Why humanity was brought forth when Adam was created

Why humanity was brought forth when Adam was created

Question
A friend of mine told me that everyone is accountable for believing in Allah and for avoiding polytheism, even if they did not hear the Message.

He argued that Allah assembled all humanity together before He sent Adam upon the Earth, and made everyone bear witness to Him. Therefore, we are all accountable to know Allah. Is this correct? If not, then what was the point of our giving this testimony before we were born?

Answered by
the Fatwa Department Research Committee – chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî
The verse in question is where Allah says: “And recall when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam – from their backs – their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord? They said: ‘Yes! We bear witness.’ Lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘Surely we were heedless of this’.” [Sûrah al-A`râf: 172]

Al-Tabarî writes in his commentary on this verse [al-Tafsîr (6/110)]:
In this verse, Allah informs Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to take heed that his Lord brought forth all of Adam’s descendants from the loins of their fathers and made them all acknowledge His unity and testify to it. He then had them witness against each other that they made this acknowledgement and gave this testimony.
This is confirmed by the hadîth where the Prophet (peace be upon his) was asked about this verse and infomed us that Adam’s progeny are brought forth and shown to Adam (peace be upon him). [Sunan al-Tirmidhî (3076 and 3368)]

However, we are not accountable in this world for the testimony that we gave before we were brought forth on the Earth, since we have no memory of that event. We cannot be held legally accountable for what we do not have the ability to remember.

Allah says: “Allah does not burden a soul with what is beyond its abilities.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 286]

However, there is wisdom from our having given that testimony before we were brought forth on Earth. This wisdom will become manifest in the Hereafter, as the verse makes perfectly clear.

It will be an added disgrace for those who, while on Earth, heard the message of Allah’s unity, understood it, but in their obstinacy rejected it.

It will be an additional proof against them and an added humiliation for them when they are reminded that, before they were sent to Earth, they willingly bore witness to Allah, but while on Earth, they refused to do so even after knowledge of the truth and the proofs of monotheism were brought to them.

As for those who do not receive the message in this world, they will not be held accountable for what took place before they could have any memory of it. That would be demanding from them what is beyond their abilities.

Allah says: “And We would not punish anyone until after We had sent a messenger (to give warning).” [Sûrah al-Isrâ’: 15]

And Allah knows best.

Source: IslamToday

 

 

 

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