This creation-of-Adam narrative is the 4th out of 7, and comes in Surat Al-Isra’ 17:61-5, consisting of only 5 ayat, each aya forming a section in a ring composition, with the third aya #63 in the middle.
In this surah, Adam’s first test, Allah’s command not to “approach” a specific tree, is presented in the center, placing Adam in the central focus of this narrative, ”surrounded” in the ring composition, by Satan’s rebellion and expulsion from paradise in the upper section, and his successful deception of Adam/Eve leading to their awareness of shame/ nakedness and their private parts, and expulsion from Paradise in the lower section. But Satan failed in his ultimate goal, to make Adam/Eve ungrateful,” associated with kufr or denial, thus they repented and were forgiven whereas Satan was not.
Above is a ring composition analysis of the first creation-of-Adam narrative in the Quran, which is in Surat Al-Baqara as shown. It is the first of seven such narratives, which I insha’Allah shall analyze one by one in a series of posts, comparing them to each other and showing the significance and value of multiple narratives of the same event; and how the arrangement of each of them contributes to our understanding of the meaning. This is after all a truly foundational event, answering the most basic questions of why are we here? What is the purpose of life? Why is there evil in the world? Why is there paradise and hell, and why must we die in the first place?
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114 Chambers 