The Secret behind Adam’s (a.s.) Fall

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a swuhbah by Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on 19^th April 2010. 

It is the nature of mankind to want to collect as much as possible of this world’s treasures.  We are bent on gathering as much of dunya as possible, despite it not having any value at all.  It is a rare thing to find a person who will not like this.  Why does Allah (s.w.t.) Surround us with temptation in dunya?  Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَٲلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ (١٥٥) 

Be sure We shall Test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives and the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. ― (Surah al-Baqarah:155) 

Allah (s.w.t.) Test everyone, on every level, with so many different tests. 

أَسُوۡرَةُ العَنکبوت

أَحَسِبَ ٱلنَّاسُ أَن يُتۡرَكُوٓاْ أَن يَقُولُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمۡ لَا يُفۡتَنُونَ (٢) 

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying “We believe” and that they will not be Tested? (Surah al-‘Ankabut:2) 

Every human being who has achieved baligh, mental maturity, will be subjected to endless tests – no one is exempt.  In this dunya, Allah (s.w.t.) has Commanded some of mankind to look after a beehive, to guard the sweet honey, but not to eat it.  That is the amanah placed on their shoulders.  Along will come Shaythan, and he will ask one such man, “What are you doing here?” 

To this, the man will answer, “I am guarding the honey in this hive.” 

Shaythan will then ask, “Have you tasted the honey?” 

The man will reply, “I am Forbidden to taste it.  Allah (s.w.t.) has Commanded me to guard it.” 

Shaythan will then say, “Look, you are not allowed to eat it – that is true – but, surely, you can take a tiny portion for tasting.”  Shaythan will take a tiny bit of honey, despite the man’s protests that it is an amanah that is not to be touched, and then tastes it.  “That is not really eating it, I am merely tasting it!”  Shaythan will say.  The man will refuse to obey Shaythan, but Shaythan will stay, refusing to leave, and he sets his trap.  Shaythan will then take another small portion, places it in his tongue and then say, “See, nothing happened to me.  Now you try.”  Shaythan remains with the man, tempting him continuously, until he finally gives in because he forgets that this companion of his, is the Accursed Shaythan.  He succumbs to the evil suggestion and puts a tiny drop of the forbidden honey on his tongue.  Shaythan works relentlessly, day and night, to convince us to take the forbidden honey.  This is how it is played all over the world since the beginning until the end. 

The learned must teach this to all, for we are creatures that originated from Paradise.  It is this tiny drop of forbidden tasting that caused us to fall from grace.  Allah (s.w.t.) Created us and clothed us in dressings of honour, raising us to the esteemed position of Khalifah. 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

وَإِذۡ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ۬ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ خَلِيفَةً۬‌ۖ ... (٣٠) 

Behold, your Lord Said to the angels, “I will Create a vicegerent on Earth …” (Surah al-Baqarah:30) 

Allah (s.w.t.) Created Adam (a.s.) and Raised him to the highest rank in all of Creation.  Because Adam (a.s.) and Hawa (a.s.) had been Dressed in the glorious and honourable dressings of khilafah, Allah (s.w.t.) did not place them in dunya.  Dunya was not a place befitting those who had such high rank and honour.  Dunya is a place of troubles.  He Created them in Paradise, a maqam befitting their noble creation and status. 

Then what happened?  They were Tested.  At the very first test, Adam (a.s.) and Hawa (a.s.) failed and fell and were Banished to dunya.  Allah (s.w.t.) had Commanded: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

وَيَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسۡكُنۡ أَنتَ وَزَوۡجُكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ فَكُلَا مِنۡ حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمَا وَلَا تَقۡرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (١٩) 

“O Adam!  Dwell you and your wife in the Garden, and enjoy (its good things) as you wish: but approach not this tree, or you run into harm and transgression.” (Surah al-A’araf:19) 

Shaythan then whispered to them, “Do not eat the fruit – that is forbidden – but surely, you can taste a little of it?”  Adam (a.s.) and Hawa (a.s.) heeded this evil suggestion, and no sooner had they tasted the fruit on their tongues that Divine Wrath Descended. 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

فَوَسۡوَسَ لَهُمَا ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ لِيُبۡدِىَ لَهُمَا مَا وُ ۥرِىَ عَنۡہُمَا مِن سَوۡءَٲتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَہَٮٰكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنۡ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيۡنِ أَوۡ تَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰلِدِينَ (٢٠) وَقَاسَمَهُمَآ إِنِّى لَكُمَا لَمِنَ ٱلنَّـٰصِحِينَ (٢١) فَدَلَّٮٰهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ۬‌ۚ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا ٱلشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتۡ لَهُمَا سَوۡءَٲتُہُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخۡصِفَانِ عَلَيۡہِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ‌ۖ وَنَادَٮٰهُمَا رَبُّہُمَآ أَلَمۡ أَنۡہَكُمَا عَن تِلۡكُمَا ٱلشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَآ إِنَّ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ۬ (٢٢) قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ (٢٣) 

Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, in order to reveal to them their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said, “Your Lord only Forbade you this tree lest you should become angels or such beings as live forever.”  And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser.  So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies.  And their Lord Called unto them, “Did I not Forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?”  They said, “Our Lord!  We have wronged our own souls: if You Forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your Mercy we shall certainly be lost.” (Surah al-A’araf:20-23) 

The Qur’an is not a storybook.  It is a Book filled with endless Wisdom.  Allah (s.w.t.) Teaches us, via this story above, not to chase dunya, but to seek Divine Grant.  We should not lower ourselves to seek dunya.