Was Adam Made of Mud and Clay?
The Truth about Adam⁽ᶜ⁾, the "Father of Humanity", and the Human Creation according to Ismaili Esoteric Exegesis (Ta’wil)
Sūrah al-Baqarah
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً
Wa idh qāla rabbuka lilmalāikati innī jā‘ilun fī’l-ardi khalīfa
Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: ‘I am making a vicegerent in the earth.’
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Sūrah Ṣād
إِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقٌۢ بَشَرًۭا مِّن طِينٍۢ
فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُۥ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِى فَقَعُوا۟ لَهُۥ سَـٰجِدِينَ
فَسَجَدَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ
إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ ٱسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Idh qāla rabbuka lilmalāikati innī khāliqun basharan min ṭīn
Fa-idhā sawwaytuhu wa nafakhtu fīhi min rūḥī faqa‘ū lahu sājīdīn
Fa-sajada’l-malāikatu kulluhum ajma‘ūn
illa Iblīsa istakbara wakāna mina’l-kāfirīn
Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: ‘I will create a man from clay. So when I have shaped him and breathed into him of My spirit, then fall down prostrating to him. So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together, except Iblis; he was arrogant and became one of the disbelievers.
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Immortal Clay of the Adamic Family
Note From the Poet
The above poem, “Immortal Clay”, alludes to some of the esoteric secrets of Prophet Adam⁽ᶜ⁾, who was created through ascending levels of “birth” (physical, spiritual and intellectual). It also hints at the true (if only potential) reality (haqiqa) of all human beings —“The Noblest of Creation”— and especially one who is a faithful spiritual wayfarer (mu’min-i salik), who fulfills or actualizes his or her spiritual potential and, thereby, attains recognition or gnosis (ma‘rifa) of one’s self, one’s Lord and of what it truly means to be part of the “Adamic family”.
The excerpts below, from Ismaili sources past and present, can be taken as a commentary on the poem and its elaboration. These are, in fact, the sources that informed the creative, poetic expression of doctrines and teachings about Hazrat Adam⁽ᶜ⁾, the “Father of Humanity”. Like the poem itself, the excerpts are not meant to be exhaustive and should be considered as an initial exploration of Shi‘i Ismaili teachings that seek to unveil some aspects of the story of Hazrat Adam⁽ᶜ⁾’s creation, and which, if read and reflected upon, may enhance one’s understanding of the deeper or esoteric (batini) significance of the various terms and concepts mentioned or alluded to in the poem. Additionally, I am certain that the passages below will be instrumental and helpful in furthering one’s study of the zahir (exoteric) and batin (esoteric) of the Holy Qur’an. In particular, together with the poetic and exegetical material, this post uncovers examples of Ismaili revelatory hermeneutics (ta’wil) that reveal
the real “birth” or “creation” of Hazrat Adam⁽ᶜ⁾
the true meaning of Adam⁽ᶜ⁾ (and, by extension, all humans) being created from “clay”, “mud”, “dust”, etc.
the esoteric and spiritual meaning of “earth” and “water” as mentioned in religious scripture
the reality (haqiqa) of the “spirit” (ruh), how it is “breathed” into Adam⁽ᶜ⁾ (or anyone else), and who it is that actually breathes it into him
the true meaning or significance of the two “Hands” of God
the unique, spiritual connection between one of the Qur’anic terms for the “clay” of mankind, i.e., “sounding clay” (salsal), and the sound or trumpet of resurrection (sur-i qiyama)