It is narrated from Muslim bin Yasar al-Juhani that Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about this verse: {وَاِذْ اَخَذَ رَبُّکَ مِنْ بَنِیْ آدَمَ مِنْ ظُھُوْرِھِمْ ذُرِّیَّتَھُمْ}. He said: I myself heard that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about this verse, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah Almighty created Adam (peace be upon him), touched his back with His right hand, and brought forth his offspring from it and said: I have created these for Paradise, and they will do the deeds of the people of Paradise. Then He touched his back and brought forth more offspring and said: I have created these for the Fire, and they will do the deeds of the people of Hell. A man said: O Messenger of Allah! Then what is the status of deeds? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When Allah Almighty creates a servant for Paradise, He grants him the ability to do the deeds of the people of Paradise, until he dies upon the deeds of the people of Paradise, and thus He admits him to Paradise. And when Allah Almighty creates a servant for the Fire, He grants him the ability to do the deeds of the people of Hell, until he dies upon the deeds of the people of Hell, and thus He admits him to the Fire.

Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka’b (may Allah be pleased with him) says regarding the statement of Allah Almighty: And when your Lord took from the children of Adam, from their loins, their descendants, and made them testify against themselves. Its detail is that Allah Almighty gathered them, made them souls, then formed their images and gave them the power of speech, so they spoke. Then Allah Almighty took a firm covenant from them and, making them witnesses over themselves, said: Am I not your Lord? I make the seven heavens, the seven earths, and your father a witness over you, so that on the Day of Resurrection you may not say that we had no knowledge of this thing. Know well that there is no deity nor Lord besides Me, so do not associate anything with Me. Soon I will send My messengers to you, they will remind you of My covenant, and I will also send down My books upon you. They said: We bear witness that You alone are our Lord and deity, we have no Lord besides You. Thus, all of them acknowledged. Then Allah Almighty raised Adam (peace be upon him) over them; he saw among them the rich, the poor, the handsome, and the less beautiful, and said: O my Lord! Why did You not make them equal among themselves? Allah Almighty said: I desire that gratitude be shown to Me. He also saw among them the prophets, who appeared like lamps and had light upon them; they were distinguished with the covenant and pledge of prophethood and messengership. This is mentioned in the statement of Allah Almighty: And when We took from the prophets their firm covenant… Jesus son of Mary. Jesus (peace be upon him) was also among those souls. Then Allah Almighty sent that soul towards Lady Mary (may Allah be pleased with her), and it entered into her through her mouth.