Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah Almighty took a covenant from Adam (peace be upon him) at the place of Nu'man, that is, at 'Arafah. (The practical form of this was that) Allah Almighty brought forth all of Adam's progeny from his back and spread them before Himself in the form of small ants. Then He spoke to them face to face and said: «أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى شَهِدْنَا أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـذَا غَافِلِينَ ﴿١٧٢﴾ أَوْ تَقُولُوا إِنَّمَا أَشْرَكَ آبَاؤُنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةً مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ أَفَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ» 'Am I not your Lord?' All said: 'Yes, indeed, we bear witness to this.' (This was) lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: 'We were unaware of this,' or lest you should say: 'Our forefathers had already committed shirk before us and we were their descendants (so we only followed them).' So, will You destroy us for the deeds of those who went astray?" (7-al-A'raf: 172, 173)