Hazrat Adam (A.S) – The Beginning

​We are returning back to an era centuries ago, a time when the pages of history had not even begun to be written. Along with animals, plants, and insects, this world exists with all its splendor. Each one among these is in complete harmony with the other. But there is much silence in the world. Where is human? Oh yes, this thing does not exist. Here it is, the time has come. Now our attention is focused towards the creation of the first human. The very first human, the first prophet, the first person to experience living life in both paradise and earth, the forefather of all humanity, Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him. Because this story helps us in understanding the purpose of life, how we view this world, and how we think about everything happening with us. But this story is narrated in different styles in Islam and Christianity. Today we will look at it from the viewpoint of both the Bible and the Quran, and examine the commonalities and differences between them. What events took place with him in paradise, how Satan deceived him, how he was sent down to earth, and many things. If you are ready, we start our journey from where it had started.

The Announcement of Creation and the Appointment of the Caliph

​When your Lord said to the angels, I am going to establish a continuous human lineage on earth.^¹ They asked God, will You make therein such a person who will spread corruption and bloodshed there, while we praise You and declare Your purity? Allah Almighty replied, I know that which you do not know. In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says to the angels that He is going to create humans and will send them to earth by making them caliphs. This means that they will be given responsibility, of being representatives. The authority of the earth will be given into their hands, and they will be free to make their own choices.

The Origin of Creation: Clay vs. Garden of Eden

According to the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty decided to make this caliph from clay.^² Similarly, the Bible also says that Adam was created from clay.^³ God made human from the clay of the earth. Whereas the Quran says that he was created in paradise. The Bible says that he never went to paradise, he never stayed there. According to Chapter two of Genesis, he was placed on earth in a garden named Eden, which he was to look after and cultivate.^⁴

The Reaction of Angels and the Jealousy of Iblis

​The angels were waiting with wonder and curiosity for his creation process to complete, what kind of creature this would be, how he would be different from them, what was going to happen. But amidst all this curiosity, there was a person who did not like this new creation at all. He was thinking whether he would be better than him. He was thinking what after all was the need for this. He had already started becoming restless. This fear was eating him up from inside.

The Identity of Iblis

He was a jinn whose name was Iblis.^⁵ He was an individual of a different creation, but at that time due to his rank, he lived among the angels. Later due to his arrogance, he came to be known as Satan, who is known by the name of Satan in the Quran. Islamic sources clearly state that Satan was a jinn. But in the Bible, instead of Satan, we see a different character in the later parts of the story.

The Test of Knowledge and the Command to Prostrate

​When feelings of anxiety and jealousy surrounded Satan, and the expected moment was about to arrive. The creation of the first human was now complete. He had been given the final shape. Now he was about to open his eyes for life. Almighty Allah blew the soul into his body and he became alive. Now the time had come that his introduction be made in front of the angels and a test be taken. But what kind of test would this be?

Superiority Through Knowledge

He taught Adam the names of everything.^⁶ Whatever thing Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, was asked about, he would tell its name. The angels were getting amazed by his every answer. That knowledge which was not given to the angels was given to human, and in this way his superiority was demonstrated. Those people who genuinely wanted to understand, meaning the angels, got the answer to their questions. But still there was a person who was keeping many things hidden inside. By stating that I know what you hide, our Lord indicated towards him. But still he kept them hidden. The test of Adam telling the names ended, but now the time for testing others had come. And when We said to the angels, prostrate to Adam, so all did, but Iblis refused.^⁷

The Arrogance of Satan and the Refusal

​So what reason did he tell Allah Almighty for this? According to Islamic viewpoint, ancestral sin. Allah Almighty asked, when I commanded you, what stopped you from prostrating? He replied, I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay.^⁸ Allah Almighty said, then descend down from this place, because it does not belong to your right that you show arrogance here. Now get out, you are among the humiliated.

The Rebellion and Expulsion

Satan’s refusal was born out of pride and envy, leading to his eternal expulsion from divine grace.

The Oath of Deception

Satan said, O my Lord, grant me respite until the day when people will be raised alive from graves. Allah Almighty said, you have been granted respite until the day of a known period. He said, O Lord, now since You have led me astray, therefore I also swear that I will remain sitting in ambush for them on Your straight path. Then I will attack them, from in front of them, from behind them, from their right side, and from their left side, and You will not find most of them grateful. Allah Almighty said, get out from here, humiliated and rejected. I will surely fill hell with you and all your followers.

Key Differences Between Biblical and Islamic Narratives

The Concept of Original Sin

Between these two stories, another difference is the answer to the question: what is the original sin? Answers of both Bible and Quran are different. According to Christian view, the original sin is the sin of Adam and Eve when they violate God’s restriction. Christians believe that every newborn child should be considered a sinner by inheritance. This is the definition of original sin near them. But what does Islam say? First of all, Islam does not accept that children are born sinners. In verse number seven of Surah Az-Zumar, Allah Almighty stated, and no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another.^⁹ Therefore, in Islam every child is born innocent, and regardless of their religion, they are not accountable for life’s test until maturity. On the other hand, according to Islam’s definition of original sin, the original sin is of Satan, and it is arrogance based on racism. He considered himself superior because he was created from fire, and he considered Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, inferior because he was made from clay. This was the very sin that destroyed Satan.

The Psychology of Arrogance & Respect for Humanity

When the creation of Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, took place, Iblis saw a different kind of existence. He considered it a stranger and adopted indifference towards it. Then he started thinking that he is superior to it. All this in reality was the setup by which racism shapes up in someone’s heart and mind. So the Quran actually describes the psychology of crime. A crime that for centuries has been a cause of embarrassment and disgrace for human, and from this it is known that this is the characteristic of Satan, who is the enemy of Allah, so that believers can understand the vileness of this sin and keep themselves away from it. This prostration of the angels was certainly not as worship of Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him. This was a ceremonial prostration, a kind of salutation that was done to accept their high status and authority over angels. Apart from this, since the command for this prostration was given by Allah Almighty Himself, therefore obeying the command of Allah Almighty is in reality worshipping Him. In the upcoming worldly life of humans, the entire universe with all its parts will be their servant for humans’ use. Natural resources, animals, plants, oceans, valleys, mountains, and everything will be subjected to humanity. At that time, angels were also commanded to prostrate to the forefather of human children. Angels immediately acted upon this command and fell into prostration. So from the story to which point, what more differences were there between Quran and Bible? According to the Bible, the names of things and animals were taken by Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, himself.^¹⁰ On the other hand, contrary to Islam, the command to prostrate to Adam, the rebellion of Satan, and his expulsion, none of these events are mentioned in the Bible. There is also no mention of how Satan became rejected, or why he became the enemy of human children. But immediately after this point, both Quran and Bible mention similar events, but in very different ways. From here we see the contest taking place between human and Satan, between truth and falsehood, which will continue until the Day of Judgment.

Life in Paradise and the Warning About the Tree

Further in the story, Allah Almighty created our mother Eve as the wife of Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, from his rib bone.^¹¹ The Quran mentions the events occurring after this as follows: We said, O Adam, stay you and your wife in Paradise, and eat freely from it wherever you wish, but do not go near this tree, otherwise you will be counted among the wrongdoers.^¹² According to the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty also gave this warning: so We said, O Adam, this is an enemy to you and your wife, so let it not drive you both out of Paradise, and you fall into hardship.^¹³ According to the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty said that if they violate the command, they will become wrongdoers. But according to the Bible, Allah Almighty said that in such a case they will die. There is a huge difference. And the Lord commanded Adam, you are free to eat the fruit of any tree of the garden, but you must strictly not eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, because if you ate it, you will surely have to die.^¹⁴

The Deception of Satan and the Fall

It was a huge opportunity for Satan. He held Adam responsible for his expulsion from Allah’s court, and he was ready to try everything possible to take revenge. Using all kinds of traps, Satan said to Adam, should I tell you about a tree that gives eternal life and that kingdom which never gets old?^¹⁵ He was pointing towards the forbidden tree. But according to the Bible, it was a serpent who came not near Adam, but to Eve.^¹⁶ According to Christian scholars, it was actually Satan who was talking through the serpent. But the Lord said, you must strictly not eat the fruit of this tree which is in the middle of the garden, and you should not touch it, otherwise you will die. You will strictly not die, the serpent said to the woman, because the Lord knows that if you ate it, your eyes will open and you will become like God, knowing every good and evil.^¹⁷

The Violation and Self-Awareness

To mislead Adam and his offspring from the straight path, finally Satan through his tricks and whisperings deceived both of them. Hazrat Adam and Eve, peace be upon them, forgot for a while the warning of their Lord about the tree. Both of them listened to Satan’s words and tasted its fruit. Immediately their private parts opened in front of each other. Consequently, they felt much embarrassment and started trying to cover themselves with the leaves of paradise.^¹⁸ They realized that he had put them in deception. But now it was too late. So what were they going to do now? According to the Bible, they wanted to run away and hide from the Lord. Then Adam and his wife heard the voice of the Lord when He was walking inside the garden in the cool breeze of the day, and they hid from the Lord between the trees of the garden. But the Lord called Adam, where are you? He replied, I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked. He said, who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten the fruit of that tree from which I commanded you to stay away?^¹⁹

The Divine Omniscience

In Islamic theology, Allah’s knowledge encompasses all actions and secrets across existence.

Omniscience vs Divine Searching

In the Holy Quran, no such event is mentioned, because in Islam there is no such belief that human can hide from God, or that God, God forbid, cannot see at some time, or that He gets news of an event later. He sees and knows everything at every moment. Nevertheless, by definition, God is a perfect entity who is Almighty, in Whom there can be no flaw. Hence, in verse number seven of Surah Taghabun, Allah Almighty stated, whatever you do, He has knowledge of that too, and Allah knows very well even the matters of the hearts.^²⁰ Therefore, when this mistake happened from them, according to the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty addressing them directly said, did I not stop you both from this tree, and did I not tell you that Satan is an open enemy to both of you?^²¹

The Consequences and Earthly Sentences

So what was the result of this action of theirs? Now the time had come that they be sent to the world. But according to the Bible, Adam, Eve, and the serpent were given separate punishments. In Chapter three of Genesis, it is that the serpent was given the curse of crawling on his belly as punishment. Adam was given the curse of the earth as punishment for the mistake, and as a result no crop will grow without hardship and painful struggle. And Eve’s punishment in this chapter is described in this way: so God said to that woman, I will make your pain during childbirth very severe. With painful labor you will give birth to children, your desire will be subject to your husband, and he will rule over you.^²²

The Islamic View on Earthly Labor and Motherhood

But does Islam agree with this view? According to Islam, except for Satan, no one was cursed. The effort required for growing crops is actually part of the test of this world, and giving birth to children is not a punishment for women but a sacred duty. It is a sacred act because Islam has described the worth and status of mothers in every way. To prove this, just one Hadith of the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, is enough. When a companion who wanted to participate in Jihad in the way of Allah sought advice from the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, asked him if his mother was alive. When he replied in the affirmative, the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, said, then stay with her, because Paradise lies beneath her feet.^²³ According to the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty reminds Muslims of this difficulty through which their mothers had to pass when they were pregnant, and for this reason Allah Almighty wants Muslims to remain grateful to their mothers.^²⁴

Comparing the Statements: Who Told the Truth?

But apart from all this, there was an astonishing detail which most of us have forgotten. That is, if the fruit of the tree was eaten, what would happen? If the command regarding the tree was violated, if the fruit of the tree was eaten? Furthermore, in both Quran and Bible it is that God had said something, and Satan had also said something. So in the end, what happened and who turned out to be right? Let us compare them. According to the Bible, Allah Almighty said, if you eat it, you will surely die. And what had Satan said, that will it be so? Let us understand the conversation described in the Bible that took place between Mother Eve and Satan when he came in the form of a serpent. Mother Eve says, but God had said you must strictly not eat the fruit of this tree which is in the middle of the garden, and you should not touch it either, otherwise you will die. You will strictly not die, the serpent said to the woman. Strange thing, according to the Bible, Satan’s statement proved right, because when they ate the fruit, they did not die. On the other hand, in the Holy Quran, in verse number 20 of Surah Al-A’raf, Satan says, your Lord prohibited this tree to you only lest you become angels or become of eternal life.^²⁵ But what did Allah Almighty say to them in the beginning? Do not go near that tree, otherwise you will be counted among the wrongdoers. Allah Almighty warned them in another place in these words: so We said, O Adam, this is an enemy to you and your wife, so let it not drive you both out of Paradise, and you fall into hardship. Hence, according to the Holy Quran, naturally Allah Almighty’s statement was true and Satan lied.

Purpose of Creation and Repentance

But even more than this, there is a secret detail that made the story of the Quran very different. Contrary to the Bible, the reason for their being sent to the world was not that they violated this command. So then what after all was the reason? In the very first verse of this video, this detail was described. Let us look at it again. When your Lord said to the angels that I am going to make a caliph in the earth. Human was created from the beginning to be sent to the world. Even before eating the forbidden fruit, Satan had asked permission from God by saying, grant me respite until the day when people will be raised alive from graves. Therefore, it was known that humans will come to the world, will be created, will die, and one day collectively will be raised up, and there will be accountability.

The Lesson of Agency and Sincere Forgiveness

So what were all these events for? Why did it seem like Adam was expelled from Paradise? All these things were to give this fundamental message to all humanity, including you, that contrary to angels, humans have been created with the ability to choose between good and evil, and this very thing makes them superior. Despite having power over choosing evil, choosing good is that method through which they can reach the status of being a caliph, which Allah had told in the beginning. And Satan did what he wanted to do his whole life, and he deceived the first humans. According to Islam, prophets do not commit sin. So this was a forgetfulness, a slip, a mistake which cannot be considered a sin, and from this the message is received that a mistake can happen from every servant of Allah. But then when a mistake happens, what is its solution? Is its solution despair? If you happened to disobey God even once, should you start feeling rejected? No, its answer was also in the story of Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him. After both Hazrat Adam and Eve, peace be upon them, ate the fruit of this tree, they immediately said, O our Lord, we have wronged our souls, and if You do not forgive us and do not have mercy on us, then we will surely be included among the unsuccessful people.^²⁶ So they accepted responsibility, made no excuse, and with sincerity of heart asked for forgiveness from Allah Almighty. After a mistake happens, this is the solution.

Contrast Between Adam’s Repentance & Satan’s Arrogance

Now the time had come that Paradise be left. Allah sent Hazrat Adam and Eve, peace be upon them, to their new home, meaning the earth. Both were very sad and worried. They were on a completely different, strange land. Furthermore, they had become separated from each other. Allah Almighty landed them in different parts of the world. This place was not like Paradise. Now whatever they wanted, they could not obtain immediately. Now they had a life for which patience, effort, and struggle were required. Shortly after, revelation was sent down upon Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, and glad tidings of forgiveness were received from Allah Almighty. The Quran says, then Adam learned some words from his Lord, so Allah Almighty accepted his repentance. Indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Very Merciful.^²⁷ But in the Bible, there is no mention of this that Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, asked for forgiveness from Allah Almighty and his repentance was accepted. The comparison I am going to make, it is very important to understand it. When you look at the story from the beginning, a mistake happens from both Satan and Adam. Satan did not prostrate, and Adam ate the forbidden fruit. Then, as we described, Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, acknowledged his mistake, felt regret, and asked for forgiveness from Allah Almighty, and his repentance was accepted. But on the other hand, Satan, instead of acknowledging his mistake, shows arrogance, to the extent that he blames Allah Almighty. He does not feel remorse, becomes hopeless from Allah, and closes the door of repentance for himself forever. This is that place where a difference comes in the way of looking at life, and this world comes forward. When you learn the story in the correct way, you naturally reach the correct conclusion. Therefore, our Creator is not a tyrant who is angry with entire humanity because of a mistake committed by the first human and considers all of them guilty. Our Creator is Just and Merciful, Who wants all humanity to come on the straight path and enter Paradise.

The Re-union on Earth and Humanity’s Journey

Let us return to the last part of the story. Hazrat Adam had not been able to find Mother Eve yet. They remained separated for many years. They traveled long distances to search for each other. Then finally they met each other on Mount Arafat, and without doubt they united together. Now on earth, the adventure of humanity had started, and the silence of the world was broken. As years passed, the offspring of Adam and Eve, peace be upon them, slowly spread, and the human population kept moving further ahead. In a world full of tests continuing for thousands of years, people kept settling and populating across the entire world. They kept bringing tribal civilizations into existence. For centuries, thousands of prophets came, and like their forefather Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, kept telling people why they had come here. They kept telling them where they came from and where they were going, and kept inviting them to faith, and that human has come to spend a short time in this world so that they pass the test and return back to their original homeland. And finally, on the Day of Judgment, those people who accepted the message of prophets and believed in Allah, they will go to their real home, Paradise. But on the other hand, Satan will keep following the disbelievers behind him, and they will get nothing except that fire which was promised to them. In this journey of life, what humanity inherited from its forefather Hazrat Adam, peace be upon him, according to Christian belief is that original sin which keeps transferring to every newborn child, and according to Islam it is that act of repentance which erases all sins and grants endless hope.

Frequently Asked Questions

What We Thought

Looking at both narratives side by side shows how fundamental stories shape different worldviews. While both traditions share the core events of creation, temptation, and the transition to earthly life, their ultimate lessons diverge significantly. The Islamic narrative emphasizes complete individual accountability, divine mercy through repentance, and the noble purpose of humanity as stewards on Earth. The comparison highlights that human mistakes do not lead to eternal condemnation when met with sincere repentance, framing earthly life not as a punishment, but as a deliberate and purposeful journey of faith.