Adam

Gabriel said, “As you wish.” Then he ascended.137

The Boxthorn Staff As they explored the garden, Adam came upon a boxthorn138 tree with its long straight branches covered with thorns. He broke a branch and removed the thorns to make a sturdy staff for himself.139

Deceived by Satan Just as God had warned them, Satan came to them, disguised so they could not recognize him.140 He whispered to Adam saying, “O Adam! Shall I lead you to a tree that will give you immortality and a dominion that shall never perish?” God had told him they could eat from the garden freely wherever they desired,141 so he was interested in finding out about the special tree this man spoke of. However, when he realized that the man was referring to the very tree God had advised against, he declined the offer and refrained from partaking of its fruit. With feigned sincerity, Satan leaned in close to them and whispered, “Your Lord only advised against eating from this tree, lest you become angels or become one of the immortals.” To drive the point home, he added, “I swear that I am one of your well-wishers.”142 Thus, he led them to eat from it through deception.143 that if Adam had chosen decency or devotion instead of intellect, he would have been like a fledgling child whose misguided decency causes him to shy away from asking a question or conversing with an adult; or like the pagans of Mecca or the Khawārij, who devoted themselves to a religion founded on fantasies and misconceptions. However, by choosing intellect, he acquired a torch by which to guide his other two faculties (this footnote is taken from the Islamic Texts Institute’s commentary on al-Kāfī 1.1.2). 137

Al-Kāfī 1.1.2

138

In Arabic boxthorn is called ʿawsaj

139

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 13 p. 46 tr. 11

I have not found any evidence that explicitly states that Satan was disguised. However, it is reasonable to infer this detail for the three reasons. 140

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First, God had given Satan the concession of manifesting himself in nearly any form he wished, and it is likely that he would have taken advantage of this concession at the first opportunity possible.

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Second, it seems unlikely that Adam would have forgotten Satan’s face and his ruthless pledges to ruin him so soon after their previous encounter unless he was unaware that the person speaking to him was in fact Satan.

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Third, the verse says, “Thus, he led them to it through deception” (Qurʾān 7:22). Disguise would have been the most appropriate form of deception for this particular mission.

141

Qurʾān 2:35 and 7:19

142

Qurʾān 7:20-1

143

Qurʾān 7:22 23

Adam

Adam and Eve took his words to heart. He had spoken sincerely and sworn that he was well-wishing, so they naively abandoned God’s advice144 and accepted Satan’s.145 In this way, Adam disobeyed his Lord and went astray.146 When they tasted the fruit of the tree, the clothes God had provided them as a blessing were stripped from their bodies and their nakedness became apparent for themselves.147 A sudden sense of shame overcame them both, and they began heaping leaves from the garden upon themselves. Their Lord called out to them, “Did I not advise you against eating from this tree and tell you that Satan is an open enemy of yours?”148 As the gravity of their actions became apparent to them, they felt as desperate as a child who has acted rashly, albeit innocently, and earned the displeasure of his parents and, in his naiveté, feels as though he has committed the most heinous crime in the world.

Out of the Garden God addressed Adam, Eve, and Satan altogether and said, “Go down in mutual enmity. On earth is a temporary abode for you and a temporary means of sustenance.149 On earth shall you live, on earth shall you die, and from earth shall you be brought forth.150 Thus, a mere seven hours after Adam and Eve were told to dwell in the garden, they were told to leave.151 God’s purpose for them had been served therein, and they were now prepared to enter the real world. It was the 25th of Dhū al-Qaʿdah.152 Before leaving the garden, Adam asked God humbly, “My Lord, tell me: Did you decree for me this act of disobedience, along with everything that I have done and ever shall do, 144

Qurʾān 20:116

145

Qurʾān 20:115 and Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 188 tr. 44

Qurʾān 20:121. It is crucial that we understand this verse in context of what was said before. God’s statement, “Do not even approach this tree,” was advisory (irshādī) not legislative (mawlawī). Thus, for Adam to eat from the tree did not constitute a sin against God’s law; rather, he was simply acting against God’s advice, following which was not binding upon him in the first place. The evidence for this claim lies in another verse where God warns Adam and Eve, “Do not let Satan expel you from the garden, or you will need to toil to make your way in life” (Qurʾān 20:117). God does not threaten them with his wrath or with hell-fire. He only advises them of the consequences of their choice. Thus, when 2:35 warns them that they will be among the “wrongdoers” if they approach and eat from the tree, it in fact warns them of burdening themselves with the drudgery of worldly life, not of sinning against God, for Adam was a prophet of God, and thus, infallible and immaculate (Islamic Texts Institute. Al-Nudbah: A Devotional Elegy for the Prophet Muḥammad and His Family. 2009. p. 28). 146

147

Qurʾān 7:22 and 20:121

148

Qurʾān 7:22

149

Qurʾān 2:36 and 7:24

150

Qurʾān 7:25

151

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 181 tr. 35

152

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 217 tr. 29 24

Adam

before you even created me? Or did I do it myself before you decreed it for me, through my own baseness, such that it was my own act and from me and not your act?” God replied, “O Adam! I created you and informed you that I would make you and your wife dwell in the garden. And it was through my blessing and through the power that I invested in you that you gained the ability to disobey me with your own limbs. All the while, you never left my sight, and I never ceased to know of every act that you did or intended to do.” Adam said, “O Lord! All good is from you, and all evil is from me.” God said, “Adam, did I not advise you against eating from this tree? Did I not tell you that Satan is an enemy to you and your wife? Did I not warn you before you entered the garden? Did I not tell you that if you ate from the tree you would be wronging yourself and disobeying me? Adam, no one shall be with me in paradise who does wrong and disobeys me.” Adam replied, “Of course you told us all that, my Lord. You are absolutely right and there is no justification for what we did.”153 Then Adam and Eve exclaimed in unison, “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If you do not absolve us and have mercy on us we shall be among the losers!”154 They continued, “O God! There is no god but you. We exalt you with praise befitting you. We have acted wrongly and wronged ourselves, so forgive us, for you and you alone are the Clement, the Ever-Merciful. There is no god but you. We exalt you with praise befitting you. We have acted wrongly and wronged ourselves, so forgive us, for you and you alone are the best of forgivers.”155 Their plea for forgiveness brought even the angels to tears. They beseeched God saying, “Lord, he is one of your creatures. You infused him with the spirit of life. You made all your angels prostrate before him. Yet, because of a single act of disobedience, you have reduced him to desperation!”156 Adam acquired certain words from his Lord.157 In particular, God reminded him that among the names he had taught him there had been five creatures who were greater than all the rest, closer to God than all his other creatures. God ordered Adam and Eve to seek the intercession of those five creatures. They said, “O God! We beg you to absolve us through Muḥammad, ʿAlī, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, and al-Ḥusayn.”158 Because they were sincere in their repentance and they earnestly sought the intercession of God’s greatest creatures, he accepted their repentance, for he alone is the Clement, the Ever-Merciful.159 In this way, God selected and groomed Adam to be his first vicegerent on earth.160 He was now ready to bear the trials that awaited him. He knew his goal. He knew his enemy. He 153

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 182 tr. 36

154

Qurʾān 7:23

155

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 181 tr. 35

156

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 171 tr. 18

157

Qurʾān 2:37

158

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 175 tr. 20 and p. 177 tr. 23

159

Qurʾān 2:37

160

Qurʾān 20:122 and 2:132 25

Adam

knew how to battle his enemy. He knew how to attain his goal. God commanded them saying, “Go down from here altogether. Hereafter, if any guidance should come to you from me, then whoever follows that guidance from me shall not fear nor shall they feel remorse.161 Whoever follows that guidance from me shall not stray in this world nor shall they find disgrace in the hereafter.”162 God gave them the following parting advice, “If you endeavor to better yourselves, I shall better you. If you act for me, I shall strengthen you. If you strive to do what pleases me, I shall rush to be pleased with you. If you fear me, I shall protect you from my wrath.” Adam and Eve broke into tears. They begged God saying, “Lord, help us to better ourselves and to do what pleases you.” God replied, “I shall, and if you do perpetrate evil, repent to me, and I shall accept your repentance, for I am the Clement, the Ever-Merciful.”163 Finally he said, “Adam, speak little, and you shall soon return to my company.”164 Beseechingly, they said, “If you must send us down, at least send us to the place on earth that is most beloved to you.” God sent the message to Gabriel, “Take them down to the blessed land of Bakkah.”165 Gabriel obeyed his orders. When he came to take Adam to Bakkah, he asked him why he had eaten from the tree. Adam replied, “Satan swore on God’s name that he was my well-wisher, and I did not think any of God’s creatures would falsely swear on God’s name.”166 He handed Adam a ring as a gift from God. Its inscription read, “There is no god worthy of worship except God, and Muḥammad is the Messenger of God.”167 Adam toted the staff he had fashioned from boxthorn and prepared himself to be taken down.168

To Bakkah Gabriel placed Adam atop one of Bakkah’s mountains and Eve atop a neighboring mountain.169 Adam’s mountain would later come to be known as Mount Ṣafā because he, God’s ṣafwah or “chosen servant,” was the first to set foot upon it. Eve’s mountain came to be known as Mount Marwah because she, the first marʾah or “woman,” was the first to set foot upon it.170

161

Qurʾān 2:38-39

162

Qurʾān 20:123

163

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 183 tr. 36

164

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 180 tr. 31  Bakkah was the ancient name for Mecca.

165 166

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 162 tr. 5

167

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 107 tr. 13 and vol. 11 p. 62 tr. 1

168

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 13 p. 46 tr. 11

169

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 183 tr. 36

170

Biḥār al-anwār vol. 11 p. 162 tr. 5 and p. 194 tr. 48 26