7:20 Al-A'raaf (The Heights)

فلم يزالا ممتثلين لأمر اللّه، حتى تغلغل إليهما عدوهما إبليس بمكره، فوسوس لهما وسوسة خدعهما بها، وموه عليهما وقال: { مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ } أي: من جنس الملائكة { أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ } كما قال في الآية الأخرى: { هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لَا يَبْلَى }

عند ذلك حسدهما الشيطان وسعى في المكر والوسوسة والخديعة ليسلبهما ما هما فيه من النعمة واللباس الحسن "وقال" كذبا وافتراء "ما نهاكما ربكما عن هذه الشجرة إلا أن تكونا ملكين" أي لئلا تكونا ملكين أو خالدين ههنا ولو أنكما أكلتما منها لحصل لكما ذلكما كقوله "قال يا آدم هل أدلك على شجرة الخلد وملك لا يبلى" أي لئلا تكونا ملكين كقوله "يبين الله لكم أن تضلوا" أي لئلا تضلوا "وألقى في الأرض رواسي أن تميد بكم" أي لئلا تميد بكم. وكان ابن عباس ويحيى بن أبي كثير يقرآن "إلا إن تكونا ملكين" بكسر اللام وقرأه الجمهور بفتحها.

Shaytan's Deceit with Adam and Hawwa' and Their eating from the Forbidden Tree

Allah states that He allowed Adam and his wife to dwell in Paradise and to eat from all of its fruits, except one tree. We have already discussed this in Surat Al-Baqarah. Thus, Shaytan envied them and plotted deceitfully, whispering and suggesting treachery. He wished to rid them of the various favors and nice clothes that they were enjoying.

وَقَالَ

(He (Shaytan) said) uttering lies and falsehood,

مَا نَهَـكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلاَ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ

("Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels...") meaning, so that you do not become angels or dwell here for eternity. Surely, if you eat from this tree, you will attain both, he said. In another Ayah,

قَالَ يـَادَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لاَّ يَبْلَى

(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") 20:120. Here, the wording is similar, so it means, `so that you do not become angels' as in;

يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّواْ

((Thus) does Allah make clear to you (His Law) lest you go astray. ) 4:176 meaning, so that you do not go astray, and,

وَأَلْقَى فِى الاٌّرْضِ رَوَاسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ

(And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you;) 16:15 that is, so that the earth does not shake with you.

وَقَاسَمَهُمَآ

(And he Qasamahuma), swore to them both by Allah, saying,

إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّـصِحِينَ

("Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both.") for I was here before you and thus have better knowledge of this place. It is a fact that the believer in Allah might sometimes become the victim of deceit. Qatadah commented on this Ayah, "Shaytan swore by Allah, saying, `I was created before you, and I have better knowledge than you. Therefore, follow me and I will direct you."'

Then Satan Iblīs whispered to them that he might manifest reveal to them that which was hidden wūriya based on the verbal form fū‘ila and derives from the infinitive al-muwārā to them of their shameful parts. And he said ‘Your Lord prohibited you from this tree only in aversion lest you become angels malakayn may also be read malikayn or become immortals’ in other words that is the necessary consequence of eating from it as is stated in another verse Shall I guide you to the Tree of Immortality and a kingdom that does not waste away? Q. 20120.

Commentary

The story of Sayyidna 'Adam (علیہ السلام) and Iblis mentioned in the present verses has appeared in the fourth section of Surah Al-Baqarah.

Detailed comments have been given in the Tafsir of that Surah. If needed, please see Ma‘ariful-Quran, English Translation, Volume I, Pages 170-187.

Then Satan whispered to them to show them their shameful parts that were hidden from them. This also is a mark of solicitude and a proof of generosity, for they sinned, but He turned it over to Satan's whispering. Then He increased the solicitude. He said, “to show them their shameful parts that were hidden from them.” He said: “He made their pudenda appear to them, but not to others.” They say that afterwards, Adam and Iblis met. Adam said, “You wretch! Do you know what you did to me and what dust you stirred up in my road?” Iblis said, “O Adam, I take it that I took you from the road. Tell me then, who took me from the road?” They also say that both of them turned away from the command, but there is a difference be- tween the two. Adam slipped because of appetite, and Iblis slipped because of pride. Being pride- ful is worse than satisfying appetite. When a sin arises from appetite, there is room for pardon. When a sin arises from pride, faith gets lost in it. The report has come, “Magnificence is My cloak and tremendousness My shawl-if anyone contends with Me in either, I will smash him.”