Adam’s (a.s.) 60 Cubit Height

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

There is a hadits which is akhraju ash-Shaykhayn, meaning that it is found in the Shaykhayn, but the narrations differ, that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Allah (s.w.t.) Created Adam and he was sixty cubits tall.  Then He said, ‘Go and greet those angels and listen to how they greet you, for that will be your greeting and the greeting of your progeny.’ 

He said, ‘as-Salaamu‘Alaykum.’ 

They replied, ‘as-Salaamu‘Alaykum wa Rahmatullah.’ 

So, they added the words ‘wa Rahmatullah.’  And everyone who enters Paradise will be in the form of Adam.  People kept on growing smaller until now.” 

According to a version narrated by Imam Muslim (r.a.), “Everyone who enters Paradise will be in the form of Adam who was sixty cubits tall.  People kept growing smaller until now.” 

Was Adam (a.s.) literally 60 cubits tall?  That would be over 27 metres in height.  At that height, the mass of Adam (a.s.) would cause him to collapse upon himself, and he would be unable to get up, let alone walk anywhere.  Also, anthropology has shown that we have not grown smaller.  In fact, we have grown taller from our ancestors over the last 2 million years.  Narrations like these should not be taken literally.  They should be viewed allegorically.