Speaker: Hasan as-Somali 

Category: Aqeedah

Date: 6th June, 2018

Download/ Listen [18:21 mins]

Brief Notes From The Lecture:

• Allāh responded to the supplication of Ādam as is evident in the āyah:

فَتَلَقَّىٰ آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

“Then Ādam received from his Lord (some) words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, The Merciful.” (al-Baqarah; 2:37) 

• This incident occurred after Ādam (‘alayhis-salām) ate from the tree. He turned to Allāh in sincere repentance and his Lord pardoned him and accepted is repentance.
• As mentioned by many scholars, including the renowned Mufassir Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī who said, “These words that Ādam received from his Lord were the words that Allāh informed us that Ādam uttered, turning to Allāh in repentance and acknowledging his sin.” (ﷺ)
• Allāh informed us of the supplication of Ādam and his wife:

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ

“They said, 'Our Lord we have wronged ourselves and if you do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.'” (Sūrah al-‘Arāf; 7:23)

• These were the words received by Ādam from Allāh, as referenced in Sūrah al-Baqarah, āyah 37.
• Allāh is Al-Tawwāb: The One Who accepts repentance when the servant repents sincerely to Him, The Most Merciful.
• Allāh grants the servant success to repent and then He accepts the repentance if the conditions of repentance are met. And this is from the mercy of Allāh.
• Ibn Jarīr al-Ṭabarī said in his Tafsīr regarding the words Allāh inspired Ādam with: "In this Allāh is informing and instructing the servants, who are all addressed with His Book, on how to repent from sins and the way to escape from them, from that which they are upon from error and misguidance, is the same way Ādam exonerated himself from that sin."
• Those words Allāh inspired Ādam which is a lesson for each and every one of us.
• Some of the People of Knowledge mention that Allāh raised Ādam in degree after he turned to Him in repentance and chose him and forgave him. Ādam was successful with 5 things:

1. He acknowledged his sin
2. He was remorseful
3. He blamed himself
4. He rushed to repent
5. He did not despair of the Mercy of Allāh

• Shayṭān whispered to Ādam and his wife in order to uncover what was concealed from their private parts (which is one of the plans of the shayṭān: to get people to expose their private parts) saying:

فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْآتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَٰذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّا أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِين

 وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ

"Then Shayṭān (Satan) whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before); he said: 'Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels or become of the immortals.' And he [Shayṭān (Satan)] swore by Allāh to them both (saying): 'Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both.'" (Sūrah al-‘Arāf; 7:20-21)

• Allāh then said:

فَدَلَّاهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ ۚ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ

"So he misled them with deception. Then when they tasted of the tree, that which was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest to them and they began to stick together the leaves of Paradise over themselves (in order to cover their shame)." (Sūrah al-‘Arāf; 7:22)

• Ādam and his wife rushed to repent to Allāh, whereas Iblīs was miserable and wretched due to 5 things:

1. He did not acknowledge his sin
2. He did not regret
3. He did not blame himself. Rather, he tried to ascribe this to Allāh
4. He did not repent
5. He despaired of the Mercy of Allāh

• This is evident in his reply when Allāh questioned him regarding his refusal to prostrate to Ādam (out of respect):

قَالَ أَنَا خَيْرٌ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِي مِن نَّارٍ وَخَلَقْتَهُ مِن طِينٍ  

"Iblīs said: 'I am better than him (Ādam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay." (Sūrah al-‘Arāf; 7:12)

• He never showed remorse, acknowledge his sin or blamed himself. Instead, he tried to justify his disobedience.
• Allāh then said to him:

قَالَ فَاهْبِطْ مِنْهَا فَمَا يَكُونُ لَكَ أَن تَتَكَبَّرَ فِيهَا فَاخْرُجْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الصَّاغِرِينَ

"(O Iblīs) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." (Sūrah al-‘Arāf; 7:13)

• Imām al-Sa'dī mentions: "Whoever resembles Ādam by acknowledging their sins and asking Allāh for forgiveness and showing remorse and abandoning that sin if it were to emanate from them, then Allāh would select them and guide them. However, whoever resembles Iblīs if they were to sin, they will only increase in disobedience [may Allāh protect us all from that] for verily this type of individual will not cease to become even more distant from Allāh."