“And We said, “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” But Satan caused them to slip out of it [Paradise] and removed them from that [condition] in which they had been. And We said, “Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time.” Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful. We said, “Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs – those will be companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.””
These verses make it clear that the original and permanent home of mankind is Paradise. This indicates that one’s life on this Earth is part of a journey and not a permanent destination. One should therefore act on the advice given in the Hadith found in Sahih Bukhari, number 6416. The Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, advised one to live in this world as if they were on a journey or a stranger in a foreign land. This is achieved when one uses the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, so that they pass through this world and reach their original and permanent home in peace and security. They must never treat this world as their permanent home thereby striving to beautify it unnecessarily. Just like the person on holiday suffices themself with the basic necessities during their journey, one should behave in this manner in this world. This will ensure they return to their permanent and original home where they will be free to fulfill their desires. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 35:
“And We said, “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will…””
In addition, one should adopt the correct companionship in this world, such as the correct spouse, so that they are aided in reaching their permanent and original home safely. As indicated by a Hadith found in Sahih Bukhari, number 5534, a person is always influenced by their companions, whether it is negative or positive, subtle or obvious. In respect to marriage, one must choose a spouse based on the teachings of Islam so that their spouse aids them in reaching their permanent and original home safely. One must choose a spouse based on how much they sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted, which involves using the blessings one has been granted in ways pleasing to Him, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. If they choose a spouse based on worldly reasons, such as for the sake of wealth, lineage or beauty, then they will obtain nothing but loss from their marriage. This has been warned in a Hadith found in Sahih Bukhari, number 5090. This is obvious as the one who does not sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted, will not fulfill the rights of their spouse and they will easily wrong them when they are upset. And the one who does not sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted, will only invite others to do the same, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 35:
“And We said, “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.””
One must not waste their time in discussing nor researching what type of tree it was, as this is not relevant for the lessons one needs to learn from this event. Nor will this be asked about on Judgement Day. Generally speaking, it is vital for muslims to always study knowledge which will increase their obedience to Allah, the Exalted, which involves using the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Him, and research those things which will be questioned about on Judgement Day. If a particular topic or issue does not fall within these categories one should not waste their time questioning or studying them.
In addition, verse 35 indicates that mankind were created so that Allah, the Exalted, can bestow blessings on them. They were not created to suffer in both worlds. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 185:
“…Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship…”
But in order to achieve these blessings one must acknowledge and sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted, at all times. This involves using the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Him as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. Failing to behave in this manner will cause one to behave like an animal and therefore the distinction of mankind over the rest of creation is lost. This only leads to stress and difficulties in both worlds.
Furthermore, it is important to understand that the wisdom behind the prohibitions of Allah, the Exalted, is to protect a person from harming themself and others, just like the Holy Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, was commanded to refrain from eating from a specific tree, as the consequences would harm him, not Allah, the Exalted. Only the things which are physically, socially and psychologically harmful to people have been prohibited by Allah, the Exalted. Whether one recognizes these harms or not is in reality, irreverent. Understanding this truth through gaining and acting on Islamic knowledge will aid a Muslim in refraining from the prohibitions of Allah, the Exalted, with a positive mind-set instead of observing them as a burden. This positive thinking will also increase one’s ability to sincerely obey Allah, the Exalted. All the things which are lawful in Islam are either beneficial or they cause no harm to people. So a Muslim is free to enjoy these things as long as they do not distract them from their responsibilities and duties towards Allah, the Exalted, and the creation, which is harmful and therefore prohibited. This makes it clear that Islam is a straight forward and easy religion. This, in fact, is the most loved aspect of religion to Allah, the Exalted, according to a Hadith found in Imam Bukhari’s, Adab Al Mufrad, number 287.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 35:
“And We said, “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.””
In addition, even though the prohibition only involved eating from the tree yet Allah, the Exalted, warned them not to approach it. This is a vital concept to understand. Approaching the tree was lawful, only eating from it was not. This indicates that just because something is lawful it does not mean one should do it. There are plenty of things which are lawful but doing them can lead to trouble. For example, over eating is not sinful, yet it leads to many psychological and physical problems. In addition, the first step to sins are often permissible and vain things. For example, sinful speech, such as lying, backbiting and slandering, often begins with permissible and vain speech. If one reflects on those who have adopted a misguided lifestyle, they will realize that in most cases their misguidance was not in one go. It involved many lawful steps which eventually led to a sinful way of life. A good example of this is how the youth get involved in gang crimes. Therefore, one must strive to get involved in those things which will directly benefit them in both worlds and the things which are directly connected to their necessities and responsibilities and avoid the things which are not, even if they are lawful. This is the reason the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, advised in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 2451, that a muslim cannot become pious until they leave lawful things out of fear it may take them to unlawful things.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 35:
“And We said, “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” But Satan caused them to slip out of it [Paradise] and removed them from that [condition] in which they had been…”
As the Holy Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, was created to represent Allah, the Exalted, on Earth, he was put to the test whereby he was prohibited to eat from a tree and the Devil was allowed to work his scheme against the Holy Prophet Adam, peace be upon him. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 30:
“And, when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.”…”
The Devil pretended to be a sincere friend and adviser to the Holy Prophet Adam and his wife, peace be upon them, and he therefore managed to trick them into eating from the forbidden tree. Chapter 7 Al A’raf, verses 19-22:
“And “O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat from wherever you will but do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers.” But Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was concealed from them of their private parts. He said, “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal.” And he swore [by Allāh] to them, “Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors.” So he made them fall, through deception…”
As mentioned earlier, this indicates the importance of avoiding bad companions as they will negatively affect their companions, even if it is unintentional. One must ensure they accompany those who strive to obey Allah, the Exalted, so that they are influenced in a positive way. One must be careful with their companions, such as their relatives, as they can often unintentionally advise them to do things which will cause them to slip out of the mercy of Allah, the Exalted. This is why it is vital for muslims to learn and act on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, so that they not only adopt good companions but also protect themselves from the negative influence of their loved ones, such as their relatives.
The other thing to note is that the Devil has made it clear that he is the ultimate enemy of mankind and therefore one must treat him like an enemy. This is only possible when one learns and acts on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as these will teach them how to recognize the tricks of their sworn enemy and overcome them so that they remain within the mercy of Allah, the Exalted, in both worlds. The one who fails to do this will eventually obey the Devil and as a result he will cause them to slip out of the mercy of Allah, the Exalted, in both worlds, just like he caused the parents of mankind to slip out of Paradise through his deception.
The mission of the Holy Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, as the representative of Allah, the Exalted, on Earth then began. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 36:
“But Satan caused them to slip out of it [Paradise] and removed them from that [condition] in which they had been. And We said, “Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another…””
The plural, which indicates more than two, is used for the command of going down to the Earth and being enemies to one another. This command therefor refers to the Holy Prophet Adam, his wife, peace be upon them, and the Devil. This therefore indicates that not only is the Devil an open and clear enemy of mankind but people can also become enemies to one another. As discussed earlier, this indicates the importance of adopting good companionship, as one is influenced by their companions, negatively or positively. As long as one sets the sincere obedience of Allah, the Exalted, as their number one priority, then they will be protected from the negative influence of people and the Devil. This obedience involves using the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Him, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
The test of mankind on Earth is then outlined. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 36:
“…And We said, “Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time.””
The test of mankind on Earth is whether they use the provision they have been granted, in the form of worldly blessings, in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, or not. The one who uses them correctly will find peace of mind during their short stay in this world and peace of mind in the hereafter. Chapter 16 An Nahl, verse 97:
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”
Whereas, the one who misuses the provision they have been granted will encounter a stressful life during their short stay in this world and difficulties in the hereafter. Chapter 20 Taha, verses 124-126:
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?” [Allāh] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.””
In addition, verse 36 indicates that the provision a person needs to survive in this world is already settled and allocated. In fact, a person’s lawful provision was allocated over 50,000 years before the creation of the Heavens and the Earth. This is confirmed in a Hadith found in Sahih Muslim, number 6748. Therefore, one must never let the fear of not obtaining their provision drive them towards the unlawful. This only leads to destruction in both worlds, as the outward foundation of Islam is obtaining and utilizing what is lawful. If one’s foundation is corrupt then everything they build on top of it will be corrupt.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 36:
“…And We said, “Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time.””
As one’s settlement in this world is temporary, they must not delay in striving to pass the test of being in this world. Irrespective of how a person behaves, as their settlement in this world is temporary, they will return to Allah, the Exalted, to face the consequences of passing or failing their test on Earth. As this return is inevitable, it makes sense to prioritize preparing for one’s final judgement by passing the test of this world over all other things and activities.
Unlike the Devil, who refused to see and admit the error of his disobedience to Allah, the Exalted, the Holy Prophet Adam, peace be upon him, accepted responsibility for his error and was therefore inspired to sincerely repent to Allah, the Exalted. As a result, Allah, the Exalted, accepted his repentance and established this tradition for anyone who wishes to return to the obedience of Allah, the Exalted. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 37:
“Then Adam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful.”
And chapter 7 Al A’raf, verse 23:
“They said, “Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.””
Sincere repentance involves feeling guilty, seeking the forgiveness of Allah, the Exalted, and anyone else who has been wronged, as long as this will not lead to further trouble, sincerely promising not to commit the same or similar sin again and making up for any rights which have been violated in respect to Allah, the Exalted, and people.
It is importance to note that one must not confuse wishful thinking with hoping in the mercy of Allah, the Exalted. Hope in Allah, the Exalted, is always tied to the sincere obedience of Allah, the Exalted, meaning, one will strive to mend their ways and remain steadfast on the obedience of Allah, the Exalted. Whereas, wishful thinking involves persisting in the disobedience of Allah, the Exalted, and then expecting the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, the Exalted. Wishful thinking has no value in Islam. This distinction has been made clear in a Hadith found in Jami At Tirmidhi, number 2459. In fact, this difference is indicated in the next verse. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 38:
“We said, “Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
Allah, the Exalted, made it clear that part of sincere repentance is striving to improve one’s obedience to Allah, the Exalted, and remain firm on it. The final form of this guidance has come in the form of the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. It is important to note that the verse does not mention belief in divine guidance but mentions practically following it. This means verbally declaring belief is not good enough to achieve peace of mind and success in both worlds until it is supported by practical obedience. This is why many muslims fail to obtain the peace of mind mentioned in this verse. One must learn and act on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, so that they use the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted. Only through this practical obedience will one obtain protection from fear and grief in both worlds.
It is important to note that this verse does not mean one will not face difficulties, as facing difficulties is a part of the test of this world. It means that even though one may experience times of anxiety, stress and sadness yet these feelings will never be extreme, such as fear and grief. This will ensure one overcomes these negative feelings and maintains their sincere obedience to Allah, the Exalted, during all situations. Chapter 16 An Nahl, verse 97:
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”
Whereas, the one who fails to practically follow divine guidance will face extreme emotions and negative feelings, such as fear and grief, which will overcome them throughout their lives. As a result, they will live with an imbalanced mental and physical state. This only leads to further stress, anxiety and trouble in both worlds. Chapter 20 Taha, verses 124-126:
“And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.” He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?” [Allāh] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.””
Allah, the Exalted, created and controls the spiritual heart of a person, which is the abode of peace of mind. Therefore, if one sincerely obeys Him, He will grant them peace of mind, even if they face regular difficulties. Whereas, the one who disobeys Him will obtain nothing but stress, anxiety and depression, even if they have the world at their feet. This truth is obvious to the one who observes the rich and famous. Therefore, as indicated by verse 38, peace of mind has nothing to do with worldly things, such as fame, fortune, authority, family, career or friends. Peace of mind is directly connected to accepting and practically following divine guidance so that one uses the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
To conclude, one must not be fooled into believing that divine guidance will prevent them from obtaining a happy life. Divine guidance ensures one uses the blessings they have been granted correctly so that they obtain peace of mind and success in both worlds. Whereas, ignoring divine guidance will cause one to misuse the blessings they have been granted, which leads to stress and difficulties in both worlds. Divine guidance is similar to a medical doctor who prescribes bitter medicine and dietary restrictions on a patient so that they achieve good mental and physical health. Just like ignoring the medical doctor will only lead to a poor mental and physical state, so will ignoring divine guidance.
Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 38:
“We said, “Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
Generally speaking, this verse also makes it clear that an individual or a society cannot protect themselves from fear or grief without actualizing faith. This is because a good law within a society will only prevent people from wronging others and committing crimes when they believe they cannot escape the authority. But whenever one believes they can escape the authority then they will commit crimes and wrong others. This will prevent the society from achieving peace and justice. Instead, as indicated by this verse, the society will live in fear and grief. This is only avoidable when one actualizes faith, as this leads to the fear of Allah, the Exalted, and the fear of the consequences of their actions. It is this fear which prevents one from wronging others and committing crimes even when they believe they will escape the worldly authority, such as the police. This truth is obvious when one turns the pages of history and observes the societies which implemented and actualized their faith in Allah, the Exalted, through practical obedience.
In addition, this verse makes it clear that one will only gain protection from extreme emotions, such as grief and fear, and obtain a peaceful life when they strictly follow divine guidance. This means one must avoid innovations in religion and instead dedicate themself to learning and acting on the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and avoid other things, even if they are considered good deeds. The simple truth is that the more one acts on other good deeds the less they will act on these two sources of guidance. This will prevent them from obtaining protection from fear and grief.
Depending on the level of one’s lack of practically following divine guidance, they may well leave this world without faith. This can occur as faith is like a plant which must be nourished with practical acts of obedience. Just like a plant which is starved of nourishment may well die, so can the faith of a person who fails to practically follow divine guidance. This has been warned in the next verse. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 39:
“And those who disbelieve and deny Our signs – those will be companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.”
One must therefore ensure they support their verbal declaration of faith with practical acts of obedience in order to avoid this outcome. This obedience involves using the blessings one has been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted, as outlined in the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. It is vital to understand that one can accept Islam verbally while denying it practically. This must be avoided as protection from fear and grief in both worlds is only granted to those who practically follow divine guidance. Chapter 2 Al Baqarah, verse 38:
“…whoever follows My guidance – there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”
Even though residing in Hell is harsh and severe, yet it is a fitting punishment for the one who denies Allah, the Exalted, their God, Creator, Master, Sustainer and Nourisher. The One who continuously bestows them with countless blessings. The same way an invention which fails to fulfil its purpose of creation is discarded, so will the invention named human be discarded on the Day of Judgement if they fail to fulfil their purpose of creation, which is to use the blessings they have been granted in ways pleasing to Allah, the Exalted. Chapter 51 Adh Dhariyat, verse 56:
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
In addition, as Allah, the Exalted, the Lord of the worlds, has decided this outcome for those who disbelieve in Him and this decision cannot be averted nor stopped, one must either obey His law or find a universe where His law does not apply. As the latter is not possible, one must therefore seek Islamic knowledge with an open mind so that its truthfulness and benefits in both worlds becomes apparent to them.
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