Aslam

Before there was any human on earth, Allah announced to the angels that He would place a khalifah — a vicegerent — upon the earth. The angels questioned this, wondering why He would place there one who would cause corruption and shed blood, while they glorified and praised Him. But Allah said: "I know what you do not know."

Allah then created Adam from clay, shaping him with His own hands, and breathed into him from His spirit. He taught Adam the names of all things — knowledge that even the angels did not possess. When Allah asked the angels to name these things, they could not, and admitted they had no knowledge except what He had taught them. But when Adam was asked, he named them all. Allah then commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam, and they all did — except Iblis.

Iblis, full of pride, refused to bow. When Allah asked him why, he said: "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay." For this arrogance, Iblis was cast out and cursed until the Day of Judgement. But Iblis made a vow — he would sit in wait on the straight path and come at mankind from every direction, leading them astray.

Allah warned Adam and his wife to dwell in Paradise and eat freely from wherever they wished, but not to approach one tree, or they would be among the wrongdoers.

But Shaytan whispered to them both. He told Adam and his wife that Allah had only forbidden the tree because eating from it would make them angels or give them eternal life. He swore to them that he was a sincere advisor.

When they ate from the tree, their shame became apparent to them and they began covering themselves with leaves from Paradise. Allah called out to them — had He not forbidden them from that tree and told them that Shaytan was an open enemy?

They replied with words that would echo through all of human history: "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."

Allah forgave Adam. He chose him, turned to him in mercy, and guided him. Then He sent them down to earth, telling them that from it they were created, to it they would return, and from it they would be brought out once more.