The story of our mother Eve | Episode (9) | O Eve, the Qur’an is a source of knowledge

0:00 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

0:03 The story of our mother Hawwa (Eve).

0:08 O Hawwa.

0:10 The Qur'an is a fountainhead of knowledge.

0:15 O Hawwa.

0:16 Indeed, one of the greatest blessings upon this blessed Ummah

0:20 is this magnificent Book,

0:23 in which there is no doubt,

0:25 preserved by the protection of Allah,

0:28 guiding to the most upright paths,

0:31 a healing for what is in the hearts,

0:33 containing the best of stories,

0:37 a revelation from the Wise,

0:39 a revelation from the One All-Wise, All-Knowing,

0:43 a clear Book,

0:45 majestic and wise,

0:47 glorious and noble,

0:49 blessed and mighty,

0:51 the best of speech.

0:53 Its verses have been detailed by the One All-Wise, All-Acquainted.

0:58 It is a mercy to the believers,

1:00 containing every kind of example

1:02 for those who seek guidance without disputation.

1:06 Allah revealed it with the truth.

1:08 “And unto thee have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it. So judge between them by that which Allah hath revealed, and follow not their desires away from the truth which hath come unto thee. For each We have appointed a divine law and a traced-out way. Had Allah willed He could have made you one community. But that He may try you by that which He hath given you (He hath made you as ye are). So vie one with another in good works. Unto Allah ye will all return, and He will then inform you of that wherein ye differ.” (5:48)

1:14 We believe in it,

1:15 and in what preceded it.

1:18 It is made easy for remembrance.

1:20 The believers do not abandon it,

1:22 and the humble recite it with care.

1:25 Whenever we recite a verse from it,

1:27 Allah is a witness over us.

1:31 If Allah had sent it down upon a mountain,

1:34 you would have seen it, O Hawwa, [humbled].

1:36 “If We had caused this Qur'an to descend upon a mountain, thou (O Muhammad) verily hadst seen it humbled, rent asunder by the fear of Allah. Such similitudes coin We for mankind that haply they may reflect.” (59:21)

1:40 “A Lecture in Arabic, containing no crookedness, that haply they may ward off (evil).” (39:28)

1:43 Allah sent it down to bring people out of darkness into the light.

1:49 Allah did not send it down to cause us distress,

1:51 but as a reminder for those who fear [Allah].

1:55 Exalted is He who taught the Qur'an,

1:58 and created man.

2:00 So read, O Hawwa, what is easy for you of the Qur'an,

2:05 and be among those who recite it as it should be recited,

2:09 and reflect upon its verses.

2:11 “But it is clear revelations in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge, and none deny Our revelations save wrong-doers.” (29:49)

2:17 Let it be preserved in your heart,

2:20 and a light in your life.

2:23 O Hawwa.

2:25 Our discussion continues regarding the story of our mother Hawwa,

2:29 along with our father Adam, peace be upon them both.

2:32 We had previously addressed its mention in Surah al-Baqarah,

2:36 and the great benefits contained within those verses,

2:39 which we ask Allah to let us benefit from.

2:43 Today,

2:44 we move to their story in Surah al-A'raf.

2:49 Allah the Exalted says:

2:51 "And O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat..."

2:58 "...from wherever you will, but do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers."

3:08 The first issue we shall discuss is:

3:12 What is the difference between the story of our mother Hawwa in Surah al-Baqarah

3:16 and her story in Surah al-A'raf?

3:20 Answering this question,

3:22 Imam Abu Zahra, may Allah have mercy on him,

3:25 says:

3:27 "The difference between the story of the creation of man in Surah al-Baqarah

3:30 and his story here

3:32 appears, at first glance and in its outward form,

3:36 to be that the story here is identical to what was mentioned first in al-Baqarah,

3:41 and that this is a repetition in the Qur'an.

3:45 We observe that the fact that Allah created Adam,

3:48 that Allah commanded the angels to prostrate,

3:51 that Iblis refused to prostrate,

3:54 and his expulsion and the descent of him, Adam, and his wife from Paradise

3:59 are mentioned in both stories.

4:02 However, the difference lies in what is beyond that.

4:06 One mentions what the other does not,

4:10 and together they provide a complete story in all its parts,

4:14 regarding what both Surahs addressed.

4:18 The purpose (fruit) of mentioning the story differs in each one.

4:24 The first [Surah] established that its purpose was the enmity of Iblis toward Adam from the very beginning of creation,

4:31 and it warned man of the impact of this enmity.

4:35 The noble verse clarified the consequences of this enmity.

4:40 It mentioned the Children of Israel,

4:43 and what Satan whispered into their souls.

4:46 They were the clearest example in human history of Iblis’s control over them,

4:52 to the point that it is as if he—that is, Iblis—

4:55 and they are one and the same,

4:57 were it not that he is of the Jinn

5:00 and they are of mankind.

5:02 Yet, they are

5:03 his living, clear image.

5:06 Allah the Exalted made them a lesson for those who take heed among the people of virtue.

5:11 The purpose here in this verse

5:14 is the control of Iblis over the Arabs,

5:16 to the point that he made them circumambulate [the Ka'bah] naked, both men and women,

5:21 just as Iblis induced the parents of humanity to eat from the tree,

5:27 so their private parts became apparent to them."

5:30 Secondly,

5:31 the story in al-Baqarah contains Allah’s teaching of Adam,

5:36 and a demonstration of his readiness to learn all things,

5:41 and Allah’s testing of the angels.

5:44 Then came the command to prostrate,

5:46 as a result of Adam informing them of the names that the angels did not know.

5:53 This is not mentioned in this story [in al-A'raf];

5:56 rather, it is omitted,

5:57 and the command to prostrate [is mentioned].

6:00 Thus, what was mentioned there in detail was omitted here.

6:04 In the story of creation in Surah al-A'raf, which speaks to its meanings,

6:10 it mentioned the method by which Iblis caused the noble couple to slip,

6:16 when he said to them: [swearing by Allah to them].

6:18 “Then Satan whispered to them that he might manifest unto them that which was hidden from them of their shame, and he said: Your Lord forbade you from this tree only lest ye should become angels or become of the immortals.” (7:20)

6:21 “Then Satan whispered to them that he might manifest unto them that which was hidden from them of their shame, and he said: Your Lord forbade you from this tree only lest ye should become angels or become of the immortals.” (7:20)

6:26 “And he swore unto them (saying): Lo! I am a sincere adviser unto you.” (7:21)

6:31 Thirdly,

6:33 in Surah al-Baqarah,

6:34 it was clarified that he caused them to slip,

6:37 but it did not clarify the method by which he caused them to slip.

6:41 So the story here serves to clarify that,

6:45 making it complementary to it,

6:47 and not a repetition of it.

6:50 Fourthly,

6:51 in this Surah,

6:53 it is mentioned what resulted from eating from the tree:

6:56 that their private parts became apparent to them,

6:59 and they began to fasten together the leaves of Paradise over themselves.

7:04 This was not mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah,

7:07 but it is mentioned here,

7:08 and it is a completion of what was mentioned [there].

7:11 What is mentioned here

7:13 contains a clarification of the similarity to what Allah the Exalted forbade,

7:17 regarding the prohibition of the nakedness of the Arabs in Makkah through the incitement of Iblis.

7:22 Thus, his work with the descendants of Adam resembles

7:26 what he did with Adam and his wife.

7:29 Fifthly,

7:31 in the story of creation in al-A'raf,

7:33 Adam and his wife felt what they had done.

7:38 They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves."

7:41 “They said: Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, surely we are of the lost!” (7:23)

7:47 This was not mentioned in Surah al-Baqarah,

7:50 except for the words of Allah the Exalted: [regarding the repentance].

7:53 “Then Adam received from his Lord words (of revelation), and He relented toward him. Lo! He is the relenting, the Merciful.” (2:37)

7:58 Thus, the verse was complementary or clarifying to what came in Surah al-Baqarah.

8:04 Surah al-Baqarah did not mention Allah’s calling out to the couple,

8:10 saying:

8:11 "Did I not forbid you from that tree?"

8:14 “Thus did he lead them on with guile. And when they tasted of the tree their shame was manifest to them and they began to hide (by heaping) on themselves some of the leaves of the Garden. And their Lord called them, (saying): Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you: Lo! Satan is an open enemy to you?” (7:22)

8:19 Thus, what is here was complementary to what is there.

8:24 Sixthly,

8:25 Surah al-Baqarah mentioned Allah’s will and His decree

8:30 to place a vicegerent [on earth],

8:32 and what the angels said regarding this.

8:35 “And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.” (2:30)

8:41 “And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.” (2:30)

8:47 “And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.” (2:30)

8:51 “And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.” (2:30)

8:55 Then Allah’s clarification by teaching him all the names,

8:59 and the clarification that he was more worthy of the vicegerency of the earth than them.

9:03 This was not mentioned here in al-A'raf.

9:07 Instead, it mentioned here the incitement of Iblis,

9:09 and his method of incitement,

9:12 and that he surrounds them always,

9:15 from their right,

9:16 and from their left.

9:18 This was not mentioned there in Surah al-Baqarah.

9:22 And through this comparison,

9:24 while the story is gathered in both Surahs,

9:28 two matters become clear:

9:30 The first of them:

9:31 that there is no repetition,

9:33 but rather each story completes the other,

9:36 and a complete story is formed,

9:39 in which the parts do not conflict.

9:42 The second of them:

9:44 that the purpose in each part is different,

9:48 and that the Qur'an is a fountainhead of knowledge

9:50 that never runs dry.

9:53 We shall continue in a future meeting, if Allah wills.

9:57 And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.

10:00 The story of our mother Hawwa.

The story of our mother Eve | Episode (9) | O Eve, the Qur’an is a source of knowledge

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