Hadith 76

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Adam and Musa (Moses) argued with each other in the presence of their Lord. Adam defeated Musa in the argument. Musa said: 'O Adam, you are the one whom Allah created with His own hands, breathed His spirit into, and made the angels prostrate to you, and placed you in His paradise, and then you caused mankind to fall into sin and were sent down to the earth?' Adam replied: 'O Musa, you are the one whom Allah chose with His message and spoke to, and gave you the Torah, in which is a clear explanation of everything, and He brought you close to Him as a confidant. How long did you find it written that the Torah was given before I was created?' Musa said: 'Forty years.' Adam asked: 'Did you find in it that "Adam disobeyed his Lord and went astray" (Taha: 121)?' Musa replied: 'Yes.' Adam said: 'So, do you blame me for doing something that Allah had written for me to do forty years before He created me?' Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: 'So Adam defeated Musa in the argument.'"