Creation stories in Islam
What accounts of the origins of the universe are found in Islam?
He it is who created the heavens and the Earth in six days 鈥 and His Throne was over the waters.
Islam is very clear about the belief that Allah was responsible for the creation of the universe. There is no single story of creation, but there are references to it in many places in the The sacred book in Islam, it is believed that it contains the word of God, dictated by Angel Jibril and written in Arabic.. From these it is possible to build a picture.
- Allah is eternal, and so not bound by the constraints of time.
- Allah decided to create the universe. Allah, with unlimited power and authority, commanded things to come into being.
- Allah then made all living creatures, the angels, the planets and the rain to allow vegetation to grow.
- Allah sent angels to Earth to collect seven handfuls of soil, all of different colours. With that soil Allah made the first man, Adam, breathing life and power into him.
- Eve, the first woman, was created from the side of Adam and lived with him in paradise.
- Adam and Eve disobeyed Allah. They were forgiven, but were sent from paradise to the Earth which Allah had created.
- The Earth was created to allow Adam and Eve and their descendants (the human race) to live and thrive.
- It took Allah six days to complete the creation of the universe.
Image caption, The creation story in Islam
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