2.20 Al-Baqarah: Do You Know Humanity’s First Supplication?

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته !

All praise is to Allah, the Most High, the Most Great. Blessings be upon our Seal of the Prophets, Muḥammad ﷺ, and may Allah be pleased with all the Companions.

Today we are sharing a topic: a brief analysis of the meaning of humanity’s first words of repentance and supplication.

Humanity’s First Supplication

Humanity’s first words of repentance and supplication refer to the repentance and supplication of Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife. In verse 23 of Sūrat al-Aʿrāf, we learn that the two of them supplicated in this way:

{قَالاَ رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِين}[الأعراف:23]

They replied, “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly be losers.” (Quran.com)

Because this is humanity’s first repentance and supplication, it is necessary for us to analyze it specifically. As for the story of Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife disobeying their Lord’s command and eating the forbidden fruit, I will not go into it again here. Everyone should already be familiar with it. What we mainly want to analyze are the words of repentance and supplication that they made.

After Adam (peace be upon him) committed the forbidden act, he repented. In verse 37 of Sūrat al-Baqarah, the Lord tells us that Adam received certain words from his Lord, and Allah, the Most High and Most Great, accepted his repentance. Surely He is the Accepter of Repentance, the Most Merciful.

{فَتَلَقَّى آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيم}[البقرة:37]

Then Adam was inspired with words ˹of prayer˺ by his Lord, so He accepted his repentance. Surely He is the Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful. (Quran.com)

The Words Adam Received

Let us first study the words mentioned in the verse. In Al-Ḥākim’s al-Mustadrak, Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī, and Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr, according to a narration from Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with him), we learn this: Adam said, “My Lord, did You Yourself create me?” Allah answered, “Yes.” Adam then said, “Did You breathe into me of Your spirit?” Allah answered, “Yes.” Adam said, “I once sneezed, and then You said, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ Does Your mercy precede Your anger?” Allah said, “Yes, I decreed it so.” Adam then asked, “Did You decree that I should do this?” Allah said, “Yes.” Adam then asked again, “Please tell me, if I repent, will You let me return to Paradise?” Allah answered, “Yes.”

From these words we can learn that Adam (peace be upon him) was one of his Lord’s creatures, even though the Lord’s rūḥ (الرُّوح, al-rūḥ — spirit) had been breathed into him. Because he was created from clay and had a bodily, material form, then even though the Lord breathed into him a spirit belonging to the Lord, because of the characteristics of createdness, he possessed those things that the body needs to satisfy; he possessed human nature. Precisely because he possessed human nature, and the Lord knew that he possessed human nature, it was decreed that he would make mistakes. For in all the worlds there is only one true Being, and that is the Creator of all the worlds. He alone is the truly Holy One. The spirit that belongs to Him is completely without created attributes. He is the absolutely Holy One. Adam (peace be upon him) was granted the rūḥ-spirit that the Lord breathed into him, a spirit belonging to the Lord, and this showed that Adam (peace be upon him) possessed noble attributes. Even though he was a created being, among created beings he displayed noble characteristics.

Because the first human being possessed this attribute—that the Lord directly breathed into him a spirit belonging to Him—it is precisely by possessing this spirit that human beings can perfectly know their Lord and worship their Lord. But this does not mean that once human beings are granted this spirit, they can become a perfect display of those beautiful meanings that belong to the Lord, of His holy spirit. The part of spirit that a human being possesses is like the blessing by which a human being can receive the Lord’s scripture: a person’s lips and tongue can recite the Lord’s scripture, and in his actions he can carry out the Lord’s commands; in life he can show obedience to the Lord’s will and attain the good. That is to say, by means of the Lord’s words, one carries out His commands, worships Him, and, through the Lord’s grace, fulfills those good things that human beings should do and should pursue. The same is true of the rūḥ-spirit given to man. When a human being receives the holy spirit the Lord grants to man, it is so that he may attain knowing the Lord and worshipping the Lord, may seek the eternal reward of the Hereafter, and may seek the blessing of seeing the Lord in the Hereafter. When a human being receives the rūḥ-spirit that the Lord breathed into man—for example, Adam (peace be upon him)—he will have these demands: he will know the Lord and worship the Lord, and he will seek to see the Lord in the Hereafter. This is the blessing of the spirit that human beings possess.

Adam (peace be upon him), by following his nafs (النفس, al-nafs — the lower self, human nature), disobeyed the Lord’s command. After he ate the forbidden fruit, he received these words from the Lord, gained the guidance of the Lord’s speech, and was shown mercy. Because he himself possessed the rūḥ, with content marked by holy attributes, he would bear witness once again—bear witness that the Lord can have no partner and that He possesses those beautiful virtuous attributes of His. Therefore he asked, “Does Your mercy precede Your anger?” This shows that through the holy spirit the Lord had granted him, he could attain knowing the Lord. And when he sought the Lord’s forgiveness, the Lord forgave him, and he attained worship of the Lord.

Learning from the Narration

Let us study this narration more specifically. Adam (peace be upon him) asked, “Did You Yourself create me?” The Lord answered, “Yes.” From this alone it is proven that he was certain that the Lord is the Creator. He had a perfect understanding in the matter of knowing his Lord. He bore witness that all creation and all existence are the Lord’s creation and the Lord’s signs. The Lord possesses His own Essence, and all created things are from nonexistence to existence. This proves that before the Lord created, there was only the Lord’s Essence. Therefore Adam (peace be upon him) knew that the Lord has an Essence.

Second, he asked the Lord, “Did You breathe spirit into me?” The Lord said, “Yes.” This proves that he knew the Lord not only possesses His Essence, but also possesses His own spirit, containing His infinity, His transcendence, His holiness, and His everlasting life.

Then he mentioned that he had sneezed, and the Lord said, “May Allah have mercy on you.” He also said, “Does Your mercy precede Your anger?” He asked this, and the Lord answered him. After that he said, “Did You decree that I should do this?” The meaning is that he knew that he himself possessed human nature and would commit a forbidden act and disobey the Lord. Since he knew that the Lord possesses beautiful attributes and virtues, then those attributes, virtues, and Most Beautiful Names that He possesses cause the worlds to display that created beings can do good, because by seeking the Lord’s pleasure they become signs of His beautiful attributes and virtues. Adam (peace be upon him) knew these teachings of knowing the Lord. He knew that his Lord is a Lord of predecree. After that, he said he wanted to repent and asked, “Can I return to Paradise again?” This shows that he knew that the Lord is the One to be worshipped, the One with whom no partner may be associated, and the One who possesses the attribute of absolute oneness.

It is precisely because Adam (peace be upon him) possessed that rūḥ-spirit breathed by the Lord into human beings that he could perfectly know the Lord. In the end he repented. He knew how he should worship the Lord, and that he must accept the guidance contained in the Lord’s words of guidance and instruction. He would seek perfect worship of the Lord and preserve that holiness that human nature is able to display—to know the Lord, worship the Lord, and seek the eternal reward of seeing the Lord in the Hereafter. That is why he asked to return to Paradise. Why return to Paradise? Because there not only can a person’s various desires—material desires and spiritual desires—be satisfied, but that spirit can also attain eternity. More important still, the rūḥ that human beings have been given has one strong demand: it wants to see the Lord. If a person has firm faith and can become one whose soul is in a state of tranquility, such people all have one strong demand: they seek to see the Lord.

Adam (peace be upon him), in his own knowing of the Lord, was perfect. When these meanings of knowing the Lord were perfected in him, and when, as he asked the Lord, the Lord answered him “Yes,” this shows that his knowing of the Lord was perfect. After that, the Lord caused him and his wife to descend to this earth, and made him the earth’s first vicegerent, the first prophet and messenger.

The Repentance of Adam and His Wife

Now let us study the repentance and supplication of the two of them, and thereby recognize that this couple worshipped the Lord perfectly on the earth. They said, “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly become losers.” When they said, “We have wronged ourselves,” this shows that they understood human nature very well. They knew that human beings have a nafs. The human nafs can be deceived by material desires, الشهوات (al-shahawāt — bodily desires), by appetite and sexual desire. It can display the trait of self-deception, show loss and disobedience, and have no standard of what is lawful and unlawful.

These traits of self-deception then became manifest. First they approached that tree, ate the forbidden fruit, and deceived themselves. And their nakedness became exposed, which proves that they knew there was also a standard of lawful and unlawful in this matter. They had fully understood that material desire can tempt human nature. Because they had fully understood this, when they repented they resolved never to commit it again. The Lord accepted their repentance, which shows that afterward they would absolutely never again, because human nature was tempted by material desires—appetite and sexual desire—go on to commit the forbidden. After that, they forever guarded the standard of lawful and unlawful, and guided others to guard this standard. The lawful-and-unlawful standard that the Lord gave to humanity is His prohibition.

They not only recognized that the human nafs can be tempted by bodily desires, they also knew that human nature can follow spiritual interest, الهوى (al-hawā — caprice, self-serving inclination). If a person follows الهوى, he again becomes one who brings loss upon himself. Why did they understand this point? Because when they were tempted by the devil, الشيطان (al-shayṭān — Satan), the devil said, “That tree is everlasting life and unending dominion.” At once a kind of desire arose in them. Their spiritual interest wanted everlasting life, and first of all wanted dominion, power, reputation, glory, and other such spiritual interests, so they immediately followed الهوى and followed what was false. The Lord’s forbidding them to approach that tree contained truth, yet they insisted on approaching that tree, so they obeyed selfish desire and took on the characteristics of falsehood. What came from the mouth of الشيطان were false words, words far removed from the truth, yet instead they believed the temptation of الشيطان, namely that they should approach that tree because that tree meant everlasting life and because that tree meant unending dominion. After Allah, the Most High and Most Great, the Lord of Truth, told them not to approach that tree, was not their act of disobeying the Lord’s command a matter of following الهوى? Their human nature followed personal interest and followed falsehood.

At that time, when they repented, they realized that one absolutely must not let human nature follow that falsehood and make choices and produce words and actions according to one’s own spiritual interests. And human beings can also be tempted by the devil to do as they please, abandoning the Lord’s absolute truth. Precisely because they recognized this, when they descended to the earth and Adam (peace be upon him) became the vicegerent, while his wife became the helper of the vicegerent, they would never again commit this mistake. Because the Lord accepted their repentance, and repentance means never committing it again. So afterward they said, “If You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, we will certainly become losers.” They displayed, before the Lord, the everlasting lowliness proper to servants, because only the Lord is noble. They bore witness that He alone is the true Forgiver and the true Bestower of mercy. They were praising the Lord’s attributes and virtues. Precisely because the Lord possesses His attributes and virtues, He created creation, so that creation could do good and seek grace. When this couple came to the earth, they sought the blessings of universal mercy and special mercy. They knew that he had now become the first prophet and messenger, and that his wife, Ḥawwāʾ, had also become the first excellent female servant, and so they could do good upon the earth.

Men and Women Share the Same Test

From this supplication we can read that no matter how much good they attained, before the Lord they were humble, and they bore witness that it was the Lord who enabled them to do good. Their supplication voiced this testimony—that they would never associate partners with the Lord who is Most Good, Most Merciful, Universally Merciful, and Especially Merciful, and that they were seeking His grace. This was a supplication the two of them made together, which shows that men and women both have the same test: they are tested by material desires and by spiritual interests; human nature is under trial. Therefore, in the matter of knowing the Lord and worshipping the Lord, men and women are the same. Both must have perfect knowing of the Lord and perfect worship of the Lord before they will return to Paradise. Therefore, there is no excuse for saying that this is only a man’s matter and has nothing to do with us women. Nor is there any basis for saying that a woman’s sin is greater while a man has no sin. Such claims are wrong. Because this supplication they made shows that every person, male and female, has tests; male and female alike have the grace of doing good, and therefore also have the traits of loss. It is only that men and women have different divisions of labor, so in their own work both are tested in terms of human nature—with material trials, spiritual trials, and even trials involving life itself. A woman must bear children while a man does not bear children; this is a trial involving life. When a man goes outside to seek provision, he also has his trial involving life. Therefore men and women both have tests. The essential content is the same: both must accept instruction, worship the Lord, and not associate partners with the Lord. Only then can they preserve and possess the holy spirit and a state of tranquil soul; only then can they truly attain singling out the Lord in knowing Him and singling out the Lord in worshipping Him.

As for the responsibility laid upon men and women concerning the oneness of knowing the Lord, the oneness of faith in the Lord, and the oneness of worshipping the Lord, it is the same. As for the trials that appear in the various tasks of concrete daily life, although they are not identical, whether male or female, both will still say: All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. This final word of praise is the same.

Closing

Taking the supplication of Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife together, and having made this slight analysis of humanity’s first supplication, we ask the Lord to guide us, to guide us so that among the descendants of Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife we may become servants who reach the station of utmost goodness and worship the Lord.

We will share only this much today. If there has been any slip of the tongue or anything unclear in the explanation, I ask Allah, the Most High, the Most Great, for forgiveness. Dear readers, please excuse it. Thank you all for sharing.

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته !

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