Q & A – THE BEGINNING OF MAN

THE BEGINNING OF MAN

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.

Awake