A long time ago, before even time existed, Allah was.
Allah said “Be” and the world came into existence. He created the Earth and the heavens, the sun, moon and stars, the angels and all the creatures which exist on the earth, in the water and the sky.
Allah made the rain pour down upon the earth, and the soil produced corn, grass, fruit trees, and all other kinds of plants. Then Allah told the angels to go down to the Earth and collect seven handfuls of different coloured earth: red, black, white, yellow. He took the earth and carefully shaped it together into the form of a man. The man was not alive – just a lifeless lump. So Allah breathed his spirit into the man and, at once, he came to life. Now this first man was called Adam, and Allah taught Adam the names of all of the creatures. Allah made a partner for Adam, who was called Eve. He made Eve from out of Adam’s side, so they were part of each other.
Adam and Eve lived in Paradise – a beautiful garden full of all kinds of fruit trees and scented plants, clear-flowing streams of water and a cooling breeze. Allah said that they could eat whatever they wanted from the garden, except for the fruit of one particular tree. But they were tempted by Iblis (Satan) and they ate the forbidden fruit. For their disobedience, Allah sent them away from Paradise to live on Earth.
Now the earth was created by Allah to provide everything good that humans need to survive. It produces food, drink and shelter for them, and the sun, moon and stars give them light to see the beauty of the world by. It is a good world which humans should treat with respect as part of Allah’s creation. | Chalk