Surah Al-Baqarah-Cow Verse 35 - Essay Example

Surah Albaqara-Cow Verse 35 Your Religion and Theology 23/11 Surah Albaqara-Cow Verse 35 Over the centuries, differentQuranic exegeses have been written with various approaches of interpretation of the holy text. Similarly there have been different attempts on writing the Arabic lexicons over the years which have helped the scholars to shape their exegeses. Referring to the different exegeses books written in different periods by renowned scholars, the essence of Surah Albaqara verse 35 in all exegeses is basically how Iblis was banished from the Paradise on his defiance and non compliance with Allah’s command of prostrating before Adam.  According to Tafsir-al-Tabari written in the 10th century, the interpretation by Al-Tabari reinforces the opinion that the expulsion of Iblis from the Garden was because he superciliously had declined Allah’s command of prostrating before Adam whereas the other Angels readily took Allah’s commands when life was breathed into him. Adam and his wife were residing in the Garden before Iblis was sent to the Earth. The book also takes different approaches to how Adam’s wife was created for him, creating her as a source of peace for him.1 Now if we refer to the interpretation suggested by Ibn Kathir, it suggests the same idea that Allah had esteemed Adam by asking the Angels to bow down before him, but Iblis arrogantly defied Allah’s orders. Then Allah asked Adam and his to enjoy all the fruits in Paradise.2 The first opinion in tafsir Al-Tabari on how Adam’s wife Hawwa was created states that when Allah asked Adam to reside in Paradise after Iblis’ expulsion, he roamed around in the Paradise alone with no wife he could find comfort in. Then he fell asleep and woke up to find a woman beside him. Adam inquired who she was and why was she created, to which she answered that she was a woman and was created so that Adam could find comfort in her. Adam told on the Angel’s inquiry that she was called Hawwa, because she was created from something living i.e Adam’s left rib. Although Tafsir Ibn Kathir states that Hawwa was created before Adam entered the Paradise, after He punished Iblis. According to Al-Tabari, after Adam’s wife, Hawwa was created, Allah commanded them to savor upon whatever they wished for but He also commanded them to stay away from a tree or else they would become transgressors. But when Iblis had condescendingly refused to take Allah’s orders, He was cursed by Allah. Iblis then led Adam and his wife to disobey Allah and swore he would misguide their generations to come, except for the ones who are His sincere worshippers. Where interpretations like Ibn Katheer suggest that it was a grape, barley or a fig tree, Al-Tabari’s opinion states that we do not know the exact nature of the tree since Allah has not clearly indicated it anywhere. Both the interpreters agree that the piece of knowledge regarding what the tree was will be of no help to the ones who knew and would not harm the ones who do not. A very different approach to the interpretation of the verse is undertaken by Sayyid Qutub in his book, ‘In the Shades of Quran’. According to this book, Adam and Hawwa were allowed to enjoy all the fruits of Paradise, except for on one particular tree. The exegesis suggests that the tree represents all the things that are prohibited to man on earth, without which man would not have any volition. This ability sets man apart from animals who purely rely on their instinct. If man is not forbidden with certain things, there will be no way to test his self control and also his pact with Allah. The humans who do not exercise their will without rationalizing the situation belong to animals. Qutub also discusses that why Allah created a test for Adam if he had been already appointed as Allah’s vicegerent on earth. He suggests that the test was necessary to evoke his innate ability of being tempted, take decision and then bear responsibility of His action. The test also enabled Adam to identify his enemy and also made Adam learn to seek forgiveness from Allah.3 According to the lexicon by Edward Lane, the word اسكن implies on seeking abode somewhere.4 The interpretations also suggest that Allah asked Adam and Hawwa to ‘reside’ in the Paradise. The word رغداً explained as ‘freely’ and ‘(in) abundance’ also concurs with the interpretations of various scholars. Adam and Hawwa were asked to enjoy the fruits of Paradise freely and as much as they wanted. الشجرة means ‘tree’ in the lexicons, the one which has been identified as which Allah had forbidden Adam and Hawwa to go close to. Another keyword الظالمين refers to those who are ‘unjust’ or are the ‘wrongdoers’. In a broader sense, the interpreters have used this word to mean as ‘wrongdoers’ or ‘evildoers’ which means that if Adam and Hawwa would disobey Allah, they would be considered as treading on the wrong path which Allah has not commanded them to do so. It also gives the concept of sin according to the exegisis by Sayyid Qutub. Allah’s covenant with man requires him to follow the commands of Allah but the conclusive factor is whether humans obey Him or not and become wrongdoers.5 The spirit of Islam largely stems from the concept of justice and equality. According to all the interpretations, only Iblis was expelled from the Paradise only because he did not adhere to Allah’s command of prostrating before Adam. Similarly, the interpretations also tell us about how the disobeying actions of Adam and Hawwa would lead to their punishment by Allah too and that they will be then considered as wrongdoers. Although Allah had honored Adam by asking Angels to prostrate before him, even then He maintained His justice by not forgiving their transgression. This is how the idea of justice and equality in Islam is reinforced by the interpretation of the verse. Works Cited Ibn Kathīr, Ismāʻīl ibn ʻUmar, Ṣafī al-Raḥmān Mubārakfūrī, and Ismāʻīl ibn ʻUmar Ibn Kathīr. 2000. Tafsir ibn Kathir: (abridged). Riyadh: Darussalam.Lane, Edward William. Arabic-English Lexicon. New York: Ungar Pub., 1955. Print. Muhammad Ibn Jarir, Al-Tabari. "Sura 2, Verse 35." In Jāmi` Al-bayān `an Tawīl āy Al-Qurān, 244-245. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, 1987. Qutub, Sayyid. "Man Incharge of the Earth." In In the Shade of the Quran, 53-54. Vol. 1. Read More