Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, created Adam in His image with His length of sixty cubits, and as He created him He told him to greet that group, and that was a party of angels sitting there, and listen to the response that they give him, for it would form his greeting and that of his offspring. He then went away and said: Peace be upon you! They (the angels) said: May there be peace upon you and the Mercy of Allah, and they made an addition of" Mercy of Allah". So he who would get into Paradise would get in the form of Adam, his length being sixty cubits, then the people who followed him continued to diminish in size up to this day.
The Creation of Adam in Allah's Image
The phrase "created Adam in His image" refers to Allah bestowing upon Adam certain divine attributes such as life, knowledge, power, hearing, and sight - not that Allah resembles His creation. This is the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, affirming the attributes without resemblance (tashbih) or negation (ta'til).
The Stature of Adam and His Progeny
Adam's height of sixty cubits (approximately 90 feet) demonstrates the perfection of the first human creation. The gradual diminution of human stature over generations reflects the weakening of creation over time, culminating in our current form. The inhabitants of Paradise will be restored to Adam's original perfect stature.
The Institution of Islamic Greeting
Allah taught Adam the proper etiquette of greeting, establishing "As-salamu alaykum" as the standard salutation for his descendants. The angels' addition of "wa rahmatullah" (and the Mercy of Allah) shows how divine guidance perfects human practice. This hadith establishes the superiority of the complete Islamic greeting.
Paradisiacal Restoration
The return to Adam's original form in Paradise signifies the restoration of human perfection in the Hereafter. This includes not only physical stature but also spiritual purity and freedom from the deficiencies of worldly existence. The believers will enter Paradise in their most perfect state, as originally intended by Allah.