Adam, the first man and first prophet of Islam

Adam

Deeds and Intentions

"Deeds are judged only by intentions, and each person shall have only what he intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration was for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated to gain something of this world or to marry a woman, his emigration was for that which he emigrated to."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Religion Is Sincerity

"Religion is sincerity (an-nasihah)." We said: "To whom?" He said: "To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the leaders of the Muslims and to their common folk."
— Reported by Muslim

The Lawful and the Unlawful

"What is lawful is clear and what is unlawful is clear, and between the two are doubtful matters that few people know. Whoever keeps away from the doubtful protects his religion and his honour. Whoever falls into the doubtful falls into the unlawful, like a shepherd grazing his flock around a private pasture, on the point of straying into it."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Faith and Good Deeds

"Faith has some seventy branches. The highest is to say 'There is no god but Allah' (La ilaha illa Allah), and the humblest is to remove something harmful from the road. Modesty is a branch of faith."
— Reported by Muslim

Excellence of Character

"Fear Allah wherever you are, follow a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out, and deal with people with the best of character."
— Reported by At-Tirmidhi

The Signs of Hypocrisy

"The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks his promise; and when he is trusted with something, he betrays that trust."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Brotherly Love

"None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari

The Value of Life

"Whoever kills a soul, unless for a murder or for corruption in the land, it is as if he had killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as if he had saved all mankind."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Excellence (Ihsan)

"Excellence is to worship Allah as though you see Him, for though you do not see Him, He sees you."
— Reported by Muslim

Patience

"How wonderful is the affair of the believer! Everything that happens to him is good for him, and that is granted to no one but the believer: if he is given a blessing, he gives thanks, and that is good for him; if he is struck by hardship, he is patient, and that is good for him."
— Reported by Muslim

Paradise Lies at the Feet of Mothers

"A man came to the Prophet and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, who is most deserving of my good company?' He replied: 'Your mother.' The man asked: 'Then who?' He replied: 'Your mother.' The man asked again: 'Then who?' He replied: 'Your mother.' The man asked a fourth time: 'Then who?' He replied: 'Your father.'"
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Kindness to Animals

"A woman was punished because of a cat she had shut up until it died. She entered the Fire because of it. She neither fed it nor gave it water when she confined it, nor did she let it eat the small creatures of the earth."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari

The Merit of Knowledge

"Whoever takes a path in search of knowledge, Allah makes easy for him by it a path to Paradise."
— Reported by Muslim

Anger

"A man said to the Prophet: 'Give me some advice.' He replied: 'Do not become angry.' The man repeated his request several times, and each time the Prophet replied: 'Do not become angry.'"
— Reported by Al-Bukhari

The Smile

"Your smile in the face of your brother is a charity."
— Reported by At-Tirmidhi

Cleanliness

"Cleanliness is half of faith."
— Reported by Muslim

The Best of You

"The best of you is the one who is best to his family, and I am the best of you to my family."
— Reported by At-Tirmidhi

The Rights of the Neighbour

"By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!" He was asked: "Who, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied: "The one whose neighbour is not safe from his harm."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari

The Kind Word

"A good word is a charity."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

Respect for Elders

"He is not one of us who shows no mercy to our young and does not acknowledge the right of our elders."
— Reported by At-Tirmidhi

True Strength

"The strong man is not the one who overcomes others in wrestling; the strong man is the one who controls himself in anger."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

The Value of Time

"There are two blessings whose worth many people fail to measure: health and free time."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari

Moderation

"Keep to the middle way, draw near to it, and rejoice [in Allah's reward]. Know that none of you will be saved by his deeds." They said: "Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Not even me, unless Allah covers me with His mercy and His grace."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim

The Best of Earnings

"No one has ever eaten better food than that which he earned with the work of his own hands. The Prophet David ate from what he earned with the work of his hands."
— Reported by Al-Bukhari

Important Note

This collection brings together a selection of the best-known authentic (sahih) hadiths. The English translations are given as a guide.

  • Refer to the original Arabic texts
  • Consult the commentaries of the scholars
  • Study the historical context of each hadith
  • Check the full chains of transmission




Adam, the first prophet of Islam: his full story

Adam holds a central place in the story of the prophets of Islam. He is regarded as the first prophet and the father of mankind in Muslim tradition. His creation marks the beginning of human life on earth and sets the foundation of the relationship between Allah and human beings.

According to the Quran, Allah shaped Adam from clay and then breathed into him of His spirit. This unique creation makes Adam a privileged being among all creatures. The angels were ordered to prostrate before him, and they did so, with the exception of Iblis, who refused out of pride.

Adam's story teaches us fundamental lessons about human nature. The Garden of Eden stands for original perfection, but the disobedience of Adam and Eve shows how fragile man is before temptation. Their sincere repentance illustrates divine mercy and the possibility of forgiveness.

Adam's offspring peopled the earth according to a divine plan. His sons Cain and Abel mark the first acts of humanity, with the first murder revealing how destructive the passions can be. These accounts remind us how important it is to follow the teachings of the prophets of Islam in order to avoid going astray.

Adam also holds the rank of first messenger, charged with passing on the divine precepts to his descendants. He taught the worship of Allah, the rules of life in society and the principles of morality. This prophetic mission continues throughout history down to Muhammad, the last of the prophets.

Studying these accounts deepens our understanding of Islam. It sits perfectly alongside reading the Quran and learning the supplications in our daily practice of the faith.

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Frequently asked questions

You may be wondering…

Who is the Prophet Adam in Islam?

Adam is the first man created by Allah and the first prophet of mankind. Allah shaped him from clay and then breathed into him of His spirit. He is the father of all human beings and the first link in the chain of the prophets of Islam, which ends with Muhammad ﷺ, the seal of the prophets.

How did Allah create Adam according to the Quran?

The Quran relates that Allah created Adam from clay, breathed into him of His spirit and taught him the names of all things. Allah then ordered the angels to prostrate before him: all obeyed except Iblis, who refused out of pride, claiming to be better than Adam because he had been created from fire.

Why did Adam leave Paradise?

Adam and his wife Hawwa (Eve) lived in Paradise, forbidden to approach one tree. Deceived by Iblis, they ate from it. They repented at once and Allah accepted their repentance, then sent them down to earth. In Islam this slip is not passed on to their descendants: every human being is born pure and answers for their own deeds.

Who are the sons of Adam named in the Quran?

Surah Al-Ma'idah (verses 27 to 31) tells the story of the two sons of Adam, known in tradition as Qabil and Habil (Cain and Abel). One man's offering was accepted and the other's refused; out of jealousy, the latter killed his brother. This account of the first murder in human history is a warning against envy and injustice.

Is Adam the first prophet of Islam?

Yes. According to Islamic tradition, Adam is the first prophet: he received revelation from Allah and taught his descendants to worship Allah alone. After him, Allah sent many prophets, among them Idris and Nuh (Noah), down to the last of them, Muhammad ﷺ.