The story of Adam and Eve is also mentioned in Christian and Jewish traditions. However, there are some differences and certain misconceptions which Islam does not support:
1. Satan was a serpent – Satan came to Adam and Eve in Paradise and tempted them to eat from the tree. However, we don’t believe he came in the form of a snake or serpent.
2. Eve tempted Adam – Islam does not indicate that Eve was weaker than Adam or that she tempted him to disobey God. They were both responsible, were both rebuked by God and both repented to Him.
3. Childbirth pains are due to Eve’s sin – Islam does not hold that pains experienced by women during childbirth as a result of Eve tempting Adam to disobey God.
4. Original sin – Islam does not believe that due to this original sin committed by Adam and Eve, all their descendants are being punished. In Islam, no one bears the sins of another. God is fair and just, and He does not hold to account people who came millennia later for the actions and decisions of their ancestors.
5. God forgave Adam and Eve – The Quran is very explicit in that God forgave both Adam and Eve. Therefore, there would be no reason to hold them or their descendants responsible for eating from the forbidden tree.
5- God forgave Adam and Eve. This whole sentence is not biblical. Adam and Eve were forgiven, and even more, God gave them the first message of hope for making to them, Genesis 3:15. He told them that the day was coming when the seed of the woman would conquer the snake and crush its head. Nowhere in the Bible is any human ever made accountable for the sin of Adam or Eve. Read it for yourself… Ezekiel 19: The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him.
Original sin. (7:26) 0 Children of Adam! Indeed We have sent down to you a garment which covers your shame and provides protection and adornment. But the finest of all is the garment of piety. That is one of the signs of Allah so that they may take heed.Araf 7:26 So, here is my question. How come we need clothing to cover our shame when Adam and Eve did not from the beginning. What changed? and Who did?
Original Sin. Nowhere in the Bible teaches me that I am responsible for the sin of Adam and Eve, On the final day, the day of Accountability, each one will respond for their own sin. What we refer as original sin, is the fact that neither you nor I are born in Paradise anymore, we no longer enjoy the company of our Maker directly as our forefather did, and we have sinful desires that were not part of the original creation Did you see that the voice that tempted Adam and Eve came from the outside? Yes, because their hearts/ fitra was so pure that nothing from within them was tainted by selfishness. Of course, God is fain and will not punish me from a sin that I did not commit, but to deny that the first disobedience had consequences that ,
3- Childbirth pains are the result of sin. Allow me to ask then, if pain at childbirth were not as result of sin, are you telling me that God designed/ purposed from the beginning of creation that we would experience pain? Why? In the Torah, God made a creation that was so beautiful, so merciful, and perfect that God declared to be very good. A creation with no pain, Pain is a stranger, an intruder in the plan of God, thus once sin will be completely conquered with the return of the Messiah, pain and tears will be no longer. This message from the Torah strengthens my love for a God who did not appoint pain to us but who tells us that pain came as a result of sin. A
Eva tempted Adam, in Islam both are responsible. This is another misrepresentation of the biblical story. Eva tempted Adam and they BOTH were responsible. See Genesis 3 for yourself. When God comes to meet them, a beautiful image of his mercy, He addresses them separately and tells them individually the consequences of sin, Adam and Eve were bound by love, but what sin does it breaks love. They, that were to be united, due to sin now they are separated, the way you represent the story misses this fundamental point. Women and men are responsible to love God but to love one another too.
1) Satan was a serpent. This is inaccurate biblically, Satan disguised himself as a serpent, Before you deny the Tawrat’s account, I suggest you read Al Anam 6:154 We gave Moses the Scripture, completing the favour upon those who do good, detailing everything, and as a guide and a mercy, so perhaps they would be certain of the meeting with their Lord.Is the Torah that details everything,,, And before you respond that the Torah was either lost or changed, remember that no one can change the words of God.
I love this thank you.
Thank you so much for this information. I never believed these things anyway and it is so good to know that what I felt in my heart was not right about the Adam and Eve story is not correct in Islamic belief.
Thanks for the Article. However what is the story of Creation according to Islam. I see more of what christians and judaism believe but what is our version. What is the story of Adam and Eve islamically?
Hi Zainab! As salamu alaikum.
There will be a coming webinar for that. Please watch out on your email for the announcement! I can’t wait! It is very exciting!
Thank you so much,
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I love this teaching! It is truth. When I was a Christian I never believed in original sin. Just another reason for conversion for me. There are many reasons for my conversion.
Clear, crisp and to the point!
I think it is important to understand that there was never a hierarchy – males were not ‘better’ than females.
Salaam Alaikum. JazakAllah for this knowledge shared as it has been a question I wondered about and have been asked about as well. Now I have a better way of explaining this topic insha Allah if it is presented to me again.
Mustafa