THE STORY OF ADAM: HAWWA DERIVED FROM THE RIB

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST BENEFICENT, THE MOST MERCIFUL

The Story of Adam a.s: Hawwa derived from the rib

Almighty Alla granted Adam the power to know to know the natures of all things to summarize them by names: that is a bird, that is a star, that is a tree, that is a cloud, etc. Allah implanted in Adam an insatiable need for and love of knowledge and a desire to bequeath knowledge to his children. This was the reason for his creation and the secret in his glorification.

After Adam had learned the names of all things, along with their properties and uses, Allah presented them to the angels and said: "Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful". (surah 2:31) The angels admitted their inability: "Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what You have thought us. Verily, it is You, The All-Knower, The All-Wise" (surah 2:32)

Allah  Almighty then turned to Adam: "O Adam! inform them of their names," and when he  had informed them of their names, He said: "Did I not tell you that I know the Ghaib (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing?". (surah 2:33)

Allah wanted the angels to know that He knew of their astonishment when He had told them about the creation of Adam and that He also knew of their confusion which they had not revealed, as well as what Iblis had concealed of his disobedience and ingratitude.

The angels realized that Adam was the creature who knew what they did not know and that his capacity to learn was his noblest quality. His knowledge included knowledge of the Creator which we call Faith or Islam, as well as the knowledge he would need to inhabit master the earth. all kinds of worldly knowledge are included in this.

Adam knew the names of everything. Sometimes he talked to the angels, but they were preoccupied with worshiping Almighty Allah. Therefore, Adam felt lonely. One day he slept and when he awoke he found, near his head, a woman gazing at his face with beautiful, tender eyes. Perhaps they had the following conversation:


   Adam:   You were not here before I slept

   She:      Yes.

   Adam:   From what....?

   She:      I came out of you. Allah created me while you were sleep. Do you not desire to                          restore me to you while you are awake?

   Adam:   Why has Allah created you?

   She:      To be your solace.

   Adam:   Thanks to Allah I was feeling lonely

The angels asked him her name. He replied: "Eve (Hawwa)." (The root of the name "Hawwa" means "Living things"). They asked: "Why did you call he Hawwa?" Adam said: "Because she was created of me, and I am living being."

Muhammad Ibn Ishaaq and Ibn 'Abbas ra related that Hawwa was created from the shortest left rib of Adam while he was sleeping, and after a while she was clothed with flesh. That is why Allah the Exalted said: 

<<O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) and from     him (Adam) He created his wife (Hawwa), and from them both He created many men and         women.>>


Allah also said:
<<It is He Who has created you from a single person (Adam), and (then) He created from him his wife (Hawwa), in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her.>>


Abu Hurairah ra narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "O Muslims! I advice you to be gentle with women, for they are created from a rib, and the most crooked portion of the rib is its upper part. If you try to straighten it, it will break, and if you leave it, it will remain crooked, so I urge you to take care of the women". (Sahih Bukhari).






Stories of the PROPHETS: IBN KATHIR, 
                                                           Translated by Sheikh Muhammad Gemeiah
                                                        (Offiece of The Grand Imam, Sheikh, Al-Azhar)
                                                                            Edit by: Aelfwine Acelas Mischler


Alhamdulillah.............