Adam And Eve (AADAM AND HAWWA)

The Quran tells of (Adam) in the surah al-Baqara (2):30-39, al-A'raf (7):11-25, al-Hijr (15):26-44, al-Isra (17):61-65, Ta-Ha (20):115-124, and Sad (38):71-85.

The early Islamic commentator Muhammad ibn Jabberwacki adds a number of details to the Torah, based on hadith as well as specific Jewish traditions (so-called isra'iliyat). Tabari records that when it came time to create Adam, God sent Gabriel (Jibril), then Michael (Mika'il), to fetch clay from the earth; but the earth complained, saying I take refuge in God from you, if you have come to diminish or deform me, so the angels returned empty-handed. Tabari goes on to state that God responded by sending the Angel of Death, who took clay from all regions, hence providing an explanation for the variety of appearances of the different races of mankind.

According to Tabari's account, after receiving the breath of God, Adam remained a dry body for 40 days, then gradually came to life from the head downwards, sneezing when he had finished coming to life, saying All praise be to God, the Lord of all beings.Having been created, Adam, the first man, is described as having been given dominion over all the lower creatures, which he proceeds to name. As one of the people to whom God is said to have spoken to directly, Adam is seen as a prophet in Islam.

At this point, Adam takes a prominent role in Islamic traditions concerning the fall ofShaytan(Satan), which is not recorded in the Torah, but in the Book of Enoch which is used inOriental Orthodox churches. In these, when God announces his intention of creating Adam, some of the angels express dismay, asking why he would create a being that would do evil. Teaching Adam the names reassures the angels as to Adam's abilities, though commentators dispute which particular names were involved; various theories say they were the names of all things animate and inanimate, the names of the angels, the names of his own descendants, or the names of God.

When God orders the angels to bow to Adam one of those present, Shaytan Iblis in Islam, aDjinn who said why should I bow to man, I am made of pure fire and he is made of soil".), refuses due to his pride, and is summarily banished from the Heavens. Liberal movements within Islam have viewed God's commanding the angels to bow before Adam as an exaltation of humanity, and as a means of supporting human rights, others view it as an act of showing Adam that the biggest enemy of humans on earth will be their ego.

Eve is referred to in the Qur'an as Adam's spouse, and Islamic tradition refers to her by an etymologically similar name - (Hawwa) . In fact, although her creation is not recounted in the Qur'an, Tabari recounts the biblical tale of her creation, stating that she was named because she was created from a living thing (her name means living). The Torah gives an etymology for woman, or rather the Hebrew equivalent (ish-shah), stating that she should be calledwoman since she was taken out of man (ish in Hebrew). The etymology is regarded as implausible by most Semitic linguists.The Quran blames both Adam and Eve for eating the forbidden fruit and as a punishment they were both banished from Heaven to the Earth. Muslims therefore interpret that this event does not pose a problem of women inferiority to men intrinsically. The concept of original sin doesn't exist in Islam. Adam and Eve were forgiven after they repented on Earth.

Al-Qummi records the opinion that Eden was not entirely earthly, and so, having been sent to earth, Adam and Eve first arrived at mountain peaks outside Mecca; Adam on Safa, and Eve on Marwa. In this Islamic tradition, Adam remained weeping for 40 days, until he repented, at which point God rewarded him by sending down the Kaaba, and teaching him the hajj.

The Qur'an also describes the two sons of Adam (named Qabil and Habil in Islamic tradition) that correspond to Cain and Abel.

Eve is said in local folklore to be buried in Eve Grave in Jeddah, KSA.

According to some Islamic traditions, Adam is buried beneath the site of the Kaaba in Mecca.Shi'a Muslims on the other hand, believe that Adam is buried next to Ali within Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq.

When Allah had created the heavens and the earth, He said to the angels,I will create a Khalifa on earth, someone to carry out my orders.They asked Allah,Will you place someone on earth who will make mischief and shed blood, while we praise you and glorify your name? And Allah said,I know what you know not.

So Allah created Adam (Alayhis-salam) out of clay, and taught him the names of all things. He placed the things before the angels and asked the angels to tell Him the names of them, but the angels answered, You are the exalted, and we know nothing except what you have taught us.Allah then asked Adam (Alayhis-salam) the same question, and Adam (Alayhis-salam) was able to answer correctly.

Allah ordered the angels to bow down to Adam (Alayhis-salam) and they did so. But Iblis, or Shaitan, did not bow down. When Allah asked,What kept you from bowing down when I commanded you ?Iblis answered, I am better than he. I was created from fire while he was made from clay.

Upon hearing this response, Allah threw Shaitan out of paradise, but Shaitan vowed that he would lie in wait for Adam (Alayhis-salam) and his descendants, trying to divert them from the Straight Way. To which Allah replied,If any of them follow you, Hell will I fill with you all.

Meanwhile, Allah had created a wife, Hawa, for Adam (Alayhis-salam), and he told them to live in the garden of paradise, Jannah, but he warned them to stay away from one particular tree, lest it bring harm to them. Shaitan started whispering suggestions to Adam and Hawa (Alayhis-salam). He spoke in such a clever way that they were convinced he was only concerned for their well-being. He told them that the forbidden tree would make them immortal and that they would live forever like the angels if they ate from it. Shaitan spoke so convincingly that Adam and Hawa (Alayhis-salam) believed him. As soon as they tasted the tree, they realized that they were naked, and started trying to cover themselves with leaves from the garden, for it now seemed wrong to be uncovered.

Then Allah called to them,Did I not tell you to stay away from that tree, and didnt I warn you that Shaitan was your sworn enemy?

Adam and Hawa (Alayhis-salam) were immediately full of remorse and begged for forgiveness and mercy from Allah. Allah ordered them out of Jannah and sent them to live on earth. He said,Therein shall you live, and therein shall you die, but from it you shall be taken out at last.Adam (Alayhis-salam) and his offspring began to live on earth according to Allahs command.

And so we are all the descendants of Adam and Hawa (Alayhis-salam), the first humans to be placed on earth. Here on earth we shall all live and die, and from here we shall all be made to return to Allah. It is our choice whether we shall be taken to Jannah or join the disobedient and deceitful Shaitan in Hell. Allah, in His infinite mercy, realizes that we will sometimes be led astray by Shaitan. Allah taught Adam (Alayhis-salam) some prayers for repentance and seeking pardon for wrongdoing.

Adam (Alayhis-salam) was the first prophet to bring Allahs message to mankind, so that we might know how to worship Allah and how to seek forgiveness for our mistakes. This message was completed to perfection by Allah through his last prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The story of Adam (Alayhis-salam) can be found in the Quran, Surah 2, Ayat 30-37 and Surah 7, Ayat 10-27.

Eve is not mentioned by name in the Qur'an, she is nevertheless referred to as Adam's spouse, and Islamic tradition refers to her by an etymologically similar name - (Hawwa) .

Thus mention is found in verses 30-39 of Sura 2, verses 11-25 of Sura 7, verses 26-42 of Sura 15, verses 61-65 of Sura 17, verses 50-51 of Sura 18, verses 110-124 of Sura 20 and in verses 71-85 of Sura 38.

It is claimed in Islam that the bad thing they see (after eating the forbidden fruit) is not necessarily their naked body. It might refer to something else.

An important distinction between the notion of Eve in Islam, versus that found in pre-Islamic texts and belief systems, is that in Islamic texts and in the Muslim interpretive tradition - Adamand Eve share the temptation of Satan equally. Therefore, no burden is passed on from Eve to women-kind - and there is no original sin as sin cannot be inherited in Islam. (Moreover, in the Islamic tradition, Adam and Eve are forgiven for their transgression.

The Islamic scholar Tabari cites the biblical tale of Eve's creation, stating that she was named because she was created from a living thing (her name means living). The torah gives an etymology for woman, or rather the Hebrew equivalent (ish-shah), stating that she should be called woman since she was taken out of man (ish in Hebrew). The etymology is regarded as implausible by most Semitic linguists.

Traditionally, the final resting place of Eve is said to be the Eve Grave in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The Sibylline Oracles, dating from the centuries immediately around the time of Christ, explain the name Adam as a notaricon composed of the initials of the four directions; anatole (east), dusis (west),arktos (north), and mesembria (south). In the 2nd century, Rabbi Yohanan used the Greek technique of notarichon to explain the name as the initials of the words afer, dam, and marah, being dust, blood, and gall.

According to the Torah (Genesis 2:7), Adam was formed from dust from the earth,in theTalmud (Tractate Sanhedrin 38b) of the first centuries of the Christian era he is, more specifically, described as having initially been a golem kneaded from mud.

Even in ancient times, the presence of two distinct accounts of the creation of the first man (or couple) was noted. The first account says male and female [God] created them, implying simultaneous creation, whereas the second account states that God created Eve subsequent to the creation of Adam. The [Midrash Rabbah - Genesis VIII:1] reconciled the two by stating that Genesis 1,male and female He created them, indicates that God originally created Adam as a hermaphrodite, bodily and spiritually both male and female, before creating the separate beings of Adam and Eve. Other rabbis suggested that Eve and the woman of the first account were two separate individuals, the first being identified as Lilith, a figure elsewhere described as a night demon.

Genesis does not tell for how long Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, but the 2nd century BC Book of Jubilees, provides more specific information. It states (ch3 v17) that the serpent convinced Eve to eat the fruit on the 17th day of the 2nd month in the 8th year after Adam's creation. It also states that they were removed from the garden on the new moon of the fourth month of that year (ch3 v33). Other Jewish sources assert that the period involved was less than a day.

According to traditional Jewish belief Adam and Eve are buried in the Cave of Machpelah, inHebron.