. They both searched for each other. It took them 40 days to see them on a hill in the Arabian Peninsula called Jabal Rahmah of Arafat (situated in Saudi Arabia near the city of Makkah). Adam and Eve eventually gathered and reunited like in heaven.
Prophet Adam(pbuh) knew that on earth, he had to face conflict and struggle. He had to protect himself, his wife and children from earthly creatures and hardships but above all, he had to struggle with the spirit of evil. The battle between good and evil is continuous but Adam knew that those who follow Allah’s guidance and should fear nothing while those who disobey Allah and follow Satan will be damned alongwith him. As mention in Quran:
And Allah said to them: ”Go, all of you. When I send guidance, whoever follows it will neither have fear nor regret.” ( Surah Al-Baqarah 2:38)
Prophet Adam(pbuh) , alongwith Eve, started his life on earth. He was the one who had to perpetuate, cultivate, construct and populate the earth. He was also the one who had to procreate and raise children who would change and improve the earth. Time on Earth went on, Prophet Adam(pbuh) grew steadily. Prophet and Eve witnessed the birth of their children, a set of twins, Cain (Qabil) and his sister Iqlima. Later, Eve gave birth to a second set of twins, Abel (Habil) and his sister Labuda. Adam and Eve were blessed with many offspring.
Allah decreed the command to Prophet Adam(pbuh) to marry the children of the first couple with the second couple in cross, Cain with Labuda, and Abel with Iqlima. Adam then told the Allah’s command to his children. But Qabil was displeased with the partner chosen for him.
Habil(Abel) and Qabil(Cain) were the two sons of Prophet Adam (pbuh). Habil had a twin sister and Qabil had a twin sister. Hence, it was supposed that Habil would get married to Qabil's sister who was better and more beautiful than anyone else. At the same time, Qabil wanted to keep her for himself. Prophet Adam (Peace be upon him) ordered both (Abel and Cain) to offer a sacrifice to Allah Almighty.
Habil and Qabil offered their sacrifices to Allah. Habil offered a fat she-goat, while Qabil offered a bundle of bad plants. Later, a fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice offered by Habil and left untouched that of Qabil. Qabil became livid with rage and said to his brother: I will kill you so as not to marry my sister, Abel said: 'Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious).'
Abdullah Ibn `Amr (May Allah be pleased with both of them) said: By Allah! The murdered (Abel) was stronger (than the murderer, Cain), but he refused to stretch his hand against his brother to kill him due to his piety and God-fearing. Abu Ja`far Al-Baqir mentioned that Adam (Peace be upon him) was present there when they offered their sacrifices. After Abel's sacrifice was accepted, Cain said to his father, Adam: 'It was accepted only from him because you invoked Allah for his sake.' And, he secretly intended something against his brother. One day, Abel was late and Prophet Adam(pbuh) sent Cain to look for him. The two brothers met and Cain said: 'Your sacrifice was accepted and mine was not.' Abel said: 'Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious).' Cain got angry and hit his brother with an iron rod and Abel fell dead at once
It was said: Cain killed Abel by throwing a rock at his head while he was asleep. It was also said: Cain choked Abel violently and bit him to death as beasts do.
Allah Almighty says: {Then, Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hide the shame of his brother. 'Woe is me! said he,' Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother? `Then he became full of regrets` (Al Maaidah :31)
Allah sent two ravens which fought each other. (One of the two ravens killed the other, then scratched the ground, put the body of the other raven in a hole and hid it with earth.Qabil, having watched the raven do so, said Woe is me! said he,' Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother? `Then he became full of regrets` (Al Maaidah :31)
He then copied the raven and buried his brother
After many years, prophet Adam(pbuh) grew old. When Adam’s death drew near, he appointed his son Seth (Shiith), third son of Adam & Eve, to be his successor. Adam taught Seth appropriate acts of worship alongwith all commands/teachings of Allah.
There are various narrations in Islamic sources about where the grave of prophet Adam and Eve are. According these narrations, grave of prophet Adam is in the Abu Qubays cave in Makkah, which was the first mountain created by Allah. According to another narration, Noah put the coffin of Prophet Adam on the Ark and buried it in Baitul-Maqdis (Mosque Al-Aqsa), Jerusalem
Pride and arrogance are always the result of loss and destruction. See Satan who deprived of his position as an angel and expelled by Allah from heaven with curses that will attach to him until the Day of Judgment because of his arrogance and his pride as he refused to prostrate before Adam despite being commanded by Allah.
