Was anyone living on the earth before our Prophet Adam (peace be upon him)?
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The third and fourth questions of Fatwa No. ( 18648 )
Q 3: Was anyone living on the earth before the creation of our father Adam (peace be upon him), or was he the first of the created beings?
A 3 : We do not know of any evidence from the Book or the Sunnah indicating that the earth was inhabited before Adam (peace be upon him). However, it is reported from some of the Salaf that the jinn were the inhabitants of the earth before the creation of Adam (peace be upon him). Perhaps this was taken from the People of the Book. And Allah knows best. The matter has been elaborated upon by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) in his (Tafsir) at the words of the Exalted in Surat al-Baqarah:[Al-Baqarah 2:30] , so refer to it.
Q 4: When our master Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) placed the first stone for the construction of the Ka'bah, was it inhabited before and then demolished, or was he the first to build it?
A 4 : We do not know of any explicit evidence from the Book or the Sunnah indicating that
the Ka'bah was built before Ibrahim (peace be upon him). However, reports have come from some of the Salaf, received from the Children of Israel, that the Ka'bah was built since the time of Adam (peace be upon him), and then it was demolished until Ibrahim (peace be upon him) built it by the command of his Lord, the Exalted. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his history (Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya), and the text is as follows: "No authentic report from an infallible person has come that the House was built before Khalil (peace be upon him). And whoever relies on the verse: in this matter, it is not a clear or apparent proof; because the intended meaning is: its place, which is determined in the knowledge of Allah, established in His power, and honored by the prophets, from the time of Adam to the time of Ibrahim . And we have mentioned that Adam erected a dome over it, and that the angels said to him: 'We have circumambulated this House before you,' and that the ship circumambulated it for forty days or something like that. But all these reports are from the Children of Israel, and we have established that they are neither affirmed nor denied, so they are not used as evidence. As for if the truth rejects them, they are rejected." End of quote. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q 3: Was anyone living on the earth before the creation of our father Adam (peace be upon him), or was he the first of the created beings?
A 3 : We do not know of any evidence from the Book or the Sunnah indicating that the earth was inhabited before Adam (peace be upon him). However, it is reported from some of the Salaf that the jinn were the inhabitants of the earth before the creation of Adam (peace be upon him). Perhaps this was taken from the People of the Book. And Allah knows best. The matter has been elaborated upon by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) in his (Tafsir) at the words of the Exalted in Surat al-Baqarah:
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةًQ 4: When our master Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him) placed the first stone for the construction of the Ka'bah, was it inhabited before and then demolished, or was he the first to build it?
A 4 : We do not know of any explicit evidence from the Book or the Sunnah indicating that
the Ka'bah was built before Ibrahim (peace be upon him). However, reports have come from some of the Salaf, received from the Children of Israel, that the Ka'bah was built since the time of Adam (peace be upon him), and then it was demolished until Ibrahim (peace be upon him) built it by the command of his Lord, the Exalted. Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his history (Al-Bidaya wa al-Nihaya), and the text is as follows: "No authentic report from an infallible person has come that the House was built before Khalil (peace be upon him). And whoever relies on the verse:
the place of the House
مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.