The short answer
Allah created Adam (AS) directly from clay taken from the earth, shaped him with His own hands, proportioned him, and breathed into him the soul He created. He was sixty cubits tall, the angels were commanded to prostrate to him, and his descendants vary in colour and nature like the soils he was taken from.
The Quran describes the material of Adam's creation in several ways, which scholars explain as stages of one material. He was created "from dust" and then Allah said "Be", and he was 1. The dust became clay, "an altered black mud" 2, which dried "like [that of] pottery" 3. Allah told the angels in advance: "I will create a human being out of clay... when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration" 2.
Adam was honoured in a unique way. Allah asked Iblis what prevented him from prostrating "to that which I created with My hands". Iblis answered with arrogance: "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay" 4. That pride was the start of Iblis's enmity toward Adam and his children.
The Prophet ﷺ added details. Allah created Adam from a handful taken from all of the earth, so his children came according to the earth: red, white, black and mixed, smooth and rough, bad and good 5. Our different colours are a sign of one origin, not a reason for pride.
Allah created Adam sixty cubits tall and told him to greet a group of angels. He said "As-salamu alaikum", and they replied "As-salamu alaika wa rahmatullah", which became the greeting of his children. People have been decreasing in stature since then, and those who enter Paradise will be in Adam's form 6.
Allah then taught Adam "the names - all of them" 7, showing that knowledge is part of human honour.
The next time you greet someone with salam, remember that this greeting goes back to your father Adam (AS), who was told to greet the angels with it 6.
Adam was created from dust, then Allah said "Be" and he was.
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَۖ خَلَقَهُۥ مِن تُرَابࣲ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٥٩
Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, "Be," and he was
Man created from altered black mud; the angels told to prostrate once he is proportioned and given soul.
وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَٰلࣲ مِّنۡ حَمَإࣲ مَّسۡنُونࣲ ٢٦ وَٱلۡجَآنَّ خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن قَبۡلُ مِن نَّارِ ٱلسَّمُومِ ٢٧ وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّي خَٰلِقُۢ بَشَرࣰ ا مِّن صَلۡصَٰلࣲ مِّنۡ حَمَإࣲ مَّسۡنُونࣲ ٢٨ فَإِذَا سَوَّيۡتُهُۥ وَنَفَخۡتُ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِي فَقَعُواْ لَهُۥ سَٰجِدِينَ ٢٩
26 And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud 27 And the jinn We created before from scorching fire 28 And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud 29 And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration
Man created from clay like pottery.
خَلَقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَٰلࣲ كَٱلۡفَخَّارِ ١٤
He created man from clay like [that of] pottery
Adam was created by Allah's hands; Iblis boasted that fire is better than clay.
قَالَ يَٰٓإِبۡلِيسُ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَن تَسۡجُدَ لِمَا خَلَقۡتُ بِيَدَيَّۖ أَسۡتَكۡبَرۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡعَالِينَ ٧٥ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيۡرࣱ مِّنۡهُ خَلَقۡتَنِي مِن نَّارࣲ وَخَلَقۡتَهُۥ مِن طِينࣲ ٧٦
75 [Allah] said, "O Iblees, what prevented you from prostrating to that which I created with My hands? Were you arrogant [then], or were you [already] among the haughty 76 He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay
Adam was created from a handful of all the earth, so his children vary like the earth.
Abu Musa al-Ash’ari reported the Messenger of Allah (May peace be upon him) as saying :Allah created Adam from a handful which he took from the whole of the earth ; so the children of Adam are in accordance with the earth : some red, some white, some black, some a mixture, also smooth and rough, bad and good
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، أَنَّ يَزِيدَ بْنَ زُرَيْعٍ، وَيَحْيَى بْنَ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَاهُمْ قَالاَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَوْفٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا قَسَامَةُ بْنُ زُهَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيُّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ مِنْ قَبْضَةٍ قَبَضَهَا مِنْ جَمِيعِ الأَرْضِ فَجَاءَ بَنُو آدَمَ عَلَى قَدْرِ الأَرْضِ جَاءَ مِنْهُمُ الأَحْمَرُ وَالأَبْيَضُ وَالأَسْوَدُ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَالسَّهْلُ وَالْحَزْنُ وَالْخَبِيثُ وَالطَّيِّبُ " . زَادَ فِي حَدِيثِ يَحْيَى " وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ " . وَالإِخْبَارُ فِي حَدِيثِ يَزِيدَ .
Adam was sixty cubits tall; the greeting of salam; people have decreased in stature since.
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, "Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring." So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, "As-salamu Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi" (i.e. Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus the angels added to Adam's salutation the expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi,' Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam's creation
حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنْ هَمَّامٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خَلَقَ اللَّهُ آدَمَ وَطُولُهُ سِتُّونَ ذِرَاعًا، ثُمَّ قَالَ اذْهَبْ فَسَلِّمْ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ، فَاسْتَمِعْ مَا يُحَيُّونَكَ، تَحِيَّتُكَ وَتَحِيَّةُ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ. فَقَالَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ. فَقَالُوا السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ. فَزَادُوهُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ. فَكُلُّ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةَ عَلَى صُورَةِ آدَمَ، فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْخَلْقُ يَنْقُصُ حَتَّى الآنَ ".
Allah taught Adam the names of all things.
وَعَلَّمَ ءَادَمَ ٱلۡأَسۡمَآءَ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمۡ عَلَى ٱلۡمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنۢبِـُٔونِي بِأَسۡمَآءِ هَٰٓؤُلَآءِ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ ٣١
And He taught Adam the names - all of them. Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Inform Me of the names of these, if you are truthful
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24