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The Story of Adam

The creation of man is referred to in the Quran in many places. Adam was the first man God created. Then He created Eve, and they lived together in heaven.

God regarded man as his noblest creation. He sent him as His viceregent on earth. Before creating Adam, He told the angels in the heavens that He was creating [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'man from clay, moulding him from earthly substance', and asked them to 'fall down before him in prostration, when I have given him form and breathed into him My spirit'. The angels were aghast:

They asked: [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'Pray, will you put man there Who will do mischief and shed blood? Why not send us instead who worship and glorify You? [2:30]

They prayed to the Lord not to humiliate them. Allah told them to obey His command, for, he said, [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'You know not what I know.' The Quran states:

So each one of them obeyed except Satan. God asked him: [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'Why did you not prostrate?' Satan replied: 'Because I am worthier, my Lord, than Adam. Of fire You have created me, from clay you have created him.' [7:12]

God thundered:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] Begone from My presence! There is no place for you here. Your arrogance makes you the meanest of My creatures. [7:13]

Satan bowed before the Lord, and made one plea:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] Grant me, my Lord, a reprieve until the day man is raised again. [7:14]

God granted Satan the reprieve. Satan then said:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] Since you have thrown me out, I shall now waylay man on the straight path you have laid and make him commit sin, from the right hand to the left, from before and behind him; You will not find in Adam and in most of his progeny, gratitude for Your bounties. [7:16-17]

God told Satan that he was disgraced, and banished him from paradise:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] Those of My creatures who follow you they shall be consigned to hell with you. [20:123-124]

Turning to Adam, God said:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] You and Eve can reside in the garden of paradise. Eat fruits from any tree you like, but there is one to which you shall not go nor shall you eat its fruits. For, indeed, it will be a transgression. [2:35]

Adam and Eve began to live blissfully in paradise, but Satan would tempt them so as to swerve them from the right path. He whispered into their ears that they should enjoy their bare bodies, which until then they had not perceived. He told them that their Lord had asked them to keep away from the prohibited tree because He did not wish them to become angels and thus immortal. He asked them to swear that they would not betray his trust and then urged them to eat the forbidden fruit. He assured them that he was their [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'true friend'. He used all his guile to entice them. Eventually, Adam and Eve succumbed to his enticements and tasted the forbidden fruit. They covered themselves with leaves in order to conceal their shame. On seeing this transformation, their Lord asked them:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] Did I not forbid you to go near that tree? Did I not warn you that Satan is your enemy? [7:20-22]

Adam and Eve realized their mistake and begged forgiveness of their Lord:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] O Lord, we have sinned grievously. Please grant us Your forgiveness or else we shall be lost forever. [7:23]

The Lord in His mercy forgave them, but cast them down to live on earth. He told them that there shall be eternal enmity and feuding between them and Satan. The Lord reminded Adam and Eve, and their progeny who followed them, that clothing might cover their shame, but what was more important for them was to cover themselves with the [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'garment of true piety':

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] O Children of Adam! Let Satan not be your guide as he has been of your parents. He misled them and drove them out, stripping them of their nakedness. [7:27]

Satan made Adam and Eve commit indecency. Thus they disobeyed the command of their Lord. They were warned of Satan's designs; they were asked to tell Satan:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] Our Lord commands us to do what is right and just. He is to be worshipped in every place and prayed to with all the sincerity of faith. It is He who has brought us to life, and it is He who will raise us again. After we die we shall return to Him. Some of us have been guided right. But some have taken to Satan's ways. They are, indeed, in the wrong. [7:29-30]

Referring to Cain and Abel, the two sons of Adam, the Quran says that each of them made an offering to God; the offering of Abel was accepted and that of Cain was rejected:

Cain said to his brother: [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'I will kill you.' But his brother replied: 'Only from those who truly fear the Lord does God accept an offering. If you try to kill me, I will not do the same to you. For I fear my Lord, Who is the Lord of all beings. If you kill me, the sin will be on your head and you will be consigned to hell.' [5:27-29]

Abel's words had no effect on Cain. He murdered his brother without any cause and [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'took his place among the lost'. God sent a raven who dug the ground to cover the corpse of Abel. Seeing this, Cain felt most remorseful and cried, [Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] 'Woe to me. I am worse than this raven, for I cannot hide the evil that I have done to my brother.' The Quran admonishes:

[Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim] O Children of Israel! If anyone kills another without just cause, except in retaliation for a murder or for causing corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind. And whosoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind. [5:32]

[Sadaqa allahu alazim]