The pen is considered the first thing to record the destiny of
man before his existence. However, Adam is the last of
creatures, due to several reasons:
One: Preparing the place before the dweller's arrival.
Two: Adam is the aim for which every other being is created,
like the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, and the sea.
Three: The most proficient Creator ended His work with the
best the same as He starts with its basis and origin.
Four: Souls usually aspire to the end and final stages, and that
is why Musa (Moses) told the sorcerers in the Qur'anic verse in
which Allah says,
which means, "Cast down what you want to cast!" (Yunus,
10:80)
So when the people saw the sorcerers' actions, they inclined to
the following one.
Five: Allah, the Exalted and Ever Majestic, adjourned the best
of books, prophets, and nations to the latest period of time. He
renders the Hereafter better than this worldly life, and the final
stages to be more perfect than the earlier ones, and that is
why there is a great difference between the Angel's saying,
"Read," to which the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "I am
not a reader," and Allah's saying,
which means, "This day, I have perfected your religion for you."
(Al-Ma'idah, 5:3)
Six: Allah, the Exalted, gave the knowledge of all things to
Adam.
Seven: Adam is the essence and fruit of existence, so it is
correct that he is the last of all the entities.
Eight: Because Adam is honorable in the Sight of Allah, He
prepared all his interests, requirements, necessities and means
of life for him. As soon as he was created, he found the
universe ready for him.
Nine: Allah, the Exalted, willed that His honor and grace would
be manifested over other creatures, so He preceded their
creation, and that is why the Angels said, "Even if Allah creates
whatever He wills, no creatures will be more honorable to Him
than us." Thus, when He created Adam and He commanded
them to prostrate themselves before him, the honor and grace
of Allah were manifested thereon by His knowledge, however,
when Adam committed the sin, the Angels thought that the
honor (bestowed upon Adam) was annulled, disregarding the
fact that repentance is an act of worship. When Adam turned to
Allah in repentance, performing that act of worship, the Angels
knew that there is a secret in Allah's creation, which is known to
no one but Him, the Almighty.
Ten: When Allah, the Exalted, started the creation of the world
with the pen, it was magnificent to finalize His creation with the
human being. Verily, the pen is the tool of knowledge, and the
human is the knowledgeable entity. Accordingly, Allah manifested
the honor of Adam over the angels by virtue of the knowledge bestowed
upon him.
Ibnul Qayyim al Fawaa'id pgs 100-102
