We believe that Allah informed His angels that He will put a vicegerent on earth to populate it and fill it with worship. He says: {And [remember] when your Lord said to the angels: "I am going to appoint a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Will You appoint on it someone who will spread corruption therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?" He said: "I know that which you do not know."} [Surat al-Baqarah: 30] And He informs that He created Adam from dust, saying: [The similitude of Jesus before Allah is like that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, 'Be,' and he was.} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 59] And the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty created Adam from a handful that He took from all of the earth. So, the children of Adam come in accordance with the earth: some of them come red, white, or black, and between that; and some come bad or good, and thin or thick, and between that." [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd (4693), At-Tirmidhi (2955), ‘Abdur-Razzāq in At-Tafsīr (41), Ahmad (19582), and Al-Bazzār (3025, 3026)] Then, Allah Almighty turned this dust into mud and created him in stages. Our Lord says: {We have created man from sounding clay, made of aging mud. And the jinn We created before that, from smokeless fire. And [remember] when your Lord said to the angels: "I am going to create a human being from sounding clay, made of aging mud. When I have shaped him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down before him in prostration." Thereupon, all of the angels fell down in prostration.} [Surat al-Hijr: 26-30] He also says: {We created man from an extract of clay.} [Surat al-Mu’minūn: 12] In another verse, He says: {So ask them: "Are they more difficult to create or other things We created?" We created them from sticky clay.} [Surat as-Sāffāt: 11]
After citing the verses that mention the creation of Adam (peace be upon him), Imām Ahmad (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "We say: This is the start of the creation of Adam. Allah first created him from dust, then from mud, red, black, and white; and from good and salty mud; that's why his children include the good, bad, black, red, and white. Then, He wetted this dust, and it turned into mud; hence His words {from clay}. Then, the mud became sticky. Then He says {from an extract of clay.} This is like mud when it comes out from between the fingers and then it decays and becomes aging mud. So, he was created from aging mud, and when it went dry, it became clay like pottery. It has a sound similar to that of pottery. Thus, the creation of Adam has been explained. As for His statement {from the extract of a worthless fluid.} [Surat as-Sajdah: 8], this is the beginning of the creation of his progeny; from {the extract}, which is the sperm, as it comes out of a man; that is the fluid, the worthless and weak fluid." [Ar-Radd ‘Ala Al-Jahmiyyah Wa Az-Zanādiqah (179-180); edition of Daghash al-‘Ajmi]
We believe that Allah created Adam with His Noble Hand and made the angels prostrate to him. In the Qur’an, He says: {When I have shaped him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down before him in prostration. Thereupon, all of the angels fell down in prostration.} [Surat al-Hijr: 29-30] And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The believers will gather on the Day of Resurrection and say: 'Let us look for someone to intercede for us with our Lord.' They will go to Adam and say: 'You are the father of mankind, and Allah created you with His own Hand and ordered the angels to prostrate to you." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (4476), Muslim (193), and Ibn Mājah (4312)]
We believe that Allah Almighty created Adam (peace be upon him) in His own image. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah created Adam in His image; he is sixty cubits in height." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (6227) and Muslim (2841)] He also reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If one of you fights his brother, let him avoid the face, for indeed Allah created Adam in His image." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (2559) and Muslim (2612); this is the wording by Muslim] In another Hadīth reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If one of you beats another, let him avoid the face, and he should not say 'may Allah make your face ugly, and any face that resembles yours', for indeed Allah Almighty created Adam in His image." [Narrated by ‘Abdur-Razzāq (17952), Al-Humaydi (1153), Ahmad (7420), Al-Bukhāri in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad (173), and Ibn Abi ‘Āsim in As-Sunnah (531)]
We believe that Allah created for Adam a spouse from himself, in whom he would find comfort: that was Eve. Allah, Exalted be He, says: {It is He Who created you from a single soul, and from it He made its spouse, so that he may find comfort in her.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 189] He also says: {O mankind, fear your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and created from it its mate, and from both of them created countless men and women.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 1]
We believe that Allah created Adam and Eve and made them dwell in Paradise. He says: {We said: "O Adam, dwell in Paradise, you and your wife; and eat pleasantly from wherever you wish."} [Surat al-Baqarah: 35] He forbade them both to eat from the tree, but Satan whispered to them - out of envy - and they ate therefrom. So, Allah drove them out of Paradise and made them get down to earth. In the Qur’an, He says: {O Adam, dwell in Paradise, you and your wife, and eat from wherever you wish, but do not approach this tree, or else you will both be among the wrongdoers. Then Satan whispered to them in order to expose what was hidden from them of their private parts. He said: "Your Lord has only forbidden to you this tree to prevent you from becoming angels or immortals." And he swore to them: "I am indeed your sincere adviser." So he deluded them both with deception. When they tasted the tree, their private parts became visible to them, so they began to put together leaves of the Garden to cover themselves. Their Lord called them: "Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is your sworn enemy?" They said: "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves; if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers." Allah said: "Get down as enemies to one another. You will find a dwelling place on earth and provision for an appointed time." He said: "There you will live, and there you will die, and from there you will be raised again."} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 19-25]
We believe that Allah made Adam a vicegerent on earth. He says: {And [remember] when your Lord said to the angels: "I am going to appoint a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Will You appoint on it someone who will spread corruption therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?" He said: "I know that which you do not know."} [Surat al-Baqarah: 30]
Allah Almighty tested him, but he forgot and sinned. Then Allah chose him and guided him. He says: {We had already given a command to Adam before, but he forgot, and We found him lacking a firm resolve.} [Surat Tāha: 115] Adam received some words from his Lord because of which He pardoned him and accepted his repentance. Allah Almighty says: {Then Adam received some words from his Lord, and He accepted his repentance. He is the Accepter of repentance, Most Merciful. We said: "Go down all of you from here! Then when My guidance comes to you; whoever follows My guidance, they will have no fear, nor will they grieve."} [Surat al-Baqarah: 37-38]
We believe that Allah Almighty had predestined all this for Adam 40 years before creating him. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Adam and Mūsa debated. Mūsa said to him: 'O Adam, you are our father but have deprived us and caused us to be expelled from Paradise because of your sin.' Adam said to him: 'O Mūsa, Allah chose you for His speech, and he wrote the Torah for you with His own Hand. Are you blaming me for something which Allah decreed for me forty years before He created me?' Thus, Adam won the argument with Mūsa; thus Adam won the argument with Mūsa; thus Adam won the argument with Mūsa." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (6614), Muslim (2652), Abu Dāwūd (4701), At-Tirmidhi (2134), and Ibn Mājah (80)]
We believe that the creation of the children of Adam began as Allah Almighty informs, as He says: {O mankind, if you are in doubt concerning the Resurrection, then We surely created you from dust, then from a drop of sperm, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh – formed or unformed – so that We may make it clear to you [Our power]. We settle in the wombs whatever We will for an appointed term. Then We bring you out as infants, then [We nurture you] so that you may reach your maturity. Then some of you die, while others are left to reach the decrepit old age so that they may know nothing after having knowledge.} [Surat al-Hajj: 5] And He Almighty says: {We created man from an extract of clay, then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a safe place, then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, then We made the clinging clot into a lump, then We made the lump into bones, and We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We developed it into another creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.} [Surat al-Mu’minūn: 12-14] ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), the truthful and truly inspired one, related to us: "The creation of everyone of you starts with the process of collecting the material for his body within forty days in the womb of his mother. Then, he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period and then he becomes like a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then, Allah sends an angel, who is ordered to write four things: his deeds, his sustenance, his life span, and whether he will be wretched or blissful. Then, the soul is breathed into him." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (3208), Muslim (2643), Abu Dāwūd (4708), At-Tirmidhi (2137), and Ibn Mājah (76)]
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out why a baby sometimes resembles his father and sometimes his mother. ‘Abdullāh ibn Salām said to him: "I am going to ask you about three things which only a prophet can answer: What is the first sign of the Hour? What is the first food the people of Paradise will eat? Why does a child resemble his father or his mother?" The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "Jibrīl has just informed me about that." Ibn Salām said: "He is the enemy of the Jews amongst the angels." The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "As for the first sign of the Hour, it is a fire that will collect the people from the east to the west. As for the first meal the people of Paradise will eat, it is the caudate lobe of the fish liver. As for the child, if the man's discharge precedes the woman's discharge, the child resembles the man; and if the woman's discharge precedes the man's, the child resembles the woman." Thereupon, ‘Abdullāh ibn Salām said: "I testify that none is worthy of being worshiped but Allah and that you are the Messenger of Allah." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (3938)]
We believe that all people are children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust. So, there is no superiority for anyone over another except in terms of piety. Allah Almighty says: {O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most noble of you before Allah is the most righteous among you. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.} [Surat al-Hujurāt: 13] Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has removed from you the pride of jāhiliyyah (ignorance) and its boasting in ancestors. One is only a pious believer or a wretched sinner. You are the children of Adam, and Adam came from dust." [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd (5116), At-Tirmidhi (3956), Al-Mu‘āfa ibn ‘Imrān in Az-Zuhd (147), Ibn Wahb in Al-Jāmi‘ (30), and Ahmad (8736)]
We believe that Allah created Adam from dust and created for him a spouse from himself, namely Eve; and He created all other people from a worthless fluid, except ‘Īsa (Jesus) (peace be upon him), for Allah created him from a mother and without a father. He informs about this in the Qur'an, saying: {[Remember] when the angels said: "O Mary, Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; honorable in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those near [to Allah]. He will speak to people in the cradle and in maturity, and he will be one of the righteous." She said: "My Lord, how can I have a child when no man has ever touched me?" He said: "Thus Allah creates what He wills. When He decrees something, He only says to it ‘Be’, and it is."} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 45-47]
We believe that ‘Īsa (peace be upon him) - though created in an exceptional way - is a servant and Messenger of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, says about him: {He was only a slave whom We favored and made him an example for the Children of Israel.} [Surat az-Zukhruf: 59] He was a human, who ate food, and was not a god. Allah Almighty says: {The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger. There were messengers who passed away before him, and His mother was a woman of truth; they both ate food. See how We make Our signs clear to them, yet see how they are deluded!} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 75]
We find in the Qur'an that Allah Almighty responds to those who claim that the Messiah is a god, with many proofs. For example, He says: {Allah has never begotten a son, nor is there any god besides Him. Otherwise, each god would have taken away what he had created, and each would have tried to gain supremacy over the other. Glory be to Allah far above what they ascribe to Him!} [Surat al-Mu’minūn: 91] He also says: {Those who say, "Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary," have certainly disbelieved. Say: "Who has the power to prevent Allah, if He chose to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary, his mother, and all those who are on earth?" To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth and everything between them. He creates what He wills, and Allah is Most Capable of all things.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 17]
We believe that Allah created people upon the natural disposition. He says: {Adhere sincerely to the true religion in all uprightness. This is the natural disposition with which Allah has created mankind. There is no change in Allah’s creation. This is the straight religion, but most people do not know.} [Surat ar-Rūm: 30] Ibn Zayd, Mujāhid, and ‘Ikrimah said: The natural disposition is Islam. [Tafsīr At-Tabari (20/98)]
Commenting on {There is no change in Allah’s creation}, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibrāhīm an-Nakha‘i, Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, Mujāhid, ‘Ikrimah, Qatādah, Ad-Dahhāq, and Ibn Zayd said: "That's: in Allah's religion." Also, Al-Bukhāri set a chapter in his Sahīh titled: {There is no change in Allah’s creation} in Allah's religion. {The custom of the former people}: the religion of the former people. The natural disposition: Islam".
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every child is born upon the natural disposition, and then his parents convert him to Judaism, Christianity, or Magianism, as an animal delivers a perfect baby animal. Do you find it mutilated?" Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) added: {This is the natural disposition with which Allah has created mankind. There is no change in Allah’s creation. This is the straight religion.} [Surat ar-Rūm: 30] [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (4775), Muslim (2658), Abu Dāwūd (4714), and At-Tirmidhi (2138)]
‘Iyād ibn Himār al-Mujāshi‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), while delivering a sermon one day, said: "Behold, my Lord commanded me that I should teach you that which you do not know and that which He taught me today: The property I have conferred upon a servant is lawful for him. I have created My servants with a natural inclination to the worship of Allah, but it is the devils who turn them away from the right religion and make unlawful for them what I have declared lawful, and they commanded them to associate partners with Me, without Me sending down any authority about that." [Narrated by Muslim (2865)]
We believe that Allah is in dispute with the deniers of the Resurrection and He reminds them that they were first created from dust. He says: {And he produced arguments against Us while forgetting his own creation. He says: "Who can give life to the bones after they have crumbled to dust?" Say: "The One Who created them in the first place will give life to them, for He has full knowledge of every created being."} [Surat Yāsīn: 78-79]
And He reminds them that He created them from a worthless fluid; so how could they be arrogant toward their Lord and deem it unlikely that they will be resurrected? Allah, Exalted be He, says: {Who perfected everything He created, and initiated the creation of man from clay. Then He made his progeny from the extract of a worthless fluid. Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His spirit. He granted you hearing, sight and intellect; yet little it is that you give thanks. They say: "What! Is it that when we are disintegrated into the earth, will we then be created anew?" Rather, they deny the meeting with their Lord. Say: "The angel of death, who is in charge of you, will take your souls, then to your Lord you will be brought back."} [Surat as-Sajdah: 7-11]
We believe that Allah's creation of people is a proof that He alone deserves to be worshiped. He says in the Qur’an: {O mankind, worship your Lord, Who created you and those before you, so that you may become righteous.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 21]
He informs us in other verses that Nūh (Noah) (peace be upon him) reminded his people that Allah created them in stages; so how could they not fear His majesty? Allah Almighty says: {What is the matter with you that you do not fear the Majesty of Allah, when He has created you in stages?} [Surat Nūh: 13-14]
People go through different conditions in the barzakh (the period between worldly life and the Hereafter) and the Hereafter, which we will present in detail, Allah Willing, in the Book of the Belief in the Last Day.