07-18-2003, 08:53 AM
The story of Adam and Eve (Hawwa) [Peace be upon them] (3)
Ahadith about the Creation of Adam
Imam Ahmad has narrated from Abu Musa [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him], who said that the Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] said:
“Allah has created Adam from a handful (soil) which He had gathered from all over the earth. That is how the children of Adam came according to the (colour and nature of the) earth. There are white among them, as well as red and black, and cross colours. There are those among them who are of bad nature and good nature, soft as well as harsh and in between.”
Allah the Almighty created Adam with His Hand so that Iblis should not display any arrogance. So He created him a human, and he remained as an earthen body for forty years. When angels passed by and saw him, they became frightened. Iblis was the most frightened among them. He would pass by him and hit him, and the body would make a sound like the sound of pottery with a rattle. It is this which Allah has mentioned in this Verse:
”…from a clay, like pottery.” (55:14)
Iblis said: There must be something for which he is created. He would enter through his mouth and come out by his anus. He said to the angels: “Do not be frightened of it, because your Lord is solid (Samad) and this is hollow. If I overpower him I will destroy him.”
When the time approached in which Allah wanted to breathe “into him the soul which He created for him,” He said to the angels: “When I have breathed the soul in him, you should prostrate before him.” When He breathed “into him the soul,” and the soul passed through to his head, Adam sneezed. The angels said: “Say: Alhamdu lillah (Praise be to Allah).” So he said: : “Alhamdu lillah.” Allah said afterwards: “Rahimaka Rabbuka (May your Lord have mercy upon you).” When the soul entered into his eyes, he saw the fruits of the Paradise, and when it entered into his stomach, he desired for food. Adam jumped up in haste for the fruits of the Paradise before the soul even entered into his legs. That is what Allah indicated to in this Verse:
“Man is created of haste.” (21:37)
Anas [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him ] said that the Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] said:
“When Allah created Adam, He left him for a while as long He wanted him to be. Iblis went around him, and when he found him hollow he knew that he was a creature who could not restrain.” (Sahih Muslim)
Anas [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him ] has also narrated from the Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] who said:
“When He breathed into Adam and the soul reached into his head, he sneezed and said: ‘ Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil-‘Alamin (Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds),’ Allah answered him by saying: ‘Yarhamuk-Allah (May Allah bestow His Mercy upon you)’.” (Sahih of Ibn Hibban)
Abu Hurairah [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him ] has narrated that the Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] said:
“When Allah created Adam, He stroked with His Hand over his back. So all the souls which were due to be born in his progeny until the Day of Judgement, came out of his back. In front of the eyes of every human He made a shining light and put them before Adam. Adam said: ‘O Lord! Who are they?’ He replied: ‘ They are your progeny.’ He saw a man among them whose shining light attracted him. Adam asked: ' O Lord! Who is this? ' Allah answered him: ‘He is a man who will come in the last of your progeny, and who will be called David (Dawood).’ He asked Him: ‘O Lord! How much have You granted him of his age?’ Allah said: ‘Sixty years.’ Adam asked Allah: 'O Lord! Grant him from my age forty years more.' (Ad-Darimi )
Abu Hurairah [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him ] has also narrated that the Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] said:
“Allah created Adam, and he was sixty Dhira’a tall, and then said to him: 'Go and great those angels, and listen what they greet you back. Because that will be your greeting and the greeting of your progeny.' Adam said: 'Assalamu 'Alaikum.'’They greeted him back by saying: 'Assalamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullah.' So Adam also added in it 'wa Rahmatullah.'’So whoever enters the Paradise, will enter it in Adam's image, and since that time human are being reduced in their height till now.” (Sahih Bukhari )
Imam Malik says in his book Mu’atta that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him ] was asked regarding this Verse:
And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam's loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes! We testify, lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: Verily, we have been unaware of this.. (7:172)
‘Umar [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him ] said: I have heard the Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] being asked about this Verse and he replied:
“Allah created Adam,then He stroke upon his back with His Right Hand and took out from it some of his progeny and said: 'I have created all of them for Paradise, and they will be doing the deeds of those who deserve Paradise.' Then He stroke upon his back again and took out the rest of his progeny, and said: 'They are created for Hell and will be doing the deeds of those who deserve the Hell’'." A companion said: "O Messenger of Allah! Then what is a deed for?" The Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] replied: "When Allah creates a person for Paradise, He facilitates for him to do the deeds of the people of Paradise, till he dies on those deeds and so Allah enters him in Paradise for those deeds. And when He creates a person for Hell, He facilitates for him to do the deeds of the people of Hell, till he dies on those deeds and so Allah enters him in the Hell for those deeds.” (Mu’atta of Malik, and also see At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i )
And Imam Ahmad has narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas [Radi-Allahu-anhu: May Allah be pleased with him], who said that the Prophet [sallalahu-'alahi-wa-sallam] said:
“Allah took the covenant from the back of Adam (Peace be upon him) on the Day of ‘Arafah. He took out from his back all his progeny He created, and scattered them in front of Him and spoke to them saying: 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes indeed, we bear witness,' lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: 'Surely we were unaware of this.'’Or lest you say: 'Our fathers before us ascribed partners to Allah, and we were only descendants after them, will “You then destroy us for what those who have followed falsehood have done.” (7:172,173)