The Sequence of the Central Elements of the Story of Adam

The central elements of the story of Adam (a.s.) consist of events with clear precedence and subsequence, while for others, determining their order is less straightforward. The divine consultative discourse and deliberation with the angels stand prominently at the forefront of the narrative. The creation of Adam’s body falls within the realm of nature and history, with a temporal sequence evident between stages such as clay, aged mud, clay like pottery, and proportioning. The evolutionary process is acknowledged, as sudden leaps are considered impossible, though the evolution does not necessarily have to follow an ordinary path; the principle of evolution can be maintained without adhering strictly to its conventional course.

The breathing of the spirit occurred after the physical proportioning, and the intellectual existence of the human spirit precedes the natural world. However, debates exist regarding whether the spirit is eternal and originated or if it is bodily in origination and spiritual in subsistence.

After the breathing of the spirit and the emergence of Adam, the concept of vicegerency was realized in a potential state; that is, a being was created with the capacity for divine vicegerency. Following the teaching of the beautiful names of God, this vicegerency transitioned from a distant potentiality to one near actualization. When the names were presented to the angels, and they expressed their inability to inform about them, Adam was commanded to disclose them. Upon Adam’s manifestation of the names, the vicegerency reached its full actuality.

Once the actual vicegerency was complete, the command was issued for all to prostrate before God’s vicegerent. The angels obeyed this command, while Iblīs refused. The obedient angels, through their compliance, maintained their high station of divine proximity and continued to be honored by God. In contrast, the rebellious Satan, enveloped in the darkness of ignorance and folly, suffered a humiliating descent from that elevated position.

Adam (a.s.), as a test subject, entered a realm that, despite its prosperity and perfection, was not safeguarded against the harm of Satan’s temptations. His susceptibility to Satan’s lures, coupled with his experience of error and lapse, occurred without compromising his dignity and infallibility. This led to his purposeful descent to Earth, marking the beginning of the process of revelation, prophethood, and messengership.

The narrative of this story and its historical sequence, as presented in the Qur’anic verses, aligns with the previously mentioned arrangement. However, the critical point is that elements within the natural realm are bound by temporal sequences, making their historical order rationally unproblematic. In contrast, elements within the supernatural realm, while having their own intrinsic order, are immune to being framed by historical precedence and temporal sequence. Nonetheless, these elements can be articulated in the language of natural addressees using terms that convey a sense of historicity, suggest a specific time, or locate them within a particular place.