The Crusades

41:They Leave Paradise

‘Then both of them knew that they were naked: wherefore, being ashamed, they took fig leaves and made a clothing for their secret parts. When midday was passed, behold God appeared to them, and called Adam, saying: “Adam, where art thou?”
    
             ‘He answered: “Lord, I did hide myself from thy presence because I and my wife are naked, and so we are ashamed to present ourselves before thee.”
     
              ‘Then said God: “And who hath robbed you of your innocence, unless ye have eaten the fruit by reason of which ye are unclean, and will not be able to abide longer in paradise?”
    
             ‘Adam answered: “O Lord, the wife whom thou hast given me besought me to eat, and so I have eaten thereof.”
    
            ‘Then said God to the woman: “Wherefore gavest thou such food to thy husband?”
    
            ‘Eve answered: “Satan deceived me, and so I did eat.” 
            “‘And how did that reprobate enter in hither?” said God.
    
            ‘Eve answered: “A serpent that standeth at the northern gate brought him near to me.”
    
            ‘Then said God to Adam: “Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife and hast eaten the fruit, cursed be the earth in thy works; it shall bring forth for thee brambles and thorns, and in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. And remember that thou art earth, and to earth thou return.”
    
          ‘And he spoke to Eve, saying: “And thou who didst hearken to Satan, and gavest the food to thy husband, shalt abide under the dominion of man, who shall keep thee as a slave, and thou shalt bear children with travail.”
    
          ‘And having called the serpent, God called the angel Michael, him who holdeth the sword of God, [and] said: “First drive forth from paradise this wicked serpent, and when outside cut off his legs: for if he shall wish to walk, he must trail his body upon the earth.” Afterwards God called Satan, who came laughing, and he said to him: “Because thou, reprobate, hast deceived these and hast made them to become unclean, I will that every uncleanness of them and of all their children, whereof they shall be truly penitent and shall serve me, in going forth from their body shall enter through thy mouth, and so shalt thou be satiated with uncleanness.”
    
           ‘Satan then gave a horrible roar, and said: “Since thou willest to make me ever worse, I yet will make me that which I shall be able!”
    
          ‘Then said God: “Depart, cursed one, from my presence!”
          Then Satan departed; whereupon God said to Adam [and] Eve, who were both weeping: “Go ye forth from paradise, and do penance, and let not your hope fail, for I will send your son in such wise that your seed shall lift the dominion of Satan from off the human race: for he who shall come, my messenger, to him will I give all things.”
    
           ‘God hid himself, and the angel Michael drove them forth from paradise. Whereupon Adam, turning him round, saw written above the gate, “There is only one God, and Mohammed is messenger of God.” Whereupon, weeping, he said: “May it be pleasing to God, O my son, that thou come quickly and  draw us out of misery.”
    
          ‘And thus,’ said Jesus, ‘sinned Satan and Adam through pride, the one by despising man, the other by wishing to make himself equal with God.’
 

An Islamic Perspective and Commentary
by
Ishaq Zahid

    The Holy Quran does not provide such detailed account of Adam ad Eve’s temptation and their consequent departure from the paradise. The narrations also differ in some important points. The Holy Quran does not blame “the woman” for the fall of Adam. It holds both responsible for the sin. In fact, at one point, it appears as though it was Adam whom the Quran blames. It is also important to note that the departure of Adam and Eve from paradise was not a punishment for the crime. The last part of the current chapter of the Gospel also alludes to the penance of Adam. According to the Holy Quran, they repented before God thus,

007.023 They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost.”

God, Almighty accepted their repentence. However, they now must begin their second stage of life on earth away from paradise. What took place has been mentioned in the Quran at more than one place with variations in emphasis. The following is one such narration:

007.011 It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels bow down to Adam, and they bowed down; not so Iblis; He refused to be of those who bow down.007.012 (God) said: “What prevented thee from bowing down when I commanded thee?” He said: “I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay.”007.013 (God) said: “Get thee down from this: it is not for thee to be arrogant here: get out, for thou art of the meanest (of creatures).”007.014 He said: “Give me respite till the day they are raised up.”007.015 (God) said: “Be thou among those who have respite.”007.016 He said: “Because thou hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy straight way:007.017 “Then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for thy mercies).”007.018 (God) said: “Get out from this, disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee,- Hell will I fill with you all.

007.019 “O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and enjoy (its good things) as ye wish: but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression.”007.020 Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, bringing openly before their minds all their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said: “Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest ye should become angels or such beings as live for ever.”007.021 And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser.007.022 So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: “Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?”007.023 They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged our own souls: If thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost.”007.024 (God) said: “Get ye down. With enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood,- for a time.”007.025 He said: “Therein shall ye live, and therein shall ye die; but from it shall ye be taken out (at last).”