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{{Short description|First man and Prophet in Islam}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = {{smaller|[[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Prophet]]}}
| name = [[Adam|Ādam]]<br/>{{lang|ar|آدم}}
| image = AdamAndHawaInParadise.jpg
| caption = Iranian Islamic painting, depicting ʾĀdam and Ḥawwāʾ in the Garden Eden, surrounded by angels.
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| known_for = First [[human being]]
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| successor = [[Seth#Islam|Šīṯ]]
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| spouse = [[Eve#Islam|Ḥawwāʾ]] ({{lang|ar|حَوَّاء}})
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| children = [[Cain and Abel in Islam|Hābīl Qābīl]] [[Seth#Islam|Šīṯ]] <br/>({{lang|ar|هابيل، قابيل، شِيث}})<br/>[[ʿAnāq (daughter of Adam)|ʿAnāq]]
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{{Islamic prophets|Prophets in the Quran}}
'''[[Adam]]''' ({{lang-ar-at|آدم|ʾĀdam}}), in [[Schools of Islamic theology|Islamic theology]], is believed to have been the [[List of protoplasts|first]] [[human being]] on [[Earth]] and the first [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|prophet]] ({{lang-ar|نبي}}, ''nabī'') of [[Islam]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Lalljee|first=compiled by Yousuf N.|title=Know your Islam|year=1981|publisher=Taknike Tarsile Quran|location=New York|isbn=978-0-940368-02-6|page=71|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-vyFztUEjAC|edition=3rd}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Adam's role as the father of the human race is looked upon by Muslims with reverence. Muslims also refer to his wife, Ḥawwāʾ ({{lang-ar|حَوَّاء}}, [[Eve]]), as the "mother of mankind".<ref>''Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism'', Wheeler, ''Adam and Eve''</ref> Muslims see Adam as the first [[Muslim]], as the [[Quran]] states that all the Prophets preached the same faith of Islam ({{lang-ar|إسلام}}, [[submission to God|Submission]] to [[God in Islam|God]]).<ref>''Concise Encyclopedia of Islam'', C. Glasse,
Aadam = Adam = Man = Mankind = Early humans. His wife = Woman = Allegorically, early women. Udma = Ability to live together as a community. Aadam from Udma thus, indicates humankind. The word 'Eve' or 'Hawwa' is not mentioned in the Quran. She is described with dignity as Mer’a-til-Aadam = Wife of Adam = Mrs. Adam.</ref>

According to Islamic belief, Adam was created from the material of the earth and brought to life by God. God placed Adam in a paradisical Garden. After Adam sinned by eating from the forbidden tree (Tree of Immortality), paradise was declined to him, but he may return if Adam repents from his sin. This story is seen as both literal as well as an [[allegory]] for human relationship towards God. Islam does not necessarily adhere to [[Young Earth creationism|young earth Creationism]], and it is commonly held that life on earth predates Adam.

== Quran, hadiths and tales ==
[[File:Adam honoured by angels - persian miniature (c. 1560).jpg|thumb|Adam honoured by angels – Persian miniature ({{Circa|1560}})]]
The [[Quran]] and [[Hadith]] give some account of the creation and fall of Adam. Synthesizing the Quran with Sunni interpretations can produce the following account. God created Adam, according to the Quran, from mud or clay and breathed his spirit ({{Lang|ar-latn|rūḥī}}) into him. Hadith add that he was named Adam after the clay he was made out of, or the skin ({{Lang|ar-latn|adim}}) of the earth. Some exegetes report that God sent the [[Azrael|Angel of Death]] to gather dust from the earth. The various human skin colors are due to the different colors of soil used in creating Adam. The soil also contributed to the idea that there are good people and bad people and everything in between in the world.<ref name=kathir>{{cite book|last=Kathir|first=Al-Imam ibn|title=Stories of the Prophets|year=2013|publisher=Fortress iPublications|isbn=978-1-4848-4091-7}}</ref> A [[Hadith]] from [[Sahih al-Bukhari]] narrated by [[Abu Hurairah]] states that Adam was created 60 [[cubit]]s tall (about 30 meters), and that people in [[Jannah|Paradise]] will look like Adam.<ref>Sahih al-Bukhari 6227 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6227</ref>

According to the Quran, when [[God in Islam|God]] informed the [[Angels in Islam|angels]] that he was going to put a successor on Earth, they questioned why God would select a human who would cause bloodshed and damage. God then teaches Adam "the names of all things" and assembles the angels in front of Adam so as to show them that the angels know only "save what Thou Hast taught us",<ref>[[Qur'an 2:30]]</ref> but Adam could tell all names. God commands the angels to prostrate before Adam wherein all amongst them obeyed except for [[Iblis]] (Satan), who claimed: "I am better than him. You created me of fire while him you created of mud."<ref name="create">{{cite quran|7|12|translator=p}}</ref> His disobedience of God's command followed by attributing injustice to God, caused him to fall out of God's favor:<ref name="Sharpe">{{cite thesis |last=Sharpe |first=Elizabeth Marie |title=Into the realm of smokeless fire: (Qur'an 55:14): A critical translation of al-Damiri's article on the jinn from "Hayat al-Hayawan al-Kubra" |publisher=University of Arizona |year=1992 |type=Master's thesis |hdl=10150/291386 }}</ref> "And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was/became of those who reject faith." (2:34)

Adam and his unnamed wife (tradition identifies her with ''[[Eve|Ḥawwāʾ]]''), in [[Jannah#Garden of Eden and Paradise|Garden Eden]]. In Sunni traditions, based on [[Israʼiliyyat|biblical reports]] ({{Lang|ar-latn|Israʼiliyyat}}), it is said that, when Adam was sleeping, God took a rib from him and from it he created Eve. While the creation of Adam and Eve is referred to in the Quran, the exact method of creation is not specified.<ref name=wheeler>{{cite book|last=Wheeler|first=Brannon M.|title=Introduction to the Quran: stories of the prophets|year=2001|publisher=Continuum|location=New York|isbn=0-8264-4957-3}}</ref> God tells them that they are free to enjoy of its fruits except not to come near the "tree of immortality", but the [[Shaitan|devil]] ({{Lang|ar-latn|shaiṭān}}) was able to convince them to taste it: "He said, "Your Lord has forbidden this tree to you only to prevent you from becoming angels or immortals."" (7:21) Whereupon God sends Adam and his wife to earth, there they are condemned to "live and die", but is willing to forgive them.<ref>Stieglecker, H. (1962). Die Glaubenslehren des Islam. Deutschland: F. Schöningh.</ref> When Adam was cast out of Garden Eden, Adam turned towards God and begged for forgiveness. Therefore, there is not a doctrine of [[original sin]] in [[Islamic theology]] ({{Lang|ar-latn|Kalām}}) and Adam's sin is not carried by all of his children.<ref name=Phipps>{{cite book|last=Phipps|first=William|title=Muhammad and Jesus|year=1996|publisher=The Continuum Publishing Company|location=New York|isbn=0-8264-0914-8|pages=122–3}}</ref>

In the ''[[Qiṣaṣ al-Anbiyāʾ]]'' (prophetic tales) Adam and Eve were cast down far apart, so that they had to search for each other and eventually met each other at [[Mount Arafat]].<ref name=wheeler /> Hadith say that once Adam was on earth, God (sometimes Gabriel at service of God) taught him how to plant seeds and bake bread. This was to become the way of all of Adam's children.<ref name=tabari>{{cite book|last=al-Tabari|title=The History of al-Tabari|year=1989|publisher=State University of New York Press|location=New York|isbn=0-88706-562-7|page=259}}</ref> Adam proceeded to live for about 960 years, though this has been a topic of debate.<ref name=tabari /> Humankind would have learned everything from Adam. He was the first to learn to plant, harvest, and bake as well as the first to be told how to repent and how to properly bury someone.<ref name=wheeler /> It is also said by some scholars that God also revealed the various food restrictions and the alphabet to Adam.<ref name=tabari /> He was made the first prophet and it is said that he was taught 21 scrolls and was able to write them himself.<ref name=tabari />

== Theological significance ==
Adam features as an archetype of humans and their relationship to God in Muslim theology and philosophy. According to hadiths, Adam was created in God's own image, and according to the Quran, was "taught all the names", thus establishing the notion of Adam as a reflection of God's divine attributes. By that, Adam does not feature as a prophet or a male human being only, but also encapsulates the idea of an ideal human archetype.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Shari'a: History, Ethics and Law |year=2018 |location=London |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |page=91 |isbn=978-1-78831-316-2 }}</ref> Since God has forgiven Adam's transgression, humans are not viewed as inherently sinful or in need of redemption. Instead, Adam (or humanity) is viewed as being created from a relationship to God through learning and development.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Khodayarifard |first=Mohammad |first2=Bagher |last2=Ghobari-Bonab |first3=Saeed |last3=Akbari-Zardkhaneh |first4=Saeid |last4=Zandi |display-authors=1 |title=Positive psychology from Islamic perspective |journal=International Journal of Behavioral Sciences |volume=10 |issue=1 |year=2016 |pages=29–34 |doi= |url=https://www.behavsci.ir/article_67938.html }}</ref>

[[Shihab al-Din 'Umar al-Suhrawardi|Suhrawardi]] ({{Circa|1145}} – 1234) discusses the nature of human's soul as a mixture between ''Adam'' and ''Hawwa''; ''Adam'' referring to the heavenly attributes and ''Hawwa'' to earthly animalistic passion. Through a mixture of both, the [[nafs|human soul]] (''nafs'') is fashioned and becomes a personal animal soul. He based his anthropology on Quranic verses such as "He who has created you [all] out of one living entity, and out of it brought into being its mate, so that man might incline [with love] towards the woman" (7:189).

According to ''[[Tafsir al-Baydawi]]'' (d.1319), Adam might stand for an original pattern for all of the spiritual and the corporeal existence or serving as a way for angels to obtain their allotted perfections by submitting to God's command to prostrate before him.<ref name="Baydawi-2016">{{cite book |translator-first=Gibril Fouad |translator-last=Haddad |author=ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUmar al-Baydawi |date=2016 |title=The Lights Of Revelation And The Secrets Of Interpretation |isbn=978-0-992-63357-8 }}</ref>{{rp|p=508}} [[Ibn Arabi]] explains that only Adam can comprehend all the names of God, thereby referring to the perfected heavenly Adam as a reflection of God's names.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dobie |first=R. J. |year=2010 |title=Logos and Revelation: Ibn 'Arabi, Meister Eckhart, and Mystical Hermeneutics |location= |publisher=Catholic University of America Press |isbn=978-0-8132-1677-5 }}</ref> When Iblis failed to submit to God's command, he attributed injustice to the [[Haqq|reality]] ({{Lang|ar-latn|al-Haqq}}).<ref name="Sharpe" />

=== {{Lang|ar-latn|‘Iṣmah}} ===
Muslim scholars can be divided into two groups regarding Adam's impeccability ({{Lang|ar-latn|‘iṣmah}}): One argues that Adam only became a prophet after he was cast out of paradise. They adhere to the doctrine that {{Lang|ar-latn|‘iṣmah}} only applies to prophets after they were sent to a mission. But since there was no population to whom Adam could have been sent, he could not have been a prophet and therefore ''{{Lang|ar-latn|‘iṣmah}}'' did not apply until he left paradise.<ref name=dogma>{{rp|p=194}} Stieglecker, H. (1962). Die Glaubenslehren des Islam. Deutschland: F. Schöningh. p. 194 (German)</ref> These arguments are, however, rejected by those who argue that prophethood does not start with preaching God's word and thus {{Lang|ar-latn|‘iṣmah}} begins before the prophetic mission. According to the second point of view, Adam was predestined by God to eat from the forbidden tree because God planned to set Adam and his progeny on earth from the beginning and thus installed Adam's fall.<ref name=dogma />{{rp|p=194}} By that Adam would not have truly disobeyed, but acted in accordance with God's will to his best ability. For that reason, many Muslim exegetes do not regard [[Fall of man|Adam and Eve's expulsion from paradise]] as punishment for disobedience or a result from abused free will on their part,<ref name="Lange-2016">{{cite book |last= Lange|first= Christian|author-link= |date= 2016|title= Paradise and Hell in Islamic Traditions|url= |location= Cambridge United Kingdom|publisher= Cambridge University Press|page= |isbn=978-0-521-50637-3}}</ref>{{rp|p=171}} but as part of [[Hikmah|God's wisdom]] ({{Lang|ar-latn|ḥikma}}) and plan for humanity to experience the full range of his attributes, his love, forgiveness, and power to his creation.<ref name="Lange-2016"/> By their former abode in paradise, they can hope for return during their life-time.

Some Muslim scholars view Adam as an image for his descendants: humans sin, become aware of it, repent ({{Lang|ar-latn|Tawba}}), and find their way back to God. Adam embodies humanity and his fall shows humans how to act when they sin.<ref name=dogma />{{rp|p=194}} Unlike Iblis (Satan), Adam asked for forgiveness for his transgression.

=== Adam and the angels ===
The story of angels prostrating before Adam gave rise to various debates about whether humans or angels rank higher. Angels bowing down before Adam is mentioned as evidence for human superiority over the angels. Others hold that the prostration does not imply such a thing, but was merely a command or test for the angels.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Chipman |first=Leigh |title=Adam and the Angels: An examination of mythic elements in Islamic sources |journal=Arabica |volume=49 |issue=4 |year=2002 |pages=429–455 |doi=10.1163/15700580260375407 }}</ref> A position, especially found among [[Mu'tazilites]] and some [[Asharites]], holds that angels are superior due to their lack of urges and desires.<ref name="houtsma 191">{{cite book |first1=M. Th. |last1=Houtsma |title=E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913–1936 |volume=5 |publisher=Brill |date=1993 |isbn=978-9-004-09791-9 |page=191}}</ref> [[Maturidism]] generally does not think any of these creatures is superior to the other, and that angels' and prophets' obedience derive from their virtues and insights to God's action, but not as their original purity.<ref name="ISBN_9789004100237_p54-56">{{cite book |first=Ulrich |last=Rudolph |title=Al-Māturīdī und Die Sunnitische Theologie in Samarkand |language=de |publisher=Brill |year=1997 |isbn=90-04-10023-7 |pages=54–56 }}</ref>

In the Quranic version of Adam's fall, Satan tempted them with the promise to become immortal angels. [[Al-Qushayri]] comments on 7:20, that Adam's fall is for his wish to be like an angel, while angels' fall is because when they desired to be like human. Adam desired an angelic state of no passion and avoiding the fate of death, while [[Harut and Marut]] desired the freedom of choice and to rejoice in extravagance.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Gallorini |first=Louise |title=The Symbolic Function of Angels in the Qurʾān and Sufi Literature |year=2021 |type=PhD thesis |publisher=American University of Beirut |hdl=10938/22446 }}</ref>

=== Life before Adam ===
It is evident from the Quran that Adam was the father of contemporary humanity,<ref name=dogma />{{rp|p=21}} but if there was sentient life before him is debated. According to some views, God created an Adam thirty times, every 1000 years. After the downfall of each humanity, God left the world uninhabited for 50,000 years, then 50,000 inhabited, and then a new Adam was created.<ref name=dogma />{{rp|p=195}} The majority of scholars, however, reject this opinion, but they agree that the [[jinn]] and animals have lived on earth before. According to the ''[[Majallat Al Azhar]]'', nowhere within Islamic texts is it prescribed how long humans existed and every Muslim is free to think that is right, and that the notion of a young earth derives from biblical reports ({{Lang|ar-latn|Israʼiliyyat}}).<ref name=dogma />{{rp|p=196}}

== Adam or Muhammad as the first human ==
Although Adam is considered the first human being, he is not necessarily depicted as the first prophet. Islamic traditions acknowledge that before Adam was made, Muhammad's spirit, also known as the [[Nūr (Islam)|Muhammadan Light]], was already created.

[[Ibn Sa'd]] attributed to [[Qatada ibn Di'ama]] to quote Muhammad: "I was the first human in creation and I am the last one on resurrection".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Goldziher |first=Ignaz |authorlink=Ignác Goldziher |title=Neuplatonische und gnostische Elemente im Ḥadῑṯ |journal=Zeitschrift für Assyriologie |volume=22 |issue=2 |year=1909 |pages=317-344 |doi=10.1515/zava.1909.22.2.317 |language=de }}</ref>

According to a [[Shia Islam|Shia tradition]], after the angels prostrated themselves before Adam, God ordered Adam to look at the Throne of God. Then he saw the radiant body of Muhammad and his [[Ahl al-Bayt|family]].<ref>{{cite book |first=M. J. |last=Kister |chapter=Adam: A Study of Some Legends in Tafsir and Hadit Literature |title=Approaches to the History of the Interpretation of The Qur'an |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1988 |page=129 |isbn=0-19-826546-8 }}</ref>

This tradition also entered the orthodox Sunni discourse through hadiths as narrated by [[Al-Tirmidhi]], when Muhammad was asked then his prophethood started, he would have answered: "When Adam was between the spirit and the body."<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite book |first=Marion Holmes |last=Katz |title=The Birth of The Prophet Muhammad: Devotional Piety in Sunni Islam |publisher=Routledge |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-135-98394-9 |page=13 }}</ref>

For this reason, although Adam plays the role of the first physical human, he is still preceded by the essence of Muhammad. Although the notion of the pre-existing Muhammad takes some resemblance of the [[Christianity|Christian]] doctrine of the [[pre-existence of Christ]], Muhammad is considered human in essence, not a second person within God.<ref>{{cite book |first=Rom |last=Landau |title=The Philosophy of Ibn 'Arabi |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-135-02969-2 }}</ref>

==Genealogy of Adam==
Though it is up for debate, it has been said that Eve went through 120 pregnancies with Adam and each of these consisted of a set of twins: a boy and a girl.<ref name=tabari /> In some other traditions, their first child was a girl, born alone, called [[ʿAnāq (daughter of Adam)|ʿAnāq]].<ref>{{cite book |first=Roberto |last=Tottoli |chapter=ʿAnāq |title=Encyclopaedia of Islam |edition=Third |editor-first=Kate |editor-last=Fleet |editor2-first=Gudrun |editor2-last=Krämer |editor3-first=Denis |editor3-last=Matringe |editor4-first=John |editor4-last=Nawas |editor5-first=Devin J. |editor5-last=Stewart |display-editors=1 |year=2009 |doi=10.1163/1573-3912_ei3_COM_22679 }}</ref> According to several sources, God took all of Adam's progeny from his back while they were still in heaven. He asked each of them "am I not your lord?" as read in [[Q7:172|verse 7:172]] and they all replied yes.<ref name=tabari /> For this reason, it is believed that all humans are born with an innate knowledge of God. The most famous of Adam's children are [[Cain and Abel in Islam|Cain and Abel]]. Both the brothers were asked to offer up individual sacrifices to God. God accepted Abel's sacrifice because of Abel's righteousness and Cain, out of jealousy, threw a rock at Abel, leading to the first murder in human history: the murder of Abel by Cain.<ref name=tabari /> As Adam grieved his son, he would preach to his other children about God and faith in Him.<ref name=kathir /> When Adam's death grew near, he appointed his son Seth as his successor.<ref name=kathir />

Islamic scholar [[Sayyid Mumtaz Ali]], while commenting on whether Adam was first or Eve, says that "the fact that Adam was created first is nothing but childish. To begin with, we are tempted to assert that this is so because it was not acceptable to God that a woman is left without a companion for even a second. Therefore, it is for her sake that he created Adam first. But as a matter of fact, the belief that Adam was created first and then came Eve is part of the Christian and Jewish faith. This is not at all part of the Islamic creed. There is no mention in the Quran about who was created first, Adam or Eve."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Deobandi |first1=Sayyid Mumtaz Ali |author-link1=Sayyid Mumtaz Ali |title=Huquq-e-Niswan |publisher=Rifah-e-Aam Press |location=[[Lahore]] |pages=21–22 |edition=1898 |url=https://archive.org/details/HuqooqENiswan |access-date=22 August 2020 |language=ur |quote=Adapted from [[Javed Anand]]'s translation to the piece| chapter-url=https://www.sabrang.com/cc/archive/2009/oct09/cover1.html| chapter=The Supremacy Myth |year=1898 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Adam Kadmon]]
* [[Biblical and Quranic narratives]]
* [[Legends and the Quran]]
* [[Muhammad in Islam]]
* [[Prophets of Islam]]
* [[Stories of The Prophets]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==References==
* {{cite book|last=Saad Assel|first=Mary|title=25 Icons of Peace in the Qur'an: Lessons of Harmony|year=2010|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=978-1-4401-6901-4|page=244|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uwE06I3ID_IC}}
* {{cite book|last=Mehar|first=Iftikhar Ahmed|title=Al-Islam: Inception to Conclusion|year=2003|publisher=AL-ISLAM|isbn=978-1-4107-3272-9 |page=240|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O0gypGNaj3kC}}
* {{cite book|author=Islam Kotob|title=Stories Of The Prophets By Ibn Kathir|publisher=Islamic Books|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ls1fKaZFYtAC}}
* {{cite book|last=Lalljee|first=compiled by Yousuf N.|title=Know your Islam|year=1993|publisher=Taknike Tarsile Quran|location=New York|isbn=978-0-940368-02-6|page=255|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-vyFztUEjAC|edition=3rd}}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

==External links==
*[http://www.omeriqbal.com/a/54 Islamic Concept of Adam's Creation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618145328/http://www.omeriqbal.com/a/54 |date=2012-06-18 }}

{{Prophets in the Qur'an}}
{{Qur'anic people}}
{{Adam and Eve}}
{{Adam to Muhammad}}

[[Category:Adam and Eve]]
[[Category:Prophets of the Quran]]
[[Category:Hebrew Bible prophets of the Quran]]

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