Question

I have read in Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d that Adam (‘alayhis salam) was named ‘Adam’ due to him being created from ‘أديم الأرض’ ie. surface of the earth. Is this correct?

 

Answer

There are numerous narrations which state that Adam (‘alayhis salam) was created from the surface of the earth. Sayyiduna Abu Musa Al Ash’ari (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Indeed Allah Ta’ala created Adam from a handful that He took from all of the earth. Hence the children of Adam are in accordance [to the various different colours] of the earth, some of them red, some white, some black and some in between..”

(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2955, Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 4660. Declared authentic by Imam Tirmidhi, Imam Ibn Hibban; Al Ihsan, Hadith: 6160, Imam Hakim in Mustadrak, vol. 2 pg. 261/2 and Hafiz Dhahabi concurs)

 

Regarding the narration in question, which states that Adam (‘alayhis salam) was named Adam due to him being created from the surface of the earth; This has been recorded by Imam Ibn Sa’d as the statement of Sayyiduna Sa’id ibn Jubayr (radiyallahu ‘anhu) and other Sahabah. The narration should be quoted as such.

(Tabaqat Ibn Sa’d, vol. 1 pg. 23)

 

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

 

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

 

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar

 

Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar