Prophet Adam
Part 5
After this lesson about freedom Adam learned another lesson, one about knowledge. Adam realized that Iblis was the symbol of evil in the universe and that the angels were the symbol of good. However he did not yet know anything about himself. Then Allah made him perceive his true identity and the reason for his creation, and the secret of his glorification.Allah the Exalted said: "He taught Adam all the names of everything". (Ch 2:31 Quran).
Almighty Allah granted Adam the power to know the natures of all things and to summarize them by names; that is a bird, that is a star, that is a tree, etc Allah implanted in Adam an insatiable need for and love of knowledge and a desire to bequeath knowledge to his children. This was the reason for his creation and the secret of his glorification. After Adam had learned the names of all things, along with their properties and uses, Allah presented them to the angels and said:
"Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful."(Ch 2:31 Quran)
The angels admitted their inability:
"Glory be to You, we have knowledge except what You have taught us. Verily it is You the All Knower, the All Wise." (Ch 2:32)
Allah Almighty then turned to Adam:
"O Adam! Inform them of their names," and when he had informed them of their names, He said: 'Did I not tell you that I know the unseen in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been hiding?'" (Ch 2:33).
Allah wanted the angels to know that He knew of their astonishment when He had told them about the creation of Adam and that He also knew of their confusion which they had not revealed, as well as what Iblis had concealed of his disobedience and ingratitude.
The angels realized that Adam was the creature who knew what they did not know and that his capacity to learn was his noblest quality. His knowledge included knowledge of the Creator which we call faith or Islam, as well as the knowledge he would need to inhabit and master the earth. All kinds of worldly knowledge which are included in this.
Adam knew the names of everything. Sometimes he talked to the angels, but they were preoccupied with Hawa Almighty Allah. Therefore Adam, felt lonely. One day he slept and when he awoke he found near his head, a woman gazing at his face with beautiful tender eyes. The angels asked him her name he replied: "Hawa (Eve)." (means living things). They asked:
"Why did you call her Hawa (Eve)?" Adam said: "Because she was created of me and I am a living being."
Ibn Abbas and a group of companions of the Prophet (PBUH) narrated that when Iblis was sent out of Paradise and Adam was accommodated therein, Adam was alone in Paradise and did not have a partner from whom he could get tranquility. He slept for some time and when he woke up, he saw a woman whom Allah had created from his ribs. So he asked her, "Who are you? She replied, "A woman" He asked: "Why have you been created?" She said :"So that you could find
tranquility in me." The angels, trying to find out the extent of his knowledge, asked him: "What is her name, O Adam?" He replied, "Hawwa (Eve)". They asked: "Why was she so named?" He replied, " Because she was created from something living."
Muhammad Ibn Ishaaq and Ibn Abbas related that Eve was created from the shortest left rib of Adam while he was sleeping and after awhile she was clothed with flesh. That is why Allah the Exalted said:
"O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) and from Him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women. (Ch 4:1)
Allah also said:
"It is he Who has created you from a single person (Adam) and then He created from him his wife (Eve), in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her."(Ch 7:189).
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "O Muslims! I advise you to be gentle with women, for they are created from a rib, and the most crooked portion of the rib is its upper part. If you try to straighten it, it will break and if you leave it, it will remain crooked, so I urge you to take care of the women." (Sahih Bukhari).
Stories of the Prophets
Written by Al-Imam ibn Kathir
Translated by Muhammad Mustapha Geme’ah, Al-Azhar
~Mariyam Suhaila~
