434 — Al-Firyābī also informed us, saying: Qutaybah ibn Saʿīd narrated to us, saying: Al-Layth ibn Saʿd narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn ʿAjlān, from Saʿīd al-Maqburī, from his father, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Salām, who said:

“Allah created the earth on Sunday and Monday. He apportioned its provisions and placed firm mountains upon it on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then He turned to heaven while it was smoke and created it on Thursday and Friday, and He revealed to each heaven its command. He created Adam (peace be upon him) in the final hour of Friday, in haste. Then He left him for forty days, looking upon him and saying—Blessed and Exalted is He—‘So blessed is Allah, the best of creators’ [Al-Mu’minūn: 14].

“Then He breathed into him of His spirit. When the spirit entered part of him, Adam tried to sit up. ⦗857⦘ Allah Most High said, ‘Man was created of haste’ [Al-Anbiyā: 37]. When the spirit had fully coursed through him, he sneezed. Allah Most High said, ‘Say: Praise be to Allah.’ He said, ‘Praise be to Allah.’ Allah Most High said, ‘May your Lord have mercy upon you.’

“Then He told him, ‘Go to the angels gathered in that assembly and greet them.’ He did so, and He said, ‘This shall be your greeting and the greeting of your descendants.’ Then He passed His hand over Adam’s back and brought forth in both His hands all those whom He would create from his descendants until the Hour comes. He then closed both hands and said, ‘Choose, Adam.’ Adam said, ‘I choose Your right hand, my Lord, though both Your hands are right hands.’

“He opened it, and there were his descendants who would be among the people of Paradise. Adam asked, ‘Who are these, my Lord?’ He replied, ‘They are those whom I have decreed to create from your descendants as people of Paradise until the Hour comes.’ Among them were some who possessed a radiance. Adam asked, ‘Who are these, my Lord?’ He replied, ‘They are the prophets.’ Adam asked, ‘Who is this one who possesses such radiance?’ He replied, ‘He is your son David.’ ⦗858⦘ Adam asked, ‘What lifespan have You allotted him?’ He replied, ‘Sixty years.’ Adam asked, ‘And how long is my lifespan?’ He replied, ‘One thousand years.’ Adam said, ‘Then add forty years from my lifespan to his, my Lord.’ He replied, ‘If you wish.’ Adam said, ‘I do wish it. In that case, let it be written and sealed, and let it not be changed.’

“Then, at the far end of the palm of the Most Merciful—Blessed and Exalted is He—Adam saw the last of them, who possessed a surpassing radiance. He asked, ‘Who is this, my Lord?’ He replied, ‘Muhammad. He is the last of them, yet the first of them whom I shall admit into Paradise.’

“When the Angel of Death came to take Adam’s soul, Adam said, ‘Forty years of my life still remain.’ He replied, ‘Did you not give them to your son David?’ Adam replied, ‘No.’ Thus Adam forgot, and his descendants forgot; Adam disobeyed, and his descendants disobeyed; Adam denied, and his descendants denied. That was the first day on which witnesses were commanded.”