Al-A'raf: Verses (20-22)

It is said: Waswasa (whispered) means he spoke a hidden speech that he repeated. Because of this, the sound of jewelry is called waswas (a faint rustling sound). This is an intransitive verb, like saying walwulat al-mar'ah (the woman wailed) or wa'wa'a al-dhi'b (the wolf howled). A man who whispers is mūswas (with a kasra on the waw), and not mūswas (with a fatha). Rather, it is said: mūswas lahu (whispered to him) or mūswas ilayhi (whispered toward him), meaning he is the one who casts the whisper to him. Waswasa lahu means he performed the whispering for his sake, and waswasa ilayhi means he cast it to him. Here are some questions:

Answer: Al-Hasan said: He was whispering from the earth up to the heaven and to Paradise through the superior power that Allah Almighty had granted him. Abu Muslim al-Isfahani said: Rather, Adam and Iblis were both in Paradise, because this Paradise was one of the gardens on Earth. What some people say—that Iblis entered the belly of the serpent, and the serpent entered Paradise—that weak story is famous. Others said: Adam and Eve would sometimes approach the gate of Paradise, and Iblis would stand outside the gate, so they would draw near to each other, and the whispering would occur there.

Answer: It is not unlikely that Iblis met Adam many times and tempted him regarding the tree through many means. Because of the persistence and continuity of this deception, his speech affected Adam (peace be upon him).

Answer: The meaning of waswasa lahu is that he performed the whispering for his sake. And Allah knows best.

As for His saying, {لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا} (so that He might reveal to them...), there are two opinions regarding this lam (the letter 'L'):

1. It is the lam of consequence (lam al-'āqibah), as in His saying: {فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا} (So the people of Pharaoh picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a cause of grief). This is because Satan did not intend for the whispering to result in the exposure of their private parts, nor did he know that if they ate from the tree their private parts would become apparent. His intention was only to lead them to disobedience.
2. It is not unlikely that it is the lam of purpose (lam al-gharaḍ). In this, there are two aspects:
   • The revelation of their private parts is a metaphor for the removal of sanctity and the loss of status. The meaning is that his purpose in casting that whisper to Adam was the removal of his sanctity and the loss of his position.
   • Perhaps he saw in the Preserved Tablet or heard from some angels that if they ate from the tree, their private parts would become apparent. This indicates the utmost harm and the loss of sanctity, so he whispered to them to achieve this purpose.

His saying, {مَا} (what), has discussions:

It is said: Wāraytuhu means I concealed it. Allah says: {يُوَارِي سَوْأَةَ أَخِيهِ} (conceals the private parts of his brother). The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Ali when he informed him of his father's death: "Go and bury him (fawārihu)."

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It is as if they were clothed in a garment that covered their private parts. When they disobeyed, that garment was removed from them. This is the meaning of His saying: {فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا} (So when they tasted of it, their private parts became apparent to them).

His saying: {وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ} (And [Satan] said: "Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree lest you become angels or become among the immortals"). This statement could have been uttered by Iblis addressing Adam and Eve, or it could have been a whisper he cast into their hearts. Both are narrated, but the most likely is that it was in the form of direct address, evidenced by His saying: {وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ} (And he swore to them both, "Indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors").

The meaning of the speech is that Iblis said to them in the whisper: "Unless you become angels," meaning, "if you eat from it, you will become like angels, or if you eat, you will become among the immortals." He tempted them by making them imagine that whoever ate from it would become like that, and that Allah only forbade them from it so that they would not become like angels and would not live forever.

In the verse, there are questions:

Answer: There are several viewpoints:

1. This meaning is one indication that the angels who prostrated to Adam were the angels of the Earth. As for the angels of the heavens, the inhabitants of the Throne and the Footstool, and the near angels, they never prostrated to Adam. If they had prostrated to him, this temptation would have been invalid and flawed.
2. Al-Wahidi narrated from some that Adam knew that the angels would not die until the Day of Resurrection, but he did not know this for himself. So Iblis offered him to become like the angels in permanence. I say: This answer is weak, because under this assumption, what was desired from the angels was immortality, and in that case, there would be no difference between His saying: {إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ} (Lest you become angels) and His saying: {أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ} (Or become among the immortals).

The second viewpoint: Al-Wahidi said that Ibn Abbas used to recite it as malakayn (kings) and say: They did not aspire to become angels, but they yearned to become like angels. The accursed one only approached them through the concept of kingship. This is supported by His saying: {هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَىٰ شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لَّا يَبْلَىٰ} (Shall I direct you to the Tree of Eternity and a kingdom that will not decay?). I say this answer is also weak, and its explanation is twofold: * Even if the answer is based on this recitation, does Ibn Abbas say that the famous recitation is false, or does he not say that? The first is false because that recitation is a continuous, established recitation (mutawātirah), so how can it be challenged? * Under this assumption, the problem remains, because based on that recitation, the temptation led to the belief that by eating that, he would become one of the angels, and the question returns.

The third viewpoint: Allah Almighty made the prostration of the angels and the creation for him to dwell in Paradise and eat from it freely as he wished, and there is no greater degree of kingship than this degree.

Answer: There are several viewpoints:

1. If we say this incident occurred before prophethood, it does not indicate that. Adam was not among the prophets when he sought to reach the degree of angels. Under this assumption, the inference is negated.
2. If this incident occurred during the time of prophethood, perhaps Adam (peace be upon him) desired to become like the angels in power, strength, and might, or in the essence of his being—to become a luminous substance—or to become an inhabitant of the Throne and the Footstool. Under this assumption, the inference is negated.

Answer: They mentioned in establishing this declaration of disbelief that if he had believed Iblis regarding immortality, it would necessitate denying the Resurrection and the Day of Judgment, and that is disbelief (kufr). A person could argue: We do not accept that this belief necessitates disbelief. The explanation is twofold:

1. The term khulūd (immortality) is interpreted as a long stay, not perpetuity. Under this interpretation, what they mentioned is averted.
2. Even if khulūd is interpreted as perpetuity, we accept that believing in perpetuity necessitates disbelief. The explanation is that knowledge of whether Allah will cause this accountable being to die or not is knowledge that can only be obtained through transmitted proof (sam'i). Perhaps Allah did not clarify to Adam (peace be upon him) at that time that He causes creation to die. Since that transmitted proof did not exist, Adam (peace be upon him) could have considered perpetual existence permissible, and for this reason, he desired it. Under this assumption, declaring them disbelievers is not necessary.

Answer: The verified scholars denied the occurrence of this belief, certainly or by assumption. Rather, the correct view is that they proceeded to eat due to the overpowering of desire, not because they believed him with knowledge or assumption, just as we find ourselves, when desire overcomes us, proceeding to an action when someone else beautifies what we desire, even if we do not believe that the matter is as he said.

Answer: Some said: The encouragement applied to the combination of the two matters, because it is more enticing. Others said: Rather, it is according to its apparent meaning, based on the method of choice (takhyeer).

Then Allah Almighty said: {وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ} (And he swore to them both, "Indeed, I am to you of the sincere advisors"). This means he swore to them that he was a sincere advisor to them both.

If it is asked: Qāsamah means you swear an oath for your companion, and he swears an oath for you. You say: Qāsamtu fulānan (I swore an oath with so-and-so), meaning I made a covenant with him. And {تَقَاسَمُوا بِاللَّهِ} (they swore by Allah) means they made a mutual oath.

Answer: There are viewpoints:

1. The implied meaning is that he said: "I swear to you both that I am a sincere advisor to you both." And they said to him: "Do you swear by Allah that you are a sincere advisor?" This made it a mutual swearing (muqāsamah) between them.
2. He swore to them by sincerity, and they swore to him by accepting his advice.
3. He used the form of mufā'alah for Iblis's oath because he exerted himself in it with the exertion of one who makes a mutual oath.

Once you know this, we say: Qatadah said: He swore to them by Allah until he deceived them, and a believer can be deceived by Allah (i.e., by an oath sworn by Allah). His saying: {إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ} means Iblis said: "I was created before you, and I know many matters concerning benefit and harm that you do not know, so obey my counsel, and I will guide you."

Then Allah Almighty said: {فَدَلَّاهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ} (So he caused them to descend by deceit). Abu Mansur al-Azhari mentioned two origins for this word:

1. The origin is for a thirsty man who lowers his legs into a well to get water but finds no water there. Thus, tadliyah (lowering) is used in the sense of hoping for something without benefit. It is said: Dallāhu if he fed him something.
2. {فَدَلَّاهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ} means Iblis made them bold to eat the tree through deceit. The origin is dallalahumā from dall (to lead/guide), and ad-dāllah means boldness/daring.

Once you know this, we say: Ibn Abbas said: {فَدَلَّاهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ} means he deceived them with the oath, and Adam used to think that no one would swear by Allah falsely. It is narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he saw obedience and good prayer from his slave, he would free him, so his slaves would do that seeking manumission. When it was said to him: "They are deceiving you," he replied: "Whoever deceives us by Allah, we are deceived by him."

Then Allah Almighty said: {فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ} (So when they tasted of the tree, it became apparent...). This indicates that they took a small amount, intending to know its taste. If Allah had not mentioned in another verse that they ate from it, what is in this verse would not indicate eating, because one who tastes might taste without fully eating.

Then Allah Almighty said: {بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَتُهُمَا} (their private parts became apparent to them), meaning their private parts were revealed, and the light was removed from them. {وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ} (and they began to cover themselves). Al-Zajjaj said the meaning of ṭafiqa is "he began the action." Yakhṣifān means they placed one leaf upon another. From this, one who mends sandals is called a khassāf. This contains evidence that uncovering the private parts was ugly from the time of Adam, as you see how quickly they rushed to cover themselves once the ugliness of uncovering the private parts was established in their intellect. {وَنَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا} (And their Lord called to them both). Ata said: It reached me that Allah called to them: "Fleeing from Me, O Adam?" He replied: "Rather, out of modesty before You, O Lord! I did not think that anyone would swear by Your Name falsely." Then his Lord called to him: "Did I not create you with My Hand? Did I not breathe into you of My Spirit? Did I not command My angels to prostrate to you? Did I not settle you in My Garden in My vicinity?"

Then He said: {وَأَقُلْ لَكُمَا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ} (And I tell you both that Satan is to you a clear enemy). Ibn Abbas said: His enmity was clear when he refused to prostrate and said: {لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِرَاطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ} (I will surely sit in wait for them on Your straight path).