Knowing Rusul (Messengers) of Allah Adamعليه السلام
Abu Musa Al-Ashari رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "Allah (God) created Adam عليه السلام (Adam) from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam عليه السلام (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."
So Allah (God) shaped Adamعليه السلام (Adam) into a human being, but he remained a figure of clay for a long time. The Mala”kah (Angels) went past him. They were seized with fear by what they saw, and Iblis felt this fear most. He used to pass by the figure of Adamعليه السلام (Adam), buffeting it, which would make a sound like pottery.
Allah told us:
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِن صَلْصَالٍ كَالْفَخَّارِ
He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery.
Surah (Chapter) ar-Rahman (Most Merciful) 55: 14
Allah (God) informed of His decision to the Mala”kah (Angels) about placing Adam (Mankind) on earth.
And (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." He (Allah) said: "I know that which you do not know.
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:30
Allah (God) gave knowledge (intellect) to Adamعليه السلام (Adam) which Mala”kah (Angels) did not have.
And He taught Adam عليه السلام (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 Ghayb (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing?
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:31-33
Allah (God) breathed spirit into Adamعليه السلام (Adam), and commanded the Mala”ikah (Angels) to prostrate before him. The angels prostrated themselves, all of them together except Iblis
(Satan) , whom Allah had created as evil from the very beginning.:
And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam." And they prostrated except Iblis (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allah).
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:34
Allah (God) knew that Iblis (Satan) was not going to obey Him in prostrating before Adamعليه السلام (Adam). Allah (God) could have totally annihilated him. Yet, Allah (God) gives His creatures absolute freedom even to the extent that they can refuse Allah (God) the Almighty's commands. He grants them the freedom of denial, disobedience, and even disagreement with Him.
His kingdom will not diminish if the disbelievers do not believe in Him, nor will it be extended if many people believe in Him. On the contrary, the disbelievers will lose, and the believers will gain, but Allah (God) is above all of that.
Iblis (Satan) became an outcast from that moment when he argued with Allah (God). He was proud to be made from fire while Adamعليه السلام (Adam) was created from mud.
(Allah) said: "O Iblis (Satan)! What is your reason for not being among the prostrators?
[Iblis (Satan)] said: "I am not the one to prostrate myself to a human being, whom You created from sounding clay of altered black smooth mud.
Allah) said: "Then, get out from here, for verily, you are Rajim (an outcast or a cursed one)." [Tafsir At-Tabari]
Surah (Chapter) al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) 15:32-34
Iblis asked Allah (God) to give him respite till the Day of Judgment. Iblis also told Allah (God) that he will try to lure the descendents of Adamعليه السلام (Adam) away from the path of Allah (God). Allah (God) told him that the God fearing people will not fall in his trap, and the ones who listen to Iblis will burn in Hell.
And verily, the curse shall be upon you till the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection).
[Iblis (Satan)] said: "O my Lord! Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected.
Allah said: "Then, verily, you are of those reprieved,
Till the Day of the time appointed.
[Iblis (Satan)] said: "O my Lord! Because you misled me, I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead them all.
Except your chosen, (guided) slaves among them.
(Allah) said: "This is the Way which will lead straight to Me.
Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, except those who follow you of the Ghawin (Mushrikun and those who go astray, criminals, polytheists, and evil-doers, etc.).
And surely, Hell is the promised place for them all.
Surah (Chapter) al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) 15:35-43
Adamعليه السلام (Adam) realized that Iblis (Satan) was the symbol of evil in the universe and that the angels were the symbol of good. However, he did not yet know anything about himself. Then Allah (God) made him perceive his true identity and the reason for his creation.
Almighty Allah (God) granted Adamعليه السلام (Adam) the power to know the natures of all things and to summarize them by names: that is a bird, that is a star, that is a tree, that is a cloud, etc. Allah (God) implanted in Adamعليه السلام (Adam) an insatiable need for and love of knowledge and a desire to bequeath knowledge to his children. This was the reason for his creation and the secret in his glorification.
"And (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." He (Allah) said: "I know that which you do not know.”
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person
(Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an AllWatcher over you.
Surah (Chapter) an-Nisa” (The Woman) 4:1
Allah (God) sent Adamعليه السلام (Adam) and his wife Hawwa (Eve) to the gardens of Paradise to live but commanded them not to go near a particular tree.
And We said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and eat 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 Zalimin (wrong-doers).
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:35
Iblis (Satan) made them commit that serious crime of not obeying Allah (God).
Adamعليه السلام (Adam) and Hawwa (Eve) knew that they were forbidden to eat the fruit of that tree. Adamعليه السلام (Adam) was, however, a human being, and man tends to forget. His heart changes and his will weakens. Iblis (Satan) summoned all the envy within him and took advantage of Adamعليه السلام (Adam)'s humanity to exploit him. He started to whisper to him day after day, coaxing him: "Shall I guide you to the Tree of Immortality and the Eternal Kingdom?" And he said to them: "Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels or become of the immortals." And he (Satan) swore by Allah to them both (saying):
Then Shaytan (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.
And he [Shaytan (Satan) ] swore by Allah to them both (saying): "Verily, I am one of the sincere wellwishers for you both.
Surah (Chapter) al-A’raf (The Heights) 7:20-21
Adamعليه السلام (Adam) asked himself: "What will happen if I eat from this tree? It might truly be the Tree of Immortality." His dream was to live forever in the pure innocence of Paradise and he did what he should not have done.
Unlike the Christian belief, Allah (God) pardoned Adamعليه السلام (Adam) and Hawwa (Eve) after accepting his repentance. Verily, Allah (God) is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful.
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 (i.e., resurrected).
Surah (Chapter) al-A’raf (The Heights) 7:24-25
Allah (God) forgave them and sent them to live on earth.
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 Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) such are the dwellers of the Fire, they shall abide therein forever."
Surah (Chapter) al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:38-39
From The Encyclopedia of Islam by Suhel Farooq Khan
