Topic: Commanded To Dwell In The Garden But Not Approach The Tree
View Aspects
وَقُلْنَا يَٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
7:20, 23; 20:117-118.
جَنَّةْ (Jannah, 果园) 这词出现在本节经文中并不是指天园或天园, 而是指阿丹最初居住的像果园一样的地方。它不能指后世天园; 首先, 因为它是让阿丹在大地上居住的地方 (2:37); 其次, 天园是一个人一旦进入就不会被驱逐的地方 (15:49), 而阿丹被迫离开了在本节经文中所提到的 جَنَّةْ (果园)。这表明阿丹最初居住的果园就是这个大地上的一处, 它得到这个名称是因为它肥沃的土壤和大片青葱的草木。新近的研究表明这一地方就是位于伊拉克的巴比伦或亚述附近的伊甸园 (Enc. Brit. “Ur”条目)。
“那儿在你俩愿意的地方可以丰盛地食用,”这一句表明阿丹生活的地方还没有受任何人管辖, 可以称为赐予阿丹的 “安拉的土地”, 从而使他成为他所纵览的一切的主人。
按照 «圣经» 所说, 那被禁的 شَجَرَة (Shajarah, 树) 是辨别善恶的树 (创世记2:17)。但依照 «古兰经» 所说, 吃了禁果以后, 阿丹 (亚当) 和哈娲 (夏娃) 变成裸体, 这表明这树不同于认识善恶的源泉, 却是罪恶的根源, 它使阿丹显现了脆弱。«古兰经» 的说法显然是正确的, 因为剥夺人的知识, 就等于使他不能达到做人的目的。可是, «古兰经» 和 «圣经» 在这一点上的看法似乎一致, 即那棵树并不是一颗真正的树, 而只是一个象征, 因为大家知道, 大地上并不存在带有以上任一特性的树, 这种特性就是能使人变得赤裸, 或给他善良或邪恶知识。因此, 这棵树一定是象征着别的事物。شَجَرَة 还意味着争吵。在别处, «古兰经» 也提到两种 شَجَرَة (树): (1) (شَجَرَة طَيِّبَة (Shajarah Tayyibah, 善良的树) 和 (2) شَجَرَة خَبِيْثَة (Shajarah Khabithah, 邪恶的树), 参阅14:25和27。圣洁的事物和圣洁的教义被比拟为前者, 而不圣洁的事物和不圣洁的观念被比拟为后者。鉴于这些解释, 本节经文则表明, (1) 阿丹被嘱咐避免争吵; (2) 他告诫防止邪恶的事物。
7:20, 23; 20:117-118.
The word Jannah (garden) occurring in this verse does not refer to Heaven or Paradise but simply to the garden-like place where Adam was first made to live. It cannot refer to Heaven; first, because it was on the earth that Adam was made to live (2:37); secondly, Heaven is a place from which no one, who once enters it, is ever expelled (15:49), while Adam was made to quit the Jannah (garden) spoken of in this verse. This shows that the Jannah or garden in which Adam first dwelt was a place on this very earth which was given this name on account of the fertility of its soil and the abundance of its verdure. Recent researches go to show that the place was the Garden of Eden which lay near Babylon in Iraq or Assyria (Enc. Brit. under "Ur").
The expression, eat therefrom plentifully wherever you will, indicates that the place where Adam lived had not yet come under anybody’s jurisdiction and was what may be termed "God’s land" which was given to Adam who was thus made, as it were, the lord of all he surveyed.
According to the Bible, the forbidden Shajarah (tree) was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2: 17). But according to the Qur’an, after having eaten of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve became naked which signifies that, unlike knowledge which is a source of goodness, the tree was a source of evil, which made Adam exhibit a weakness. The Quranic view is evidently correct, because to deprive man of knowledge was to defeat the very purpose for which he had been brought into being. The Qur’an and the Bible seem, however, to agree on the point that the tree was not a real one, but only a symbol, because no tree with either of the above characteristics, i.e. making a man naked or giving him knowledge of good or evil, is known to exist on the face of the earth. So the tree must represent something else. Shajarah also means a quarrel. Elsewhere, the Qur’an makes mention of two kinds of Shajarah: (1) Shajaratu Tayyibah (good tree) and (2) Shajaratu Khabithah (
7:20, 23; 20:117, 118.
Important Words:
شجرة (tree) is the singular of شجر (trees). It is derived from the verb شجر. The Arabs say شجرالامربینھم i.e. the affair or case became complicated and confused so as to be a subject of disagreement and difference between them. شجرة means, a tree, because of the intermixing or confusion of its branches. شجرة also signifies, the stock or origin of a man. They say, ھومن شجرة طیبة i.e. he is of a good stock or origin (Lane).
ظالمین (wrongdoers) is the plural of ظالم being derived from ظلم which means: (1) he put a thing in the wrong place or in a place not its own; (2) he made one suffer loss; (3) he transgressed or committed a wrong. A ظالم is thus one who does an inappropriate or improper thing; or one who commits a wrong; or one who makes someone suffer a loss (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
The word جنة (garden) occurring in this verse does not refer to Heaven or Paradise but simply to the garden-like place where Adam was first made to live. It cannot refer to Heaven: firstly, because it was on the earth that Adam was made to live, as the words, I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth, occurring in 2:31 clearly indicate.
Secondly, Heaven is a place from which no one who once enters it will ever be expelled (15:49), whereas Adam was made to quit the جنة (garden) spoken of in this verse. This shows that the جنة or garden in which Adam first dwelt was a place on this very earth which was given this name on account of the fertility of its soil and the abundance of its verdure. Recent researches go to show that the place where Adam was made to dwell was the garden of Eden which lay near Babylon in Iraq or Assyria.
According to the Bible, the forbidden شجرة (tree) was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17). But we learn from the Quran that after having eaten of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve became naked which means that, unlike knowledge which is a source of goodness, the tree was a source of evil, making Adam exhibit a weakness. The Quranic view is evidently correct, because to deprive man of knowledge was to defeat the very purpose for which he had been brought into being. The Quran and the Bible seem, however, to agree on the point that the tree was not a real one, but only a symbol, because no tree with either of the above characteristics, i.e. making a man naked or giving him knowledge of good or evil, exists on the face of the globe. So the tree must represent something else.
As explained above, the word شجرة also means a quarrel. Says the Quran: But no, by thy Lord, they are not believers until they make thee judge in all that is in dispute between them (4:66).
Elsewhere, the Quran makes mention of two kinds of شجرة (1) شجرة طیبة (good tree) and (2) شجرة خبیثة (evil tree) for which see 14:25 & 27. Pure things and pure teachings are likened to the former, and impure things and impure thoughts are likened to the latter. In the light of these explanations, the verse would mean: (1) that Adam was enjoined to avoid quarrels; (2) that he was warned against evil things, because although the verse does not specify evil or good, yet the prohibition cannot but refer to impure and evil things.
The expression, eat therefrom plentifully wherever you will, indicates that the place where Adam lived had not yet come under the jurisdiction of anybody and was what may be termed "God’s land" which was given to Adam who was thus made lord of all he surveyed.
The concluding clause, lest you be of ظالمین or wrongdoers, means that the result of approaching the prohibited شجرة would be that Adam would become one of those who do not observe propriety in their actions for, as explained under Important Words, ظلم means, putting a thing at a wrong place.
a
7:20, 23; 20:117-118.
42
جَنَّةْ (Jannah, 果园) 这词出现在本节经文中并不是指天园或天园, 而是指阿丹最初居住的像果园一样的地方。它不能指后世天园; 首先, 因为它是让阿丹在大地上居住的地方 (2:37); 其次, 天园是一个人一旦进入就不会被驱逐的地方 (15:49), 而阿丹被迫离开了在本节经文中所提到的 جَنَّةْ (果园)。这表明阿丹最初居住的果园就是这个大地上的一处, 它得到这个名称是因为它肥沃的土壤和大片青葱的草木。新近的研究表明这一地方就是位于伊拉克的巴比伦或亚述附近的伊甸园 (Enc. Brit. “Ur”条目)。
43
“那儿在你俩愿意的地方可以丰盛地食用,”这一句表明阿丹生活的地方还没有受任何人管辖, 可以称为赐予阿丹的 “安拉的土地”, 从而使他成为他所纵览的一切的主人。
44
按照 «圣经» 所说, 那被禁的 شَجَرَة (Shajarah, 树) 是辨别善恶的树 (创世记2:17)。但依照 «古兰经» 所说, 吃了禁果以后, 阿丹 (亚当) 和哈娲 (夏娃) 变成裸体, 这表明这树不同于认识善恶的源泉, 却是罪恶的根源, 它使阿丹显现了脆弱。«古兰经» 的说法显然是正确的, 因为剥夺人的知识, 就等于使他不能达到做人的目的。可是, «古兰经» 和 «圣经» 在这一点上的看法似乎一致, 即那棵树并不是一颗真正的树, 而只是一个象征, 因为大家知道, 大地上并不存在带有以上任一特性的树, 这种特性就是能使人变得赤裸, 或给他善良或邪恶知识。因此, 这棵树一定是象征着别的事物。شَجَرَة 还意味着争吵。在别处, «古兰经» 也提到两种 شَجَرَة (树): (1) (شَجَرَة طَيِّبَة (Shajarah Tayyibah, 善良的树) 和 (2) شَجَرَة خَبِيْثَة (Shajarah Khabithah, 邪恶的树), 参阅14:25和27。圣洁的事物和圣洁的教义被比拟为前者, 而不圣洁的事物和不圣洁的观念被比拟为后者。鉴于这些解释, 本节经文则表明, (1) 阿丹被嘱咐避免争吵; (2) 他告诫防止邪恶的事物。
a
7:20, 23; 20:117, 118.
42
Important Words:
شجرة (tree) is the singular of شجر (trees). It is derived from the verb شجر. The Arabs say شجرالامربینھم i.e. the affair or case became complicated and confused so as to be a subject of disagreement and difference between them. شجرة means, a tree, because of the intermixing or confusion of its branches. شجرة also signifies, the stock or origin of a man. They say, ھومن شجرة طیبة i.e. he is of a good stock or origin (Lane).
ظالمین (wrongdoers) is the plural of ظالم being derived from ظلم which means: (1) he put a thing in the wrong place or in a place not its own; (2) he made one suffer loss; (3) he transgressed or committed a wrong. A ظالم is thus one who does an inappropriate or improper thing; or one who commits a wrong; or one who makes someone suffer a loss (Aqrab & Lane).
Commentary:
The word جنة (garden) occurring in this verse does not refer to Heaven or Paradise but simply to the garden-like place where Adam was first made to live. It cannot refer to Heaven: firstly, because it was on the earth that Adam was made to live, as the words, I am about to place a vicegerent in the earth, occurring in 2:31 clearly indicate.
Secondly, Heaven is a place from which no one who once enters it will ever be expelled (15:49), whereas Adam was made to quit the جنة (garden) spoken of in this verse. This shows that the جنة or garden in which Adam first dwelt was a place on this very earth which was given this name on account of the fertility of its soil and the abundance of its verdure. Recent researches go to show that the place where Adam was made to dwell was the garden of Eden which lay near Babylon in Iraq or Assyria.
According to the Bible, the forbidden شجرة (tree) was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17). But we learn from the Quran that after having eaten of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve became naked which means that, unlike knowledge which is a source of goodness, the tree was a source of evil, making Adam exhibit a weakness. The Quranic view is evidently correct, because to deprive man of knowledge was to defeat the very purpose for which he had been brought into being. The Quran and the Bible seem, however, to agree on the point that the tree was not a real one, but only a symbol, because no tree with either of the above characteristics, i.e. making a man naked or giving him knowledge of good or evil, exists on the face of the globe. So the tree must represent something else.
As explained above, the word شجرة also means a quarrel. Says the Quran: But no, by thy Lord, they are not believers until they make thee judge in all that is in dispute between them (4:66).
Elsewhere, the Quran makes mention of two kinds of شجرة (1) شجرة طیبة (good tree) and (2) شجرة خبیثة (evil tree) for which see 14:25 & 27. Pure things and pure teachings are likened to the former, and impure things and impure thoughts are likened to the latter. In the light of these explanations, the verse would mean: (1) that Adam was enjoined to avoid quarrels; (2) that he was warned against evil things, because although the verse does not specify evil or good, yet the prohibition cannot but refer to impure and evil things.
The expression, eat therefrom plentifully wherever you will, indicates that the place where Adam lived had not yet come under the jurisdiction of anybody and was what may be termed "God’s land" which was given to Adam who was thus made lord of all he surveyed.
The concluding clause, lest you be of ظالمین or wrongdoers, means that the result of approaching the prohibited شجرة would be that Adam would become one of those who do not observe propriety in their actions for, as explained under Important Words, ظلم means, putting a thing at a wrong place.
a
7:20, 23; 20:117-118.
68
The word Jannah (garden) occurring in this verse does not refer to Heaven or Paradise but simply to the garden-like place where Adam was first made to live. It cannot refer to Heaven; first, because it was on the earth that Adam was made to live (2:37); secondly, Heaven is a place from which no one, who once enters it, is ever expelled (15:49), while Adam was made to quit the Jannah (garden) spoken of in this verse. This shows that the Jannah or garden in which Adam first dwelt was a place on this very earth which was given this name on account of the fertility of its soil and the abundance of its verdure. Recent researches go to show that the place was the Garden of Eden which lay near Babylon in Iraq or Assyria (Enc. Brit. under "Ur").
68A
The expression, eat therefrom plentifully wherever you will, indicates that the place where Adam lived had not yet come under anybody’s jurisdiction and was what may be termed "God’s land" which was given to Adam who was thus made, as it were, the lord of all he surveyed.
69
According to the Bible, the forbidden Shajarah (tree) was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2: 17). But according to the Qur’an, after having eaten of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve became naked which signifies that, unlike knowledge which is a source of goodness, the tree was a source of evil, which made Adam exhibit a weakness. The Quranic view is evidently correct, because to deprive man of knowledge was to defeat the very purpose for which he had been brought into being. The Qur’an and the Bible seem, however, to agree on the point that the tree was not a real one, but only a symbol, because no tree with either of the above characteristics, i.e. making a man naked or giving him knowledge of good or evil, is known to exist on the face of the earth. So the tree must represent something else. Shajarah also means a quarrel. Elsewhere, the Qur’an makes mention of two kinds of Shajarah: (1) Shajaratu Tayyibah (good tree) and (2) Shajaratu Khabithah (
وَيَٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَكُلَا مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
اِس فقرہ سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ شریعت کی اصل بنیاد حلّت پر ہے‘ صرف ان چیزوں سے منع کیا جاتا ہے جو روحانی اور جسمانی طور پر مضر ہوتی ہے۔
ممنوع درخت سے مراد وہ احکام ہیں جن میں بعض باتوں سے آدم کو روکا گیا تھا۔ خصوصاً ابلیس اور اس کی ذر ّیت سے تعلق رکھنے سے۔ قرآن کریم میں لکھا ہے کہ شجرئہ طیبہ سے مراد اچھے احکام ہوتے ہیں جیسے فرماتا ہے۔ اَلَمْ تَرَکَیْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّٰہُ مَثَـلًا کَلِمَۃً طَیِّبَۃً کَشَجَرَۃٍ طَیِّبَۃٍ (ابراہیم: ۲۵) یعنی کیا تجھے معلوم نہیں کہ اللہ تعالیٰ نے کس طرح پاک بات کی کیفیت ایک پاک درخت کی مثال سے بیان فرمائی ہے اور شجرئہ خبیثہ سے مراد برے احکام ہوتے ہیں‘ جیسے فرماتا ہے وَ مَثَلُ کَلِمَۃٍ خَبِیْثَۃٍ کَشَجَرَۃٍ خَبِیْثَۃٍ (ابراہیم: ۲۷) یعنی بُری بات کی کیفیت بُرے در
2:38; 20:118.
See {68}.
This shows that every thing is lawful, except what may be forbidden as being harmful physically or spiritually.
"Forbidden tree" may also signify commandments whereby certain things were forbidden to Adam and his wife. "Good word" has been likened to "good tree" in the Qur’an (14:25) and evil word to "evil tree" (14:27).
c
2:38; 20:118.
480
见注释42。
481
“受禁的树”也可以意指禁止阿丹和他的妻子做某些事的戒律。«古兰经»中, “好话” 比作 “好树”, (14:25) 而 “恶话”比作“恶树”。(14:27)
1
اِس فقرہ سے معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ شریعت کی اصل بنیاد حلّت پر ہے‘ صرف ان چیزوں سے منع کیا جاتا ہے جو روحانی اور جسمانی طور پر مضر ہوتی ہے۔
2
ممنوع درخت سے مراد وہ احکام ہیں جن میں بعض باتوں سے آدم کو روکا گیا تھا۔ خصوصاً ابلیس اور اس کی ذر ّیت سے تعلق رکھنے سے۔ قرآن کریم میں لکھا ہے کہ شجرئہ طیبہ سے مراد اچھے احکام ہوتے ہیں جیسے فرماتا ہے۔ اَلَمْ تَرَکَیْفَ ضَرَبَ اللّٰہُ مَثَـلًا کَلِمَۃً طَیِّبَۃً کَشَجَرَۃٍ طَیِّبَۃٍ (ابراہیم: ۲۵) یعنی کیا تجھے معلوم نہیں کہ اللہ تعالیٰ نے کس طرح پاک بات کی کیفیت ایک پاک درخت کی مثال سے بیان فرمائی ہے اور شجرئہ خبیثہ سے مراد برے احکام ہوتے ہیں‘ جیسے فرماتا ہے وَ مَثَلُ کَلِمَۃٍ خَبِیْثَۃٍ کَشَجَرَۃٍ خَبِیْثَۃٍ (ابراہیم: ۲۷) یعنی بُری بات کی کیفیت بُرے در
b
2:38; 20:118.
922A
Commentary:
See 2:36.
b
2:38; 20:118.
955A
See {68}.
956
This shows that every thing is lawful, except what may be forbidden as being harmful physically or spiritually.
957
"Forbidden tree" may also signify commandments whereby certain things were forbidden to Adam and his wife. "Good word" has been likened to "good tree" in the Qur’an (14:25) and evil word to "evil tree" (14:27).