Question:
The narration stating Prophet Adam (Alaihis Salam) was 60 feet tall is not authentic because it contradicts clear reality. Based on that, if Adam being 60 feet tall is rejected, then what about the reports that Prophetﷺs like Nuh (Alaihis Salam) lived for more than 900 years? In that video, all the arguments you presented would apply to this as well. Should we consider those weak too? The Qur’an itself mentions age. How do you reconcile this contradiction?
Answer:
As quoted, we rejected the claim that Adam (Alaihis Salam) was 60 cubits tall. Why did we reject it? – For many reasons. The main reason is this: In the Qur’an, Allahuﷻ says that among the creations He created, the most magnificent in size were the people of Iram. Allahuﷻ says He created the people of Iram, and no creation like them was ever created in the world. They were enormous in size. They carved homes out of mountains. Allahuﷻ says no one like them was created.
That is the primary foundation. When we look at that basis, where did the people of Iram live? In the region of Hijr (Hegra, between Madina & Tabuk, in Saudi Arabia). Their carved mountain homes still exist. Those dwellings are not built for someone 60 cubits tall. They are built for people around 10 feet or less. If they were 60 cubits tall, the entrances and ceilings would have to be 80 cubits high. Such structures do not exist. Their homes are like ours, only slightly larger.
If Allahuﷻ says no creation greater than them was created, and if they are the greatest in size, then no one larger than them existed. Their skeletons have also been examined. They are not 60 feet tall. They are only slightly larger than normal humans, not gigantic.
Based on this contradiction with the Qur’an, we rejected that narration. Allahuﷻ says no one greater than Iram was created. Their dwellings are visible even today, and Allahuﷻ says you pass by their ruins. The Prophetﷺ also said when passing that area, pass quickly. The region where the Prophetﷺ traveled includes the land of Thamud and the people of Salih. Their structures, gates, fortresses still exist. None of them show habitation of people 40, 50, or 60 cubits tall.
If the houses were 70 or 80 feet high, we could assume the people were 60 cubits tall. But they are not. That was the main reason. Along with that, we added other supporting reasons. So we rejected it because it contradicts the Qur’an.
Now he asks: what if it is in the Qur’an? If the Qur’an clearly stated Adam was 60 cubits tall, why would we reject it? If the Qur’an says so, we accept it. Even if no skeleton is found, we accept it because Allahuﷻ says it.
But when it comes through a hadith, what happens? A single narrator reports that the Prophetﷺ said something. The Qur’an, however, is transmitted by the entire Ummah. There is no room for error in that. That is why scholars evaluate hadith critically. A hadith can be a solitary report (khabar wahid). A single person may misunderstand slightly and report it as something the Prophetﷺ said.
If there is no contradiction, we accept it. If there is contradiction, we reject it. If the Qur’an clearly stated Adam was 60 cubits tall, I would not reject it. Whether bones are found or not does not matter if Allahuﷻ states it.