Is Adam the Name of a Man or is Adam Referred to as the Whole of Mankind?

[Reader Questions]

Peace brother Joseph. I have a question which I hope you can help me with, as I've searched your website's forum and cannot find any information regarding it.

IS ADAM THE NAME OF A MAN OR IS ADAM REFERRED TO AS THE WHOLE OF MANKIND.

Thank you dear brother.

Brother I totally understand your busy schedules. But I have exhausted all my efforts on this on your website, but still you don't cover this subject. So please if you would kindly reply and help me out. Thank you

[Joseph Islam]

Dear Reader,

As-salamu alaykum

In my view, Adam is the name of a particular person, a man. That is how it has been understood by the readers of the Scriptures before the Quran and that is in my humble view, the most cogent position from the Quran.

Not only do I find this interpretation linguistically correct, but also contextually.

For example in reference to the latter (context):

2:35 "And We said, 'O Adam! dwell you, and your wife...'"
Did God ask one person, or all of mankind who had wives only? Not all men have wives.

3:33 "God chose Adam and Noah..."
There are two entities mentioned. if Adam was a reference to 'mankind' and Noah was part of mankind, then why was Noah referenced separately?

3:59 "Indeed, the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight, is as Adam's likeness..."
How is Jesus's likeness that of mankind as an exclusive consideration?

5:27 "And recite to them the story of the two sons of Adam..."
Did mankind only have two sons or was Adam a particular person?

7:26, 7:27, 7:31, 7:35 “O Children of Adam!"
Is this a reference to the progeny of a person or is this a reference to the untenable notion of the 'children of mankind' which even linguistically would not make sense?

20:121 "Then they both ate from it, so their shame became apparent ..."
Satan made the suggestion. Who are the 'two entities - i.e. 'both'' that ate from the tree? Mankind and who? Or is this ostensibly a reference to Adam and his spouse?

20:121 "...Adam disobeyed his Lord, and so he erred"
Did the whole of mankind (who weren't even created at the point of the narrative) disobey God after eating from this one specific tree or was it one person in the context of the narrative? What is the most cogent interpretation?

2:35 "And We said: O Adam! Dwell you and thy wife in the Garden..."
Did mankind have a wife? Or is this a reference to one person?

2:35 "and you both eat freely from it freely from wherever you both wish, but do not come near this tree less you both become wrong-doers."
Were all of mankind told not to eat from a particular tree or was this a reference to one person and his spouse?

3.33 "Indeed! God preferred / chose Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham and the Family of Imran above (all His) creatures."
Again, If Adam was a reference to the whole mankind, why are the families of Noah, Abraham and Imran mentioned separately?

20.115 "And verily We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found no determination / constancy in him."
In this context, Did God find no determination/constancy in one person or the whole of mankind? Did the whole of mankind forget?

20.120 But Satan whispered to him, saying: "O Adam! Shall I direct you to the tree of immortality / eternity and power / kingdom that doesn't waste away?
In this context, did Satan whisper to one person or was he whispering to the whole of mankind even though they hadn't been created yet?

I hope this helps, God willing
Joseph