The Divine Education Model in the Family of the Prophets (Part 3)
The Beginning of Man’s Testing
Allah Almighty allowed Prophet Adam (PBUH) and his wife to reside in Paradise and enjoy all its blessings and trees as much as they wanted; but He forbade them from approaching and eating from a specific tree. This prohibition only included one tree, while all other trees were permissible for them.
The Holy Quran states the command as follows: (وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ) Translation: « And we said, ‘O Adam! Dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise; and eat of it freely wherever you wish; but do not approach this tree, or you will be of the wrongdoers.'”
But why did Allah Almighty forbid them from this tree? The purpose of this prohibition was to test and afflict Adam and Eve, a test to measure the level of obedience and an exercise in self-control, and to teach them to avoid forbidden things. This commandment is a condensed and early example of “duty,” that is, the responsibility for which man was created and which forms the basis of all religious commands, because all religious duties are summarized in two axes: “to do” and “to leave.”
In fact, this incident symbolizes the beginning of human moral and religious responsibility, where man must choose between the desires and the divine command, and this is the essence of the divine test in human life.
The accursed Satan (Iblis) saw that Allah Almighty had settled Adam (PBUH) and his wife Eve in Paradise. He envied them and sought deception and trickery to remove them from the blessings and good position they were in. So, he tempted them and encouraged them to eat from the tree that Allah Almighty had forbidden. He used various methods of deception and used various tools in this way.
The first method was to use the psychological method. Through their desire for immortality and their interest in continuing to live in the paradise they were in [because he knew that humans inherently desire such things], Iblis said to them: “Your Lord has only forbidden you from eating this tree because if you eat from it, you will become angels or become immortal.” Therefore, he tempted them with the promise of immortality and removed the fear of death from their hearts. Undoubtedly, stimulating psychological factors has a profound effect on human behavior and changes his path in a way that cannot be ignored.
The second method was to swear falsely by the essence of Allah. He tempted Adam and Eve by saying, “I am a sincere benefactor to you,” until they finally fell in his trick and ate from the forbidden tree; as a result, they forgot Allah’s command and provided the means for their expulsion from Paradise. Almighty Allah says about this: «فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْآتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ * وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ * فَدَلَّاهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ وَنَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا الشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ»
Translation: “Then Satan tempted them (to adorn the disobedience of Allah’s commandment to them, to strip them of their clothes, and to make their private parts visible to them, and) to show them their hidden parts,” so he said, “Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree except that (if you eat of this tree) you would become two angels, or that you would be among the immortals.” And he swore to them many times that I am your benevolent. So he gradually enticed them (to disobey and eat of that tree), until when they tasted of that tree, they saw their private parts, and they began to gather the leaves of the trees of Paradise in order to scatter them. Their Lord (rebuked them and reminded them of their wrongdoing) called out to them: Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is your clear enemy (and does not wish you well)?
«وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَا إِلَى آدَمَ مِن قَبْلُ فَنَسِيَ وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْمًا.» Translation: “In the beginning, we commanded Adam (not to eat of the forbidden tree), but he forgot, and we found no determination in him.”
In fact, the covenant of Allah Almighty with Adam (PBUH) was that he should eat of all the fruits of Paradise, except one tree.
The Secret of the First Man’s Forgetfulness
The Prophet Adam (PBUH) and his wife Eve, despite Allah’s explicit prohibition, ate the fruit of the tree from which eating was forbidden. Commentary and theological sources have cited various reasons for this action, which are documented and analyzed below.
1. Forgetting the Divine Covenant
The first reason is forgetting the Divine command. The Holy Quran states in Surah Taha, verse 115: «وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَا إِلَى آدَمَ مِن قَبْلُ فَنَسِيَ وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْمًا.» Translation: “In the beginning, we commanded Adam (not to eat of the forbidden tree), but he disobeyed and ate, and we did not find in him any determination or firm resolve.”
Fakhr al-Razi presents two views in his commentary on this verse:
A. Forgetfulness, in its true sense, means the decline of memory and the inability to remember. However, Prophet Adam (PBUH) was blamed for his failure to observe the divine command. This lack of attention led to forgetfulness.
B. Forgetfulness means “deliberate omission,” meaning that Prophet Adam (PBUH) ate the fruit knowing that Allah had forbidden it. The phrase «وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْمًا» translates to “and we found no determination in him.” This means that he did not have the determination to avoid neglect and observe the divine command.
2. Good intention in performing the action
Ibn Hazm is one of the other commentators who emphasizes the good intention of Prophet Adam (PBUH). He believes that Prophet Adam (PBUH) thought that he would reach a higher perfection by eating the fruit of the forbidden tree. Such as approaching the status of angels or achieving immortality. This intention, although seemingly benevolent, was actually contrary to the divine command, and this led him away from the path of obedience. This interpretation shows that good intention alone is not permissible to deviate from the explicit divine text, and an individual interpretation cannot replace the explicit command of Allah Almighty.
3. Satan’s temptation by pretending to be benevolent
According to a number of later commentators, the third factor in Adam’s eating of the forbidden fruit was Satan’s temptation by pretending to be benevolent. Satan used deceptive means, including “swearing in the name of Allah,” to gain the trust of Adam. Adam did not believe that anyone could swear falsely to Allah, so he believed Satan’s words. He thought that if he ate the fruit of that tree, not only would he not be expelled from Paradise, but rather, he would attain immortality, and despite the limited corruption of eating it, the advantage of immortality is also superior. Perhaps he thought that he could later overcome this corruption by repentance or compensation. (Just as this type of interpretation also exists in the mind of every person who approaches sin).
4. Satan’s misusing of human innate desires
The accursed Satan misused the innate desires of Adam (PBUH), desires such as reaching high positions and the desire for immortality in the blessings of heaven. Man is always eager for a long life and absolute perfection due to inherent limitations and human weakness. Satan used this window and tempted Adam (PBUH). Adam (PBUH) also forgot his covenant and ate the fruit of the forbidden tree with his wife. Allah Almighty describes this incident: «وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ.» Translation: “And he said: Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree except that (if you eat from this tree) you would become angels or that you would become of the immortals.”
All this caused Adam (PBUH) to forget his Lord’s command to stay away from that tree and to keep his covenant, and finally, he and his wife tasted the fruit of the forbidden tree.
