The complete chronological order of our life in Islam begins long before our birth. The Qur’an and authentic Hadith explain every stage of our journey, from creation to eternal life.
The below-mentioned order comes from the strongest evidence we have access to, including the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. Any stories that aren’t supported by the evidence are made clear. Sunni scholars agree that this is the most accurate way to re-create the order in which Allah created the world.
This guide presents the complete chronological order of our life in Islam in simple words. You will learn how Allah created everything, why we are sent to this world, what happens after death, what happened before coming to earth, how the Day of Judgment unfolds, and what leads to Paradise or Hell. Every section is based on authentic Islamic sources to help you understand the timeline with confidence.
Table of Contents
Timeline of Allah’s Creation
The first creation is discussed by scholars because some narrations mention the Pen first, while others mention the Throne and Water. A common reconciliation is that the Throne and Water already existed when the Pen was commanded to write, or that the hadith “The first thing Allah created was the Pen” refers to the first creation related to recording the divine decree. Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Ibn Kathir discuss these narrations in detail.
This timeline comes from the strongest evidence we have access to, including the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah. Any stories that aren’t supported by the evidence are made clear. Sunni scholars agree that this is the most accurate way to re-create the order in which Allah created the world. As Allah says:
“And of knowledge, you have been given only a little.”
Surah Al-Isra’ (17:85)
This means that Muslims should only believe what is clearly stated in revelation and not say they are sure of something that Allah and His Messenger ﷺ did not say.
| Creation | Evidence | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Allah alone existed | Qur’an 57:3; Sahih al-Bukhari 7418; Sahih Muslim 2789 | Before anything was created, only Allah existed. He has no beginning or end. |
| 2. The Throne (‘Arsh) | Qur’an 11:7 | Allah informs us that His Throne was above the water before the creation of the heavens and the earth. Many scholars, therefore, conclude the Throne is among the earliest creations. |
| 3. Water | Qur’an 11:7 | Water already existed when Allah’s Throne was above it. |
| 4. The Pen (Al-Qalam) | Sunan Abu Dawood 4700; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2155 (Hasan Sahih) | Allah commanded the Pen to write everything that would happen until the Day of Resurrection. Scholars reconciled this hadith with the reports about the Throne and Water. |
| 5. The Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) | Qur’an 85:21–22; 57:22 | The Pen recorded the complete divine decree in the Preserved Tablet. |
| 6. The Angels | Sahih Muslim 2996 | Angels were created from light. This includes Jibril, Mika’il, Israfil, Malik, Munkar & Nakir, Kiraman Katibin, and the bearers of the Throne. |
| 7. The Kursi | Qur’an 2:255 | The Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth. It is distinct from the Throne. |
| 8. The Jinn | Qur’an 15:27; 55:15 | Jinn were created from smokeless fire before the creation of humankind. |
| 9. Iblis | Qur’an 18:50 | Iblis was one of the jinn, not an angel. |
| 10. The Earth | Qur’an 41:9 | Allah created the earth in two days. |
| 11. Mountains | Qur’an 41:10 | Mountains were placed on the earth to stabilize it. |
| 12. Earthly Blessings and Provision | Qur’an 41:10 | Allah measured and distributed sustenance and resources for all creatures. |
| 13. The Heaven in the Form of Smoke | Qur’an 41:11 | Before the heavens were fully formed, the heaven was in a state described as “smoke” (dukhan). |
| 14. The Seven Heavens | Qur’an 41:12 | Allah fashioned the seven heavens and assigned their functions. |
| 15. Stars | Qur’an 41:12; 37:6; 67:5 | Allah adorned the lowest heaven with stars and made some of them missiles against devils. |
| 16. The Sun | Qur’an 10:5; 21:33 | Allah made the sun a radiant lamp and established its orbit. |
| 17. The Moon | Qur’an 10:5; 36:39 | Allah made the moon a reflected light and determined its phases. |
| 18. Night and Day | Qur’an 39:5; 25:62 | Allah alternates night and day as signs for mankind. |
| 19. The Earth Spread Out | Qur’an 79:30–33 | After the initial creation, Allah spread out the earth and prepared it for life. |
| 20. Water Springs and Rivers | Qur’an 79:31; 13:3 | Allah caused water to emerge from the earth and created rivers. |
| 21. Pastures, Crops, Trees and Fruits | Qur’an 79:31; 16:10–11; 80:24–32 | Vegetation was produced to sustain humans and animals. |
| 22. Seas and Oceans | Qur’an 25:53; 55:19–20 | Allah created the two seas and placed a barrier between them. |
| 23. Animals | Qur’an 24:45; 16:5–8 | Allah created every living creature from water. This includes livestock, birds, fish, insects, and wild animals. The Qur’an does not specify the order among these groups. |
| 24. Paradise (Jannah) | Qur’an 2:35 | Paradise existed before Adam, as he and Hawwa were placed there. |
| 25. Hellfire (Jahannam) | Qur’an 3:131; 15:43–44 | Hell was prepared for those who reject Allah. The Qur’an does not explicitly state whether it was created before or after Paradise. |
| 26. Adam (peace be upon him) | Qur’an 15:26; 38:71; 23:12 | Allah created Adam from clay taken from the earth. |
| 27. The Soul Breathed into Adam | Qur’an 15:29; 38:72 | Allah honored Adam by breathing into him the soul He created. |
| 28. Teaching Adam the Names | Qur’an 2:31–33 | Allah taught Adam knowledge that distinguished him from the angels. |
| 29. The Angels Prostrated | Qur’an 2:34; 7:11 | The angels obeyed Allah’s command and prostrated to Adam. |
| 30. Iblis Refused | Qur’an 7:12; 38:76 | Iblis refused out of arrogance and was expelled. |
| 31. Hawwa (Eve) | Sahih al-Bukhari 3331; Sahih Muslim 1468 | Hawwa was created from Adam. |
| 32. Life in Paradise | Qur’an 2:35 | Adam and Hawwa lived in Paradise before their earthly mission. |
| 33. The Forbidden Tree | Qur’an 2:35–36; 7:19–22 | Allah forbade them from approaching a particular tree. |
| 34. Descent to Earth | Qur’an 2:36–38; 20:123 | Adam, Hawwa, and Iblis were sent to the earth, where human history began. |
| 35. Divine Test | Qur’an 67:2 | Humans are sent to Earth to serve as Allah’s stewards (Khalifah) and to be tested through their free will. |
| 36. Major Signs Near Qiyamat | Sahih Muslim 2901 | Mahdi, Dajjal, Isa returns, Gog and Magog, Smoke, Beast, Sun rises from west, Three landslides and Fire from Yemen |
| 37. Israfil blows the Trumpet | Qur’an 39:68 | The trumpet will be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills. |
| 38. Death of all creation | Qur’an 39:68 | All who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth will swoon away, except him whom Allah wills. |
| 39. Second Trumpet | Qur’an 39:68 | Then it will be blown again. |
| 40. Resurrection | Qur’an 75:3-4 | People will rise up at once. |
| 41. Gathering | Qur’an 18:47 | “And We will gather all ˹humankind˺, leaving none behind.” |
| 42. Distribution of Records | Qur’an 69:19-37 | All will be given their records. A righteous person will get their record in the right hands, while a sinner will get their record in the left hands. |
| 43. Scale (Mizan) | Qur’an 21:47 | Allah will set up the scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so no soul will be wronged in the least. And ˹even˺ if a deed is the weight of a mustard seed, He will bring it forth. |
| 44. Bridge (Sirat) | Sahih al-Bukhari 7439 and Sahih Muslim 183 | This is a bridge built over Hellfire that every soul must cross from the Day of Judgment until the end of time. There are clamps and hooks that look like a thorny seed that is wide on one side and narrow on the other. The thorns on the ends of the hooks are bent. This kind of thorny seed grows in Najd and is known as As-Sa’dan. How fast and how well someone crosses depend only on their faith and actions in this world. |
| 45. Intercession | Qur’an 2:255, 20:109, 21:28, 39:44; Sahih al-Bukhari 3340 | Intercession (Shafa’ah) in Islam is a special permission from Allah. It will happen on the Day of Judgment. Allah allows certain Prophets, angels, and righteous believers to intercede. No one can intercede without Allah’s permission. Shafa’ah is only for those whom Allah approves. |
| 46. Judgment | Qur’an 99:6-8, 4:168-169, 98:6 | Believers will get eternal Paradise, no death, no illness, no sadness, and meeting Allah (for the righteous), while disbelievers will remain in Hell eternally. |
Creations mentioned in the Qur’an whose exact chronological order is not revealed
The following are clearly creations of Allah, but the Qur’an and authentic Hadith do not specify exactly when each was created relative to the others:
- The wind (Qur’an 15:22; 30:48)
- Clouds (Qur’an 24:43)
- Rain (Qur’an 2:22; 30:48)
- Lightning and thunder (Qur’an 13:12–13)
- Iron (Qur’an 57:25)
- Pearls and coral (Qur’an 55:22)
- The planets and celestial bodies other than the sun and moon (included generally in the heavens)
- The stars used for navigation (Qur’an 16:16)
- Fish, birds, insects, reptiles, and mammals individually—the Qur’an confirms they are created by Allah but does not place them in a chronological sequence.
Conclusion
The complete chronological order of our life in Islam reminds us that this world is only one stage of a much greater journey. From the moment Allah created the universe to our birth, our life on earth, death, Barzakh, the Day of Judgment, and finally Paradise or Hell, every step has a purpose and is under Allah’s perfect knowledge and justice.
Life in this world is temporary, but the Hereafter is eternal. Every good deed, sincere repentance, kind word, and act of worship brings us closer to Allah’s mercy. Likewise, every choice we make has consequences beyond this life.
May Allah guide us to the straight path, forgive our sins, grant us a peaceful end, make our graves places of light and comfort, ease our questioning, allow us to cross the Sirat safely, and admit us into Jannat al-Firdaws without reckoning. Ameen.
Islamic teachings provide a broader perspective on the journey of human existence, from life in this world to death and the Hereafter. To explore individual stages of this journey in greater detail, read about the journey of the soul after death, Paradise in Islam, and Hell in Islam.
