THE BEGINNING OF MAN

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Category: Hadhrat Aadam (alayhis salaam)

Created: Friday, 12 September 2014 15:39

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Q.     I am plagued by severe doubts about the beginning of mankind. How is it possible to believe that besides Adam and Hawwa there were no other humans? If they were the only human beings, who was the wife of his first son and husband for his first daughter?

 A.     It suffices to know that Allah Ta’ala created Aadam and Hawwaa (alayhis salaam) and that they were the first of the human race to appear on earth. It is incumbent to accept and believe this much. Denial of this fact is kufr. Thereafter in which manner Allah Ta’ala spread out people on earth does not matter. The fact remains that people are existing and the only Creator is Allah Ta’ala.

 However, we shall endeavour to answer your doubts in this regard. The first children to be born to Aadam (alayhis salaam) were a set of twins (one male and one female). The male’s name was Qaabeel and the female’s name Qaleemah. Thereafter sets of twins were born in rapid succession by the permission and power of Allah Ta’ala. Aadam (alayhis salaam) had a total of 20 sets of twins, each set having a male and a female. The last of them was Abdul Mugheeth and his sister Ummul Mugheeth. The second son of Aadam (alayhis salaam) was Haabeel and the third son was Sheeth (alayhis salaam). By the time Aadam (alayhis salaam) died there were 400,000 people on earth. The sons and daughters of Aadam (alayhis salaam) were blessed with numerous children and each family reproduced in quick succession. Nabi Aadam’s age was approximately 1,000 years.

 Many names of the children of Aadam (alayhis salaam) appear in the Tauraah.

 In order to start the process of procreation, Allah Ta’ala, in the beginning permitted marriage between the sons and daughters of Aadam (alayhis salaam). However, in that first system of marriage, the female and male of the same set of twins could not marry each other. The male of one set of twins married the female of another set of twins. After a while when a sufficient number of families was established in this way, Allah Ta’ala prohibited this system of marriage.

 When Nabi Nooh (alayhis salaam) embarked on the ship during the great flood, there were approximately 70 people on board. The question of how mankind again started after the Flood, therefore should not pose any riddle. Among these persons were the three sons of Nooh (alayhis salaam). Saam was the progenitor of the Arab or Semitic race; Haam was the father of Habash or the African race and Yaafith was the Father of Unaan-e-Awwal or the Greeks. These sons spread out into different parts of the world. Each of these sons had three sons who also spread out.

 This is an outline of the development and spread of mankind on earth.

 With regard to the great Flood, one reliable view is that all people inhabiting the world at that time were not destroyed. Only the people of a particular region were destroyed.

 According to the Qur’aan, Allah Ta’ala had decreed the year to have twelve months from the very beginning of Aadam’s time. While we have not yet seen any narrations on the names of the days and months, it will be safe to presume that these names were decreed by Allah Ta’ala. Aadam (alayhis salaam) was the most perfect and most intelligent and knowledgeable man. He appeared on earth in the most perfect state. He was not an ignorant ‘cave-man’. He was instructed in all worldly affairs, including farming, preparing food, sewing garments, etc. by Jibraeel (alayhis salaam). Thus all subsequent developments in every field of life have their origins in the Ta’leem of Nabi Aadam (alayhis salaam).

 We advise that you increase your Thikr of Allah Ta’ala. Recite the Thikr of La ilaha illallaahu constantly and in abundance. Insha’Allah, your heart will open up and you will understand that these issues pertaining to the distant past history of mankind are irrelevant for the purpose of gaining nearness to Allah Ta’ala. Precisely for this reason does the Qur’aan not concern itself with the details of historical events.

 May Allah Ta’ala guide you and ourselves..