A successor on earth
Allah announces to the angels that He will place a successor on earth. They wonder at it; He answers: “I know what you do not know.”
… إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً …Adam
آدم
Adam
The first man, formed from clay, whom Allah taught the names of all things. The angels prostrated to him, except Iblis. After the lapse and the departure from the garden, Adam received words of repentance from his Lord, and they were accepted.
His story, step by step
Each step links to the passage of the Quran that recalls it.
The names of all things
Formed from clay, Adam receives from Allah the knowledge of the names of all things — which the angels themselves do not know.
وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلْأَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا …
The prostration, and Iblis's refusal
At Allah's command the angels prostrate to Adam, all but Iblis, who refuses out of pride.
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ ٣٤
The garden, and the tree
Adam and his wife dwell in the garden and may eat freely of it — except one tree, which they must not approach.
وَقُلْنَا يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ٣٥
The lapse
Deceived by Satan, they eat from the tree; their nakedness appears to them, and they cover themselves with leaves of the garden.
فَأَكَلَا مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۚ وَعَصَىٰٓ ءَادَمُ رَبَّهُۥ فَغَوَىٰ ١٢١
The repentance
They turn to their Lord: “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves…” And Allah accepts their repentance.
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ ٢٣
The descent to earth
They descend to earth, with a promise: whoever follows the guidance that comes from Allah will have neither fear nor grief.
قُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ٣٨
His account in the Quran
by Mishary Al Afasi