Islam Rediscovered
19. The Islamic Concept of History
~ 323 ~
factors which are essential to make it habitable for
man.
After bringing into existence a favourable world in
the form of the earth, God created the first man
Adam and his feminine counterpart, Eve. Although
the precise date of this event is unknown, it is a fact
that the first pair of human beings to set foot on
earth was this very Adam and Eve.
Adam was the first man as well as the first Prophet.
The way of God is to select a man as His messenger
from amongst human beings themselves in order to
send His revelations to mankind. Therefore, God
revealed to Adam through an angel the purpose of
man’s inhabiting the earth. According to this plan,
God created a creature in the form of man, upon
whom He bestowed freedom. Where the rest of the
universe had no choice but to submit to the will of
God, it is desirable for man to opt for this divine
plan of his own free will.
This plan of divine will is based on two basic
principles—monotheism and justice. Monotheism
holds man to worshipping one God alone, and not
associating anyone or anything in this worship.
