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SCRIPTURAL REASONING TOPIC 1 ADAM

Adam in the Qur’an and hadith with scholarly comments

Salih Yucel

CISAC, Charles Sturt University

a. Creation of Adam

و ذإ لا و

و

بك لو

لم

ئ ك ئ و

ناو ي ل

و

و ي أل

و ل ئفي

و

لال او ج

ع لل م اهي و ن

سف

يل

و اهي

سيب

ك د و ن

ن و ف و

م و س بن س

و كفح

نو

نف د و

بلا و

و

نعو ي

ئل و ن

و

كلع

جئ ل

Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent(khalifa) on earth." They said:

"Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do

celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."

(Qur’an,2: 30)1

The most popular possible meaning relates to the defining who, from humanity, is considered

the khalifa, or who is qualified to represent God on earth. The first khalifa is Adam and

whoever follows his footsteps2

Thus, khalifa from Qur’an (2:30) can be understood in several ways, the first is that it can have

both an exoteric and esoteric reality that is specific to prophets and saints. The second as an

honorific status. The third as a linguistic term that means a creation that continues through

reproduction. The forth as a replacement khalifa instead of a previous creation that

“apparently” failed.

As the first khalifa on Earth, Adam inherits God’s presence in his presence, his life from God’s

life, powers, will, hearing, seeing, speech, and spiritual abilities. There is no other creation

that reflect these attributes like they comprehensively reflect through the polished heart of a

human being.

Hadiths about the creation of Adam

Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash'ari: that the Messenger of Allah said: "Indeed Allah Most High

created Adam from a handful that He took from all of the earth. So the children of Adam come

in according to with the earth, some of them come red, and white and black, and between

that, and the thin, the thick, the filthy, and the clean."(Tirmidhi)

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger as saying:

The best day on which the sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it he was made

to enter Paradise, on it he. was expelled from it.(Muslim)

Narrated Abu Huraira:

1 Ali Unal Qur’an translation is being used in this text. 2 I. Ibn Kathir, Tafsir Al-Qur’an Al-’Azim [Exegesis of Ibn Kathir], vol. 1 (Beirut, Lebanon: Dar al-Kutub al-

‘Ilmiyya, 2010), 123-24.


The Prophet said, "Allah created Adam in His picture(image), sixty cubits (about 30 meters)

in height. When He created him, He said (to him), "Go and greet that group of angels sitting

there, and listen what they will say in reply to you, for that will be your greeting and the

greeting of your offspring." Adam (went and) said, 'As-Salamu alaikum (Peace be upon you).'

They replied, 'AsSalamu-'Alaika wa Rahmatullah (Peace and Allah's Mercy be on you) So they

increased 'Wa Rahmatullah' The Prophet added 'So whoever will enter Paradise, will be of the

shape and picture of Adam Since then the creation of Adam's (offspring) (i.e. stature of human

beings is being diminished continuously) to the present time." (Bukhari)

This hadith may be considered one of the unusual hadiths, primarily because it is listed

amongst the authentically ranked collections, mainly al-Bukhari, yet it cannot be interpreted

literally because of risk of anthropomorphism leading to direct conflict with the Qur’anic and

prophetic teachings about God. Therefore, ta’wil3 is resorted to.

According to Ibn Arabi (d.1240), all the names constituting the Divine Image are reflected in

the human form so that this information enjoys a degree by which it encompasses and

integrates all existence.4

There is unanimous agreement amongst Muslim scholars that this should in no way be

understood as unity with God or God becoming one with this person, never

anthropomorphically5, it is keeping one’s heart, attention and focus only upon God.

The hadith would thus mean “God created Adam in the image that God” willed for Adam.

Scholars who identify the pronoun “his” to God and interpret the word “image” as “attribute”

rely on the hadith mentioned earlier, “God created Adam in the image of al-Rahman (The

Most Compassionate)” 6to support their interpretation. Although this hadith is not found in

the six major hadith collections, some hadith scholars, but not all, have considered it

authentic.

The image is interpreted as attributes, such as hearing, seeing and speaking. This points to

the uniqueness of Adam specifically, and humanity generally. For most created beings, there

is a sharing of some Divine Attributes with Adam, such as life, sight, and hearing.

A Contemporary scholar Said Nursi (d.1960) states that “There is a Hadith which goes

something as following:

“God created man in the form of the All-Merciful One.”5

It has been interpreted by some Sufis in an extraordinary way inappropriate to the tenets of

belief. Some of them who were ecstatics even considered man’s spiritual nature to be ‘in

the form of the All-Merciful’. Since ecstatics are mostly immersed in contemplation and

3 Ta’wil refers to using alternative means of interpretation when the direct means of interpretation are not possible

due to anthropomorphism or conflict with a stronger more established teaching. Also known as esoteric

interpretation or allegorical interpretation. It can also be used to derive further meaning from scripture that can be

interpreted directly. 4 ibid., 52. 5 al-Hanbali, Jami Al-Uloom Wal Hikam Fi Sharh Khamseen Hadeethan Min Jawami Al-Kalim [the Compendium

of Sciences and Wisdom in the Interpretation of Fifty Sayings of Prophetic Wisdom], 3, 1089. 6 al-Aini, Umdat Al-Qari Fi Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari [the Reliance of the Reader in the Interpretation of Al-

Bukhari Authentic Collection], 13, 116.


confused, they are perhaps to be excused in holding views contrary to reality. But on

consideration, those in their senses cannot accept their ideas which are contrary to the

fundamentals of belief. If they do, they are in error.

Indeed, the Most Pure and Holy Deity, Who administers with order the whole universe as

though it was a palace or house, and spins the stars as though they were particles and causes

them to travel through space with wisdom and ease, and employs minute particles as though

they were orderly officials, has no partner, match, opposite, or equal. So also according to the

meaning of the verse:

There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He hears and sees [all things],6

He has no form, like, or peer, there is nothing resembling or similar to Him. However,

according to the meaning and manner of comparison of the following verse,

And His is the highest similitude in the heavens and the earth, and He is Exalted in Might, Full

of Wisdom.

His actions, attributes, and Names may be considered. That is to say, there is allegory and

comparison regarding His actions. One aim of the above-mentioned Hadith is as follows: “Man

is in a form showing the Divine Name of All-Merciful in its entirety.”

For sure, as we explained before, just as the Divine Name of All-Merciful is manifest through

the rays of a thousand and one Names on the face of the universe, and is apparent through

the innumerable manifestations of God’s absolute dominicality on the face of the earth, so

also is the complete manifestation of the Name All-Merciful apparent in a small measure in

man’s comprehensive form, like on the face of the earth and the face of the universe.

A further indication is this: the evidences to the Necessarily Existent One of places of

manifestation like animate creatures and man, who are proofs of and mirrors to the All-

Merciful and Compassionate One, are so certain, clear, and obvious that just as it may be said

of a shining mirror which reflects the image of the sun: “That mirror is the sun,” indicating to

the clarity of its brilliance and evidence, so also it has been said and may be said: “Man is in

the form of the All-Merciful One,” indicating to the clearness of his evidence and

completeness of his connection.”7

Al-Uthaimeen8 argues strongly that the pronoun “his” does not refer to Adam, as all things

created were created in their own image. Rather, he relies on the hadith “God created Adam

in the image of al-Rahman (the Most Compassionate)” which implies that Adam was created

in the Image of God, in a manner not contradicting God’s Divine Transcendence. Al-

Uthaimeen also relies on another hadith that rules out the possibility of literal interpretation.

This other hadith says: “The first of the people to enter paradise are in the image of the full

7 Said Nursi, The Words, Sozler Publication, (Istanbul:Sozler Publications, 1991), 25 8 Sharh Al-'Arba'een Al-Nawawiyya [the Interpretation of the Forty Nawawi Hadiths], 1, 36-37.


moon, and the next to enter it as in the image of the stars”9. This does not mean that the

people of paradise literally look like moons. Rather, their faces are like the moon in their

beauty and goodness. Perceiving the term “image” as an attribute resolves this tension.

Al-Ghunaiman10 describes how the pronoun “his” can refer to God. It is to understand the

word “image” as attribute, with humanity distinguished from the rest of creation, empowered

with speech, creativity and knowledge. Thus, in that sense it is accurate to describe Adam as

created in the image of God in a way that does not contradict God’s Divine Transcendence.

Curiosity arises as to why most hadith scholars shy away altogether from interpreting the

hadith “God created Adam in His image”. One possibility is that, while most hadiths can be

interpreted literally using the standard tools of interpretation, this hadith cannot.

Therefore, it appears that the hadith “God created Adam in His image”11 can be interpreted

only allegorically, that the likeliest possibility is that the pronoun “his” refers to God, and that

the word “image” means “attribute”. For both ibn al-‘Arabi and al-Jili, this view was a natural

conclusion, both being familiar with symbolic language and metaphors in most of their

writings. To them, humanity has the capacity to be in the image of God, but only when its

mirrors are polished, a state in which Adam was created.

b. Adam after creation

و ع ئ ا و

ا د و د آك

ل

يئعو ا

و عو

ي م و

ل لو

لم

ئ ك لا و

د و ا

ل

نل دو آك

ء دو

ال ء عو يع

تم و ف

And He taught Adam the nature of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said:

"Tell me the nature of these if ye are right." (Qur’an,2: 31)

Thus, Qur’an (2:31) examined from the exegetical works mentioned above leaves us with

three possible views, with the first highlighting the significance of the Divine Names and the

creation of Adam, the second implying that this was merely a knowledge given to Adam who

requires this knowledge as the vicegerent, and the third being language as an ability uniquely

given to Adam and his progeny.

ولال و ب م و آك

و ع

ئ ل

مو ل ي ل ن

م كتئ و

بو ي

ن

ئفعو ج

مفعو

In acknowledgement of their imperfection, and their perception of the truth of the matter,)

the angels said: "All-Glorified You are (in that You are absolutely above having any defect and

doing anything meaningless, and Yours are all the attributes of perfection). We have no

knowledge save what You have taught us. Surely You are the All-Knowing, the All-

Wise. (Qur’an, 2:32)

9 Umdat Al-Qari Fi Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari [the Reliance of the Reader in the Interpretation of Al-Bukhari

Authentic Collection], 25 vols., vol. 15 (Lebanon, Beirut: Dar Ihyaa al-Turath al-Arabi, 2001), 209. 10 Sharh Kitab Al-Tawhid Min Sahih Al-Bukhari [the Interpretation of the Book of Unity from Al-Bukhari's

Authentic Collection], 2 vols., vol. 2 (Saudi Arabia, Medina: Maktabat al-Dar, 1985), 66. 11 Sahih Bukhari, Book 74, Hadith 246


لا و او

ا د

عو

ي نلميعو آك

ء ك

ئ عو ا

ء ك آو

ء ميعو

لا و ك عو

او

عو

مو عو ي

ئو في

سو و سك ل أل

و عوئل و ن

ع

كف ل

ل ن عو تمو كلع

تن ل

He said: "O Adam! Tell them their natures." When he had told them, Allah said: "Did I not tell

you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye

conceal?" (Qur’an,2: 33)

وذإ ل

مئلو

لم

ئ ك ئ و افا و آع

و اف ع س

و ائب و ي

و ي

و

ن آت و

لعن و

و نم

كم ي أل

ن

And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down.Not so Satan:

he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject Faith. (Qur’an,2: 34)

c. Adam in the Paradise

ل مئ او

ا د

و مو آم

ن

و ب

ك و

لم عو كن ل

يو نم

فا و

في

ل ك

تو ام

ل

ك د ـو ل ذ ء

و ش

عل ة

ل ن ت و ا و نم

ئك و

We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things

therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and

transgression." (Qur’an,2, 35)

قفلنف ا ي

ن

ن ه

ذد ا

ون

نك نك دز

جن ف دن

نف ا

خر زن يك

نن ج ذ هةن ت ش

ن ن ا

So We said: "O Adam, surely this is an enemy to you and your wife; so let him not drive the

two of you out of the Garden, lest you become distressed. (Qur’an, 20: 118).

Anas reported Allah's Messenger as saying:

When Allah fashioned Adam in Paradise, He left him as He liked him to leave. Then Satan

roamed round him to see what actually that was and when he found him hollow from within,

he recognised that he had been created with a disposition that he would not have control over

himself. (Muslim)

ون وسن سننل ا

يفن

ف فلن هش ي

نه

ن ا

نك لذ

نج

كن ةننقو

قك ه ال دن للذ ن

“But Satan made an evil suggestion, saying: "O Adam, shall I lead you to the tree of

everlasting life and a kingdom that will never decay?"" (Qur’an, 20: 120)

ى ج ل ل

اهي

وع

ع ل ب يع

"Surely it is provided for you that you shall not go hungry therein nor become

naked”(Qur’an,20:118)

ح ض ل ل

اهي

ع ل

ب

"And that you shall not go thirsty therein, nor suffer the sun's heat.” (Qur’an,20:119)

ف ك أنهف ا ت

نو لننهف ا

هف

ت س لف ون ف

نط ففن دن ص ف ين يه

قنن ق

رن ج دن ىصذ هةن

ن دن ن

بل سىذ رن

نغنا

In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them: they began to sew

together, for their covering, leaves from the Garden: thus did Adam disobey his Lord, and allow

himself to be seduced. (Surah Ta Ha, 121)


d. Adam on Earth

ل ك ي كء و ا م

ف

ل ة

يم ل ك

ي

ء ل نكل ا

ل ل افيو ا

مئ و

لا

ك

عو

ضجض

جبو ك و

ف عو

م و

و ي أل

ونسو د مو ت

ت ن و

ي

و

But Satan (tempting them to the forbidden tree despite Our forewarning,) caused them both

to deflect therefrom and brought them out of the (happy) state in which they were. And We

said, "Go down, all of you, (and henceforth you will live a life,) some of you being the enemies

of others. There shall be for you on the earth a habitation and provision until an appointed

time. "(Qur’an,2, 36)

و

لئ ت او ا

ا يو نم د

نك ئك نو

و ا لت

ت فيو ا

ئ و يل و ي

لو

وت

فعو ات

Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord Turned towards him; for He

is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful. (Qur’an,2: 37)

Allah did choose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of 'Imran above all

people,- (Qur’an,3:33و)

Being the first khalifa on Earth, Adam is seen the father of humanity and as well the first

prophet who guided his progeny to the right path. He is considered having a higher status

than angels. Creation od Adan, his life in the Paradise and then on Earth is briefly mentioned

in the Qur’an> However, in the hadith is a bit more in details. Although there are not more

than fifteen verses related to Adam in the Qur’an, the Qur’anic exegetes’ commentary

provide detail information based on hadith and linguistic interpretations.

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