Verse 35
Q: What is the Arabic text of verse 35?
A: وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Q: What is the translation of this verse?
A: “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.’”
Q: What freedom was granted to Adam and his wife in Paradise?
A: They were given complete provision and freedom to eat in abundance from wherever they wished, highlighting God’s initial grace and the absence of hardship.
Q: What was the sole prohibition given to them?
A: They were commanded not to approach a certain tree. Maududi notes that the nature of the tree is not specified in the Quran, indicating the lesson is about obedience rather than the tree itself.
Q: What does “wrongdoers (al-Zalimin)” mean in this context?
A: Zulm (wrongdoing) here means wronging oneself by transgressing a clear boundary set by God, thereby forfeiting a state of grace. This sets the stage for the moral choice that defines the human condition.
Verse 36
Q: What is the Arabic text of verse 36?
A: فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ ۖ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
Q: What is the translation?
A: “But Satan caused them to slip therefrom and removed them from that [state] 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.’”
Q: What does “Satan caused them to slip” mean?
A: The verb azalla implies causing to slip or stumble. Maududi clarifies that Iblis succeeded in his deception, and they were tempted and succumbed, committing an error of judgment that led to disobedience.
Q: What was the immediate result of their slip?
A: They were removed from the state of blissful ease in Paradise, marking the transition from perfect harmony to a state of struggle.
Q: Who does the command “Go down” apply to?
A: It applies to Adam, his wife, and Iblis.
Q: What does “as enemies to one another” establish?
A: It establishes the enduring conflict: the enmity between humanity and Satan, and the potential for enmity among humans themselves due to Satan’s whispers.
Q: How is earth described in this verse?
A: Earth is defined as a “place of settlement and provision for a time.” Maududi emphasizes that this makes earthly life a testing ground, a temporary phase with a clear terminus, not the final destination.
Verse 37
Q: What is the Arabic text of verse 37?
A: فَتَلَقَّىٰ آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Q: What is the translation?
A: “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.”
Q: What did Adam do after realizing his error?
A: Adam did not despair. He turned to God in sincere remorse, and God, in His mercy, taught him the words of repentance and supplication.
Q: What does this show about the correct response to sin?
A: The correct response to sin is not hiding or despairing, but turning back to God.
Q: What principle does this verse establish?
A: It establishes the principle of Tawbah (repentance) as the means of returning to God’s grace after a fall. Adam’s story is one of error, followed by repentance and forgiveness, not one of eternal damnation.
Verse 38
Q: What is the Arabic text of verse 38?
A: قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Q: What is the translation?
A: “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.’”
Q: What is the central promise revealed in this verse?
A: “When guidance comes to you from Me.” Maududi states that this refers to the Prophets and the revealed Books God would send throughout history. Life on earth is not a state of abandonment; it is accompanied by continuous divine guidance.
Q: What is promised for those who follow divine guidance?
A: The ultimate outcome is absolute security: “no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” This directly connects to the promise for believers in verse 2:25, framing all of human history as a test of heeding divine guidance.
Verse 39
Q: What is the Arabic text of verse 39?
A: وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Q: What is the translation?
A: “But those who disbelieve and deny Our signs – those will be the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.”
Q: What consequence does this verse present?
A: In contrast to the followers of guidance, those who choose disbelief (Kufr) and deny God’s signs—the clear proofs and revelations—have a fixed destination.
Q: What is their fate?
A: Their fate is to be “companions of the Fire” in a state of eternal abode. This concludes the foundational narrative by presenting the two ultimate, divergent paths for humanity that emerge from the test on earth.
Summary Questions
Q: What are the core lessons from Maududi’s commentary on these verses?
A: The core lessons include:
- The Human Test Begins: Life is a test of obedience to clear divine commands amidst freedom and provision.
- The Reality of Error & Repentance: Falling into error is part of the human experience; the critical response is sincere repentance (Tawbah), which God accepts.
- Earth as the Arena of Choice: Humanity’s descent to earth was not merely a punishment but the beginning of its appointed role (Khilafah) in the arena of trial.
- The Constant of Divine Guidance: God did not leave humanity aimless. The sending of guidance through prophets is a mercy and the criterion for success.
- The Two Eternal Outcomes: The narrative culminates by defining the only two permanent destinations: security and bliss for followers of guidance, and the Fire for those who reject it, mirroring the descriptions given in verses 24-25. This completes the framework for understanding human history and individual accountability.
VERSES,TRANSLATION AND TAFSEER
Messages from Quran 