The story of the beginning

Mohammad Al-Bedaiwi Austin Network for Islamic Studies ANIS

http://www.AustinMuslims.org

mohammad@AustinMuslims.org
This file can be downloaded from ANIS site at: http://www.AustinMuslims.org

Topics

Introduction About the Quran & Some Quran Recitation The Story of the Beginning & the beliefs it addresses

Monotheism Gods Plan for Man & Mans Relationship to/with God The value & the duty of Man The Original Sin The Fall of Man Repentance and the path for Salvation

Classical Practices

Testimony, Prayers, Fasting, Charity, Pilgrimage Allah, The Angles, The Holy Books, the Prophets, The Day of Judgment, Destiny Q&A

Classical Beliefs

Al-Quran

Al-Quran: Islams Holy Book Its the literal word of God It was revealed to prophet Mohammad via angel Gibreel (Gabriel) over 23 years - Mohammad was illiterate! Its 114 Chapters, vary in length. (604 pages, 6,236 verses) Its in Arabic. There are translations in all different languages. - Translation is not a Quran!

The Opening
Surat Al- Fatiha (Chapter 1, The Opening)

1. In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Clement. 2. All Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. 3. The Beneficent, The Clement;

4. Master of the Day of Judgment.

5. You alone we worship, and you alone we seek for help. 6. Guide us to the straight path

7. The path of those upon whom you bestowed your favors; not the path of those upon whom your wrath is brought down, or those who went astray

Surat Al Hadeed (Iron) Chapter 57

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Clement

1. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Allah. He is the Mighty, the Wise

2. His is the Sovereignty of the heavens and the earth; He ordains life and death; and has power over all things.

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3

3. He is the First and the Last and the Outward and the Inward; and He is knower of all things.

Surat Al Hadeed (Iron) Chapter 57

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4. He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days and he mounted on the throne (in a way that befits his majesty). He knows all that enters the earth and all that emerges from it; all that comes down from the sky and all that ascends in it; and he is with you whosesoever you may be; And Allah is Seer of what you do. 5. His is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Him will all things return 6. He causes the night to pass into the day, and the day to pass into the night. And he has knowledge of what is in the hearts

Surat Al Hadeed (Iron) Chapter 57

7. Believe in Allah and his Messenger, and give charity of which he has made you to inherit; for whoever of you believes and gives alms (charity) will be richly rewarded.

8. And what cause have you not to believe in Allah; when his Messenger calls you to have faith in your Lord; and he has already made a covenant with you, if you are true believers

9. He is who sends down clear revelations (signs) to his servant, so that he may lead you out of the darkness into the light; Allah is Compassionate and Merciful to you.

Story of Adam in the Quran & the Bible

Quran Stories are different from the Bible Stories

~ same personalities, similar events but with significant differences different meanings ~ original meaning?

Example:
~ Story of Adam ~ Noah ~ Joseph

The Story of Adam

The story of the Creation of Adam in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

The intent is not to minimize the meaning of the story for it has many different meanings & wide different interpretations

In Judaism:

The story represents the fall of man from High to Low

In Christianity:
Added special perspective in that the fall of man with sinful life Christianity theology regarding God

Fall of Man according to wikipedia

In Abrahamic religion, the Fall of Man, the Story of the Fall, or simply, the Fall, refers to man's transition from a state of innocence to a state of knowing only dualities such as "good and bad" or "life and death". The cause of this Fall was disobedience to God. The result of it was that man was no longer to remain in the Garden of Eden, to avoid him from eating from the Tree of Life too and thus regain the immortality he had just lost. In the first book of the Jewish and Christian Bibles, Genesis, Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, are created by God in His own image from the soil of the earth, are given the breath of life, and becomes living souls. God places them in his Garden of Eden and makes only one rule that they do not eat fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (often symbolized in European art and literature as an apple tree). A serpent persuades Eve to eat fruit from the forbidden tree. Christians traditionally identify the serpent as Satan, while Muslims say it collaborated with Satan. Eve shares the fruit with Adam and immediately they come to a knowledge of shame for their own nakedness. God punishes them by expelling them from the Garden of Eden. God's punishment extends to Adam and Eve's descendants, who must strive, suffer, and die. Women, in particular, are cursed to suffer in childbirth. Men are cursed to labor. Unlike Jews and Muslims, Christians traditionally understand the Fall as degenerating the natural world and causing humans to be born into original sin. The condition of original sin is said to make humans unable to make themselves holy enough to attain eternal life. According to Christian tradition, only the unmerited forgiveness made possible by Jesus Christ's self-sacrifice can overcome original sin and bring people into eternal life.

Adam story in Islam

The story location in the Quran

Quran starts with Surat Alfatiha

Prayer and supplication for guidence Surat al-Baqara Respond to the supplication:

1. Alif Lam Meem 2. This is the book that has no doubt in it is Guidance for those who are God Conscious. Followed by Proclamation from God.

Story of Adam
30 Behold, your Lord said to the Angles, I will create a vicegerent (a representative) on earth. They said: will you place therein one who will make mischief (spread corruption) and shed blood? While we celebrate your praises and glorify your holy name? He said: I know what you do not know

Story of Adam

Notes:
Adam was not created yet! And God intends to put him on Earth. The journey of Man on earth is not punishment : it according to Gods plan. What we call as the fall of man is really Gods Plan!

Story of Adam

A look at the questions:

will you place therein one who will make mischief (spread corruption) and shed blood? Who is asking? What do we think of Angels? Hard questions built in the Angels question:

Why create a creation that will suffer? Why a wise God will do such thing? If God is so merciful and compassionate: why he makes me suffer? Why He did not create me as an angel? Why He did not place me in Heaven & paradise already?

The atheist questions?

The Quran constantly shock you with such questions to make you think!

Story of Adam

I know what you dont know

Did God answer the question? Only fools who do not understand the Quran think that God did not answer the question! If the Quran did not answer this important question: why did it even state it?

Story of Adam
.31 31. And He taught Adam the names of all things. And then He placed them (the things) before the Angeles and said: Tell me their names if what you said is true (if you are right)?

Story of Adam

Notes:

The new creation has the ability to be taught! Throughout the Quran, God places extreme emphasis on this concept.

Over 800 times the word Knowledge and its derivatives are stated in the Quran

A gift of intelligence ~ that the Angels did not have. To Name things: not just a language, not a parrot that repeats things but the ability to communicate, verbalize Symbols, concepts, ideas and communicate feelings if what you said is true (if you are right)? God is answering the question!

Story of Adam
.32 32. And they said: Glory to you, we have no knowledge except that you taught us. In truth it is you who are perfect in knowledge and wisdom

Story of Adam

Notes:
The angels admit that they lack the tools and the knowledge to name things and verbalize it. The angles: we cannot do it! We are limited In truth it is you who are perfect in knowledge and wisdom: The angles state: to do such things: that needs wisdom and Knowledge.

Story of Adam
.32 32. And He said: O Adam, tell them their names. And he (Adam) told them their names. And the Lord said: Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth and I know what you reveal and what you conceal

Story of Adam

Notes:
Is this not a partial response to the question? Through out the Quran one will be forced to dwell and think of such questions. Verse after verse God reveals him self and describe to us him self through his Attributes

Names / Attributes of Allah

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. The Most Compassionate The Merciful The King Most Holy All Peaceful The Granter of security The Protector The Mighty The Compeller The Majestic The Creator The Maker The Shaper The Forgiver The One Who Subdues 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. The One Who Bestows The Provider The Opener The All-Knowing The Withholder The Expander The One Who Abases The Exalter The One Who Bestows Honor The One Who Humiliates The All Hearing The All Seeing The Judge The Equitable The Gentle

Names / Attributes of Allah

31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. The All-Aware The Forbearing The Incomparably Great The Forgiving The Appreciative The Most High The Most Great The Preserver The Sustainer The One Who Reckons The Majestic The Generous The Watchful The Responsive The All Embracing The Wise The Loving One The Most Glorious

49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66.

The One Who Resurrects The Witness The Truth The Ultimate Trustee The Most Strong The Authoritative The Protector The Praiseworthy The Appraiser The Originator The Restorer of life The Giver of life The Causer of death The Ever Living The Self Existing The Self Sufficient The Glorified The Unique

Names / Attributes of Allah

67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. The One The Eternal The Able The Powerful The Expediter The Delayer The First The Last The Manifest The Hidden The Governor The Most Exalted The Source of Goodness The Acceptance of Repentance The Avenger The Pardoner The Most Kind 84. The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty 85. The Lord of Majesty and Honor 86. The Just 87. The Gatherer 88. The All Sufficient 89. The One Who Enriches 90. The One Who Prevents 91. The Afflicter 92. The One Who Benefits 93. The Light 94. The Guide 95. The Originator 96. The Ever Lasting 97. The Ultimate Inheritor 98. The Guide 99. The Patient

Story of Adam
.34 34. And your Lord said to the Angels: Bow down to Adam (in respect); and the Angels bowed down to Adam, except Iblis, he refused and was proud and he was among the rejecters.

Story of Adam

Notes:

The angels are now commanded to bow to Adam in respect. Now, Adam with his intellect the ability to recognize God is superior to Angles. The angels follow Gods Command except Iblis. Who is Iblis?

Satan Shaytan Lucifer The Quran tells us that he was not created as an Angel but created from Fire. He was a Jinn Much like fiery self, he has firey nature Destructive consuming pride, envy and arrogance. God warns Adam (and us) from following his whisper. The Quran talks a lot about Iblis warning us that he will not stop to move us away from Gods Path.

Story of Adam
.35 35. And we said: O Adam, dwell you and your spouse into the garden and eat freely thereof; but not come next to this tree for you will be among the wrongdoers.

Story of Adam

Notes:

What Tree?

Arbitrary command

Adam is given Free Will and the tree represents a Moral Choice.

Adam can choose to disobey God with Gods Knowledge and Permission and according to Gods plan!

Story of Adam
.36 36. But Iblis caused them to slip and expelled them from the state in which they were. And we said: get All of you down (all humanity and satanic influences) with enmity between you. On earth will be your dwelling place and provision for a time.

Story of Adam

How does Iblis come to us?

In Chapter 7 in the quran:

Iblis comes to Adam AND his wife from the same door The door of knowledge & the door of perfection Iblis: If you disobey this little command, you will have more knowledge you will be like an Angle! & you will always be obedient to God! Isnt knowledge and obedience to God are desirable things?

Hint: Dont get desirable things no matter what they are at the expense of disobeying God the All Mighty!

Story of Adam

And we said: get All of you down (all humanity and satanic influences) with enmity between you. On earth will be your dwelling place and provision for a time. Is this a punishment? Or is it a realization to Gods plan? It is NOT a punishment

Story of Adam

God is preparing Man (to be vicegerent on earth)

Teaching him Developing him Developing his intellectual skills Gives Man Free Will and the ability to Choose and even to repel against God Presented man with a Moral Choice, and once Adam and his wife makes the first error, it signals the start of the journey on earth.

Story of Adam
.37 37. Then Adam received from his Lord certain words and his Lord turned to him in Mercy for he is All Forgiving, All Merciful.

Story of Adam

Certain words

Words of consolation, promise of Guidance, and promise of repentance.

Some Orientals: Quran miss the point of the story!! The most significant difference to the bible Asking such question comes only from cultural and religious bias

And his Lord turned to him in Mercy

God Knows Adam! He (the All knowing, the Wise) just created him. God Knows that Adam will error Error is a tool of teaching! Is it not?

Story of Adam
.38 38. And we said: Go down All of you from here, but surely there will come to you guidance from me; and whoever follows my Guidance, on them will be no fear nor shall they grieve.

Story of Adam
.39 39. But those who are rejecters (of God, Guidance) and give lie to our signs, they are the people of the fire they shall abide therein.

Conclusions of the Story of Adam

Gods Plan to create Adam on earth

Man is a creature of Intellect Man is a creature of Choice Man will error, and will feel pain, suffering, agony, and hardship

The Purpose of Creation

Read the Quran!

In Time (God Makes an Oath!) All Man is in Loss! Except for those who are Amanoo ( Find Faith, Trust, Security) in God and who do good, an teach Iman (faith, trust, security) and patience.

The Purpose of Creation

Believe
Know the creator Amanoo: to find Faith, Security and Trust

Do righteous deeds Teach Faith Teach Patience

Summary

The Original Sin The Fall of Man The path for Salvation The path of God The expiation of Sins The sacrifice

Some Classical Practices

Prayer

Prayer vs. Supplication

Fasting Charity Pilgrimage Jihad

Other Beliefs

The Angels The Holy Books The Prophets The Day of Judgment

Q&A