Subtleties and Allusions

The Difficulty of Understanding the Verses on Khilāfa

The weightiness of the Qur’an, as mentioned in “Indeed, We will cast upon you a weighty word” (73:5), is not solely due to the challenge of grasping its objective knowledge. It also lies in the difficulty of deriving the clear meaning of some verses related to core issues such as tawḥīd (monotheism), nubuwwa (prophethood), wilāya (guardianship), and khilāfa (vicegerency). Understanding these concepts is not an easy task. In this regard, not only do scholars express their limitations, but even those with deep insight acknowledge their own shortcomings.

For instance, Abū al-Maʿālī Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq Ṣadr al-Dīn Qūnawī {673607} articulates this challenge. In his work Fakk-i Dāwūdī, while assessing the status of Adam and David (a.s.) and considering which of them might be superior based on verses 118 and 119 of Sūrah Ṭāhā, he states:

“This issue involves two problematic aspects that I have not seen anyone address, nor has any scholar, whether of the exoteric or esoteric knowledge, provided me with an answer. Firstly: How could he (a.s.), after the prostration of all the angels before him and witnessing his superiority over them, learning the Names, and receiving the vicegerency and divine commendation, still be swayed by Iblīs’s words and desire to become an angel? Secondly: How did he not realize that one who enters the paradise of gnosis, guided by the teachings of the sharīʿa, does not leave it, and that the paradisiacal origin is inherently incorruptible and eternal?”(144)

Explanation and Clarification:

Adam was endowed with both perfect knowledge and action. From such a complete human being, neither deficiency in knowledge nor flaws in action were anticipated. However, he was subjected to ignorance in knowledge and imprudence in action. On one hand, he did not know that Paradise is an eternal place, and that a paradisiacal human never leaves it, as it is safeguarded from generation and corruption. On the other hand, he opposed divine advice, and the desire to become an angel arose within him upon accepting Iblīs’s words.

Qūnawī explains further:

“This situation clearly shows that the Paradise in which Adam resided was not the eternal Paradise whose expanse is as vast as the heavens and the earth, and whose ceiling is the Throne of the Most Merciful, the eighth celestial sphere. For whoever enters that Paradise knows inherently that it is not a realm of generation and corruption, nor are its blessings temporary or subject to cessation. This station naturally grants awareness of its reality, confirming that its blessings do not end with death or anything else, as God Almighty has said: ‘a gift without end’ (11:108), meaning it is unceasing and infinite. Reflect deeply on the wonders and subtleties of this knowledge, and you will be guided.”(145)

The general explanation is that certain stations possess characteristics that reveal their nature inherently to whoever enters them. The eternal Paradise, whose expanse matches that of the entire cosmic system, naturally imparts such awareness. One who enters it understands fully that its blessings are neither temporary, limited, nor ceasing, and that it is protected from harm and corruption. Within this realm, nothing distorts their understanding, and they are shielded from doubt and desire, which could otherwise undermine scientific certainty and practical determination.

The wayfarer on the path of perfection understands that every perfection has an adversary lying in ambush, and every beauty is paired with a particular ugliness. Each delight and joy is accompanied by a lesson and often tears of regret, while every moment of happiness and joy is inevitably followed by sorrow and humiliation. Thus, the Noble Qur’an, which briefly alludes to all stages of descent and ascent, addresses the enmity of Satan towards humanity through various expressions.

For instance, in the face of human steadfastness and stability, the Qur’an narrates the slipping and stumbling of Iblīs. In the context of human honor and pride gained through faith, it describes Satan’s humiliation and abasement. When depicting human guidance and the correct path, it warns of Iblīs’s spiteful attempts to lead astray. In highlighting the luminous virtues of the pious and God-fearing, it alludes to Satan’s efforts to overshadow and dim these qualities, transforming light into shadow, and ultimately preparing the way for darkness.

It is not easy for Satan to directly lead someone from light into darkness, so he first strives to obscure them with shade, using this as a bridge from light to darkness—thus making overshadowing (iẓlāl) the precursor to darkness (iẓlām). In any case, the verse under discussion highlights the slipping and stumbling of Adam and Eve, which resulted in disobedience and misguidance. For stumbling from the correct path and slipping from stable ground inevitably involves veering into error, bringing about numerous intellectual and practical challenges and causing a descent from the heights of perfection into the prison of affliction.

One Slip Leads to Another

The slips and deviations caused by Satan sometimes occur after a person has already committed certain sins, and sometimes they occur without any preceding sin, marking the first mistake itself. The Noble Qur’an provides examples of both types. Regarding the first type, it states in Sūrah Āl ʿImrān: “Indeed, those of you who turned back on the day the two armies met—it was Satan who caused them to slip due to some [blame] they had earned” (3:155).

Regarding the second type, it states in Sūrah al-Naḥl: “And do not take your oaths as [means of] deceit between you, lest a foot slip after it was [once] firm” (16:94).

This concept also applies to Adam and Eve (a.s.). The slip they experienced in Paradise by eating from the forbidden tree was their initial mistake and was not preceded by any other sin. However, it became the basis for their expulsion from Paradise and their entry into the world, which is characterized as an abode of slips.

In any case, any inclination towards the schemes of Iblīs and attentiveness to Satan’s whisperings is considered a slip, and each preceding lapse paves the way for a greater slip. Like the steps of a winding ladder, traversing each step takes one further away from level ground and closer to the bottom of a well. Therefore, the danger of an initial lapse and the harm of the first slip is less severe than that of subsequent lapses and slips.

What is mentioned about Adam and Eve (a.s.) concerns an initial lapse, while the lapses that afflict hypocrites, disbelievers, and polytheists are often preceded by other slips, making them even more harmful. Thus, the verse: “Indeed, those who turned back among you on the day the two armies met—it was only Satan who caused them to slip due to some [blame] they had earned. But God has pardoned them. Indeed, God is Forgiving and Forbearing” (3:155) is far more damaging than what is mentioned in the verse under discussion.

Attributing Misguidance to Satan

Guidance and misguidance, which are among the beautiful names of God, have multiple manifestations. Guidance, both as an initial and a rewarding act, has numerous expressions. However, misguidance, in its purely punitive sense, is never considered an initial action from God’s names and attributes but rather a negative attribute associated with divine retribution and has fewer manifestations. Misguidance, like deviation, is always punitive, never initial, and manifests in specific circumstances.

Misguidance and deviation are attributed to an agent when that agent acts voluntarily, influencing the perceptual faculties of the individual prone to error and misguidance by penetrating their thoughts. Without this intentional influence, attributing misguidance to a specific agent would not be correct or permissible.

The misguidance attributed to Iblīs in the verse under discussion is similar to its attribution in the verse: “It has been decreed for him that whoever takes him as a guardian, he will misguide him and guide him to the punishment of the Blaze” (22:4), and similar to its attribution in another verse: “And he had already led astray from among you much of creation, so did you not use reason?” (36:62).

It is also akin to attributing misguidance to idols and false gods as seen in the verse: “And keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. My Lord, indeed they have led astray many of the people” (14:35-36).

However, idols themselves play no direct role in the thoughts of their worshippers and do not cause misguidance through their own volition. Instead, another conscious source, such as the true Satan or a human Satan, influences the worshipper to err and go astray by exploiting idols and false gods.

Therefore, the view that the attribution of misguidance to Iblīs in the verse under discussion is similar to its attribution to idols is incorrect,(146) as it fails to recognize the fundamental difference between these two forms of attribution.

The Manner of Attributing Misguidance to Satan

The attribution of the misguidance of Adam and Eve (a.s.) and their expulsion to Iblīs can be explained through the terminology of wisdom and theology or through the language of mysticism. In the terminology of wisdom, where the system of existence operates around the axis of causality, attributing these actions to Iblīs is seen as an attribution to the proximate agent, while attributing them to God Almighty is an attribution to the distant agent. In other words, Iblīs serves as the immediate agent and the proximate cause, while God Almighty is the remote agent and ultimate cause. Here, the concepts of nearness and remoteness refer to the hierarchical structure of causality, where the proximate cause functions within the realm of the remote cause’s power.

In the terminology of mysticism, where existence is understood through manifestation, theophany, the apparent, and the manifested, attributing these actions to Iblīs is akin to attributing the action of the apparent to the manifestation. This is because, under the unity of actions, there is no real cause other than God Almighty, and everything besides Him is merely a manifestation of His will. The nuances of determinism and free will are addressed with more subtlety in the system of the unity of actions.

From this explanation, it becomes evident that firstly, the distinction between rational reality and rational metaphor must be understood, and secondly, it must be determined whether attributing misguidance and expulsion—which are ultimately the works of God—to Iblīs is real or metaphorical. Some have hastily concluded that such attribution is purely metaphorical, but this requires deeper examination.(147)

By resolving the main issue, it is possible to explain all the verses that indicate the dominance of Iblīs or his general influence on the perceptual and motivational faculties of human beings. For instance, the verse discussing the wilāya (guardianship) of Iblīs over his followers, similar to the wilāya of the ṭāghūt (false deities) over the disbelievers, and their expulsion from the light of faith in God to the fire of disbelief, from the joy of the nature of tawḥīd (monotheism) to the sorrow of the interval of shirk (polytheism), from the wilā (friendship) of the Truth to the affliction of falsehood, and from the nearness of truthfulness to the alienation of lying, can be completely explained.

Without resorting to metaphor, and based on the principle of the unity of divine acts (tawḥīd afʿālī), the aforementioned actions can be attributed to the manifestations of divine beauty and majesty and the referents of the beautiful names of God. In all cases, it is essential to exercise complete and sufficient care to ensure that negative attributes are not mistakenly placed instead of positive attributes, mediated attributes are not taken as unmediated, retributive acts are not confused with initial acts, and that no defect or flaw is associated with the Essence, which is pure perfection and absolute soundness.

Slipping from the Path or the Goal?

Although the origin of the slip of Adam and Eve (a.s.) was eating from the forbidden tree, making the pronoun “from it” refer to the tree, the realization of the slip itself can either pertain to the path or the goal. This means that a traveler on the path of perfection may either slip during the journey, being deprived of the opportunity to continue, or slip after reaching the destination, causing a fall from the attained station.

When the path is distinct from the destination, with a clear objective and external difference, slipping on the path is separate from slipping from the goal. For example, someone on their way to the sanctuary aiming to reach the Kaʿba sees the path and goal as objectively and externally distinct; thus, the slip attributed to each differs from the other. However, when the goal is nothing but the inner essence of the path, and the destination is the true essence of the way, the slip attributed to each is the same.

Although the verse under discussion does not explicitly mention a path, since no particular way is presented leading directly to a defined goal, the principle of slipping and stumbling is inherently related to a path. If, in the verse under discussion, the pronoun “ʿanhā” refers back to paradise, the destination, it is because the otherworldly destination will embody the essence of the straight path. For the divine religion, which is God’s straight path, and religiosity, which involves following that religion, comprises correct belief, proper morals, and righteous deeds. In the next world, paradise, having a tangible and intelligible existence, will reflect the inner reality of religion. Unlike the Kaʿba and the desert of Ḥijāz, which are distinct, the reality of paradise as an external and objective existence is the inner reality of religion—where the destination is the inner reality of the path.

Thus, slipping, typically associated with a path, can also be attributed to the goal. Consequently, the pronoun “ʿanhā” can rightly refer back to paradise.

Determining the Initial Means of Deception in Isrāʾīliyyāt

Identifying the exact means by which Adam and Eve (a.s.) were first deceived is challenging, even though some Qurʾānic verses offer brief indications. Certain unreliable narrations, often attributed to Judeo-Christian sources (Isrāʾīliyyāt), suggest that when Adam (a.s.) entered Paradise and saw the divine honor bestowed upon him, he wished, “I wish this status were eternal and not subject to decline.” Satan, perceiving this wish, seized the opportunity to deceive and expel Adam through this very desire.(148)

This possibility aligns with Satan’s ominous methods, as his approach in temptation and misguidance often involves infiltrating through desires—“And I will give them false hopes (wa la-ʾumniyyannahum)” (4:119). However, proving that Adam had this wish and that Satan was aware of it is not easy. Similarly, while some tricksters can deceive through false tears, proving that Satan’s influence over Adam and Eve was achieved through weeping remains difficult.

For instance, in some exegeses, such as Kashf al-Asrār and similar works, it is mentioned that Satan first wept. When asked why, he replied, “It is a pity that this blessing will be taken away from you, and you will die.” He then said, “Shall I guide you to the tree of eternity and an imperishable kingdom?”(149) Such accounts require reliable transmitted evidence to be credible.

Moreover, it is essential to disregard unreliable historical narratives that lack both the character of authentic ḥadīth and historical soundness. An example is the claim that Eve (a.s.) intoxicated Adam (a.s.), leading him to the forbidden tree, from which he then ate.(150) This narrative justifies such an act by suggesting that, aside from the forbidden tree, all other heavenly blessings were permissible, and because wine was not explicitly forbidden, it was considered lawful. Thus, after consuming wine, which supposedly led to intoxication, distinguishing between truth and falsehood became difficult. Fakhr al-Rāzī criticizes this explanation, noting that heavenly wine is free from the adverse effects of intoxication, as described in Paradise: “No bad effects are there in it” (37:47).(151)

Considering the weakness of the narrative or historical chain of transmission in some of the narrations on this matter, it becomes evident that one cannot rely on the aḥādīth or transmitted reports regarding how Iblīs gained access to Adam and Eve in Paradise, or the details of their dialogue, deception, and temptation. Internally, these narrations exhibit weakness and inconsistency,(152) and externally, they lack the support of credible experts in ḥadīth and history. As a result, establishing such claims based on these aḥādīth and reports—which often carry traces of Israelite influences—is highly challenging.

How Satan Entered Paradise

Since Satan has no access to the eternal Paradise, how did he manage to enter it and deceive Adam and Eve? Some Israelite traditions suggest that Satan did not enter Paradise on his own but through the mouth of a snake. However, the correct answer is that, as previously mentioned, the Paradise of Adam was the intermediate Paradise, not the eternal Paradise. In the intermediate Paradise, Satan’s mischief is possible because this realm is not purely intellectual and abstract, reserved solely for the sincere where Satan has no access. Instead, it includes levels below the degree of sincerity, such as the imaginal and phantasmal realms. Although Satan does not dwell there permanently and has no access to the higher levels, he can reach the lower levels. Through his whisperings, he causes individuals to slip and prevents them from remaining in that realm.

Sometimes, a person may feel liberated from the material world and protected from sin, only to realize that this state is temporary, as something pulls them down from the peak to the abyss. When individuals aim to step into the intermediate realm, which is higher than the material world, Satan undermines them: “Satan caused them to slip” (fa-azallahumā l-shayṭān) (2:36). He does not overpower them from above, as he cannot access levels beyond imagination and fantasy.

There is a distinction between the barzakh (intermediate realm) before death and the barzakh after death. In the barzakh after death, Satan gains access due to human actions. When someone leaves this world and enters the realm of barzakh, they traverse the path with a companion whose presence they facilitated through their deeds. God Almighty states: If one blinds themselves to the light of God, We appoint Satan as their companion, who becomes their associate.(153) Both will suffer painful punishment. In fact, just being associated with such a companion and realizing that he has stripped away one’s faith is another form of torment, prompting one to lament, “Oh, I wish there was the distance of the two Easts between me and you!” (43:38).

However, in the barzakh that one enters in this world through thought and contemplation, and occasionally witnesses, Satan infiltrates through control of human thought. Though the human body remains in the world, one’s thoughts—having barzakh__ī abstraction—transcend time and space, much like Satan’s own barzakh__ī nature. He obstructs sound thinking and righteous deeds, disrupting the barzakh__ī state. A further explanation of this matter will follow in the next discussion.

The Path of Satan’s Influence

Satan attacks humans from various directions: sometimes from the front, sometimes from behind, sometimes from the right, and sometimes from the left: “Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on their right and on their left.” (7:17). The primary method of his control, after approaching a person, is to manipulate their thoughts and imagination.

Satan entices humans with desires and fantasies: “And I will surely deceive them” (4:119), and he beautifies earthly adornments in their eyes: “I will surely make (evil) fair-seeming to them on earth” (15:39). While the true adornment of the human soul is faith in God—“He has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts” (49:7)—worldly embellishments such as houses and gardens are merely decorations of the earth: “Verily! We have made that which is on earth as an adornment for it” (18:7). Thus, building a beautiful house enhances the earth, not the self.

This deceit is Satan’s work, making earthly adornments seem like personal embellishments through desires and illusions. It is crucial to remember that the immediate factor enabling Satan’s influence on human thought is the nafs al-ammāra (the commanding self). Without this self, which acts as Satan’s entry point, his influence would be like poison unable to affect the digestive system. Consequently, God attributes whispering and deceit to the human nafs al-ammāra in some verses: “And indeed We have created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein” (50:16). This suggests that while Satan’s influence targets human thought, its center lies within the human’s own nafs al-ammāra.

Therefore, if a person liberates themselves from the commanding soul and removes this tool from Satan, this soul that once commanded evil can become a commander of good. The result will be that all faculties of such a sincere individual will be directed toward virtue and righteousness.

Reminder:

a) To facilitate his influence, Satan first recruits some of a person’s inner forces, making them his agents. These forces then impose Satan’s illicit desires upon the individual. People often unwittingly permit this influence but can, through planning and perseverance, prevent these agents from arising and return to their innate original nature (fiṭra).

b) If, during the temptation of Adam, Satan had followers and armies, he might have executed his plot through these agents. Since Satan was known as an open enemy of Adam and Eve, it seems unlikely that he would have approached them directly without intermediaries. Attributing the actions of Satan’s followers to him is not problematic; it is commonly understood. However, the apparent narrative is that Satan himself undertook the misleading, expulsion, and temptation.

Types of Satanic Whisperings and the Way to Salvation from Them

Whispering (waswasa) refers to that subtle consciousness that arises in the human soul through Satan’s influence as an unconscious thought, often unknown to people where it originates. Sometimes, it manifests as heedlessness and forgetfulness, diverting the mind from contemplating the benefits and harms of something, rendering one heedless. The danger of such heedlessness is so severe that God, glorified be He, describes the blind-hearted inhabitants of Hell as being like cattle, or even more astray, and calls them heedless: “They are the heedless ones” (7:179). The Noble Qur’an attributes causing forgetfulness to Satan, indicating that not all forgetfulness is purely human nature without Satan’s role. As stated: “Satan made him forget to mention it” (18:63). Sometimes, even when all mental faculties are active and lively, and worldly matters are being remembered, divine teachings completely vanish from the mind. This form of whispering is Satan’s primary and most significant way to infiltrate.(154)

If the first method fails, Satan resorts to making what is present in a person’s mind seem beneficial, even if it is harmful. This is called “beautification” in the verses: “Satan beautified their deeds for them” (27:24). It is also referred to as Satan’s “temptation” (taswīl) and “dictation” (imlāʾ): “Satan tempted them and dictated to them” (47:25). Sometimes, those afflicted are described as “arrogant ignoramuses,” who either do not know that they are ignorant or mistakenly believe they possess knowledge: “They think they are doing good work” (18:104).

What occurred in the story of Adam (a.s.) is the second type of whispering from Satan; it did not come through heedlessness and forgetfulness that would make Adam (a.s.) forget the nature of the prohibition against partaking of the tree. Even though some verses, such as “And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination” (20:115), mention forgetfulness, it does not seem to imply forgetting the prohibition itself. This is evident because Satan, as described in the verse, “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree…” (7:20) reminded Adam and Eve about the prohibition directly.

Instead, Satan acted through beautification and compounded ignorance, arguing that although God forbade the tree, partaking of it would not harm them. On the contrary, he suggested it would either elevate them to become angels or grant them eternal residence in the garden: “And he said, ‘Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal’” (7:20). By doing so, he presented what was actually the cause of Adam’s decline as a means of ascension, misleadingly offering it as beneficial guidance: “Shall I direct you to the tree of eternity” (20:120), which appeared to be advice aimed at elevation but in reality led to a fall. Satan used beautification, deception, and solemn oaths, stating: “And he swore [by God] to them, ‘Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors’” (7:21) to present that which caused their descent from Paradise as a means of permanence and survival.

This type of whispering is also known as delusion (ghurūr): “So he made them fall through deception” (7:22). Delusion occurs when a person perceives something bad as good and vice versa, leading to compound ignorance. A person who is merely neglectful or heedless is not considered deluded.

Satan’s primary weapon and initial approach in influencing a heedless person is to induce neglectfulness. If Satan succeeds in making someone heedless, he no longer needs to exert the effort of beautification and creating compound ignorance. When Satan’s whisperings cause the person to forget the intended image, he has achieved his goal effortlessly. However, if the image remains in the person’s mind, Satan must work harder to make the ugly deed seem beautiful and force it upon them.

In simpler terms, Satan initially attempts to make the person oblivious or forgetful of danger and harm. When someone becomes unaware of the danger, they easily succumb to it and lose sight of real benefit. By keeping a person preoccupied with distractions, games, and worldly adornments, Satan diverts them from the remembrance of the Truth and makes them forget the Day of Judgment, leading them to severe punishment: “They will have a severe punishment because they forgot the Day of Reckoning” (38:26).

In the second phase, if a person remains mindful of God and the Day of Judgment, Satan seeks to divert them from significant or more important virtues through compound ignorance and deception, making the bad seem good or the good seem even better. For instance, Satan might engage the person with a recommended act to distract them from an obligatory one, or with a significant obligation to deprive them of a more critical obligation.

Based on this, the Noble Qur’an prescribes specific guidelines for all acts of worship, such as prayer, fasting, khums (one-fifth tax), zakāt (alms), ḥajj (pilgrimage), and other obligatory and recommended acts. However, the only practice without a specific limit from the Qur’an’s perspective is the remembrance of God. Thus, it states: “Remember God with much remembrance” (33:41). Likewise, regarding taqwā (God-consciousness), which is also a form of remembering God, it states: “Be conscious of God as He deserves” (3:102) and “So be conscious of God as much as you are able” (64:16).

This is because the enemy never leaves the human being alone, whether asleep or awake, approaching in ways and through means that remain unseen by humans, often through the commanding soul within: “Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them” (7:27). The enemy even disrupts good dreams, making one forget them by triggering bad memories.

The only remedy against this dangerous enemy is continuous remembrance of God. It is essential to keep God’s remembrance alive within oneself, both inwardly and secretly, with humility, lamentation, and supplication: “And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear” (7:205). The human enemy, Satan, disrupts every aspect of the human condition, always working to draw them away from divine light and guidance.

Therefore, there is no remedy for salvation from this dangerous enemy except constant remembrance of God; just as one must keep the remembrance of God alive in one’s inner and outer being, with lamentation and supplication: “And remember your Lord within yourself in humility and in fear” (7:205). We must consider Satan an enemy, stone him, and seek refuge in God whenever he comes to us; for God, the Glorified, considers Himself our friend and Satan our enemy, and has promised to defend us: “Indeed, God defends those who have believed” (22:38). He says: As soon as Satan attacks and wants to deceive you, seek refuge in God: “And if an evil suggestion comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in God” (7:200).

The purpose of seeking refuge (istiʿādha) is not merely saying “aʿūdhu billāhi min al-shayṭān al-rajīm” (I seek refuge in God from Satan, the accursed); true istiʿādha is when our soul moves towards God away from the whispering of Satan. Just as when an alarm sounds and one is told to go to the shelter, merely saying the sentence “I am going to the shelter” does not solve any problem; rather, one must physically go towards the shelter and take refuge in it.

The Diversity of Satan’s Methods of Deception

It is evident from the verses related to Satan’s temptation of Adam and Eve that Satan adopts a specific approach to deceive each person. For example, if someone is worldly, he embellishes things like women, children, and wealth for them. But if someone, like Adam and his wife, is not worldly, and instead values God, angels, eternal life, and similar things, he deceives them under the pretext of these very values. This is why he deceived Adam and Eve with the promise of becoming angels or living eternally, presenting the means of their descent as a means of survival: “Shall I show you the tree of immortality?” (20:120).

From this, it becomes clear that if someone is an ascetic, a scholar, or pious, and Satan has no worldly means to tempt them, he imposes betrayal on them under the guise of advice: “And he swore to them, ‘Indeed, I am a sincere advisor to you’” (7:21). He uses false oaths as a means of his deception, and under the pretext of becoming an angel or being resurrected with prophets and saints, he separates them from the straight path—unless the human wayfarer reaches the stage of pure sincerity (ikhlāṣ) and becomes one of the sincere ones (mukhlaṣīn), a stage where Satan has no access.

Satan’s Purpose in Tempting Man

The Noble Qur’an contains profound knowledge, much of which remains unexplored. The deep and ancient story of Adam (a.s.) is one such narrative, waiting for an innovative exegete (mufassir) to reveal the beauty of the divine revelation without resorting to forceful or speculative interpretations, which are akin to undesirable interpretations based on personal opinion. Such a careful and insightful approach would allow the true possessor of insight to witness the allure of this narrative, while those limited to scholarly view might still struggle with its complexities.

The mysterious journey of Adam and Eve’s entry into and exit from Paradise is mentioned in three chapters of the Noble Qur’an: Sūrah al-Baqarah (2:35-38), Sūrah al-Aʿrāf (7:19-25), and Sūrah Ṭāhā (20:116-123). The details, presented to the extent of conventional speculation (the domain of scholarly analysis), rather than mature, experiential knowledge (the realm of insight), are elaborated in these chapters.

From Sūrah al-Baqarah, it is understood that Satan caused Adam and Eve to slip and stumble, leading to their expulsion from Paradise, though the specific method of their stumbling is not detailed. In Sūrah al-Aʿrāf, it is shown that Satan, through temptation, deception, and false oaths, seduced them under the guise of offering immortality: “Thus he lured them with deception” (7:22). A similar narrative is found in Sūrah Ṭāhā.

The significant common theme between al-Aʿrāf and Ṭāhā, which provide a more elaborate account of the secret behind Adam and Eve’s exit than al-Baqarah, is the revelation of their private parts—a consequence of Iblīs’s trickery aimed at exposing and revealing what was hidden. Satan’s primary motive in this act of deception was to expose what had been concealed, revealing what divine jealousy had kept secret: “That he might reveal to them that which was hidden from them of their shame” (7:20).

The emphasis of the Qur’an on the principle of the appearance of private parts (sawʾa) and nakedness (ʿawra), and their implications, suggests that these played a decisive role in the expulsion from Paradise and the descent to Earth. If this event had no impact on their descent, the Qur’an would not have focused so intently on it while omitting other details that followed the prohibited act. It is challenging to assert definitively that Adam and Eve were entirely unaware of the concept of private parts or the instinctual attraction between the genders.

From the verses about Adam (a.s.), it is inferred that Satan’s aim in tempting and deceiving humanity is to expose their faults and weaknesses, leading to their disgrace. As the Qur’an states: “O children of Adam! Let not Satan tempt you as he expelled your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their garments to show them their private parts (sawʾātihimā). Indeed he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them” (7:27). This verse warns the children of Adam to be vigilant against Satan’s attempts to humiliate them, reminding them of how he deceived their parents, stripping them of their garments to reveal their private parts and disgrace them. It highlights the invisible yet pervasive nature of Satan and his followers, who see humans from places where they cannot be seen.

Satan’s primary goal is to expose what is shameful and meant to remain hidden. Although, in the case of Adam and Eve (a.s.), there was no one else to witness their private parts, for the children of Adam, as their numbers increased, the exposure of such private aspects comes with social shame.

God highlights in a preceding verse: Just as outward garments are sent down to cover external nakedness, the garment of piety (_libās al-_taqwā) is also provided to cover inner faults and protect against inner exposure. The verse states: “O children of Adam! We have indeed sent down to you clothing to cover your nakedness (sawʾāt), and for adornment, and the clothing of piety (_libās al-_taqwā)—that is better” (7:26). This emphasizes that every individual, despite their innate disposition towards virtue, has an inherent inclination towards corruption. The garment of piety prevents inner faults from becoming evident. Satan’s task, therefore, is to render one heedless of this garment of piety, exposing both inner and outer nakedness, revealing hidden faults.

The Endpoint of the War with Satan:

The phrase “Get down, each of you an enemy to the other” indicates the continuity and persistence of war and conflict, specifically for those who have neither been defeated nor achieved victory in their battle with Satan. For those who have been victorious or defeated, the battle reaches an endpoint: the defeated side becomes subordinate to the victorious, establishing a relationship of mastery and subservience. If Satan gains the upper hand, he becomes the guardian (mawlā), and the person becomes subservient to him, ending the direct conflict. Conversely, if one prevails over Satan—like the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) and the sincere ones who have made Satan submit to them—the war also ceases.

The ongoing conflict applies to those who have neither reached the level of the divine friends (awliyāʾ) nor fallen to the lowest ranks like the disbelievers and hypocrites. These are constantly battling Satan, refusing to submit despite being wounded by his attacks. If they die during this struggle, they are considered martyrs. According to the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.), and those who genuinely know them, if one does not triumph over Satan entirely, they at least avoid becoming his submissive follower, maintaining a state of war and resistance.

Note: The end of the war does not signify the end of enmity. Satan continues to harbor intense animosity towards those he has defeated, targeting their beliefs, morals, and actions.

Portrayal of Satan’s Enmity in the Paradise of Adam:

Considering the earlier discussion that the paradise of Adam (a.s.) was not a worldly paradise, a question arises: How can Satan’s enmity and temptation be understood in that context? Temptation and enmity are associated with the realm of nature and religious obligation (taklīf). If Adam’s paradise was a realm above nature and duty, where general laws like death, fatigue, and suffering do not exist, then temptation and enmity would also have no place there. Furthermore, if enmity were present in paradise, why would God say, “Descend to the earth, for the earth is the place of your enmity towards each other”: “Go down, each of you an enemy to the other” (2:36)? This statement seems to imply that enmity is specific to the earth.

The answer to this question may lie in recognizing that the enmity mentioned in Adam’s paradise was not of the same kind as enmity in this world. The Noble Qur’an also describes a kind of conflict, enmity, and hostility appropriate to the existence of that stage, even for the inhabitants of paradise and the highest realm (malaʾ aʿlā). For instance, regarding the people of paradise, it states: “And We will provide them with fruit and meat from whatever they desire. They will exchange with one another a cup [of wine] therein…” (52:22-23). This suggests a form of competition among the people of paradise for enjoying heavenly wines and sharing cups, although there is no malice in their hearts: “And We will remove whatever is in their breasts of resentment” (7:43). The continuation of this verse negates any ill speech or sinful behavior in paradise: “No ill speech will they hear therein or any sinful speech” (52:53).Similarly, concerning the beings of the highest realm, the Qur’an states: “I had no knowledge of the exalted assembly (al-malaʾ al-aʿlā) when they were disputing…” (38:69).

There is no doubt that the competition among the people of Paradise in seizing the cups of wine is unlike conflicts arising from anger or lust for false pleasure, such as the playful competition in worldly gatherings of the affluent. Rather, it is a rational and praiseworthy form of competition, similar to the dispute of the angels in the highest assembly, which is not driven by coercion, anger, or lust. In a place dedicated to glorification, sanctification, and immersion in worship—“Rather, [they are] honored servants. They cannot precede Him in word, and they act by His command” (21:26-27)—there is no room for blameworthy conflict. Instead, it involves a subtle and praiseworthy contention, fitting their existential status and not stemming from vices of the soul.

Thus, if the Paradise of Adam (a.s.) was not a worldly and material paradise, the nature of the enmity and conflict between him and Satan was distinct from the kind of conflict seen between worldly adversaries, characterized by anger and lust. Instead, it was a different form of conflict which, upon the descent to the earthly realm, transformed into a violent type of enmity.

In any case, the enmity that followed the descent—“Descend, some of you being enemies to others”—differs fundamentally from the enmity in Paradise before the descent. The enmity in Paradise was subtle, gentle, and suited to that realm, unlike the fierce conflicts of the earthly domain. While not praiseworthy like the disputes among the people of Paradise or the exalted assembly, it was considered blameworthy in the context of the perfect love inherent in that realm, ultimately leading to the descent.

In summary, since the Paradise of Adam was not the eternal Paradise, one should not expect all the effects of the eternal Paradise to be fully manifested in it, just as it was not a material and natural garden and, therefore, did not possess its effects. Solving this dilemma requires further contemplation.

The Descent of Humanity to the Realm of Nature

The term descent (hubūṭ) mentioned in the verse under discussion refers to the descent of human spirituality from a higher realm to the realm of nature. This concept can be inferred from other verses and narrations as well. For example, the verse “We have certainly created man in the best of stature, then We return him to the lowest of the low” (95:4-5)indicates that human spirituality and the level at which man is positioned possesses the best stature.(155) However, considering the latter part of the verse, “then We return him to the lowest of the low,” it suggests that although man has the best stature at a certain stage, when he turns to the realm of nature, he effectively descends to the lowest of the low.

According to verses such as “Indeed, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire” (4:145), those who, after their descent and fall into the realm of nature, become attached to it and turn into the children of the world without returning to the origin of the best stature, will suffer the lowest of the low in the Hereafter. This contrasts with those who, through repentance, turning towards God, faith, and righteous deeds, make a return and ascend, turning back to the realm beyond nature. Such individuals, in the Hereafter, will return to the same realm from which they originally descended.

Based on this, the Commander of the Faithful, ʿAlī (a.s.), warns the human community to make their intellect present and not conceal it, encouraging them to be children of the Hereafter through the guidance of their intellect, as they have come from the Hereafter and shall return to it: “Let him make his intellect present and not conceal it, and let him be among the children of the Hereafter, for from it he has come and to it he shall return.”(156)

This luminous statement suggests that the stage we are currently facing has already been experienced in the past, and it is not the first time this lofty stage will manifest in the Hereafter. Unlike other natural beings that originate solely from dust, humans possess an otherworldly history, and their descent into the natural world confirms or is applicable to this concept.

The Difference between Noble and Accursed Descent

Although the term “descent” encompasses Adam, Eve, and Iblīs, the distinguishing factors of each prevent their partnership in praise and blame. Adam’s descent is accompanied by acceptance of repentance and is associated with selection, purity, and guidance, whereas Iblīs’s descent involves stoning, blame, expulsion, and humiliation—all attributes mentioned in the Qur’an.

Thus, the command to descend for Adam (a.s.) conveys the message of vicegerency, wilāya, and implicitly prophethood and messengership. For Iblīs, however, it signifies humiliation, abasement, and curse. Therefore, Adam’s noble descent differs fundamentally from Satan’s accursed descent. The combination of the chosen one (Adam) and the stoned one (Iblīs), the repentant and the frustrated, and the friend and the enemy in the address “Descend!” is painful and burdensome. Adam’s (a.s.) unpleasant feeling might have arisen from this conjunction, although from another perspective, he was relieved that God did not declare Himself as their enemy, nor did He declare all as His enemies. Instead, God’s enmity was directed specifically at some (Iblīs), just as Satan harbors enmity towards God in terms of rebellion and arrogance.

The Tree of Descent and the Tree of Ascent

If we accept that what Satan achieved concerning Adam was only deception, not a complete lie, the result is that his oath—that this tree is the tree of immortality and eating from it leads to eternal life—could hold some truth. He may have been mistaken or lied in identifying the forbidden tree as the tree of immortality, or he might have been wrong in asserting that Adam and Eve would become immortal by eating from it.

In any case, assuming this, it can be inferred from Satan’s statement that a tree exists in creation whose fruit grants immortality. This suggests that, just as some trees lead to descent and fall, others cause ascent. Thus, certain concepts in verses and narrations are symbolized as heavenly or hellish trees. For instance, generosity is described as a tree rooted in Paradise, with branches accessible in the world. Those who practice generosity cling to its branches, leading them to Paradise.

Regarding the Shajarat Ṭūbā (Tree of Blessings), it is said that its root is in Paradise while its branches extend into the world and are accessible to the believers.(157) It is narrated about Ḥāritha b. Zayd that he grasped all its branches, as he could see both Paradise and Hell, observing all the branches of the Shajarat Ṭūbā.(158) In a ḥadīth, the Noble Messenger (s.a.w.) said of the Day of Resurrection: “The root of the Ṭūbā tree is in my house, and its branches are in the houses of the people of Paradise.” Another ḥadīth mentions, “Its root is in the house of ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) and its branches are in the houses of the believers.”(159) When some companions asked, “O Messenger of God, why did you first say the root of the Ṭūbā tree is in your house, and now you say it is in ʿAlī’s (a.s.) house?” the Prophet (s.a.w.) replied, “My house and ʿAlī’s house are one and the same; our abode is in the same place.”

It on this basis that the Qur’an refers to the Zaqqūm tree: “Is that [Paradise] better as hospitality or the tree of Zaqqūm? Indeed, We have made it a torment for the wrongdoers. Indeed, it is a tree issuing from the bottom of the Hellfire, its emerging fruit as if it were heads of devils” (37:62-65). The Zaqqūm tree grows from Hell, being a fireproof tree nourished by the water of fire. Unlike worldly trees, it is sustained by flames, and its fruits are also fire. Clinging to its branches—disbelief, hypocrisy, transgression, and disobedience—leads one into Hell.

Note: Since Adam’s Paradise was not the eternal Paradise (jannat al-khuld), none of its fruits or trees were eternal. The divine test was linked to specific trees within that Paradise.

ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī’s Perspective on the Covenant

ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī (may his soul be sanctified), when discussing the covenant that Adam forgot, in the context of the verse “And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination” (20:115) which appears at the beginning of the story of Adam and Eve in Sūrah Ṭāhā, raises the question: What is the nature of this covenant that Adam forgot, leading to his exit from Paradise and his subsequent hardship in the world?

He presents three possibilities:

a) The Prohibition Against the Tree: Could the covenant refer to the prohibition mentioned in “Do not approach this tree, lest you be among the wrongdoers” (2:38)?

b) Warning Against Satan’s Enmity: Could it be referring to the warning against Satan’s enmity, as stated in “Indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then let him not remove you from Paradise so you would suffer”? (20:117).

c) The Universal Covenant of Lordship: Is it the general covenant taken from all humans, mentioned in “And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam—from their loins—their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes’” (7:172) and more particularly with the prophets as mentioned in “And We took from them a solemn covenant” (33:7)?

In response, ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī rejects the first possibility, explaining that during the event of Adam’s violation of the prohibition and Satan’s temptation, Satan himself reminded Adam of the prohibition, stating, “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become….” Thus, Satan did not make Adam forget the essence of the prohibition; instead, he manipulated its interpretation.

The second possibility is also not correct because the warning against Satan was not exclusive to Adam but included both Adam and Eve, as God stated: “Indeed he is an enemy to you and to your wife…”, while the verse “And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot…” attributes forgetfulness exclusively to Adam.

This leaves the third possibility: the forgotten promise refers to the covenant of Lordship mentioned in the verse of the Covenant, with the characteristics discussed in relation to the prophets (a.s.). This possibility is correct.(160)

The justification for this statement is as follows:

First, the apparent exclusivity of the address to Adam and the reference of the singular pronoun to Adam suggest that the matter is specific to Adam and not shared by Eve.

Second, there is no contextual evidence, whether connected or disconnected, that indicates generalization. When such evidence is established, it would generalize the content, overriding the apparent exclusivity of the address or singular pronoun.

Third, in many instances of the story, connected contextual evidence for generalization has been established, but in some cases, such evidence has not. The specific covenant of the prophets, rather than the general principle of the covenant, is exclusive to Adam (a.s.). Additionally, the processes of prostration, the involvement of angels, God’s teaching of His names, and informing the angels of those names are exclusive to Adam.

Considering this, the view of the esteemed scholar can be approved.

The Slippery Slope of Falsehood and the Slipping Places of the Feet

Since causing someone to slip and stumble requires a means, and the benefits of the world are a suitable means for slipping, the world is referred to as the slippery slope of falsehood and its positions as the slipping places of the feet. The men of God always seek refuge in God Almighty from the slumber of the intellect, which results in the inability to perceive correctly and perform righteous deeds, as well as from being afflicted with the ugliness of error.

In this regard, the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) says:

“What does ʿAlī have to do with a blessing that perishes and a pleasure that does not last? We seek refuge in God from the slumber of the intellect and the ugliness of error, and we seek His help.”(161)

He considers himself to be on the straight and wide path of truth and describes the opponents as being on the deviant path of the slippery slope of falsehood:

“By God, there is no god but Him, I am on the main road of truth and they are on the slippery slope of falsehood.”(162)

He praises the cautious person for having few slips:

“You see him having few slips and close to his hopes.”(163)

And he condemns the hypocrite for going astray, leading others astray, slipping, and causing others to slip:

“I warn you of the people of hypocrisy, for they are the ones who have gone astray, who lead others astray, who slip and cause others to slip.”(164)

The leaders of hypocrisy, who are responsible for misleading others, pave the way for their missteps through the slumber of intellect and the lapse of the heart, as the Imam (a.s.) wrote to Ziyād ibn Abīh about Muʿāwiya:

“He knew that Muʿāwiya wrote to you to make your heart slip.”(165)

Since the outcome of steadfastness is Paradise and the end result of slipping is Hell, the Imam (a.s.) said:

“Whoever remains steadfast, then to Paradise, and whoever slips, then to the Fire.”(166)

We ask God, the Glorified, to protect everyone, especially the writer of these lines and his numbers, from slipping and misguidance. Rather, may He make this writing like refreshing pure water so that it does not taste bitter on the palate, does not get stuck in the space of the intellect’s palate, and is not blocked in the passages of digestion, absorption, and nourishment. And may it draw from the Kawthar of the Qur’an and lead to the Kawthar of the ʿitra (progeny of the Prophet).

Amen, Lord of the worlds, by Muḥammad and his pure family.