PROPHETS PROPHET ADAM AS PART II THE COMMAND TO HONOUR ADAM Allah asked all the angels to bow as a mark of respect to Adam who was created so miraculously. The order to prostrate was obviously not so that the angels would worship Adam AS, for no one may be worshipped except Allah, the Creator of all things. Rather, the prostration was a mark of respect to the one whom their Lord in His infinite wisdom had created in a special manner who as a result would have a special destiny, as the father of mankind who carried within himself the seeds of all his descendants to come. And We have certainly created you, [O Mankind], and given you [human] form. Then We said to the angels, Prostrate to Adam; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He was not of those who prostrated. (Qur’an 7:11) And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration. So the angels prostrated - all of them entirely, Except Iblees, he refused to be with those who prostrated. (Qur’an 15:29-31) IBLEES REBELS When Allah Most High, the All-Powerful, the Glorious, the Majestic, had given this order, all those who heard it, obeyed without question except one among them – Iblees. When this occurred, the previously unsuspecting angels became aware of had been concealed in Iblees’ heart. The arrogant, stubborn, proud Iblees who thought his being as Jinn made of fire was far superior to Allah’s creation from clay. Allah in his divine Mercy, gave Iblees a hearing for his blatant rebellion. Instead of showing remorse, the wretched Iblees attempted to justify his disobedience and shamelessly said, “Never would I prostrate to a human whom You created out of clay from an altered black mud. (15:33) Should I prostrate to one You created from clay? (Qur’an 17:62) Do You see this one whom You have honoured above me? If You delay me until the Day of Resurrection, I will surely destroy his descendants, except for a few. (Qur’an 17:63) Allah then condemned Iblees and banished him from Paradise. Allah said, Then get out of it, for indeed, you are expelled. And indeed, upon you is the curse until the Day of Recompense. (Qur’an 15:34-35) Get out of Paradise, reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them - I will surely fill Hell with you, all together. (Qur’an 7:18) The arrogant Iblees, not to be outdone, goes on unabashedly, challenging Allah that as he had been let to fall into error, he would make evil and disobedience attractive for those on earth and mislead all mankind. Because You have put me in error, I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path. (Qur’an 7:16) By your might, I will surely mislead them all, Except, among them, Your chosen servants. (Qur’an 38:82-83) Allah in all His powerful grace, declares, This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight. Indeed, My servants - no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators. And indeed, Hell is the promised place for them all. (Qur’an 15:41-43) But Iblees being Iblees, is not moved at all by the prospects of Hell, inflamed and determined to destroy the race of the one on whose account he had gone astray. The transition from a devoted worshipper and teacher of the angels, excelling in divine knowledge and the praise of his Lord, to the abased, accursed Tempter of mankind was now complete. Stripped of all the high honours, Iblees stands accursed, outlawed, and now known as Shaytan, leader of the forces of evil whose sole purpose is to entice and incite Allah’s slaves to wrong-doing and disobedience to Him. HAWWA With that, Iblees was cast out of Paradise, an abode filled with blessings and favours beyond imagination. Our forefather Adam AS was settled in Paradise, with everything he could desire, every kind of pure pleasure and wholesome satisfaction was his. No hunger or thirst, fatigue or boredom, cold or heat, just comfort and pleasure. No burdens or responsibilities, no sufferings, pain or sadness. In Ibn Abbas’ narrations, Adam AS fell asleep in Paradise. And when he woke, he found a woman, whom Allah had created from his rib, sitting beside his head. It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her. (Qur’an 7:189) To test the extent of Adam’s AS knowledge, the angels asked him, “What is her name, O Adam?” “Hawwa,” he replied “Why is she called Hawwa?” the angels asked “Because she was created from something living (hayy),” Adam AS replied, meaning that she been created from his own living self. And thus Adam and Hawwa began their life together in the blessed Garden, like innocent new-borns, they knew nothing of evil or sin. They hadnt the slightest idea of what lay ahead, that their Lord would soon be testing them and that their lives would change dramatically. Adam and Hawwa dwelt in tranquility in Paradise. The Qur’an does not reveal the exact location of where this Paradise was; however, commentators agree that it is not on the earth, and that the knowledge of the location is of no benefit to mankind. The benefit is in understanding the lesson from the events that took place there. Allah most Exalted, warned Adam AS of the vulnerability of their position. “O Adam,” He said, “dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise, and eat therefrom in ease and abundance, from wherever you will. But,” Allah said, imposing a single condition for their continuance in their present state, “do not come near this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers” (Qur’an 2:35) THE FORBIDDEN TREE What was that Tree? This is not revealed in the Qur’an. Early commentators differed widely concerning it. Some considered it a plant rather than a tree; in the opinion of Ibn Abbas, it was a wheat plant. However, Allah did not specify its name. Had there been any benefit for us in mentioning it, He would have specified it. Allah Almighty issued a second warning, designed to make the new couple aware of the existence and enmity of Iblees. O Adam, indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then let him not remove you from Paradise so you would suffer. Indeed, it is promised for you not to be hungry therein or be unclothed. And indeed, you will not be thirsty therein or be hot from the sun. (Qur’an 20:117-119) A clear, direct warning. But the disgraced, debased Iblees had formulated a plan, a simple plot actually. Having noted that Adam was hollow inside, he awaited to exploit the weakness of mankind. He had already made up his mind that Adam could be easily overcome and ruined. The intelligence that he previously used for good deeds, Iblees now employed to destroy his new enemy. His evil intention was therefore to trick the two into eating from the Tree, resulting in their losing their heavenly innocence. Disobeying Allah would render them unfit to dwell in Paradise forever putting an end to their high station and bliss life, and their Lord would cast them out, Iblees assumed, as disgraced and accursed as himself. The guardians of Paradise prevented Iblees’ entry to the Garden. He then approached different animals, proposing to them that they should take him into the Garden so that he could speak to Adam AS and his wife, but they all refused. He finally managed to persuade the snake. Permitting Iblees to enter it by the side of its mouth, the snake passed the guardians of Paradise, and as Allah willed, Iblees got in without them noticing. The wicked, cunning Iblees approached the innocent couple with craftiness and deceit. “O Adam,” he whispered, “shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?” (Qur’an 20:120) “He said, Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal. And he swore [by Allah] to them, Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors. (Qur’an 7:20-21) As Adam AS listened to Shaytan’s evil suggestions and false promises, they forgot Allah’s clear warnings about the forbidden Tree and about their enemy Iblees. Completely pure and free of ill intentions, they could have no suspicion of the intense envy and enmity that burned in the heart of the Arch Deceiver, concealed from all except his Lord. Iblees continued mercilessly in his attack on the unsuspecting pair till they fell headlong into his trap. By being forgetful and heedless, they were tricked and slipped into disobedience to their Lord’s command, And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination. (Qur’an 20:115) The ultimate catastrophe then occurs. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred. (Qur’an 20:121) Satan caused them to slip out of it and removed them from that [condition] in which they had been. (Qur’an 2:36) So he made them fall, through deception. (Qur’an 7:22)
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 04:01:44 +0000
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