Why did the offspring of Adam stay in the 'Stone Age' for 290 thousand years (according to Muslims)? 🔥ʰᵒᵗ

Bible claims that Adam came about 6 thousand years ago. A similar claim was made by Muslims too:

Ibn Jarir al-Tabari recorded some Ahadith which tell that Adam came 6000 years ago. He declared those Ahadith to be 'sound'.
Then Saudi Salafi Mufti of 'Islam Q & A' Fatwa Website collected Sahih (authentic) Ahadith, which are telling the gap of periods between different prophets. If these gaps are added together, then they are also telling that Adam came about 6000 years ago.
Shia Muslims also consider that Adam came about 6000 years ago.
Ahmadi Muslims also consider that Adam came about 6000 years ago.

Please read our detailed article: Adam came about 6000 years ago according to Islam

Nevertheless, Islam apologists had to deny that Adam came 6000 years ago.

But why?

The reason is scientists have already found fossils of modern humans, which are about 300 thousand years old. This is an image of 100 thousand years old human skull (known as SKHUL)

Similarly, cave paintings have been found which have been about 64 thousand years old (link).

This is a 30,000 years old cave hyena painting found in the Chauvet Cave, France.

Thus, after these scientific findings, it became impossible for Islam apologists to accept that Adam came only about 6000 years ago. And they started claiming that Adam came at least 300 thousand years ago as the fossils of modern humans suggest.

Table of Contents:

Scientific Proof: The "Stone Age" proves that Adam could not have come before 10 thousand years

Scientific Proof: The "Stone Age" proves that Adam could not have come before 10 thousand years

Although Islam apologists were compelled to push back the date of arrival of Adam to 300 thousand years ago (due to the fossils of modern Humans), nevertheless, modern science caught their lie through the "Stone Age".

The Stone Age started 2.5 million years ago and ended only 10 thousand years ago.

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The Stone Age is also divided into three different periods. Paleolithic or Old Stone Age: from the first production of stone artefacts, about 2.5 million years ago, to the end of the last Ice Age, about 9,600 BCE. This is the longest Stone Age period.

This means, according to modern science, Homos (including modern humans, neanderthals, and homo erectus) stayed in the Stone Age from 2.5 million years to 10 thousand years ago. The modern human was using only tools made out of stones or bones and he was hunting only through those tools of stone and bones till 10 thousand years ago.

If we accept that Adam had already arrived 300 thousand years ago, as the fossils of modern humans suggest, then the question arises:

Why didn't Adam teach his offspring to use tools which were more advanced than stone tools?
Why did Adam's progeny stay in the Stone Age for the next 290 thousand years, and come out of it only 10 thousand years ago?

This theory of Islam apologists becomes so ridiculous only while they deny Evolution.

Neither Bible nor Quran knows that our ancestors were Hunter-gatherers for 290,000 years

Like the Stone Age, our ancestors also stayed as Hunter-gatherers for at least 290 thousand years, and they made the settlements only 10 thousand years ago.

A hunter-gatherer is a human living a lifestyle in which most or all food is obtained by foraging (gathering edible wild plants) and hunting (pursuing and killing wild animals), in the same way, that most natural omnivores do. In contrast to agricultural societies, which rely mainly on cultivating crops and raising domesticated animals for food production

But there is no mention of Hunter-gatherers in the Bible or Quran or any other religious book, while all these religions are much younger than 10 thousand years and their founders didn't know about the history of their ancestors.

The evolution and domestication of the following 3 animals played a vital role at the beginning of Herding Culture:

Domestication of Sheep (around 11 thousand years ago)
Domestication of Cows (around 10500 thousand years ago)
Domestication of Dogs (around 15 thousand years ago)

Human settlements started due to the beginning of agriculture and herding about 10 thousand years ago. But before that, modern humans stayed as hunter-gatherers for at least 290 thousand years.

As compared to domestic sheep and cows, we have fossils of millions of other animals which go up to millions of years ago. And we also have cave paintings of a lot of animals, which go up to 50,000 years ago (link). For example, look at this cave painting from the Cave of Altamira, Spain.

But as far as domestic sheep and cows are concerned, then neither there exists any fossil of them nor any cave painting of them which is older than 11,000 years. The same is true about the dogs and neither any fossil of a dog is present, nor any cave painting present which is older than 14000 years.

Actually, according to Islamic stories, Adam and his offspring were cultivating crops and herding domestic animals, and thus he was not a hunter-gatherer.

Please see verse 5:27 and its commentary by all Muslim Mufassirin, where they recorded multiple traditions of how Qabeel (son of Adam) presented a part of his crops as 'sacrifice' to Allah, while the other son Habeel presented a sheep as 'sacrifice'.

For example, Ibn Kathir recorded this tradition and declared it to have a better than a good chain of narration (link):

وقال ابن أبي حاتم حدثنا الحسن بن محمد بن الصباح حدثنا حجاج عن ابن جريج، أخبرني ابن خثيم قال أقبلت مع سعيد بن جبير، فحدثني عن ابن عباس، قال نهى أن تنكح المرأة أخاها توأمها، وأمر أن ينكحها غيره من إخوتها، وكان يولد له في كل بطن رجل وامرأة، فبينما هم كذلك، إذ ولد له امرأة وضيئة، وولد له أخرى قبيحة دميمة، فقال أخو الدميمة أنكحني أختك، وأنكحك أختي، فقال لا، أنا أحق بأختي، فقربا قرباناً، فتقبل من صاحب الكبش، ولم يتقبل من صاحب الزرع، فقتله. إسناد جيد.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn Abbas said -- that during the time of Adam -- "The woman was not allowed in marriage for her male twin, but Adam was commanded to marry her to any of her other brothers. In each pregnancy, Adam was given a twin, a male and a female. A beautiful daughter was once born for Adam and another one that was not beautiful. So the twin brother of the ugly daughter said, `Marry your sister to me and I will marry my sister to you.' He said, `No, for I have more right to my sister.' So they both offered a sacrifice. The sacrifice of the one who offered the sheep was accepted while the sacrifice of the other (the twin brother of the beautiful daughter), which consisted of some crops, was not accepted. So the latter killed his brother.'' This story has a better than good chain of narration.

Tafsir Tabari, under verse 5:27 (link):

حدثنـي موسى بن هارون، قال: ثنا عمرو بن حماد، قال: ثنا أسبـاط، عن السديّ، فـيـما ذكر عن أبـي مالك، وعن أبـي صالـح، عن ابن عبـاس. وعن مرّة، عن ابن مسعود، وعن ناس من أصحاب النبـيّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: كان لا يولد لآدم مولود إلا ولد معه جارية، فكان يزوّج غلام هذا البطن جارية هذا البطن الآخر، ويزوّج جارية هذا البطن غلام البطن هذا الآخر. حتـى ولد له ابنان يقال لهما: قابـيـل، وهابـيـل، وكان قابـيـل صاحب زرع، وكان هابـيـل صاحب ضرع. وكان قابـيـل أكبرهما، وكان له أخت أحسن من أخت هابـيـل. وإن هابـيـل طلب أن ينكح أخت قابـيـل، فأبى علـيه وقال: هي أختي ولدت معي، وهي أحسن من أختك، وأنا أحقّ أن أتزوّجها. فأمره أبوه أن يزوّجها هابـيـل فأبى. وإنهما قرّبـا قربـاناً إلـى الله أيهما أحقّ بـالـجارية، وكان آدم يومئذ قد غاب عنهما إلـى مكة ينظر إلـيها، قال الله لآدم: يا آدم، هل تعلـم أن لـي بـيتاً فـي الأرض؟ قال: اللهمّ لا قال: فإن لـي بـيتاً بـمكة فأته فقال آدم للسماء: احفظي ولدي بـالأمانة، فأبت. وقال للأرض فأبت، وقال للـجبـال فأبت، وقال لقابـيـل، فقال: نعم تذهب وترجع وتـجد أهلك كما يسرّك. فلـما انطلق آدم قرّبـا قربـاناً، وكان قابـيـل يفخر علـيه، فقال: أنا أحقّ بها منك، هي أختـي، وأنا أكبر منك، وأنا وصيّ والديّ. فلـما قرّبـا، قرّب هابـيـل جذعة سمينة، وقرّب قابـيـل حُزمة سنبل، فوجد فـيها سنبلة عظيـمة ففركها فأكلها. فنزلت النار فأكلت قربـان هابـيـل، وتركت قربـان قابـيـل، فغضب وقال: لأقتلنك حتـى لا تنكح أختـي فقال هابـيـل { إنَّـمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الـمُتَّقِـينَ }.

Translation:

It was narrated from as-Suddi, in his narration from Abu Maalik and from Abu Saalih from Ibn ‘Abbaas, and from Murrah from Ibn Mas‘ood, and from some of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): No son was born to Adam but a daughter would be born with him, and the boy from this pregnancy would marry the girl from another pregnancy, and the girl from this pregnancy would marry a boy from another pregnancy. This continued till two boys Qabeel and Habeel were born. Qabeel was a grower of crops, and Habeel kept the livestock of animals. Qabeel was the elder one, and the sister that was born along with him was more beautiful than the girl who was born along with Habeel. When Habeel wished to marry the sister of Qabeel, then Qabeel refused to accept it and said: "She is my sister as she was born along with me, and she is more beautiful than your sister, and thus I have more right to marry her. But his father (i.e. Adam) ordered him to let Habeel marry her, but Qabeel still refused. And both of them offered a sacrifice to see who had more right upon that girl ... Habeel offered a fat lamb as offering, while Qabeel offered a sheaf of corn, but took out a big corn from it and ate it. Fire came down (from heaven) and consumed the offering of Habeel, but not that of Qaabeel [i.e., Haabeel’s offering was accepted and Qaabeel’s was not]. Upon that Qabeel became angry and he said: "I will certainly kill you, and you will not be able to marry my sister.
Grade: Sahih (Albani)

Agriculture also started only 10 thousand years ago

And cultivation of crops also started only about 10 thousand years ago in the Neolithic Period (after the end of the ice age).

Nevertheless, both Bible and Quran are claiming that Adam started with agriculture as soon as he arrived on this planet earth.

Please see verse 5:27 and its commentary by Ibn Jarir Tabari (link), where he recorded multiple traditions of how Qabeel (son of Adam) presented a part of his crop as a 'sacrifice' to Allah, while the other son Habeel presented a sheep as 'sacrifice'. Or see the tradition by Ibn Kathir above regarding the sacrifice of sheep and crops by the sons of Adam.

Thus, the cultivation of crops and the presence of domestic sheep also proves that the story of Adam could not be older than 10 thousand years.

Bible and Quran knew nothing about the 'Ice Age'

The last ice age ended about 10 thousand years ago (link).

Neither Bible, nor Quran, nor any other religious book know anything about the Ice Age.

It is due to the reason that all religions are much younger than 10 thousand years. Thus, the human creators of those religions didn't know what happened thousands of years before them in form of the Stone Age and ice age.

Adam vs Iron Age:

You will be surprised to know that humans first started the use of iron only 3500 years ago (link).

Humans discovered bronze some 5500 years ago. It is known as the Bronze Age.

While the Copper Age existed between the Stone Age and Bronze Age.

The Homo species started making tools out of stone some 2.5 million years ago till 10 thousand years ago. And then the Stone Age ended with the copper Age when humans started making tools out of copper.

Noah's Ark and problems for Muslims:

According to the bible, the gap between Adam and Noah was 1056 years.

And this gap is the same according to Islam too. Saudi Salafi Mufti at Islam Question Answer wrote (link):

The period between Adam and Nooh (peace be upon them both): it was narrated from Abu Umaamah that a man said: “O Messenger of Allaah, was Adam a Prophet?” He said, “Yes, and Allaah spoke to him.” The man asked, “How much (time) was there between him and Nooh?” He said, “Ten centuries.” Narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh, 14/69; and by al-Haakim, 2/262. He said it is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah (1/94): this is (saheeh) according to the conditions of Muslim, even though he did not narrate it.

On one hand, the fossils of modern humans and other homos compel Muslims to claim that Adam came at least 300 thousand years ago, but on the other hand, they are unable to tell how Noah was able to make the whole Ark with stone and bone tools.

And the Quran claims that Noah was not in the Stone Age, but he was using wooden Planks and Nails.

Quran 54:13:
And We carried him on (ark) made of planks and nails,

Therefore, how was it possible for Noah to make such a huge ark millions of years ago, which carried all the pairs of animals of the whole world, and their food and water?

One needs modern technology and tools to make such a huge ark. Actually, even with modern technology, such a huge ark can not be made without the use of iron wires/rope.

Even with the modern technology of today, the biggest ship, which is made out of wood, is only 100 meters long (link), even though not only a lot of iron nails have been used in it, but they also had to use steel wires in order to keep the planks together.

The oldest naval Ship is only 5 thousand years old

The next problem for Muslims is that science has discovered that the oldest naval ship is only 5 thousand years old (link).

It was the Egyptians who started making the ships. But those ships were very primitive, where hulls were made in the planks, and then they were tied together with ropes, while they had no technology to make the nails.

And researchers have found a lot of paintings of those initial naval ships, which are 5 thousand years old. But you will not find any painting of any type of other advanced ship (then those primitive ships) which are older than 5 thousand years old. And there is absolutely no 'cave painting' present about any naval ship (while cave paintings are much older than 5 thousand years). Here is an image of an Egyptian boat from about 4 thousand years ago.

Egyptian boat building about 4000 years ago

These Egyptian boats were the most advanced boats in the world till 4000 to 5000 years ago.

Therefore, the question remains for Muslims, how Noah was then able to make such a huge ark millions of years ago with stone tools?

Islamic claim: Humans have been decreasing in stature (height) since Adam's creation, who was 60 cubits tall

Muhammad claimed that Adam was 60 cubits tall, and the height of humans has been decreasing since Adam's creation.

Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 3326:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall ... Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam's creation.

Muhammad made such stories while he thought that no one was able to certify or deny such fairy tales.

But modern science proved Muhammad wrong, and indeed it became able to certify or deny such fairy tales.

Scientists have found human fossils which are 300 thousand years old, but all of them have the normal height of present-day humans.

In fact, all the members of the Homo family (whose fossils go up to 3.4 million years old) are of the same height as modern humans of today.

Conclusion:

Modern science has closed all the escape doors for Muslims:

If Muslims accept their traditions and early scholars that Adam came 6000 years ago, then the 300 thousand years old fossils of modern humans prove them to be wrong.
And if Muslims claim that Adam came 300 thousand years ago, then the cultivation and herding in the story of Adam's son start proving them wrong. And also, why did the offspring of Adam stay in the Stone Age for the next 290 thousand years? And also how was Noah able to make such a huge ark in the Stone Age?

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