Prophet Adam (AS)

Journey of Prophet Adam (AS) Chapter 1

CHAPTER # 1

The Story of Hazrat Adam (AS): A Lesson in Divine Wisdom

As Narrated by Mufti Taqi Usmani.

It is unseemly not to pay attention to the tale of Hazrat Adam (AS), the first human being and a prophet. The author, in his scholarly work, has indeed explained the depth of the narrative by explaining its Sufi aspect from the angles of the Quran and Hadith.

The Creation of Hazrat Adam (AS)

It is narrated from others that Allah Almighty directly formed Hazrat Adam (AS) by taking mold and clay. The Quran states:

"Indeed, We created man from sounding clay, from molded mud" (Surah Al-Hijr: 26).

Mufti Taqi Usmani writes: Similarly, the hadith also teaches that the Prophet (s) wanted to show that Allah, who created the human being from clay, can create life from the fruit, as well. It is about this to remember ourselves, to recall that no matter how developed we are as a species, we are still only human.

The Knowledge of Adam (AS)

After creating Adam (AS), Allah bestowed upon him the knowledge of all things:

"And He taught Adam the names - all of them" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 31).

Mufti Taqi Usmani expounds on this verse further referring to the knowledge that has been given to Adam (AS) as the distinct cognitive endowment of man. This was something unique about it and it is why he was chosen to be the first of prophets where humanity got assigned the role of seeking knowledge and doing something about it.

The Command and the Test

It is stated from Hadith that Adam (AS) and Hawwa (AS) were taken to Paradise and granted ten days to weigh the pleasures of this world. But there is one tree that they were warned never to go near. Shaytan, out of arrogance and jealousy, deceived them into disobedience:

"But Satan caused them to slip out of it and removed them from that [condition] in which they had been" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 36).

On a positive note, Mufti Taqi Usmani’s reminder of human nature and mistakes, and the honor of God and forgiveness of Allah. Despite their mistake, Adam (AS) and Hawwa (AS) were taught to seek forgiveness, setting an example for repentance:

"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-A’raf: 23).

The Lessons for Humanity

Humility and Obedience:

Helpfully, the story of Adam (AS) reminds us that arrogance, through Shaytan, is a route to failure while humility and surrender to Allah are routes to success.

Seeking Knowledge:

The stress laid on Adam's (AS) knowledge is the understanding of all these which serves as the total development of mankind and spiritual growth of mankind as Allah’s deputies on Earth.

Repentance and Forgiveness:

The second lesson relates to the story of forgiveness, in which Allah accepted Adam’s AS repentance no matter how grave his mistake.

Conclusion

It also means that the whole story of Adam (peace be upon him) is not a mere narrative; it is a paradigm. As the Mufti of the hour, Taqi Usmani has it, it summarizes humanity in a nutshell: obedience, education, and effort towards Allah’s grace. Listening to this story, one can learn practical lessons for living a meaningful life with trust in the Lord.

CHAPTER # 2

The Life of Hazrat Adam (AS) on the earth

It goes further into the story of Hazrat Adam (AS) after he was created in Paradise and teaches us a lot about our life in this world, our duties, and the life span that we are given here on earth. He is the first human being and the only prophet who was granted revelations and as such his earthly experience has to be understood as the first act of the drama that defines human existence.

The Descent to Earth

When they disobey Allah because of eating the forbidden fruit Allah decides to send Hazrat Adam (AS) and Hawwa (AS) to earth. The Quran narrates:

We said, ‘Go down, all of you, as enemies to one another. And you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 36).

Mufti Taqi Usmani goes further and clarifies that this descent was not in the same sense construed as punishment, rather it was a transitional step for the accomplishment of that plan. The earth was their temporary home, a probationary, worshiping, preparing place for an endless life.

Life as the First Humans

On Earth Adam (AS) and Hawwa (AS) got to know these facts of life. They had a need for employment, for survival, having to shape a life, a home out of nothing. This phrase means the emergence of human civilization starting from the prophet Adam (AS) who serves as a guide and teacher for his progeny.

Farming and Survival:

Adam (AS) also trained to plow the land, grow crops, and manufacture tools for existence. This makes humanity remind him of the value of work and properly managing available resources in society.

Establishing Family and Society:

The human society began to prosper when Adam (AS) and Hawwa (AS) fathered children. They had several children among them were Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain), from which God wanted to teach justice, mẫu, and the efficacy of sin and envy.

The Legacy of Adam (AS)

Adam (AS) did live long enough to see his offspring grow; he also was successful in his mission as a prophet. His story is a testament to humanity’s purpose on Earth: for prostrating to Allah, for seeking good, and for being in readiness for the Hereafter.

The Quran beautifully encapsulates his journey:

"Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority" (Surah Al-Baqarah: 30).

While expositing on the different aspects of Adam’s (AS’ life), Mufti Taqi Usmani concluded that earth is indeed a test, but equally a test through which one earns Allah‘s pleasure from faith, effort, and repentance.

Read Many Stories of the Prophets

Further reading about the life of Hazrat Adam (AS) and other prophets through the holy Quran. At ‘Wisdom of Quran Online,’ we present interesting classes that will enable you to learn these ageless lessons and spark your spiritual relationship with the religion.