In this stage...

In this stage, Adam and his wife started to apologise to the Almighty Allah for their fault, confessing their wrongdoing, seeking God's forgiveness and mercy: “Said they “O Our Lord! unjust have we been unto ourselves, and if Thou forgive us not and deal “not” with mercy unto us “then”, We will certainly be of the losers.” (Qur’an, 7:23).

Then Adam receives certain words and Allah relents toward him: “And received Adam from his Lord “certain” words “of prayer” and God turned unto him “mercifully”, for verily He is the Oft ­turning “unto mercy”, the Most Merciful.” (Qur’an, 1:37). Pondering and making a meditating pause on this story, the verses of which have already been quoted, we will be led to the fact that no difference or distinction is stated in the Qur’an in creation of the woman and man.

Thus it is incorrect to attribute all characteristics of strength to the man and those of weakness and deficiency to the woman, since it is both talking about the human being and man or son of Adam as a symbol and specimen and representative of humankind.

Hence, in respect of vicegerency and succession, breathing of “God's” soul, prostration “in obeisance” of angels, teaching the names, evil whispering of Satan, rebellion and disobedience, covenant and contract, selection and choosing, receiving of words, and relentless and material of creation, they are both equal. For completing discussion of this issue, two other subjects to which the verses on creation of man referred, should be studied and perused attentively.

Creation of Woman out of Man When reading some of the Qur’anic verses, we may come to conclude that Allah has created the woman from the man, and this is considered a kind of deficiency on the part of the women. These verses are the following: “O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single self and created from it, its mate, and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women.” (Qur’an, 4:1).

“He it is Who did create you from a single soul, and therefrom did make his mate…” (Qur’an, 7:189). “He created you from one being, then from that “being” He made his mate” (Qur’an, 39:6) “And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves, mates…” (Qur’an, 30:21). “And God hath given you wives of your own selves, and hath given you from your wives sons and grandchildren…” (Qur’an, 16:72). “He made for you from among your “own” selves pairs…” (Qur’an, 42:11).