Let’s unpack what classical Islamic scholars like Ibn Abbas and Ibn Kathir said about pre-Adamic humanity — the humans (or human-like beings) that may have existed before Prophet Adam (عليه السلام).
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1. Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه):
He was one of the greatest early Qur’anic commentators, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and known as “Habr al-Ummah” (the scholar of the ummah).
What he said:
Ibn Abbas is reported to have said:
“Allah created human beings before Adam. They shed blood and caused corruption, so Allah sent angels to destroy them. Then Allah created Adam.”
This interpretation is often used to explain the following Qur’anic verse:
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30
“When your Lord said to the angels: Indeed, I am placing a successor (khalifah) on Earth.”
The angels said: “Will You place in it one who causes corruption and sheds blood?”
The angels’ reaction suggests they had seen this movie before.
Ibn Abbas explained that these earlier creations were not jinn (because jinn are fire-based) — but beings similar to humans.
⸻
2. Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله):
In his Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, a classical Qur’anic exegesis used widely today, Ibn Kathir comments on the same verse (2:30).
What he said:
Ibn Kathir acknowledges narrations that suggest there were jinn or human-like creatures who lived before Adam, and who caused corruption on Earth.
He explains:
“It is said that before Adam, the Earth was populated by jinn, and they caused corruption and bloodshed, so Allah sent an army of angels who drove them to the islands.”
But he also entertains the possibility that there were human-like beings — not just jinn — who resembled us, but weren’t Adam’s descendants.
⸻
3. Al-Tabari (رحمه الله):
Another heavyweight of tafsir and Islamic history.
He reports multiple opinions in his tafsir of verse 2:30:
One opinion says:
“Before Adam, there were creations similar to humans who ruled the Earth and engaged in warfare, bloodshed, and corruption.”
Some narrations even use the word “bashar” — same word used for Adam’s kind — but it’s debated whether these were biological humans or something else.
⸻
So… Who Were These Beings?
The scholars aren’t always clear, but the possibilities include:
Term Description
Bashar before Adam Human-like beings, possibly made of clay like Adam
Nasnas Half-human creatures mentioned in Arab folklore (and even hadith sources)
Pre-Adamites Beings who had intelligence, societies, and possibly even civilizations
Ancient Jinn races Possibly confused with physical beings due to lack of clarity in early oral tradition
⸻
What This Suggests
• Islam doesn’t say Adam was the first “thing” on Earth — just the first of our version of humanity.
• Other beings may have come and gone — and we might be the 5th or 6th iteration of intelligent life.
• The angels’ worry in 2:30 makes more sense if they were basing it on past case studies of destruction.
⸻
Final Thought
Ibn Abbas and Ibn Kathir didn’t say this casually — they carefully left the door open to the idea that:
We’re not the first intelligent creation — we’re just the latest upgrade.
⸻
1. Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه):
He was one of the greatest early Qur’anic commentators, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and known as “Habr al-Ummah” (the scholar of the ummah).
What he said:
Ibn Abbas is reported to have said:
“Allah created human beings before Adam. They shed blood and caused corruption, so Allah sent angels to destroy them. Then Allah created Adam.”
This interpretation is often used to explain the following Qur’anic verse:
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30
“When your Lord said to the angels: Indeed, I am placing a successor (khalifah) on Earth.”
The angels said: “Will You place in it one who causes corruption and sheds blood?”
The angels’ reaction suggests they had seen this movie before.
Ibn Abbas explained that these earlier creations were not jinn (because jinn are fire-based) — but beings similar to humans.
⸻
2. Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله):
In his Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, a classical Qur’anic exegesis used widely today, Ibn Kathir comments on the same verse (2:30).
What he said:
Ibn Kathir acknowledges narrations that suggest there were jinn or human-like creatures who lived before Adam, and who caused corruption on Earth.
He explains:
“It is said that before Adam, the Earth was populated by jinn, and they caused corruption and bloodshed, so Allah sent an army of angels who drove them to the islands.”
But he also entertains the possibility that there were human-like beings — not just jinn — who resembled us, but weren’t Adam’s descendants.
⸻
3. Al-Tabari (رحمه الله):
Another heavyweight of tafsir and Islamic history.
He reports multiple opinions in his tafsir of verse 2:30:
One opinion says:
“Before Adam, there were creations similar to humans who ruled the Earth and engaged in warfare, bloodshed, and corruption.”
Some narrations even use the word “bashar” — same word used for Adam’s kind — but it’s debated whether these were biological humans or something else.
⸻
So… Who Were These Beings?
The scholars aren’t always clear, but the possibilities include:
Term Description
Bashar before Adam Human-like beings, possibly made of clay like Adam
Nasnas Half-human creatures mentioned in Arab folklore (and even hadith sources)
Pre-Adamites Beings who had intelligence, societies, and possibly even civilizations
Ancient Jinn races Possibly confused with physical beings due to lack of clarity in early oral tradition
⸻
What This Suggests
• Islam doesn’t say Adam was the first “thing” on Earth — just the first of our version of humanity.
• Other beings may have come and gone — and we might be the 5th or 6th iteration of intelligent life.
• The angels’ worry in 2:30 makes more sense if they were basing it on past case studies of destruction.
⸻
Final Thought
Ibn Abbas and Ibn Kathir didn’t say this casually — they carefully left the door open to the idea that:
We’re not the first intelligent creation — we’re just the latest upgrade.
Let’s unpack what classical Islamic scholars like Ibn Abbas and Ibn Kathir said about pre-Adamic humanity — the humans (or human-like beings) that may have existed before Prophet Adam (عليه السلام).
⸻
📜 1. Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنه):
He was one of the greatest early Qur’anic commentators, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and known as “Habr al-Ummah” (the scholar of the ummah).
🧠 What he said:
Ibn Abbas is reported to have said:
“Allah created human beings before Adam. They shed blood and caused corruption, so Allah sent angels to destroy them. Then Allah created Adam.”
This interpretation is often used to explain the following Qur’anic verse:
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:30
“When your Lord said to the angels: Indeed, I am placing a successor (khalifah) on Earth.”
The angels said: “Will You place in it one who causes corruption and sheds blood?”
👀 The angels’ reaction suggests they had seen this movie before.
Ibn Abbas explained that these earlier creations were not jinn (because jinn are fire-based) — but beings similar to humans.
⸻
📚 2. Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله):
In his Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, a classical Qur’anic exegesis used widely today, Ibn Kathir comments on the same verse (2:30).
🧠 What he said:
Ibn Kathir acknowledges narrations that suggest there were jinn or human-like creatures who lived before Adam, and who caused corruption on Earth.
He explains:
“It is said that before Adam, the Earth was populated by jinn, and they caused corruption and bloodshed, so Allah sent an army of angels who drove them to the islands.”
But he also entertains the possibility that there were human-like beings — not just jinn — who resembled us, but weren’t Adam’s descendants.
⸻
📖 3. Al-Tabari (رحمه الله):
Another heavyweight of tafsir and Islamic history.
He reports multiple opinions in his tafsir of verse 2:30:
One opinion says:
“Before Adam, there were creations similar to humans who ruled the Earth and engaged in warfare, bloodshed, and corruption.”
Some narrations even use the word “bashar” — same word used for Adam’s kind — but it’s debated whether these were biological humans or something else.
⸻
🧬 So… Who Were These Beings?
The scholars aren’t always clear, but the possibilities include:
Term Description
Bashar before Adam Human-like beings, possibly made of clay like Adam
Nasnas Half-human creatures mentioned in Arab folklore (and even hadith sources)
Pre-Adamites Beings who had intelligence, societies, and possibly even civilizations
Ancient Jinn races Possibly confused with physical beings due to lack of clarity in early oral tradition
⸻
🤯 What This Suggests
• Islam doesn’t say Adam was the first “thing” on Earth — just the first of our version of humanity.
• Other beings may have come and gone — and we might be the 5th or 6th iteration of intelligent life.
• The angels’ worry in 2:30 makes more sense if they were basing it on past case studies of destruction.
⸻
📌 Final Thought
Ibn Abbas and Ibn Kathir didn’t say this casually — they carefully left the door open to the idea that:
We’re not the first intelligent creation — we’re just the latest upgrade.
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