Height of Adam (a.s) - 60 Cubits Tall?

​​In the heavens Adam (a.s) height was 60 cubits and on earth it was just normal like all other humans. From an Islamic perspective their height was 60 cubits in paradise and this is established due to authentic information in the following tradition:

Abu Huraira (r.a) reported Allah's Messenger ﷺ as saying: "Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created Adam in His image with His length of sixty cubits, and as He created him He told him to greet that group, and that was a party of angels sitting there, and listen to the response that they give him, for it would form his greeting and that of his offspring. He then went away and said: Peace be upon you! (Asalaam O Alaikum). They (the angels) said: May there be peace upon you and the Mercy of Allah (Wa Alaikum Salaam Wa Rahmatullahi), and they made an addition of" Mercy of Allah". So he who would get into Paradise would get in the form of Adam (as he was in Paradise) his length being sixty cubits, then the people who followed him continued to diminish in size up to this day."[1] The highlighted part of the hadith is where I believe the readers make an error when understanding. The Arabic words are فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الْخَلْقُ يَنْقُصُ بَعْدَهُ حَتَّى الآنَ usually translated as "then the people who followed him يَنْقُصُ (continued to diminish) in size up to this day" thinking that the tradition is speaking of some sort of an evolution which points towards humankind’s stature diminishing with time. This leads towards people trying to prove or disapprove using modern scientific findings which leads towards more confusion. This misunderstanding however is removed when we translate a bit different, the term يَنْقُصُ  as it should, to make sense with the rest of the hadith such as "the creation is still يَنْقُصُ (lacking, cut off) after him until now"[2] which means that creation i.e. humankind has continued to be deprived of that height or that humankind has not achieved this height since Adam’s fall. This also means Adam (a.s) had this height only in paradise and the creation can regain that back only in paradise, hence the wording "So he who would get into Paradise would get in the form of Adam (as he was in Paradise) his length being sixty cubits..." 

A very important thing to mention and note is that in all the recorded hadith that one can collect on the subject of Adam’s height, does not mention anywhere him or his wife & our mother Hawwa (Eve) (alaihi salaam), having this height on earth. They all talk about their great height in the early part of their creation when they lived in paradise. The above tradition is quite clear that Adam (a.s) had that height only in paradise and not on earth due to the wording "... and as He created him He told him to greet that group (of angels)". The Quran also confirms that Adam (alaihi salaam) and the angels had their first encounter in the heavens and not on earth, which occurred after Adam (alaihi salaam) was created he lived in the gardens of heavens or paradise: "…And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate before Adam". And We said, "O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in ..."[3] It is during this time that his height was 60 cubits and inshA’Allah (God Willing) those who enter the paradise will have the same stature and height, as the Prophet ﷺ described other unbelievable qualities humans will have in paradise such as: "The first group of people who will enter Paradise, will be glittering like the full moon and those who will follow them, will glitter like the most brilliant star in the sky. They will not urinate, relieve nature, spit, or have any nasal secretions. Their combs will be of gold, and their sweat will smell like musk. The aloes-wood will be used in their centers. Their wives will be houris. All of them will look alike and will resemble their father Adam (in stature), sixty cubits tall."[4] Characteristics such as, ‘sweat will smell like must’, ‘will not urinate’, ’60 cubits tall’, are all unbelievable for people on earth as Allah ﷻ has said about the enjoyments and life of paradise: "No soul knows what joy is kept hidden in store for them as a reward for what they have done."[3] or as the Prophet ﷺ mentioned about the joys of paradise from Allah ﷻ in a hadith e qudsi: “..No eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind has imagined…”[5]

The 60 cubits height is an impossible earthly human characteristic but very possible in the hereafter and Adam (alaihi salaam) and Hawwa (alaihi salaam) had this during their first stay in paradise. And Allah ﷻ knows best.

References:
[1] Sahih Muslim 2841 - Sunnah.com 
[2] Google Translation 
[3] Al Quran 2:34–35
[4] Al Quran 32:17 
[5] Sunan Ibn Majah - Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4328 - Sunnah.com 

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