Adam

Allegorical statements and legends surround the historical Manifestation of God, Adam

"It can, therefore, be confidently stated that the teachings of the Faith name Krishna as a Manifestation of God. In light, however, of the other statements of the Guardian, in which he stresses the paucity of our information about the beginnings of Hinduism, we should be cautious not to assert the historical accuracy of specific stories related about Krishna. A similar case where allegorical statements and legends surround the figure of a known Manifestation of God is that of Adam."

(On behalf of the Universal House of Justice, at https://bahai-library.com/uhj_krishna_qayyum-asma )

The story (and timing) of Adam and creation is symbolic

"Concerning the story of Adam and Eve, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, in 'Some Answered Questions', explains that it cannot be taken literally. You are asked to refer to pages 122-126 of this book for the symbolic meaning of the story."

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, March 13, 1986, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1683)

"As to the record in the Bible concerning Adam's entering paradise, His eating from the tree and His expulsion through the temptation of Satan: These are all symbols beneath which there are wonderful and divine meanings not to be calculated in years, dates and measurement of time. Likewise, the statement that God created the heaven and the earth in six days is symbolic. We will not explain this further today. The texts of the Holy Books are all symbolical, needing authoritative interpretation."

(Promulgation of Universal Peace, pp. 219-220)

Revelation of story

"With regard to your question about the creation story, we are asked to quote the following from an unpublished Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

'Know ye that the Torah is that which was revealed in the Tablets to Moses, may peace be upon Him, or that to which He was bidden. But the stories are historical narratives and were written after Moses, may peace be upon Him.'

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, March 13, 1986, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1683)

Adamic Cycle

Bahá’u’lláh is the Culmination of the Adamic Cycle and the Inaugurator of the Bahá’í Cycle

"The Adamic Cycle inaugurated 6000 years ago by the Manifestation of God called Adam is only one of the many bygone cycles. Bahá’u’lláh, as you say, is the culmination of the Adamic Cycle. He is also the Inaugurator of the Bahá’í Cycle.

"Obviously there must have been Prophets and Manifestations in the ages preceding the Adamic Cycle. This is supported by the following statement revealed by Bahá’u’lláh.

'And now regarding thy question, "How is it that no records are to be found concerning the Prophets that have preceded Adam, the Father of Mankind, or of the Kings that lived in the days of those Prophets?" Know thou that the absence of any reference to them is no proof that they did not actually exist. That no records concerning them are now available, should be attributed to their extreme remoteness, as well as to the vast changes which the earth hath undergone since their time.'

(From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, March 13, 1986, in Lights of Guidance, no. 1683)

See also

• Age of universe
• Adamic Cycle

Adam and Eve

Regarding Adam and Eve, see Chapter 30 of Some Answered Questions .

For Biblical references, see Genesis, Chapters 1-5

Each Manifestation of God represents Adam; the first believer of each Faith represents Eve; the new believers are their progeny

Note: the following is (at least presently) unauthenticated, so until verified, it can only be regarded as pilgrims' notes)

Regarding thy question as to the beginning of Creation: Know thou that the Truth (GOD) has eternally ever been, and so also have His creatures, for there is no beginning either for the Truth (God) or for the creatures. According to the bodies in the contingent world, the "beginning" mentioned in the Holy Scriptures means the beginning of the Manifestation, and "creation" signifies the Second Spiritual Birth: as Christ says, "You must be born again." [Ed. - John 3:7 ] There is no doubt that the beginning of this Spiritual creation was the Manifestation Himself, for each Manifestation of the Divine Manifestations is the Adam (of His time,) and His first believer is Eve, while all the souls who are born of the Second Birth are His children and decendents. In the New Testament it is recorded : "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." Again in John 1:13" Which was born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

(Attributed to 'Abdu'l-Baha. Dwight Barstow collection, BC#286B, revealed Oct. 24, 1903. Translated in the Holy City. Translation certified to by Mirza Fareed Ameen, Dec.26, 1903.; Pub. by C.e. Sprague, 3502 Lake Ave., Chicago, Ill. Apr. 19, 08.; BC#286C; see https://bahai-library.com/dwight_barstow_collection )

Notes

The above might be confirmed by the following utterance attributed to Muhammad, and confirmed by 'Abdu'l-Bahá:

"I and ‘Alí, we are the Father and Mother of this people."

(Bahá'í Scriptures, no. 914 (p. 479))

as well as the words of 'Abdu'l-Bahá as He continues:

"“Adam” signifies the overflowing Reality, distributive, active, which represents the appearance of the Names and Qualities of God, the Divine conditions (or stations); whereas Eve is the passive Reality, taking, dependent, receptive, existing through the Divine Names and Qualities. Briefly, such are the least of the mysteries of the composition of the Greatest Name upon the stone of the Divine ring."

(Bahá'í Scriptures, no. 914 (p. 479))

See also

• Abel, Cain, Seth
• Adamic Cycle

To-dos for this page

• Better organization and bring in quotes brought up at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_in_Islam#Adam_in_the_Qur.27an