Story Nights
Nouman Ali Khan – The Wisdom Behind Adam (PBUH) Getting Sent to Earth
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AI: Transcript ©
Where does the story of Adam alayhis salaam begin? does it begin on the earth? Or does it begin in Jannah?
The story of Adam alayhis salaam begins in Jannah.
In the next part in the next is keep this in mind in the next idea, Allah will tell us something so shocking by the way this is part one of six of the of the, the material we have to cover today this is section one heaven or earth, that is the section where in heaven or earth, Allah azza wa jal says what is called Abu Kalyan Mala Makati in Niger I don't fill out the Khalifa when you're rob your master said to all of the angels. I am putting a Khalifa I'm not translating it yet. I am putting a Khalifa on the earth. I am putting a Khalifa on the earth. This is a pretty interesting statement to make human beings their story begins you told me I didn't tell you you told me that the story of
Adam alayhis salaam begins were
in heaven. And Allah before he even made the human being is making an announcement to the angels telling them that he is creating this thing this human being who he calls a Khalifa. We'll get to that in a second. He's creating this Khalifa for the Earth.
where is the Khalifa made for what according to the IEA was the Khalifa made for Jana, or was the Khalifa made for the earth is made for the earth before Adam Alayhis Salam was even created.
The plan always was that this creature has been designed and created for the Earth. Section one of this story, heaven on earth is important. Because a lot of people think the Sunday School version of the story, which is highly incorrect is that Adam and Eve Saddam and his wife or mother were having a great time in Jannah. Until somehow they decided by the whispers of shaitan because of Shetlands whisper to eat from that tree, the second day eat from that tree, they lost their place in Jannah. And as a punishment, Allah decided to send them to the earth. I am letting you know today the Quran is telling you that actually he was supposed to be on earth all along. That was always part of the
plan. That was not a punishment from Allah, us being on Earth. Muslims are very different when they think about the story than how the Christians think about this story. This life, this earthly life is a curse until we get back into heaven. Not for the Muslims. For the Muslims, even before the story began, What did Allah say he made everything on this earth for who? For you as a gift? Well, I don't know is that my luncher? Okay. He made everything on this earth for you for you. This dunya is not a curse. There are some people this this we're living in this earth because our father our bodies, Allah made this terrible mistake, it's all his fault, etc, etc. We have to pay the price.
But if he didn't eat from that tree, we would still be chillin in Jannah.
No, you were meant to be here, just like he was meant to be here. But that creates a really big problem, a problem that I have talked to 1000s of young people about all over the world, all over the world is same question over and over again. But before I share that question with you, let me tell you a story that has nothing to do with Adam Alayhis Salam and has nothing to do with any of this evening. It's just a complete distraction. Or is it? Let's see, there's going to be two stories that I tell you. Here's the first story.
There is a man who works at a company. He's a good employee, he's doing a good job.
And his boss sends an email to the entire department that we are going to transfer this guy to Mississippi. He's gonna we're gonna move him out of New York or New Jersey and we're moving to Mississippi, he's being transferred this week. The only person who never got the email is the guy himself. He's the only one who never got the email. Okay. Now,
the next week, the guy comes into his office 30 seconds late.
His boss says, Can I talk to you for a second? He says yeah, sure what happened? You were 30 seconds late. And I specifically told everyone in the office to be the office on time. We don't tolerate this kind of behavior. You are being shipped to Mississippi.
Is that fair?
Everybody else in the company already knew what?
That he was going to be transferred. And as a matter of fact, one of his friends who got the email, shared it with him. Hey, by the way, you're about to be transferred.
And while he was talking to his friend, he got 30 seconds late and you walked into the office and the boss says you're gonna be
he shipped in Mississippi and he says, Excuse me, no, no, no, you're not shipping me anywhere because I was late, you're shipping me because you already decided that you're going to ship me. That was the plan all along. That's not my fault. You already planned all of this. This is all a trap.
I'm not talking about Mississippi MI.
Allah created automatically Salam,
he always meant to send him where on the earth
Iblees comes in tells him and this is actually in the Quran at least comes in tells him You need to eat from this tree. By the way, that tree was far, far away. Jana is much bigger than earth. And there are lots of trees in Jana, and all of them are full of fruits, the lotta of non all of them are full of fruits, all of them have all kinds of and they come to you, the fruits come to you. You know, you don't even have to make any effort. You're just told just don't go near that one tree, that one tree of all the trees. And then it leaves comes and says hey, by the way, from what I know you were not created for gender you were created for what? The earth and you need to eat from that
tree. And let me tell you why. Because the only kind of people that can stay here are either angels or permanent residents. You are neither of those things. Eating from that tree will either turn you into an angel, both of you, you will become angels or you will become permanent residents. I'm not making this up. This is all incidental our rafts, which the surah we're not talking about today, in mantequilla, cany, otaku nominal holiday, either you will both become angels, or you will become permanent residents. So the motivation that was given to Adam alayhis salam to eat from the tree was actually had to do with his transfer, you need to understand this point, his transfer to where the
earth, He makes the historic mistake that he makes our mother makes the mistake with him. They eat from the tree, Allah decides to send them where the earth what could they turn around and say?
Excuse me, you're always gonna send us you issued an email to all the angels, that you're creating a Khalifa for where the earth you even decided that before we were even created? Let me tell you the question, young people ask me all the time.
If Allah already knows, what am I going, what I'm going to do?
How's it my fault? Allah has already decided where I'm going to end up. It's all a setup.
The first and by the way, the question of predestination is the oldest question in philosophy. Any of the students here any college students here that have taken a philosophy course you have dealt with the predestination problem? People that aren't even philosophically inclined have heard about this problem? Allah already knows everything? How is it my fault? The first human being on the earth was actually the first human being that could have asked the same question directly to Allah. But let me tell you another crazy story before we wrap this point up heaven or earth. Let's understand another part of this problem.
I'll give you another story. And that has to do with another guy who works at another company.
And he started as a janitor, he started just the lowest possible job in the company. And he got promoted a little bit. They let him become a security guard. He got promoted a few years later. Now he works at the front desk, he got promoted a little later. And after a few years now he's actually an office manager. And he kept getting promoted, he started outside as a janitor and 40 years serving this company. He is now the vice president of this company. He's been promoted throughout the years, and now he's in this executive position. The there's only one job higher than the VP Who's that?
The President one day and you let's imagine that you work for the guy, you're just sitting outside his office, you're a secretary, right? And the President walks into the office with the 16 year old kid with a baseball hat on sighs sideways chewing gum, the 16 year old the President says hey, by the way, VP, listen, this right here. So
this right here is your new VP.
And you need to give him your chair, because that's his chair now. And why don't you go run and get him some coffee?
What do you imagine happen next?
If the VP that has made his way up over the course of 40 years, is now being told to serve some 16 year old coffee because he has his job now. What do you imagine is going to happen? You're going to hear some serious yelling and screaming What are you crazy? How old is this kid? He's still in diapers. He's gonna take my job. You know how long I worked to get up to this position? You can't do this to me. This is ridiculous. Aren't you gonna hear the story? And if you do hear it, who do you sympathize with? That's the really hard question. Who do you sympathize with the kid or the VP?
The VP but I'm not talking about a VP mi
What do you think I'm talking about?
I'm talking about Iblees
shaytaan worked his way up, he even started getting considered among the rank of the angels. And finally they've put a rebellion down on the earth of other agenda disobey Allah, and they come back. Victor is ready to be honored by Allah. And Allah makes the announcement. You need to do such that to who?
Adam, excuse me, who is he? What did he ever do? I just did so much work. I've been doing work for so long. I have provided this administration of ALLAH, so many services. Where does he come along from? Now? You know why I'm bringing this up? Because I'm comparing two individuals. I'm comparing Adam, Adam, Salaam and Iblees listen carefully. Adam Adam he Salam was honored by Allah. Yes, sir. No. IBLEES was honored by Allah at one point yes or no? Yeah. Adam Alayhis Salam was given a position even in some sense higher than the angels. It leaves some argue leadership over the angels, some argue even at least at the rank of the angels, he was given a higher rank to Adam Alayhis Salam
ended up disobeying Allah yes or no. He did. IBLEES disobeyed Allah, yes or no. They have a lot in common.
Up until now, they have a lot in common.
But there is one difference, are them are they his Salam when he was demoted? When he was sent down to the earth? He could have asked a logical question and his logical question would have been Yola. You always plan to send me to the earth. How is this my fault? Couldn't EMS that question? Sure. But did he ask that question? No. If leaves can also ask illogical question halacha niemand, not in Valhalla. halacha Humann. Three, you made me from fire. You made him from dirt? What is he worth Look at him?
It's actually pretty logical. It is logical. Both of them were in a position to ask or make a logical complaint to Allah.
And yet one of them is cursed forever. And the other one the door of hope remains open. Why? Because one of them decides that whether things make sense to me or not, I have to trust the wisdom of Allah.
Whether things make sense to me or not, I have to trust the wisdom of Allah. If there is a fault whose fault is it? My own I have to take personal responsibility. I did something wrong. Who is that is that other Marie bliss? Who takes personal responsibility? Either Melissa and Iblees says actually you made me slip your you knew I was gonna mess up for me my wait any you cause me to be misled. He starts blaming Allah.
When you mess up and you blame Allah, you are following the Sunnah of bliss.
And when you mess up, and you admit that you are the one who's wrong instead of blaming the color of Allah, or it was decreed by Allah, then you are following the Sunnah of the money. That's the difference between these two. Now let's take a step further. The earth I told you is not a curse. There's a common Christian creed among many, many from from, from ancient times, common Christian misconception. The Earth is a time of punishment. Human beings are born into sin, not the case in Islam. Allah says, Allah, Allah confy, Hama Irish we put on this earth means for you to live well. Allah wants you to live well on this earth and gain your place back into Jana. But one more
important point before I go on about from the subject of heaven, or earth. And this point has to do with again, personal responsibility. There's a lot of philosophical discussion about predestination. And if Allah already knows, how is it my fault if something bad happens? It happens because Allah let it happen. So how is it my fault? When people come and ask me this kind of question? Even though I can technically do what I really want to do, because it's illegal.
What I imagine if I were to be able to take a shoe
and throw it at the guy's face,
would he be offended?
Who would end who would he be angry with?
Me? And I could turn around. That was the cutter of Allah.
You see, Allah decided that you should get hit in the face with my smelly shoe. This wasn't actually up to me. If it was up to me, I wouldn't have done it.
You see,
but the problem is, no matter how much I tried to convince him that it wasn't me it was who? Allah He still stays mad at WHO? Me? I say okay, fine. You want to hold me
personally responsible for what I did, instead of blaming Allah. Oh, Allah did it right. You hit me, you hit me. Okay, fine. You want me to hold personal responsibility? Why don't you take personal responsibility then?
The question is entirely about what personal responsibility. That's what this question is about.
Adam Alayhis Salam decided to eat from the tree despite Allah's instruction, yes or no. Yeah. And he had to take personal responsibility. And he had to say at the end of the day, or by now of alumna and husana, as opposed to Iblees, who put the responsibility to Allah. If Adam says we wronged ourselves if Lee says, You made me slip. You made me You made this happen to me. You know, you're the cause Subhanallah that is the first of six parts of the story that I wanted to share with you. Here's the second what in the world does Khalifa mean?
Because at the end of the day, Allah says in Niger I don't fill out the Khalifa I'm putting a Khalifa on the earth. And Khalifa means many things. I'm only going to highlight three of those things to you. The first of them is a successor. It's a big word in English I know I'll explain it in sha Allah become easy to understand, I am putting a successor on the earth. Allah azza wa jal describes successors sometimes, you know, for example, if a principal from a school retires and somebody else takes his place, might be higher, the school hires a new principal, that new principle will be a successor. That will be in a sense, a Khalifa not in the political sense in the Arabic
sense in the Arabic sense that's actually a Khalifa or there used to be the head of a family and the head of the family the grandfather passed away. Now the oldest uncle is the people the person they go to for advice, that oldest uncle is now the what? The Khalifa, he's the one left behind in charge. So this is an idea of charge, I will leave somebody that will keep passing on responsibility. This is the first meaning of the word, Khalifa. In other words, you were passed a responsibility from the people who came before you, and you are going to have to pass responsibility on to the people that come after you. That is especially true within your own family. Your parents
handed you certain responsibilities, and one day you'll become a parent or you're already a parent, and you're in the process of handing the same responsibilities down to your kids about this. Allah azza wa jal says in the Quran, what Abu Kulkarni uses Rama it's such a beautiful idea. Your robe your master is honey, he doesn't need anybody. He possesses all kinds of love and mercy He does not need you on this earth. And then he says in your shirt you with him come while you're stuck with me and bandicam Maya Shah if he wants he could remove all of you Muslims he doesn't need any of you he could remove all of you and he could replace you after you he could succeed you you're stuck leave
same root origin he could replace you and succeed you with whatever he wants afterwards.
Another place he says into one know your stuff then Coleman radar calm Somalia. Kulu Onsala calm if you turn away he'll just replace you with another nation altogether he doesn't need you.
Islam will be succeeded by other people even if they're not even from your own ethnicity, it will be succeeded that's the first meaning of Khalifa the second meaning of the word Khalifa
is really interesting one Khalifa means someone left to their own devices.
If I go home right now if I if I say hey, and my all my kids are sleeping, only we'll leave this awake. We'll leave you're awake, you're in charge is for if he's five years old, you're in charge really don't eat the cookies.
I'll be back in five minutes for those five minutes while he does what
he's a Khalifa. Khalifa will lead okay.
Now Khalifa will lead you know why he's the Khalifa number one, I left him behind. He takes my place as the guy in charge, little little tiny guy in charge. But the second reason he's Khalifa is in those five minutes, he has the freedom to do what
ever he wants. Whatever he wants, I mean, I've asked him not to eat the cookies, but I'm not there to check. I'm not there to check in those five minutes, he can literally do whatever he wants, he has the choice. In other words, when you say Halifa someone left to their own devices, you necessarily mean somebody who has a choice. They can do what you asked, or they could do otherwise, I'm going to let him make the decision himself. Allah has made an announcement to the angels that I will put someone on this earth who I will leave to make the decision his or herself. Allah is not going to force any decision on you. You're going to have to decide whether you want to wake up and
pray or not. You're going to have to decide whether you tell the truth or not. You're going to have to decide whether you have a permissible good blessed relationship or an impermissible care
First evil relationship, a secret relationship, that's all going to be up to you, you're going to have the choice on what to download and what not to download, you're going to be Acalypha.
This is the second meaning. Now here's the third meaning.
It actually means stewardship.
Someone given a responsibility by somebody else, not just to take somebody else's place, but to take responsibility. And this is different from taking ownership. Actually, a Khalifa means somebody else handed it to me, and I will hand have to hand it to somebody else, which means I don't own it. I don't own it, human beings will be sent on this earth and the ones who understand that they are Khalifa will understand that they actually own nothing. Lillahi maphis, somehow it will not fill out. Allah alone owns whatever's in the skies, and whatever's in the earth, no matter what you and I think we own, we own these clothes, we own the shoes, we own the car, we think we own this stuff.
But by the way, we are going to have to return all of this stuff. And we're going to go and we're not going to take any of this stuff with us. As a matter of fact, we are so beyond the scope of ownership, we don't even own our own physical body.
This body is actually going to be testifying against us on Judgement Day, we don't own it. We're just like these little control guys inside
that are in charge of this body. But this body is not ours. Technically, it's not ours. And Allah will take it back to even this, he will take back this all three of these meanings. I'll summarize them again, because this is our second discussion. These three meanings are on the one hand, somebody who succeeds on the second, somebody who has given who has been given freedom to decide to make his own decisions. And the third, someone who has been handed a responsibility. These are the three primary meanings of what word Halifa This is what Allah decided he will put on this earth, you and me are going to have freedom. We've been handed a powerful responsibility and the announcement
is being made to who who is listening to this announcement. The angels. The angels are listening this Allah is talking directly to the angels, I have decided to put a Khalifa on the earth. Now the angels are actually quite a bit in shock. This is one of my favorite parts of this story. One of the big reasons I chose to tell this story this evening