6. Members of One Family

The Quran states: “O mankind! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul. He created its mate from it and from the two of them spread countless men and women [throughout the earth]. Fear God, in whose name you appeal to one another, and be mindful of your obligations in respect of ties of kinship. God is always watching over you.” (Quran, 4:1)

This verse affirms that man and woman share the same origin. Both descend from the same first parents and are, in essence, like siblings to one another. This understanding forms the foundation of all social ethics. Those who internalize this principle will regard good conduct towards others as important as good conduct towards their own family members. It becomes a source of mutual harmony and a strong incentive for striving toward higher moral excellence.

The phrase khalaqa minha zawjaha—“He created from it its mate”—uses the word minha, which conveys the sense of “from the same kind.” In other words, Eve was created from the same human essence as Adam. Their shared origin points to a natural bond, compatibility, and harmony between man and woman.

The Bible states that God created Adam first and then fashioned Eve from one of Adam’s ribs (Genesis 2:22‑23). On this basis, some commentators held that Eve was created from Adam’s rib.

However, this is a biblical account, not a Quranic one. According to the Quran, Adam and Eve were both created from the same substance; it does not state that one was physically formed from the other.

The Hadith, “Women were created from a rib” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 5186) refers to women in general, not specifically to the creation of Eve. Here, the rib functions as a metaphor, indicating women’s emotional sensitivity; therefore, men are advised to treat them with gentleness and understanding.