1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari and Muhammad ibn Yahya have narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Zurara from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Had people known how the beginning of the creation was, no one would have disagreed with another person. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, before creating the creatures said, ‘Be a sweet water so I create from you My paradise and people who obey My commands. Be very salty water; from you I create My fire and those who disobey Me.’ He then commanded them to mix and from this the believers give birth to unbelievers and the unbelievers give birth to the believers. Then He took a clay from the surface of the earth and kneaded it very strongly whereby they (children of Adam) appeared as particles crawling about. He then said to the people of the right hand, ‘To paradise (you go) in peace.’ To the people of the left hand He said, ‘To the fire (you go) and I am not concerned.’ He then commanded a fire that began to blaze and He said to the people of the left hand, ‘Enter therein.’ They then were frightened thereby. He then said to the people of the right hand, ‘Enter the fire.’ They then entered therein and He said, ‘O fire be cool and peaceful.’ The fire became cool and peaceful. The people of the left hand then said, ‘O Lord forgive us and reduce our burden.’ The Lord said, ‘I have reduced it for you. Enter.’ They went but were afraid of it. It was there that obedience and disobedience came to take place. Thus, these will not be able to become of those and they will not be able to become of these.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ‘Udhayna from Zurara who has said the following: “Once a man asked abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Majestic the Glorious, ‘When your Lord took from the back of the children of Adam their offspring and told them to bear testimony to the words of Allah, “Am I not your Lord,” they all said, “Yes, You are our Lord. . . .”’ (7:172) “He (the Imam), while his father (a.s.) was listening, said, ‘My father narrated to me that Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, took a handful of clay, from which He created Adam. He poured upon it sweet water from Euphrates and left it for forty mornings. Then He poured upon it very salty water and left it for forty mornings. When the clay fermented He then kneaded it strongly and they (children of Adam) appeared as particles from his right and left sides. He ordered all of them to enter the fire. The people of the right hand entered it and it became cool and peaceful for them but the people of the left hand refused to enter.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Muhammad ibn Ali al-Halabi from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “When Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, willed to create Adam He sent water on the clay. He then took a handful and kneaded it and then divided it in two parts with His hands then scattered them and they began to move. He then started a fire for them and commanded the people of the left hand to enter therein. They went near but were afraid of it and they did not enter therein. He then commanded the people of the right hand to enter in the fire. They went and entered into it and Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, commanded the fire to become cool and peaceful for them. When the people of the left hand observed it they said, ‘Our Lord, forgive us.’ He forgave them and said to them, ‘Enter into the fire.’ They went but did not enter therein. He then changed them to clay and He created Adam therefrom. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) then said, ‘Those will never be able to become these and they will never be able to become of those.’ He (a.s.) then said, ‘They saw the Messenger of Allah (a.s.) to be the first to enter that fire. For this reason is the words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, ‘(Muhammad), Say, “Had the Beneficent had a son then I would have been the first to worship.”’” (43: 81)

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.