From the story of Ādam (عليه السلام) holds many benefits, and one could learn a lot from his story. This article will explain three benefits from the story of Ādam (عليه السلام), as taken from Sheikh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Saʿdī's (رحمه الله) book, The Stories of the Prophets, with minor changes to the original wording, ʾIn shāʾ Allāh.
The monumental story of Ādam has been mentioned by Allāh in many places within His book clearly, and without any uncertainty. And it is from the greatest stories commonly known by the Messengers and revealed in the divine revelations. It is part of the firm belief of the followers of the Prophets from the first of them to the last.
This continued to be the case, until the emergence in recent times of an evil, heretical group that rejected the messages of the Messengers, they also rejected the existence of a creator and refused to affirm any form of knowledge apart from the science of nature that they have come to understand through their limited amount of understanding.
And based on this methodology which is the farthest from the truth, whether it is legislatively or intellectually, they denied the existence of Ādam and Hawwā and anything Allāh and His Messenger have mentioned about them. They falsely claim that the human was once an animal in the form of a monkey or resembled a monkey before the human developed into his current form.
These individuals are deceived by their erroneous theories that are built upon a belief in concepts that are fundamentally corrupt. They forsake every accurate science for the sake of their false ideology, especially the knowledge that came to them via the Messengers. Allāh says in the Qurʾān, which is true in their regard:
"Then when the Messengers came to them with clear proofs, they were glad (and proud) with that which they had of the knowledge (of worldly things): And that at which they used to mock surrounded them (i.e. the punishment)." (1)
Their affair is obvious to all Muslims and to all those who affirm the existence of a Creator whilst the Muslims know that they are the most misguided of groups. However, some effects and branches of this atheistic methodology have crept into the minds of some Muslims. As it has become obvious that a group of them have explained the prostration performed by the Angels before Ādam (عليه السلام) to mean the domination of their kind to mankind, they also deem that the natural resources and minerals and similar materials have been made easier by Allāh for mankind, and according to them, this is the meaning of the prostration of the Angels (I ask Allāh to protect us from this claim).
Without a doubt, to the believer in Allāh and the Last Day, that this belief is an extension from that nonsensical ideology, it is also a corruption of the Book of Allāh and there is not any difference between it and between the distortions of al-Bāṭiniyyah (an atheistic ideology that holds that the texts of the legislation have a hidden and apparent meaning) and al-Qarāmiṭah (a destructive movement of al-Bāṭiniyyah).
The amazing virtue of knowledge, and the fact that when the virtue of Ādam (عليه السلام) became clear to the Angels due to his knowledge, they acknowledged his superiority by way of this and his entitlement of high regard and honor.
Whoever has been granted the favor of knowledge by Allāh should acknowledge the blessings of Allāh upon him and should say as the Angels and the Messengers said:
"Far elevated from any imperfection You are, we possessed no knowledge except what You have taught us."
One should also avoid speaking about something he does not have any knowledge of, this is from the most dangerous of actions. Indeed, knowledge is from the greatest favor, and gratification of this favor is to realize it is from Allāh, to praise Him for giving it to you, teaching it to the ignorant, limiting himself to what he has been given of knowledge and remaining silent regarding what he does not know.
Allāh made this story as something for us to reflect on, and that envy, arrogance and greed are from the most destructive mannerisms for an individual. The arrogance of Iblīs (Devil) and his envy towards Ādam (عليه السلام) led him to this state we are aware of, and the strong interest of Ādam and his wife Hawwā led them to eat from the tree after they were forbidden from doing so. If the mercy of Allāh didn't encompass them, they would have steered themselves to destruction, but the mercy of Allāh completes the incomplete, compensates for deficiencies, saves the doomed and raises the fallen.
I ask Allāh to allow us to benefit completely from this story and allow us to act upon it, and may Allāh have abundant mercy upon Sheikh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Saʿdī.
May Allāh bless you, and shukran.
Sources :
1. Qurʾān 40:83