Adam is the first human being and the first prophet of Allah. Created from clay and honored with the divine breath, he was established as Allah's vicegerent on earth. His descent from paradise after the trial with Iblis marks the beginning of human history.
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Chapter 1 — Creation and the Divine Breath
Before creating Adam, Allah announced to the angels His intention to place a vicegerent on earth. Astonished, the angels asked: "Will You place therein one who will cause corruption and shed blood?" Allah answered with His infinite wisdom: "I know that which you do not know." Allah shaped Adam from clay gathered from every region of the earth — which is why the children of Adam are so different in nature. Then Allah breathed into him of His Spirit, and Adam became alive, conscious, endowed with intelligence and speech. This unique creation established the fundamental dignity of the human being: honored beyond every other visible creature. Allah taught Adam the names of all things, granting him knowledge that the angels did not possess. When Allah asked the angels to state these names, they were unable to. Adam, however, recited them all. This scene reveals Adam's prophetic mission: to be the transmitter of divine knowledge on earth, the first link in a long chain of prophets.