Samal Genesis
In the beginning, when there were no creatures yet, there was only the
sea. Floating on this sea was a thing resembling a ball. This was the abode of
God the Most High. When he wanted to bring out his creations, the ball split;
one half of it rose and became heaven (with seven levels) and the lower half
remained and became the earth (with seven levels).
Now the sea on which the ball was floating was called Baharun Nur [Bahar, great waters, mighty
rivers; Nur, light], meaning, this was the ancestor of all which floated on it.
Symbolically, the part which was lifted up was the father, and the grandfather
was the sea on which it floated. Now at the same time of the splitting of the
ball, and as God willed it, all men and all the creatures on earth have already
been believed as being in it.
From the time of our ancestors up to the present, the original content of that thing is what we
have been looking for.
And Nur Muhammad [technical term for the pre-existence of the soul of the Prophet] was then
already risen. When Allah the Most High was already in the highest heaven, he willed and his radiance
scattered and became a man—Nur Muhammad. Now, when the latter became aware of himself, he
asserted that he was God. Looking left and right, he saw that he was alone. So he said to himself,
―There is nobody but me, so I must be God.‖ He then went around, and after walking some distance he said, ―Arastum Murabbikum,‖ meaning, ―I am God.‖ Then all of a sudden, a voice answered, ―Kahal
Bala,” and Nur disintegrated.
When Nur disintegrated, all the elements contained in the earth and the heavens were drawn out
of him. All creatures then appeared. From the single light [Nur] was taken the elements that became
the moon, the sun, the stars, the trees, and all living things. They were all there. And this was begun
on a Sunday and was completed on a Friday.
After all things had been drawn out of Nur Muhammad, he was made man once again, and God
said to him, ―Don‘t assert that you are God. It is I. But if you don‘t believe, let us play hide and seek.
You hide and I will look for you. Then I will hide and you will look for me. If I can find you and you
cannot find me, then surely I am God.‖ And so they commenced the trial. No matter how hard Nur
Muhammad hid, God always pinpointed him. Then God said, ―Now I will hide.‖ And Nur Muhammad
could not find him. [This is said to be the reason why we cannot see God.
God then summoned the angel, Jibra‘il [Gabriel]. God then said to him, ―Go on to earth and get a
handful of soil.‖ When Jibra‘il descended and tried to pick up some earth. The earth cursed and
refused to be taken, Jibra‘il returned empty-handed, and God said to another angel, Mika‘il, ―You go.‖
When Mikail reached the earth, the same refusal met him. Then the angel, Israfil, took his turn, but the
earth likewise refused. Then the fourth angel, Idjara‘il [Izra‘il or Azra‘el], immediately went down and
forthwith grabbed the earth. One of his fingers was on the west, another on the east, a third one on the
south, and a fourth one on the earth. And he scooped a handful.
7 Then God said to Jibra‘il, ―Make it into a man.‖ When it had assumed the form of a man, Jibra‘il
said, ―My Lord, the man is here, but it cannot speak, and his joints are no t connected.‖Then God said, ―Get a ganta of rice and grind it into
powder and apply it to him.‖ Then the joints were connected and the man
became whole, but he still could not speak. Then God commanded Nur
Muhammad, ―Go inside Adam‖ (for that was the name of the man). But Nur Muhammad said, ―I refuse. You created Adam from the four elements (fire, water, wind, and earth), whereas I came from Your light.‖ Then God
said to Nur Muhammad, ―Be willing, for you and I are one, and you can
meet me five times a day during prayer.‖ So Nur Muhammad went inside
Adam through his forehead and Adam became a living man.
And God made Adam into a Caliph and commanded all creatures including angels to pay
homage to him. And every creature did, except Iblis (the Evil One) who said to God, ―How can I
worship Adam seeing he was created of four elements whereas I have served you for hundreds of
years.‖ In spite of God‘s entreaty, Iblis continued to refuse. Then, Iblis asked God to grant him four
wishes. First, that he would be the richest of all; second, that he would be the most exalted of all; third,
that he can steal the riches of those who have; and fourth, that those riches he cannot steal, he kills.
And this is the origin of the evil desire for material goods and for worldly fame which leads to envy and
killing. Those whom Iblis enters are led to evil. For he had an agreement with God that those he can mislead are his and those he cannot are God‘s.