Tafsir Surah Taha ayah 118 | Learn Quran Tafsir

The Story of Adam and Iblis

Allah tells,

وَلَقَدۡ عَهِدۡنَا إِلَى ادَمَ مِن قَبۡلُ فَنَسِيَ وَلَمۡ نَجِدۡ لَهُ عَزۡمًا

And indeed We made a covenant with Adam before, but he forgot, and We found on his part no firm willpower.

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn Abbas said,

Verily, man was named Insan only because he was given a covenant, but he forgot it (Nasiya).

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported the same from Ibn Abbas.

Mujahid and Al-Hasan said that he forgot means,

He abandoned it.

Concerning Allah's statement

وَإِذۡ قُلۡنَا لِلۡمَلَإيِكَةِ اسۡجُدُوا لاِإدَمَ

And when We said to the angels:Prostrate yourselves to Adam.

He, Allah mentions how Adam was honored and what respect was given to him. He mentions how He favored him over many of those whom He created.

A discussion of this story has already preceded in Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-A`raf, Surah Al-Hijr and Surah Al-Kahf. It will also be mentioned again at the end of Surah Sad.

In this story, Allah mentions the creation of Adam and that He commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam as a sign of honor and respect. He also explains the enmity of Iblis for the Children of Adam and for their father, Adam, before them.

Due to this Allah says,

فَسَجَدُوا إِلاَّ إِبۡلِيسَ أَبَى

They prostrated themselves (all) except Iblis; he refused.

This means that he refrained from prostrating and became arrogant

فَقُلۡنَا يَا ادَمُ إِنَّ هَذَا عَدُوٌّ لَّكَ وَلِزَوۡجِكَ

Then We said:O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife...

here wife refers to Hawwa'.

فَلَ يُخۡرِجَنَّكُمَا مِنَ الۡجَنَّةِ فَتَشۡقَى

So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you will be distressed.

meaning, `Do not be hasty in doing something that will get you expelled from Paradise, or else you will be fatigued, discomforted and worried, seeking your sustenance. But here, in Paradise, you live a life of ease with no burdens and no difficulties.'

إِنَّ لَكَ أَلاَّ تَجُوعَ فِيهَا وَلَا تَعۡرَى

Verily, you will never be hungry therein nor naked.

The reason that Allah combined hunger and nakedness is because hunger is internal humiliation, while nakedness is external humiliation.

وَأَنَّكَ لَاأ تَظۡمَأُ فِيهَا وَلَاأ تَضۡحَى

And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat.

These two characteristics are also opposites. Thirst is the internal heat and being parched from lack of water, while the suns heat is the external heat.

فَوَسۡوَسَ إِلَيۡهِ الشَّيۡطَانُ قَالَ يَا ادَمُ هَلۡ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الۡخُلۡدِ وَمُلۡكٍ لاَّ يَبۡلَى

Then Shaytan whispered to him, saying:O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away!'

It has already been mentioned that he caused them to fall through deception.

وَقَاسَمَهُمَأ إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّـصِحِينَ

And he swore by Allah to them both:Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both. (7:21)

It has already preceded in our discussion that Allah took a promise from Adam and his wife that although they could eat from every fruit, they could not come near a specific tree in Paradise. However, Iblis did not cease prodding them until they both had eaten from it. It was the Tree of Eternity (Shajarat Al-Khuld). This meant that anyone who ate from it would live forever and always remain.

A Hadith has been narrated which mentions this Tree of Eternity. Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,

إِنَّ فِي الۡجَنَّةِ شَجَرَةً يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فِي ظِلِّهَا مِايَةَ عَامٍ مَا يَقۡطَعُهَا وَهِيَ شَجَرَةُ الۡخُلۡد

Verily, in Paradise there is a tree which a rider can travel under its shade for one hundred years and still not have passed it. It is the Tree of Eternity.

Imam Ahmad also recorded this narration.

Concerning Allah's statement

فَأَكَلَأ مِنۡهَا فَبَدَتۡ لَهُمَا سَوۡاتُهُمَا

Then they both ate of the tree, and so their private parts became manifest to them,

Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ubayy bin Ka`b said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ خَلَقَ ادَمَ رَجُلً طُوَالاً كَثِيرَ شَعۡرِ الرَّأۡسِ كَأَنَّهُ نَخۡلَةُ سَحُوقٍ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَ الشَّجَرَةَ سَقَطَ عَنۡهُ لِبَاسُهُ فَأَوَّلُ مَا بَدَا مِنۡهُ عَوۡرَتُهُ فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَى عَوۡرَتِهِ جَعَلَ يَشۡتَدُّ فِي الۡجَنَّةِ فَأَخَذَتۡ شَعۡرَهُ شَجَرَةٌ فَنَازَعَهَا فَنَادَاهُ الرَّحۡمَنُ يَا ادَمُ مِنِّي تَفِرُّ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ كَلَمَ الرَّحۡمَنِ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ لَا وَلَكِنِ اسۡتِحۡيَاءً أَرَأَيۡتَ إِنۡ تُبۡتُ وَرَجَعۡتُ أَعَايِدِي إِلَى الۡجَنَّةِ قَالَ نَعَم

Verily, Allah created Adam as a tall man with an abundance of hair on his head. He looked like a clothed palm tree. Then, when he tasted (the fruit of) the tree, his clothes fell off of him. The first thing that became exposed was his private parts. So when he noticed his nakedness, he tried to run back into Paradise. However, in the process a tree caught hold of his hair (i.e. his hair was tangled in a tree), so he ripped his hair out. Then, the Most Beneficent called out to him saying, O Adam, are you fleeing from me!

When he heard the Words of the Most Beneficent, he said, No my Lord, but I am ashamed. If I repent and recant would You let me return to Paradise!

Allah replied, Yes.

This is the meaning of Allah's statement,

فَتَلَقَّى ءَادَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡهِ

Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him. (2:37)

However, this narration has a break in the chain of transmission between Al-Hasan and Ubayy bin Ka`b. Al-Hasan did not hear this Hadith from Ubayy.

It is questionable as to whether this narration can be correctly attributed to the Prophet.

Allah said,

وَطَفِقَا يَخۡصِفَانِ عَلَيۡهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الۡجَنَّةِ

And they began to cover themselves with the leaves of the Paradise for their covering.

Mujahid said,

They patched the leaves on themselves in the form of a garment.

Qatadah and As-Suddi both said the same.

Concerning Allah's statement,

وَعَصَى ادَمُ رَبَّهُ فَغَوَى

ثُمَّ اجۡتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَتَابَ عَلَيۡهِ وَهَدَى

Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet said,

حَاجَّ مُوسَى ادَمَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَنۡتَ الَّذِي أَخۡرَجۡتَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الۡجَنَّةِ بِذَنۡبِكَ وَأَشۡقَيۡتَهُمۡ قَالَ ادَمُ يَا مُوسَى أَنۡتَ الَّذِي اصۡطَفَاكَ اللهُ بِرِسَالَااتِهِ وَبِكَلَامِهِ أَتَلُومُنِي عَلَى أَمۡرٍ كَتَبَهُ اللهُ عَلَيَّ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ يَخۡلُقَنِي أَوۡ قَدَّرَهُ اللهُ عَلَيَّ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ يَخۡلُقَنِي قال رسول اللهصلى الله عليه وسلّم فَحَجَّ ادَمُ مُوسَى

Musa argued with Adam and he said to him, Are you the one who got mankind expelled from Paradise because of your sin and you caused them grief!

Adam replied, Are you the one whom Allah chose for His Divine Messages and His direct Speech! Are you blaming me for a matter that Allah wrote upon me before He created me!

Then, the Messenger of Allah said, (Thus, Adam defeated Musa.

This Hadith has various routes of transmission in the Two Sahihs as well as the Musnad collections

The Descent of Adam to the Earth and the Promise of Good for the Guided and Evil for the Transgressors

Allah says;

قَالَ اهۡبِطَا مِنۡهَا جَمِيعًا بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ

He (Allah) said:Get you down, both of you, together, some of you are an enemy to some others.

Allah says to Adam, Hawwa' and Iblis, Get down from here, all of you. This means each of you should get out of Paradise.

We expounded upon this in Surah Al-Baqarah.

بَعۡضُكُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ

Some of you as enemies to others. (2:36)

He (Allah) was saying this to Adam and his progeny and Iblis and his progeny.

Concerning Allah's statement,

فَإِمَّا يَأۡتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى

Then if there comes to you guidance from Me,

Abu Al-Aliyyah said,

This (guidance) means the Prophets, the Messengers and the evidence.

فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَ يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشۡقَى

Then whoever follows My guidance he shall neither go astray nor shall be distressed.

Ibn Abbas said,

He will not be misguided in this life and he will not be distressed in the Hereafter.

وَمَنۡ أَعۡرَضَ عَن ذِكۡرِي

But whosoever turns away from My Reminder,

This means, Whoever opposes my command and what I have revealed to My Messenger, then he has turned away from it, neglected it and taken his guidance from other than it.

فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا

verily, for him is a life of hardship,

meaning, his life will be hard in this world. He will have no tranquility and no expanding of his breast (ease). Rather, his chest will be constrained and in difficulty due to his misguidance. Even if he appears to be in comfort outwardly and he wears whatever he likes, eats whatever he likes and lives wherever he wants, he will not be happy. For verily, his heart will not have pure certainty and guidance. He will be in agitation, bewilderment and doubt. He will always be in confusion and a state of uncertainty. This is from the hardship of life.

Concerning His statement,

وَنَحۡشُرُهُ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَامَةِ أَعۡمَى

and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.

Mujahid, Abu Salih and As-Suddi said,

This means he will have no proof.

Ikrimah said,

He will be made blind to everything except Hell.

This is as Allah says,

وَنَحۡشُرُهُمۡ يَوۡمَ الۡقِيَـمَةِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمۡ عُمۡيًا وَبُكۡمًا وَصُمًّا مَّأۡوَاهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ

And We shall gather them together on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their abode will be Hell. (17:97)

This is why Allah says,

قَالَ رَبِّ لِمَ حَشَرۡتَنِي أَعۡمَى وَقَدۡ كُنتُ بَصِيرًا

He will say:O my Lord! Why have you raised me up blind, while I had sight (before).

This means in the life of this world.

قَالَ كَذَلِكَ أَتَتۡكَ ايَاتُنَا فَنَسِيتَهَا وَكَذَلِكَ الۡيَوۡمَ تُنسَى

(Allah) will say:Like this Our Ayat came unto you, but you disregarded them, and so this Day, you will be neglected.

Meaning, When you turned away from the signs of Allah and dealt with them in the manner of one who does not remember them after they were conveyed to you. You neglected them, turned away from them and were heedless of them. Therefore, today We will treat you in the manner of one who has forgotten you.

فَالۡيَوۡمَ نَنسَـهُمۡ كَمَا نَسُواۡ لِقَأءَ يَوۡمِهِمۡ هَـذَا

So this Day We shall forget them as they forgot their meeting of this Day. (7:51)

For verily, the punishment will be a retribution that is based upon the type of deed that was done. However, forgetting the words of the Qur'an, while understanding its meaning and acting upon its legislation, is not included in the meaning of this specific threat. Yet, forgetting the words of the Qur'an has been warned against from a different aspect. It has been reported in the Sunnah that it is absolutely forbidden and there is a serious threat against one who forgets Qur'an (that he previously memorized)

Severe Torment for Him Who transgresses beyond bounds

Allah says:

وَكَذَلِكَ نَجۡزِي مَنۡ أَسۡرَفَ وَلَمۡ يُوۡمِن بِأيَاتِ رَبِّهِ

And thus do We requite him who transgresses beyond bounds and believes not in the Ayat of his Lord;

Allah says:`Thus We do requite those who transgress beyond bounds and belie the Ayat of Allah in this world and in the Hereafter.'

لَّهُمۡ عَذَابٌ فِى الۡحَيَوةِ الدُّنۡيَا وَلَعَذَابُ الاٌّخِرَةِ أَشَقُّ وَمَا لَهُم مِّنَ اللَّهِ مِن وَاقٍ

For them is a torment in the life of this world, and certainly, harder is the torment of the Hereafter. And they have no defender or protector against Allah. (13:34)

Therefore Allah said,

وَلَعَذَابُ الاۡخِرَةِ أَشَدُّ وَأَبۡقَى

and the torment of the Hereafter is far more severe and more lasting.

meaning:a more grievous and more painful penalty than of this world they will remain therein, they will abide forever in such torment.

Allah's Messenger said to both husband and wife who took an oath, when the husband accused his wife of committing illegal sexual intercourse:

إِنَّ عَذَابَ الدُّنۡيَا أَهۡوَنُ مِنۡ عَذَابِ الاۡخِرَة

Verily, the torment of this worldly life is more insignificant, compared to the punishment of the Hereafter.

Taha: 118

Ayah

Translation

Tafsir

Taha: 118