THE CREATION OF THE MOTHER OF MANKIND
Mankind was created with natural inclinations and desires for companionship. For that, Allah in His wisdom and mercy then created a mate for Adam AS. It is mentioned in the Qur’an that “It is He who created you from a single person (Adam) and then He created from his wife (Eve), in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her.” (Al Qur’an 7:189)
Authentic hadith states that Eve (or Hawwa) was created from Adam’s AS left rib. Allah then commanded “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will.” (Al Qur’an 7:19) However, this license to stay in Paradise came with one strict condition: “But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” (Al Qur’an 7:19)
Adam AS and Eve dwelt in Paradise in happiness. However, not to be outdone, Satan started his insidious whispers to them. He systematically planted tempting ideas in their minds, whispering to Adam AS – “O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?” (Al Qur’an 20:120)
This is one of the trademarks of Satan. He does not suggest direct disobedience, but instead decorates prohibited actions, presenting them in a different format, making them appear beneficial and enticing, and altogether harmless.
He suggested to them: “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels or become of the immortal” (Al Qur’an 7:20) – planting within their hearts the yearning for immortality, casting doubt of Allah’s commandments in their hearts, and eroding the original prohibition from their memories. In short, making them forget the original injunction. Satan tried to gain their trust by persuading them that he was their sincere advisor. This is the main aim of the Devil, to make one forget the message. These whispers continued, appealing to their basic and human desires to dwell in Paradise for eternity. Eventually, Adam AS and Eve became so preoccupied with the thought of the tree, that one day, they forgot Allah’s original warning and succumbed to their temptations and desires.
In a short moment of distraction, they forgot Allah’s orders, and breached Allah’s command. While certain Israelite traditions blame Hawwa for enticing her husband to downfall, Islamic text is clear that both Adam AS and his wife were equally culpable for the deed.
In that moment, they had forgotten Satan’s lowly status as the cursed one. Upon eating from the tree, their bodies transformed. Together with the shame of their disobedience, their private parts became exposed, and they hurriedly fastened over themselves from the leaves of Paradise.
Allah addressed them: “Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is to you a clear enemy?” (Al Qur’an 7:22)
Realising their horrific lapse, Adam AS and Eve pleaded to their Lord, in what was the first doa made by Man: “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.” (Al Qur’an 7:23)
Their reaction is significant and here, their path diverged from that taken by Iblis. Rather than to blame God for transgressing their limits, they admitted full responsibility for their wrongdoing. At the same time, they also recognized Allah’s merciful attribute, and pleaded to Him for His forgiveness and His Mercy. They were fully cognizant of the fact although they had erred, they could repent to Allah, without Whose mercy and forgiveness, they would be doomed. Most of all, they were sincerely remorseful, which meant that they were so ashamed that they had vowed not to repeat the mistake again.
Adam AS and Hawwa were forgiven by Allah, due to the sincerity of their repentance. However, they were also sentenced for their disobedience, and were exiled from Paradise and sent down to earth. (Allah) said: “Get down, one of you an enemy to the other [i.e. Adam, Hawwa (Eve), and Shaitan (Satan), etc.]. On earth will be a dwelling-place for you and an enjoyment, – for a time. Therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out (i.e. resurrected).” (Al Qur’an 7:24 – 7:25) Allah did not leave mankind stranded on earth however: “And if there should come to you guidance from Me – then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].” (Al Qur’an 20:123)
There were also other words of advice, the standards by which they and their progeny were to abide: “O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better. Such are among the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, that they may remember (i.e. leave falsehood and follow truth).” (Al Qur’an 7:26)
It is authentically reported that “…on that day (Friday), Adam AS was created and then was expelled on Friday from the Paradise.” (Bukhari)
Mankind Walks the Earth
With the banishment, Mankind set his first footsteps on earth. Through Jibril AS, Allah educated Adam AS and his wife on the life skills such as agriculture, milling wheat and baking. This was not like life on Paradise, nothing came easy and all required hard work.
Adam AS was the first prophet on earth, for it is through him that the instruction in Islam – the submission to Allah, was relayed to his offspring. While the details of the message may have been refined over the years as society became more complex and sophisticated, the core of it remains the same. We were created to worship Allah, and just as our clear enemy is Iblis, our protection comes from what Allah has taught us to safeguard ourselves against evil.
Life continued peacefully on earth, until one day when the first crime against humanity was committed – murder. Click here to find out more.
Lesson for Us: Lack of Contentment and How Satan Makes us Forget
The reactions of Adam AS and Eve in turning to Allah for forgiveness is the direct opposite of how Iblis reacted. Iblis claimed that that Allah tricked him. This is symptomatic of the ultimate arrogance, for the one who is arrogant never admits any blame for his mistakes, but rather always blames others. The arrogant never believe that they have committed any wrong nor made any mistakes.
This is another illustration of what one disease (discontentment) can generate. The arrogant are always ignorant. Some scholars say that the mother of diseases is not thanking Allah. The key to a serene life in the path of Allah’s pleasure is to be accepting of what Allah has ordained, regardless of the calamity faced. This is the root of all protection. Do not simply look at the material and external aspects, for sometimes a calamity prevents us from committing sins. Calamities can be cleansing to our soul and can elevate us to a higher status in Allah’s eyes. It prevents us from being preoccupied and immersed in our material pleasures such that we become heedless of Allah’s commandments. We have seen this where Allah gives others what they want, to the point that they are drowning in the luxuries of dunia (material or worldly belongings) and accumulation, that there is no coming back for them towards the path of Allah.
Hence take heed of the first lesson. We must crytalise our intention, which is to become contented with what we have. No situation lasts forever, we will get old and ill, as will the people around us, and we will die. We will never get all we desire, because Allah will always realign our balance and sincerity to Him by taking something away from us. True and ultimate perfection only belongs in Paradise, a destination we are all trying to move towards. Dunia,the material world, with all its imperfections, is a temporary state of existence. It is our responsibility to beware of getting too attached to dunia and its materialistic values.
Once we forget to be contented, Satan makes us forget the message. He distorts the message and corrupts it. Satan will never directly persuade us to disobey Allah, but instead makes false promises of material life and happiness which are mirages and lead to unhappiness. He re-labels prohibitions as beneficial, causing us to take such prohibitions lightly. He distracts us with the false enticements of dunia. It is at such times that we lose awareness of the message and our priorities, instead giving emphasis to chasing worldly pleasures. When our hearts are connected to dunia, we easily forget our roots. Once Iblis makes us forget the message, it is easy for him to decorate the wrong, and the sequence of disobedience from then on is easy.
The Qur’an warns us that “Satan makes promises to them and fills them with vain hopes, but whatever he promises them is merely delusion.” (Al Qur’an 4:120)
However, Allah does not expose us to enemies without giving us the protection and the weapons against them. What is the protection? It is the divine knowledge, manifested through our study and application of the Qur’an and sunnah in our daily lives, from our way of thinking, to our actions and our attitudes. These are the prescriptions from Allah that will make us triumph in our battle against Iblis and our base instincts.
Hence, from the time of Adam AS, Allah has sent down upon us numerous Messengers and Prophets, to lead us back to our main home, which is Paradise. Allah may have temporarily banished our forefather from it, but He has also given us the map for us to find our way back to it. If we follow His guidelines we will go there in peace. If we stray or disobey, and give in the evil persuasions of Satan, we will go to hellfire, encountering misery and causing oppression to ourselves and others along the way.
Allah says that Iblis has no power or strength over Allah’s believing slaves. As human beings, we are prone to being led astray by Satan, but we should not let Satan mislead us the way he did our father Adam AS. Allah understands our weaknesses and our tendency to relapse, however, it is our duty to keep on trying, by asking Allah for mercy with ultimate humbleness and sincere repentance. Those who are pure and sincere towards Allah fall within the category of people to whom Allah grants His protection. The more we are pure and sincere towards Allah, the more we are protected, and the less frequent our relapses. This purity and sincerity includes elements of being a slave only to Allah, with sincerity and reliance only on Allah.
