13. The narrative sheds light on the following significant points:
(i) Modesty and bashfulness are inherent in human nature. The primary manifestation
of this instinct is seen in the sense of shame that one feels when one is required
to expose the private parts of one's body in the presence of others. According
to the Qur'an, this bashfulness is not artificial, nor an outcome of advancement
in human culture and civilization. Nor is it something acquired as some misguided
thinkers contend. On the contrary, modesty has been an integral part of human
nature from the very beginning.
(ii) The very first stratagem adopted by Satan in his bid to lead man astray
from the Right Path consisted of undermining man's sense of modesty, to direct
him towards lewdness and make him sexually deviant. In other words, the sexual
instincts of man were taken by Satan as the most vulnerable aspect of human
nature. Accordingly, he sought to weaken man's natural instincts of modesty
and bashfulness. This devilish stratagem is still followed by the disciples
of Satan in our time. For them, progress is inconceivable without exposing woman
to the gaze of all and making her strip before others in one form or another.
(iii) Such is human nature that man scarcely responds to an unambiguous invitation
to evil. Those who seek to propagate evil are, therefore, forced to present
themselves as sincere well-wishers of humanity.
(iv) Man is naturally, drawn towards lofty ideals such as the attainment of
superhuman positions and the securing of immortality. Satan achieved his first
victory in his bid to mislead man by appealing to the latter's inherent desire
to attain immortality. Satan's most effective weapon is to promise man a more
elevated position than his present one, and then set him on a course that leads
instead to his degradation.
(v) Here the Qur'an refutes the fairly popular view that Satan first misled
Eve and later used her as an instrument to mislead Adam. (See Ibn Kathir's comments
on (verses 22-3 - Ed.) The Qur'anic version of the story is that Satan attempted
to mislead both Adam and Eve, and in fact both fell prey to his guile. At first
sight, this might seem of trivial significance. However, all those who are acquainted
with the impact of this version of Adam's fall on the moral, legal and social
degradation of women will appreciate the significance of this Qur'anic statement.
(vi) There is hardly any basis to assume that the forbidden tree had certain
inherent qualities which could result in the exposure of Adam and Eve's private
parts as soon as they had tasted its fruit. Instead of the forbidden tree possessing
any extraordinary qualities, it was rather man's disobedience to God which led
to his fall from his original state. Initially, Adam and Eve's private parts
had remained hidden on account of special arrangements made by God. Once they
disobeyed, they were deprived of that special Divine arrangement, and were left
to themselves to cover their nakedness if they so wished.
(vii) This was a way, of conveying to mankind for all time that whenever he
disobeys God, he will sooner or later be exposed; that man will enjoy God's
support and protection only so long as he remains obedient to Him. Once man
transgresses the bounds of his obedience, he will be deprived of God's care
and protection and left to his own self. This idea is also embodied in many
traditions from the Prophet (peace be on him). According to a tradition, the
Prophet (peace be on him) prayed:
'O God! I seek Your Mercy. Do not leave me to my own care even for the wink
of an eye!' (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, vol. 5, P. 421 - Ed.)
(vii) Satan wanted to prove that man did not deserve, not even for a moment,
the superior status which had been granted to him by God. However, Satan failed
in the very first round of his efforts to discredit man. Granted, man did not
fully succeed in obeying God's command; rather, he fell prey to the machinations
of his arch-enemy, Satan, and deviated from the path of obedience. Nevertheless,
it is evident even in the course of this first encounter that man is a morally
superior being. This is clear from many a thing. First, whereas Satan laid claim
to superiority, man made no such claim rather a superior status was bestowed
upon him by God. Second, Satan disobeyed God out of sheer pride and arrogance.
But far from openly revolting against God out of his own prompting, man was
disobedient under Satan's evil influence. Third, when man disobeyed God, he
did so unwittingly, not realizing that he was committing a sin. 'Man was beguiled
into disobedience by Satan ,who appeared in the garb of man's well-wisher. It
was Satan who persuaded him to believe that in the fruit of the forbidden tree
lay his good, that his action would lead him to the heights of goodness, not
to the depths of evil. Fourth, when Satan was warned, rather than confessing
his mistake and repenting, he clung even more adamantly to disobedience. But
when man was told that he had sinned, he did not resort to continued transgression
as Satan did. As soon as man realized his mistake, he confessed his fault, returned
to the course of obedience and sought refuge in God's mercy.
This story draws a clear line between the way of Satan and the way that befits
man. Satan's way is characterized by rebellion against God, by arrogantly persisting
in that rebellion even after having been warned, and by trying to mislead the
righteously disposed towards sin and disobedience. As opposed to this, the way
that befits man is to resist the evil promptings of Satan and to be constantly
vigilant against Satanic machinations. But, if in spite of all these precautions,
a man does swerve from the course of obedience, he should turn, as soon as he
realizes his fault, to God in penitence and remorse and make amends.
This is the lesson that God conveys to man through this anecdote. The Qur'an
seeks to impress upon the opponents of the Prophet (peace be on him) that the
way, they are following is the way of Satan. To become indifferent to God's
Guidance, to take satans among men and jinn as their protectors and to persist
in disobedience despite repeated warnings, amounts to adopting a Satanic attitude.
It demonstrates that they have fallen prey to the snares of the arch-enemy and
have been totally overpowered by him. This attitude will lead to their total
undoing just as it led to Satan's undoing. Anyone who has even an iota of understanding
should heed and emulate the example of his foreparents - Adam and Eve - who
repented and made amends after their disobedience.