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Creation of human beings on earth

Question

Please I want to know whether Nabi Adam (A.S) was the first human being on the earth? What is the history of earth before him? What is the approximate time of human beings on the earth? What is the Islamic attitude (hukm) of the person who says that Nabi Adam (A.S) is not the first man?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

The Prophet Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention is the father of all mankind. He is the origin of every man and woman in this world. There is much evidences from the Quran and Sunnah proving this reality.

Allah Says (what means): {O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)],} [Quran 4:1]. Allah also Says (what means): {It is He Who has created you from a single person (Adam), and (then) He has created from him his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her.} [Quran 7:189].

Imam Ibn Katheer  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him when interpreting the verse said: Allah created all human beings from Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention. He Created Hawwa (Eve) from Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention and then reproduced all humans through them, as Allah confirmed it in the verse: {O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e. one of the Muttaqoon} [Quran 49:13].

The Sunnah also addresses Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention as Abu Al-Bashar (father of human beings) Abu An-Naas (father of mankind) Abul-Khalq (father of all creatures). These attributes are mentioned in the Hadith of al-Sfa'ah (intercession). The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “On the Day of Resurrection the Believers will assemble and say, 'Let us ask somebody to intercede for us with our Lord.' So they will go to Adam and say, 'You are the father of all the people, and Allah created you with His Own Hands.

In another narration they say to Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention: “You are the father of all mankind”. [Al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah]. In another narration they say to him "You are the father of all creatures, Allah Created you with His Hand”. [Muslim]

Imams Ahmad and Tirmithi narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “All people are sons of Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention and Allah Created Adam from soil”. Abu Dawood reported that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “All of you are sons of Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention and Adam is made from soil”.

Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention is the father of all humans, this matter is necessarily known in the Sharee’ah and is doubtless. Whoever denies this fact he should be asked three times to repent; if he repents from this false claim he will be left in peace otherwise he should be killed for his apostasy.

Allah sent downAdam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention and Hawa (Eve) to the earth. Where there any living nations on earth before the descendance of Adam and Eve? There is no sound and clear evidence about this subject. But the fact is that there was no human being on earth before Adam. This is the consensus of all the Muslim scholars. It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him that Jinn were the inhabitants of the earth before Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention. When they committed much mischief in the earth then Allah sent the Devil and his companions they expelled them to the Islands in oceans and above mountains. After that Allah sent down Adam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention.

There is no way to know the age of mankind on this earth. It is only Allah Who Knows such matters.

Allah knows best.

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