I read somewhere that Hz. Azrail brought soil from different places for the dough of Hz. Adam. Will you explain it?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It was discussed by Muslims linguists from what language the word Adam was transferred and from what root it was derived.

Most of the linguists claim that it is of Arabic origin and that it is derived from al-udma (الأدمة), which means “brownness” or from al-adama, which means “protoype; sample”.

According to another view, it is derived from the word al-adima, which means “the exterior surface of something” (in general as adimatul-ard “the surface of the earth”). As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a narration that is generally regarded as sound: “Allah created Adam from a handful which he took from the whole of the earth; so, the children of Adam are in accordance with the earth; they have different characteristics.” (see Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 16; Tirmidhi, Tafsir, 2/1; Musnad, IV, 400, 406)

When Allah Almighty wanted to created Adam (1), he addressed the earth as follows:

"I will create a people from you; some of them will obey Me and some will disobey. I will send those who obey Me to Paradise and those who disobey Me to Hell."

Then (2), He sent Jibril to the earth (3) to take a handful of soil (4), mud from it. The earth said to Jibril,  

"I take refuge in Allah from your taking something from me and making me bad.  (5) I do not want you to take anything from me because Allah will create a people from me and this people will disobey Him. Allah will punish me because of them." (6)

Thereupon, Jibril returned without taking anything from the earth (7). He said,

"O Lord! When the earth took refuge in You, I allowed him. (8) I did not regard it appropriate to insist and to force it." (9)

After that, Allah Almighty sent Hz. Mikail (Michael). (10) The earth told him the same things as he said to Jibril. (11) It took refuge in Allah from what he would do. Mikail allowed him. (12) When the earth took refuge in Allah from something being taken from him (13), Mikail returned without taking anything from it (14) to Allah and said the same things as Jibril said to him. Thereupon, Allah sent the angel of death to the earth. (15) When the earth took refuge from the thing he would take (16) in Allah (17), the angel of death said,

"I took refuge in Allah from returning to him without having fulfilled His order." (18)

He took what he was to take from the earth but he did not take from only one place. (19) He took from red, white and black soil (20) and mixed them. (21) Thus, since Aadam was created from the soil taken from the earth, he was named "Adam". (22)

References:

(1) Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27.
(2) Thalabi-Arais p.26.
(3) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.2,p.342, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.85.
(4) Thalabi-Arais p.26.
(5) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.2,p.342, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.85.
(6) Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol..2.p.342.
(7) Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30, Thalabi-Arais p.26, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27
(8) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30 ,Ibn Asakir-Tarikh,Vol.2,p.342, Ibn Athir-Kamil, Vol.1,p.27, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.85.
(9) Thalabi-Arais p.26.
(10) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Mas'udi-Muruj. Vol.1,p.30, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh. Vol.2,p.342,Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.86.
(11) Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.2,p.342
(12) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27,Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.86
(13) Thalabi-Arais p.26
(14) Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30, Thalabi-Arais p.26
(15) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30, Thalabi-Arais p.26, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.1,p.342, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.86
(16) Thalabi-Arais p.26
(17) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Mas'udi-Murujudh-Dhahab Vol.1,p.30, Thalabi-Arais p.26. Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.1,p.342, Ibn Athir-al-Kamil Vol.1,p.27, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.86
(18) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1, p-45, Mas'udi-Muruj. Vol.l.p.30, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.2,p.342,lbn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.27,Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.86
(19) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p. 45-46, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.2,s,342, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1.p.28, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1.p.86, Ibn Sad-Tabaqat d,p.26, Ahmad b. Hanbal-Musnad Vol.4,p.400, Abu Dawud-Sunan Vol.4.p.222, Tirmidhi-Sunan Vol. 5, p. 204.
(20) Tabari-Tarikh d,p.46,Mas’udi-Muruj, Vol.1,p.30, Ibn Asakir Tarikh Vol.2,p.342, Ibn Athsir-Kamil Vol.1,p.28, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.1,p.86.
(21) Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.45, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.2,p.342, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.28, Abulfida-al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya Vol.l.p.86
(22) Ibn Sa'd-Tabaqat Vol.1,p.26, Tabari-Tarikh Vol.1,p.46 Mas'udi-Muruj. Vol.1,p.3O, Ibn Asakir-Tarikh Vol.2,p.341,343, Suhayli-Rawdul-Unuf Vol.1,p.82, Abulfarad ibn Jawzi-Tabsira Vol.1,p.14, Ibn Athir-Kamil Vol.1,p.28.

(M. Asım Köksal, Peygamberler Tarihi, Hz. Adem)

Questions on Islam