The Creation of Adam, Rebellion of the Accuser, and the Fall

God forms man from dust and breathes life into him; no command for angels to worship or prostrate before Adam is mentioned in the biblical text.

“Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

Michael brings Adam before the angels and commands them to worship the image of the Lord God; Satan refuses, claiming seniority.

“And Michael went out and called all the angels saying: 'Worship the image of the Lord God, as the Lord God hath commanded.' And Michael himself worshipped first; then he called me and said: 'Worship the image of God the Lord.' And I answered, 'I have no (need) to worship Adam.' And since Michael kept urging me to worship, I said to him, 'Why urgest thou me? I need not worship one lesser and later than me. I am prior to him in creation; before he was made was I already made. He ought to worship me.'”

Allah creates mankind and commands the angels to prostrate before Adam; Iblis refuses, stating he is superior because he was made of fire and Adam of clay.

“And We created you, then fashioned you, then told the angels: Fall down prostrate before Adam! And they fell prostrate, all save Iblis, who was not in the number of those who made prostration. He said: What hindered thee that thou didst not fall prostrate when I bade thee? (Iblis) said: I am better than him. Thou createdst me of fire while him Thou didst create of mud.”

The serpent deceives the woman with the promise that their eyes will be opened and they will be like God; the woman eats first and gives to her husband.

“The serpent said to the woman, 'You won't surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' When the woman saw that the tree was good for food... she took some of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.”

The devil explicitly explains that his hatred and deception of Adam stems from being cast down from heaven on Adam's account.

“And the Lord God was wroth with me and banished me and my angels from our glory; and on thy account were we expelled from our abodes into this world and hurled on the earth... and it grieved me when I saw thee in such joy and luxury. And with guile I cheated thy wife and caused thee to be expelled through her from thy joy and luxury, as I have been driven out of my glory.”

Satan whispers to both Adam and his wife, swearing by Allah that he is a sincere advisor and promising eternity or angelic status; both eat together.

“Then Satan whispered unto them that he might manifest unto them that which was hidden from them of their shame, and he said: Your Lord forbade you from this tree only lest ye should become angels or become of the immortals. And he swore unto them (saying): Lo! I am a sincere adviser unto you. Thus did he lead them on with guile. And when they tasted of the tree their shame was manifest to them...”

God pronounces curses on the serpent, the woman (pain in childbearing), and the man (toil on cursed ground); they are driven from Eden lest they eat from the Tree of Life.

“To the woman he said, 'I will greatly multiply your pain, having children. In pain you will bear children...' To Adam he said... 'Cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life... for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.' Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden...”

Adam and Eve engage in extreme penance (standing in the Jordan and Tigris rivers) seeking God's mercy; Satan tempts Eve a second time during her penance.

“And Adam said to Eve: 'Stand in the river Jordan, and let not the water go over thy neck... but I will stand in the river Tigris forty days.'”

Adam receives words of revelation from his Lord and repents; Allah accepts his repentance on the spot; mankind descends to earth with guidance and an uncorrupted innate nature (fitrah).

“They said: Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, surely we are of the lost! ... Then Adam received from his Lord words (of revelation), and He relented toward him. Lo! He is the Relenting, the Merciful.”