Adam, Forbidden Tree and altered Biblical logic

Is the prohibited tree the tree of knowledge?

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Our basic instinctints, perceptions, emotions and feelings had to be ”given” to us throug our first model. Through that model we keep on passing those characterestics to  our next generation and so on. I copied the following Q&A from a website choosing it to be better than other “ready made” commentaries.

Question: In the lessons of the history of religions we read as follows:

What is the forbidden fruit?

As the Old Testament writes in detail and the Holy Quran says in suggestive way. (Forbidden fruit) is insight because on the basis of Quranic verses the Almighty used to call Adam and Eve and without feeling any kind of shame for their nakedness they used to reply. But after eating the forbidden fruit they began to feel ashamed of their nakedness and hid themselves.

In the past they used to see the Lord without any kind of shame. Now after eating the forbidden fruit they are feeling ashamed of their nakedness. The proof is that the condition in which they were till yesterday (nakedness), they were not able to see it and now by eating the forbidden fruit they have received insight and the forbidden tree is the tree of insight.

What did the Almighty desire?

Should man eat the forbidden fruit or not?

We should not view this problem like human stories. That the Almighty did not want that Adam should eat the forbidden fruit. Because if it had been unacceptable to Allah He would not have allowed Adam (‘a) to eat the fruit. (Because the intention of man has no value before the intention of Allah and only that comes to pass which the Almighty desires). Thus the Almighty Allah desired that man should eat this fruit. Because he could not had come into existence without eating this fruit. And it is such a plan that was arranged for by the Almighty Himself. So that man can come into existence and the man who is present now and who with the passing of times will continue to come.

1. As mentioned in the above-mentioned discussion does the forbidden fruit only constitute knowledge and insight?

Answer: We have been asked many questions regarding the points mentioned in those lessons. The above-mentioned is an example of the same. For a satisfactory reply it is necessary for us to mention a few points.

1. As we have mentioned before one clear proof of the interpolation of the present Bible is that in the story of the Creation of Adam it states unequivocally that the forbidden tree was the tree of knowledge and insight or the tree of good and evil on realization explanatory or recognition. (In all the translations of the Bible, give only one meaning. Thus according to clean words of the Bible the first and the greatest sin of man was the sin of knowledge and insight. And probably it is the reason that the church leaders in the middle used to battle against the intellectuals, scientists and writers of their time and they used to dread the spread of this sin. They used to believe that on the first day Adam (‘a) was ignorant that he was not ashamed of his nakedness but when he ate of the forbidden fruit (knowledge and intellect) or became rational being, he became a sinner and he was expelled from Paradise and the proximity of the Lord.

Without any doubt these concocted stories of the historical age. On the contrary the Holy Quran says that before setting in Paradise, Adam (‘a) possessed a vast knowledge and intellect and was to a great extent needless of the tree of knowledge and insight. So much so that he had become the teacher and instructor of the angels.

‘We taught Adam all the names’[89]

Therefore this Adam is absolutely different from the Adam who is described by the Bible. The greatest source of this power of Adam (‘a) is knowledge and insight. And the greatest sin of that Adam is knowledge. This Adam is Adam in the proper sense and that Adam is ignorant from all aspects. This Adam was created for realization and that Adam is commanded that he should not let knowledge and insight enter his mind. In such circumstances it is really a strange thing that the logic of the Quran and the altered Bible should be considered at par.

2. According to Taurat Adam and Hawwa were nude and they did not feel any shame of their nudity. It is right but where does Quran say that both of them were naked and were not ashamed of their nakedness? Rather, on the contrary the Holy Quran clarifies that they had clothes on their bodies even before eating the forbidden fruit and this dress fell away from their bodies after eating the forbidden fruit and they became naked.

 …he (Shaitan) expelled your parents from the garden, pulling off from them both their clothing that he might show them their evil inclinations…”[90]

It is also said that:

…the Shaitan made an evil suggestion to them that he might make manifest to them what had been hidden from them of their inclinations….[91]

On the basis of this in the 22^nd verse of the same Surah it says:

…their evil inclinations became manifest to them, and they both began to cover themselves with the leaves of the garden…”[92]

This is also in the meaning of the loss of their clothes. It does not mean that they were naked and were not aware of it.

Thus when Quran introduced Adam it says that he was a dressed and respectable person who became naked due to disobedience. (This point is worth noting).

On the contrary the Adam introduced by the Bible was naked from the beginning like animals. So much so that he was not even ashamed of his nakedness. In spite of this clarification of the Holy Quran is it proper that such a thing should be associated with and it should be brought on par with Taurat?

3. The most interesting thing is to interpret “Don’t eat” to mean “You should eat.” Can there be greater fraud in logic? That negative should be taken as positive and evil should be considered good? If the fruit was for eating, why was it named the prohibited tree?

What is this method of interpretation and explanation of meaning. If this method is correct it would be better to judge in the same all the things that are prohibited in the Quran and it should be said that the Almighty had desired thus that this prohibited should be acted upon. And if He had not desired thus He would have prevented the people from acting upon it. We are helpless regarding our actions?

The Almighty described that we should remain free. He gave free will to men and left them on their own but side-by-side he has formulated many rules and regulations for his training.

Thus this comparison is absolutely incorrect that if Allah did not desire that Adam (‘a) should eat the prohibited fruit He would have stopped him. Because in the same way this comparison will come true for the sinners. Actually here there is a misunderstanding regarding freewill and compulsion. (Please note).

Respected readers! Whatever has been stated above, in your view is it not better that before expression such an opinion in the form of a lesson it should be shown to the experts of Islamic problems and published later so that such kinds of misunderstandings are not created.

Please ponder upon it. If a person reads this book and concluded that this tree was the tree of knowledge and wisdom and Adam and Hawwa were naked like the animals and they were not knowing this and after eating the prohibited fruit of the tree of knowledge they came to know and they hid from the sight of Allah and later as the punishment for acquiring knowledge of wisdom they were expelled from there, then who would be responsible for this belief of his?

The facts learnt from the sources of guidance is that the prohibited tree “tree of jealously and a kind of adversion.” Or there was something similar to this and Adam was involved in this. (Although it was not the jealously that could tantamount to jealously or due to it, the hands should be smeared with sins):

This statement could be explained in the way that Hazrat Adam (‘a) was informed of the condition of his descendants and he saw among them such exalted prophets who were having higher grades than him. On this juncture he desired that the position of these personalities would have been achieved by himself even though in spite of his merits he had not reached to that position. This same desire distanced him from the Paradise and that was his tree of prohibition. Though in some traditions wheat is mentioned as the prohibited tree whose prohibition had an aspect of trial.

 

[89] Surah Baqarah 2:31

 

[90] Surah Aaraf 7:27

[91] Surah Aaraf 7:20

[92] Surah Aaraf 7:22

 

Magnificent scientific signs in the story of prophet “Nûh”

For many years , human are trying to discover rains mechanism till recent days after the discovery of secret of rains as it starts by evaporation of water …

For many years , human are trying to discover rains mechanism till recent days after the discovery of secret of rains as it starts by evaporation of water vapor atoms from seas and oceans which goes up to high altitudes where the temperature is around zero so it condenses to form clouds and then rains.

At the time of descending of the Qur’an no one knew this reality, but in the story of prophet “Nûh” there are many signs as Nûh waited 950 years to make his people to believe in Allah the only God and only creator but they didn’t believe and then Allah ordered him to made a ship which will hold only believers, some animals, birds and plants.

Rains are from earth

After the heavy rains and after the emergence of springs , the flood came and drowned disbelievers and atheists but Allah Almighty rescued prophet “Nûh” and the believers with him, Allah says: (And it was said: “O earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).” And the water was made to subside and the Decree (of Allah) was fulfilled (i.e. the destruction of the people of Nûh (Noah). And it (the ship) rested on (Mount) Jûdî, and it was said: “Away with the people who are Zalimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)!”)(Sûrat Hûd- verse 44).

In this verse a nice sign for a scientific reality when Allah ordered the earth to swallow water. It means that the water goes up toward the sky to form rains and it returns back inside the earth.

Explosion of springs

In hydrology there is a scientific fact that water underground is under pressure but rocks surround it, if the pressure increases water flow suddenly from earth as an explosion.

We have to mention that scientists use the word explosion when they talk about emergence of springs from the ground, Allah says: (The people of Nûh (Noah) denied (their Messenger) before them. They rejected our slave, and said: “A madman!” and he were insolently rebuked and threatened.*then he invoked his Lord (saying): “I have been overcome, so help (me)!”* So we opened the gates of the heaven with water pouring forth.* and we caused springs to gush forth from the earth. So the waters (of the heaven and the earth) met for a matter predestined.*and we carried him on a (ship) made of planks and nails* floating under Our Eyes: a reward for him who had been rejected!)(Sûrat Al-Qamar- verse 9-14).

 

Water gushes forth from earth as springs explode to form lakes, height of water may reach one hundred meter

Oven gushed forth

When we see boiling water out of a spring, it means that the spring is going to explode .Allah says in the story of prophet “Nûh”((So it was) till when Our Command came and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: “Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family – except him against whom the Word has already gone forth – and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.”) (Sûrat Hûd- verse 40).

Waves like mountains

Allah says: (So it (the ship) sailed with them amidst waves like mountains, and Nûh (Noah) called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart): “O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.”) (Sûrat Hûd- verse 42).

In the phrase “waves like mountains” a sign that waves were so high, it means that there was hurricane and strong winds. The koranic likening refers to the height of the waves which could be hundreds of meters which is an indication that what happened in that story was extraordinary.

 

Height of waves in seas and oceans could reach tens of meters but the height was about hundreds of meters in the story of prophet “Nûh” which means that it was extraordinary event

Sermons from the story of prophet “Nûh”

We can extract many sermons from that story as the flowing:

1. The Qur’an is a book which is not like any other book as it contains many sermons that people must benefit from it, one of these benefits is that as Allah Almighty saved “Nûh” and the believers of his people , He Almighty will save all believers without exceptions. Allah says: (Then (in the end) we save Our Messengers and those who believe! Thus it is incumbent upon us to save the believers) (Sûrat Yûnus-verse103).
2. Prophet “Nûh” was patient with his people as he used to call them to Allah the only creator for 950 years. Allah says: (He said: “O my Lord! Verily, I have called to my people night and day (i.e. secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islamic Monotheism),* ”But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight (from the truth).*And verily, every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal), and magnified themselves in pride.)(Sûrat Nûh-verse 5-7) .Also we have to be patient with others while inviting them to Islam.
3. Prophet “Nûh” used to warn his people from the hereafter and from the big torment of Allah at day of resurrection, Allah says: (Indeed, We sent Nûh (Noah) to his people and he said: “O my people! Worship Allah! You have no other Ilâh (God) but Him. (Lâ ilâha illallâh: none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day!”)(Sûrat Al-A‘râf -verse 59).

Benefits of asking for forgiveness

Prophet “Nûh” advised his people many times to ask Allah for forgiveness, He Almighty says: (“I said (to them): ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;* He will send rain to you in abundance*and give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.)(Sûrat Nûh-verse 10-12).

This is evidence that who asks forgiveness from Allah, He Almighty will give him or her many things such as:

1. He will forgive for anyone asks for forgiveness.   
2. He will send the rain to people in abundance. 
3. He will increase in wealth of people who ask for forgiveness.
4. He will increase in children of people who ask for forgiveness.
5. He will bestow gardens and rivers of those who ask for forgiveness.  

  Heaven is an evidence for the ultimate power of Allah

Prophet “Nûh” used a scientific technique to call his people to Allah as he ordered them to look at the heavens above, the moon as a light and the sun as a lamp. Allah says: (See you not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another? *and has made the moon a light therein, and made the sun a lamp?)(Sûrat Nûh-verse 15-16).

The modern science had proved that the moon reflects light of sun as it has no ability for lighting  like sun which posses the ability to light because its tremendous heat and the internal nuclear explosion.  

 

Prophet “Nûh” used the scientific miracles in his calling to Allah. Don’t we use the same technique while inviting people to Islam?

“Nûh” made the ship

Prophet “Nûh” asked Allah to give him a victory on disbelievers , then Allah had ordered him to build a ship because He Almighty wanted to sank disbelievers as a punishment for atheism and disbelieving , Allah says: (And it was revealed to Nûh (Noah): “None of your people will believe except those who have believed already. So be not sad because of what they used to do.* ”And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Revelation, and call not upon me on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned.”)(Sûrat Hûd -verse 36-37).

People of Nûh used to mock at him

Prophet “Nûh” started to build the ship in the village where there is no sea, so that the people started to mock at him and laugh, Allah says: ( And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they mocked at him. He said: “If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking.* ”And you will know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover him with disgrace and on whom will fall a lasting torment.”) (Sûrat Hûd -verse 38-39).

Allah’s order had arrived

Allah Almighty gave Prophet “Nûh” a sign to be ready for departure, the sign was that water like fountains started to gush forth from the earth, Allah says:   ((So it was) till when Our Command came and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: “Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family – except him against whom the Word has already gone forth – and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.”) (Sûrat Hûd -verse 40).

And Nûh said: Embark therein

After the water (water like fountains) had started to gush forth from the earth, prophet Nûh knew that the order was descended to move so he ordered his people to embark in the ship also the animals and plants , when he was on board he said as Allah Almighty tells us:( And he [Nûh said]: “Embark therein: in the Name of Allah will be its (moving) course and its (resting) anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”) (Sûrat Hûd -verse 41).Hence we Muslims have to start any practice by saying” in the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”

The flood came

Allah Almighty ordered rains to descend and springs to explode so that the flood started; Allah Almighty describes that scene by saying: (So we opened the gates of the heaven with water pouring forth.* and we caused springs to gush forth from the earth. So the waters (of the heaven and the earth) met for a matter predestined.)(Sûrat Al-Qamar-verse 11-12).

Son of Nûh is disbeliever

Nûh is the prophet of Allah but his son was disbeliever, the son was refusing to obey his father and he insisted to obey atheists and disbelievers, despite that his father asked him to go with him on board of the ship but the son refused and went with his companions, Allah says about that scene So it (the ship) sailed with them amidst waves like mountains, and Nûh (Noah) called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart): “O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.”* (The son) replied: “I will betake myself to some mountain; it will save me from the water.” Nûh (Noah) said: “This day there is no survivor from the Decree of Allah except him on whom He has mercy.” And waves came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned.)(Sûrat Hûd-verse42-43).

Flood was finished

Rains stopped, also explosions of springs and earth started to swallow water. After that the ship anchored on a mountain called “mountain Jûdî” Allah say:  (And it was said: “O earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).” And the water was made to subside and the Decree (of Allah) was fulfilled (i.e. the destruction of the people of Nûh (Noah). And it (the ship) rested on (Mount) Jûdî, and it was said: “Away with the people who are Zalimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)!”)(Sûrat Hûd-verse44), this is the end of polytheists and wrong-doers.

Nûh calls Allah

After the flood finished, prophet Nûh remembers his son who drowned with others and he calls Allah. Allah says: (And Nûh (Noah) called upon his Lord and said, “O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true, and you are the Most Just of the judges.”) (Sûrat Hûd-verse45). But Allah warns Nûh and told him that his son is disbeliever, He almighty says: (He said: “O Nûh (Noah)! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you lest you should be one of the ignorant.) (Sûrat Hûd -verse46)Here, prophet Nûh felt that he requested a wrong request; he repented and asked God for forgiveness. Allah says: (Nûh (Noah) said: “O my Lord! I seek refuge with you from asking you that of which I have no knowledge. And unless you forgive me and have Mercy on me, I will indeed be one of the losers.”)(Sûrat Hûd-verse47).

Supplication of Nûh  

At the end Nûh supplicated Allah by a great supplication, Allah told us about this wonderful supplication, Allah says: (“My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who enters my home as a believer, and all the believing men and women. And to the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers, and disbelievers) grant you no increase but destruction!”)(Sûrat Nûh-verse 28).also prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) used to say: “My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and bless them as they care about me when I was a child”. Shouldn’t we follow those great prophets? Allah says: (Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding. It (the Qur’an) is not a forged statement but a confirmation of (Allah’s existing Books) which were before it [i.e. the Taurât (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel) and other Scriptures of Allâh] and a detailed explanation of everything and a guide and a Mercy for the people who believe.)(Sûrat Yûsuf-verse111).

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By: Abduldaem Al-Kaheel

www.kaheel7.com/eng

 

References:

1. National geographic.
2. British encyclopedia.