Adam (AS), First Man or First Prophet?
Hazrat Adam (AS), according to the beliefs of Abrahamic faiths, is the father of all human beings living today. Based on Islamic Hadiths, Adam (AS) is not the first human setting foot on earth as there were other humans who became extinct before him.
Today’s humans who are Adam’s (AS) posterity have no relation with humans who lived before him.
The Holy Quran describes Adam (AS) as a selected one: “Allah chose Adam and Noah, the House of Abraham and the House of Imran above all worlds.” (Surah Al Imran, verse 33) That is why when Muslims want to talks about the beginning of end of prophethood, they use the phrase “from Adam to Khatam (the last Prophet)”.
The fact that Adam (AS) was chosen as a prophet shows that God has never left humanity without guidance.
The name Adam has been mentioned 25 times in 9 Surahs of the Quran. In Islamic Hadiths, Adam (AS) has been mentioned as Abul Bashar (father of humanity), Khalifatullah (God’s deputy or vicegerent), and Safi Allah (chosen by God).
In several verses, such as verse 5 of Surah Al-Hajj, verse 71 of Surah Saad, verse 11 of Surah As-Saaffat, verse 48 of Suran Al-Hijr, verse 14 of Surah Al-Rahman, and verse 7 of Surah As-Sajdah, the Quran refers to creation of Adam from dust and clay. In verse 12 of Surah AL-Muminun God says: “We created the human from an essence of clay.” And in verse 26 of Surah Al-Hijr we read: “We created mankind from clay, molded from mud.”
These verse describe the phases of creation of Adam’s physical body from dust to clay to body. Many interpreters of the Quran believe that Adam’s name comes from the word Adim (dust).
After creation of the body, God blew part of his soul into Adam’s body, bringing him into life. The creation of man has been done in the best way possible: “We have created the human being in the best form.” (Verse 4 of Surah At-Tin) Humans are the only ones after whose creation God has praised Himself: “All blessings belong to God, the best Creator.” (Verse 14 of Surah Al-Muminun)
