سورة البقرة (Surah Al-Baqarah)
آية 35
القرآن: وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Translation: 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.”
Explanation (Tafheemul Quran):
Maududi explains that this verse introduces the first test for humanity in its primordial state. Adam and his wife were placed in Paradise (Al-Jannah), an abode of bliss and ease.
· “Eat therefrom in abundance from wherever you will”: This signifies the complete provision and freedom granted to them, highlighting God’s initial grace and the absence of hardship.
· The Sole Prohibition: Amidst this boundless provision, they were given one clear prohibition: not to approach a certain tree. Maududi notes that the nature of the tree is not specified in the Quran, indicating the lesson is not about the tree itself but about the test of obedience.
· The Consequence: The warning, “lest you be among the wrongdoers (al-Zalimin)” is key. Zulm (wrongdoing) here means to wrong 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.
آية 36
القرآن: فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ ۖ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ ۖ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ
Translation: 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.”
Explanation:
· The Slip and its Agent: “Satan caused them to slip…” Maududi clarifies that Iblis, now an avowed enemy after his refusal to prostrate, succeeded in his deception. The verb azalla implies causing to slip or stumble, indicating that they were tempted and succumbed, committing an error of judgment that led to disobedience.
· The Immediate Result: They were removed from the state of blissful ease in Paradise. This marks the transition from a state of perfect harmony to one of struggle.
· The Decree for Earthly Life: God’s command “Go down…” applies to Adam, his wife, and Iblis. The phrase “as enemies to one another” establishes the enduring conflict: the enmity between humanity and Satan, and the potential for enmity among humans themselves due to Satan’s whispers.
· Earth as a Temporary Abode: The verse concludes by defining the earth 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.
آية 37
القرآن: فَتَلَقَّىٰ آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ
Translation: 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.
Explanation:
This verse contains a crucial spiritual lesson.
· “Adam received from his Lord [some] words”: Maududi explains that after realizing his error, Adam did not despair. He turned to God in sincere remorse, and God, in His mercy, taught him the words of repentance and supplication. This shows the correct response to sin is not hiding or despairing, but turning back to God.
· “He accepted his repentance”: God, whose attributes are “the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful,” forgave Adam. This establishes the principle of Tawbah (repentance) as the means of returning to God’s grace after a fall. Adam’s story is thus one of error, followed by repentance and forgiveness, not one of eternal damnation.
آية 38
القرآن: قُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا مِنْهَا جَمِيعًا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ
Translation: 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.”
Explanation:
· This repeats and elaborates on the command to descend, now addressing the collective human condition.
· The central promise of earthly life is revealed: “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.
· The Promise: For “whoever follows My guidance” the ultimate outcome is absolute security: “no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.” This directly connects back to the promise for the believers in verse 2:25, framing all of human history as a test of heeding divine guidance.
آية 39
القرآن: وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ ۖ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ
Translation: But those who disbelieve and deny Our signs – those will be the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.”
Explanation:
· This verse presents the other, dire consequence of the test. In contrast to the followers of guidance, those who choose disbelief (Kufr) and deny Our signs—the clear proofs and revelations—have a fixed destination.
· Maududi links this back to the arrogance of Iblis and the nature of Kufr as a willful rejection. 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 from Tafheemul Quran Perspective:
Maududi’s commentary on these verses draws out these core lessons:
- 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.
Messages from Quran 