Page 67 - World Religions I - Islam

• Muslims reject the common belief that Islam began with Muhammad in Mecca, since the Qur'an claims that
Muhammad was simply the last prophet who preached the same faith that Adam preached to his children.
• The Qur'an appears to contradict itself in this point as Muhammad claimed several times to be the first Muslim
(6:14, 6:163, 39:11-12). There is some debate amongst scholars as to the meaning of the term "first" in these
passages.
 The Qur'an mentions 25 named prophets and references key elements of their role in Islam.
o Muslims believe that many prophets existed, including many not mentioned in the Qur'an. Aside from the
25 named prophets in the Qur'an, four others are mentioned but not named.21 Other prophets have been
mentioned by scholars in the Hadith, exegesis, and commentary, including Samuel, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Seth, Shem, and Abel.
• While some prophets are only briefly mentioned in the Qur'an, others contain many references or notable
attributes.
o Adam
 Adam was the first human being, the first Muslim, and the first prophet.22 There is some
confusion in the Qur'an as to who is the first Muslim. Some verses in the Qur'an suggest that it was
Abraham (2:132), or Moses (7:143), or Muhammad (39:12).
 Muslims consider with reverence Adam's role as the father of the human race along with Eve, known
as the "mother of mankind".
 According to the Qur'an, God created mankind out of clay, shaped it into a form, and then
commanded the 23 angels to bow in submission to Adam. Why is Allah commanding the angels to
bow down to Adam, a creature, when it is absolutely forbidden to do so in Islam? Even if it is
argued that the prostration signified respect and not worship, then why are such acts of respect
forbidden in Islam today?
o "Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: 'I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud
moulded into shape. When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of
My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him.' So, the angels prostrated themselves, all of them
together." - Al-Hijr (Stoneland) 15:28-30
o In whose image was Adam created? Some Hadiths claim that Adam was created in God's
image, while others claim that Adam was made in the slave's image (which underscores the
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concept of a religion based on submission).
 All the angels bowed except Iblis (Lucifer), who refused out of pride and was banished from
heaven. There is some dispute on the nature of Iblis/Satan, which is investigated in Session 13.
o "Not so Iblis: he refused to be among those who prostrated themselves. (Allah) said: 'O Iblis!
what is your reason for not being among those who prostrated themselves?' (Iblis) said: 'I am not
one to prostrate myself to man, whom Thou didst create from sounding clay, from mud moulded
into shape.' (Allah) said: 'Then get thee out from here; for thou art rejected, accursed.'"
 In the Garden (presumably in Heaven), Iblis (later known - Al-Hijr (Stoneland) 15:31-34 as Shaytan),
convinced Adam and Eve to disobey God by eating from the forbidden tree. Muslims don't believe in
original sin, and claim it is unfair that mankind is punished because of Adam's sin. And yet Adam's sin in
the Qur'an clearly impacts all future generations of mankind (Surah 2:36), a concept corroborated by
the Hadith (Muslim 1:380; Al-Bukhari 8:77:611).
o As punishment, God sends Adam and Eve to Earth to dwell.25
o Muslim scholars contend that "the responsibility of the sin [of disobeying God and eating the
fruit] lies not with man but with Iblis, the Devil, who tempted Adam."26
 According to the Hadith, Muhammad claimed that Adam was 60 cubits tall (90 ft / 27.4 m), and
that the height of human beings has continued to diminish since then.27 28
o The Hadith states that mankind will be restored to its original height of 60 cubits upon entering
Paradise. Essentially Adam was five times taller than the tallest animal currently living on earth

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