By: Allama Mohammed Shihabuddin Nadvi
Who is Adam?
Prophet Adam’s personality comes out in a crystal clear manner from the accounts related by the Qur’an. Prophet Adam was not only a dignified, cultured and civilised man, but was a highly learned, graceful and debonair personality. It certainly does not apply to a chimpanzee, ape man or a sub-human. The explicit verses of the Qur’an and the Hadith portray Adam not merely as the father of the humanity but as the first prophet. The following verses serve to depict Adam:
- And He taught Adam the names of all things.(Qur’an, 2:31)
This means that Adam was an enlightened man. An ignorant and illiterate or uncultured person could only be the farthest removed interpretation of this verse. - He has created man, He has taught him speech and intelligence. (Qur’an, 55:3-4)
Adam was taught to speak immediately after creation as a miracle. Noted exegetes Qatada and Ibne Abbas interpret the word Insaan (man) as Prophet Adam. Even the verse He has taught him speech and intelligence has been interpreted to indicate three aspects:
a) Names of all things,
b) Nature of all things
c) Languages.79
Besides, Ibne Munzir reports it from Ibne Juraij that this means Prophet Adam who was shown the path of guidance and the one which leads one astray.80
It must be borne in mind that education or learning presupposes power of speech. It only goes to prove that Prophet Adam was not merely endowed with power to speak but had an excellent mental power which enabled him to perceive things in nature and those on the earth.
The word Al-Asma embraced a wide variety of things and articles as has been explained by several commentators of the holy Qur’an. Prophet Adam was told about a wide range of things and their characteristics.81
The modern archaeological findings and fossils do not throw any light on as to which species in Hominidae family first assumed speech and when. However since fossil man lived in colonies, they are presumed to have developed a sign language for communication in operations such as hunting of big animals.82
Therefore the interpretation of Adam cannot be stretched to mean any kind of creatures that were either dumb or who used sign language. - Whether Prophet Adam knew how to read and write? A few of the verses throw some light on this aspect:
Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, – He Who taught (the writing) by the pen, – Taught man that which he knew not. (Qur’an, 96:3-5)
According to Ka’ab, the first literate man was Prophet Adam.83 Ibne Qutaiba is of the opinion that Adam knew to read and write and on him were revealed the dotted alphabets (Huroofe Mo’jam) in a volume containing 21 leaves (pages). This was the first book of the world in which the peripheries of the languages of the world were defined.84
Allama Zarkashi reports from Abul Hussein Bin Faris that it was Prophet Adam who wrote books in languages ranging from Arabic to Syriac. It is said that he wrote them on the clay and baked them into tablets some 300 years earlier to his death. He further says that the script is not a human innovation but is a divinely inspired art. Quoting the above verses of the holy Qur’an, he opines that if the truth were this it was Allah Himself Who might have taught Prophet Adam and the other prophets writing inherently.85
Written language is clearly a much more recent human accusation, with no good evidence for it before 5,500 years ago.86
And nothing could be said about the origin of the script and languages. But since the species preceding the Homo sapiens are less likely to be literate, in all probability the term Adam is applicable to a modern man. - The holy Qur’an says in absolute terms:-
We have indeed created man in the best of moulds.
(Qur’an, 95:4)
It is therefore not appropriate to presume that ugly animals such as monkeys would have been the earliest man. As is seen from the Qur’an and the Hadith, Allah had turned certain nations into monkeys and pigs in punishment for their sins. (Vide Qur’an 5:60) - According to a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim “Allah, the glorified, created Adam similar to Himself. 87 It has attracted much criticism as it hints at a physical existence for Allah. Though several explanations have been made for this Hadith, but a matter of fact analysis unfolds a host of new facts which in themselves carry answers for several modern problems. e.g.,
a) This Hadith glorifies Adam.
b) This is a refutation of Adam being a sub-human or ape-man.
c) It contradicts the concept of evolution of man.
All this could sum up Adam’s personality in that he was not an evolved species, nor did he carry any changes. He was one manifestation of Allah’s nature from his very birth. However the Hadith, ‘Allah created Adam in His Shape’, has also been interpreted as Adam being raised as man in the initial stage of creation itself which explains that Adam did not pass through various embryological stages in the womb of a mother as is the case with other men and Adam’s offsprings. The spirit was breathed into Adam after being raised as a fully grown man. This line of argument comes from Hafiz Ibne Hajar.88 - Another Hadith portrays Adam as a handsome man, as smart as Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Imam Nawowi reports a saying from Ayesha, the holy wife of Prophet Muhammad:
Ayesha reports Prophet Muhammad to have told her: ‘Of all the people I bear the utmost resemblance with our father Adam. My father Ibrahim was most akin to me physically as well as in behaviour.89
This means that Prophets Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad (peace be upon all of them) had many resembling facial and physical features. Physical features of Prophet Muhammad are well recorded and therefore are also a reflection of the other two historical personalities. All this must be enough for visualising the personality of the earliest man viz. Adam. A look at the several Ahadith reported in Jamiut Tirmizi and Shamailut Tirmizi also provides us a graphic sketch of Prophet Muhammad’s physical features:
Bara says: “I did not see anyone more handsome than Prophet Muhammad robed in red attire and sporting long hairs. His hair locks touched his shoulders. He had a broad chest. He was neither short nor tall.”90
Hazrath Ali narrates that Prophet Muhammad was neither short, nor tall, but had a middle stature. His hair were neither too curly nor straight, but had bends. He was neither fat nor chubby faced, but had a slight roundness in face. He had a fair complexion with a slightly red tinge. Eyes were jet black with long eyelashes. Shoulders were broad. His body bore no hair but for a line of hairs stretching from chest to naval. Palms and soles were fleshy. His gait was firm and swift as if he is walking down a steep surface.91
Anas says: “Allah’s Prophet had a modestly sized and well proportioned body. He had a wheatish complexion. Whenever he walked, he was a little bent”.92
When Bara was asked by someone whether Prophet’s face was long (like a sword) he said: ‘No, it was like moon.’93 - Something similar is related about Adam, the first man. He had no beard and it appeared in succeeding generations. He was very tall (about 90 feet according to some accounts), densely haired, wheatish complexioned and was very handsome.94
- Agricultural activity and textile weaving started from Adam’s period itself. It is said when Adam descended on the earth, he began cultivation and Eve (Hawwa) spun and wove clothes.95
Similarly Ibne Asakir reports from Ibne Abbas that Adam engaged himself in cultivation.96 Besides, Dailami reports from Anas in Musnad Firdaus that Adam was the earliest weaver.97 - Adam had been taught all important crafts. This has been reported by Bazzaz, Ibne Abi Hatim, and Tabrani and is narrated by Abu Moosa Ashari.98
- Adam was not only a pious individual but was also the first Prophet on the earth, according to Islamic beliefs. The Qur’an and Hadith, both are witness to it. However I am postponing rest of the debate for sometime in future.
In the final analysis, Adam was a highly dignified, cultured and civilised person. On whichever species of man all these characteristics apply, he will be named ADAM.
Evolution is Proofless
It could be gathered by the Qur’an and Hadith that Adam was not an outcome of some evolutionary process but was a special creation (creature) as is evident from his traits. He was guided at every step by an invisible force.
The major evidence marshalled against the evolution lobby in proof of Adam not being an evolutionary creature is that Adam’s earliest offspring did not know how to dispose off their dead.
So when Qabeel, the eldest son of Adam killed Habeel, his brother, he did not know what to do with the body of his dead brother. Finally Allah sent a crow which dug the ground and guided him to the proper method of disposal of the dead body. This made Qabeel regret his ignorance.
“Woe is me!” said he; “Was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother?” Then he became full of regrets. (Qur’an, 5:31)
It is only a proof that the creation of Adam had taken place in totally new and unfamiliar circumstances. Had he been a creature of evolutionary process, he should have certainly been aware of methods of disposal of a dead body.
According to one account when Adam died, angels bathed his body, applied perfumes, shrouded it, offered the funeral prayer, dug his grave and buried him. Then they turned towards Adam’s sons and said:
“You should follow this method to bury your dead.”99
Tafseer Durre Manthoor records many such reports from Ibne Abbas and others. All these only prove that Adam and his offspring were not aware of the method of the burial of their dead. It is a proof enough that Adam was the first person of his kind.
References: - Ibne Jauzi, Zadul Maseer fi Ilmit Tafseer, Damuscus, Vol. 8, P. 109.
- Suyuti, Allama Jalaluddin, Tafseer Durre Mansoor, Beirut, V. 6, P. 140.
- Tafseer Ibne Kathir, Vol. 1, P. 72., Tafseer Kashshaf, P. 272., Tafseer Roohul Ma’ani, Vol. 1, P. 224., Ahkamul Qur’an Jassas, Vol. 1, P. 31., Tafseer Kabeer, Vol. 1, P. 258., Tafseerul Manar, Vol. 1, P. 262.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1983, Vol. 8, P. 1028.
- Tafseer Roohul Ma’ani, Beirut, Vol. 30, P. 181.
- Ibne Qutaiba, Al Ma’arif, Karachi, P. 9.
- Zarkashi, Badruddin, Al Burhan fi Uloomil Qur’an, Beirut, V. 1, P. 377.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 8, P. 1029.
- Sahih Bukhari, “Kitabul Istezan”, Istanbul, Vol. 7, P. 125; Sahih Muslim, “Kitabul Jannah”, Riyadh, Vol. 4, P. 2183.
- Ibne Hajr, Hafiz, Fathul Bari, Riyadh, Vol. 6, P. 366.
- Nawowi, Imam, Tahzibul Asma wal Lughat, Beirut, V. 1, Pp. 95-96.
- Tirmizi, Abu Isa, Jamiut Tirmizi, “Abwabul Manaqib”, (Bab Maja’a fi Sifatin Nabi Sallam)
- Tirmizi, Abu Isa, Shamailut Tirmizi, Kanpur, Pp. 1-2.
- Ibid.
- Tirmizi, Abu Isa, Jamiut Tirmizi, “Abwabul Manaqib”, Beirut, Vol. 5. P. 598.
- Al- Ma’arif, Karachi, P. 9.
- Ibid.
- Suyuti, Allama Jalaluddin, Tafseer Durre Mansoor, Vol. 1, P. 57.
- Ibid. 98. Ibid.
- Ibid., Vol. 1, P. 61.