Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother Burhan,

My English Manager (who has no religion) is curious to know some answers and I felt very ashamed that I was not knowledgeable in responding confidently to his specific question, hence I explained that I would find out instead of giving him a vague non-specific answer. Please can you tell me the history of Adam and Eve. Please explain how the human race grew, as my manager says that he can`t understand how if adam and eve had 1 daughter and 1 son for example, how did they create more people? He believes that this is incest and isn`t that against our religion? Please explain in a simple manner so that I can explain to him or even show him this e-mail.

Thankyou very much! 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Children of Adam and Eve

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Please can you tell me the history of Adam and Eve. Please explain how the human race grew,

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 1:

1 O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person (Adam), created of like nature his mate (Hawwa), and from them twain scattered countless men and women; reverence Allah through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you): for Allah ever watches over you.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verse 6:

6 He created you (all) from a single person (Adam): then created of like nature his mate (Hawwa).

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 49 Surah Hujuraat verse 13:

13 O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female (Adam and Hawwa), and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

It is absolutely evident from the above Verses of the Glorious Quran that all of mankind were created from one common set of parents, Hadrat Adam (a.s.) and his wife Hawwa.

Your Question: Please explain how the human race grew, as my manager says that he can`t understand how if adam and eve had 1 daughter and 1 son for example, how did they create more people? He believes that this is incest and isn`t that against our religion?

It has been recorded that Prophet Adam (a.s.) and Hawwa’s offsprings were all sets of twins… one boy and one girl in each set. Some records from the Israelite book of history say that Prophet Adam and Hawwa had 40 sets of such twins, while some records say that they had 20 sets… Allah Alone knows best.

Indeed the Shariah or Law revealed upon all the Messengers, including the Last and Final Messenger, Prophet Mohamed (saws) it is impermissible for a brother and a sister of the same parents to marry. But in the Shariah or Law that Allah Subhanah decreed on Adam (a.s.), it was prohibited for the boy and the girl of the same set to marry each other; but it was legal and permissible for the boy of one set of twins to marry a girl of another set, and vice versa. That is how the next generation of our our common parents Prophet Adam (a.s.) and Hawwa was conceived.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan