سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 35
وَقُلْنَا يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَكُلَا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿35﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and eat both of you freely with pleasure and delight, of things therein as wherever you will, but come not near this tree or you both will be of the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقُلْنَا
waqul'nā
And We said
يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ
yāādamu
O Adam
ٱسْكُنْ
us'kun
Dwell
أَنتَ
anta
you
وَزَوْجُكَ
wazawjuka
and your spouse
ٱلْجَنَّةَ
l-janata
(in) Paradise
وَكُلَا
wakulā
and [you both] eat
مِنْهَا
min'hā
from it
رَغَدًا
raghadan
freely
حَيْثُ
ḥaythu
(from) wherever
شِئْتُمَا
shi'tumā
you [both] wish
وَلَا
walā
But do not
تَقْرَبَا
taqrabā
[you two] approach
هَـٰذِهِ
hādhihi
this
ٱلشَّجَرَةَ
l-shajarata
[the] tree
فَتَكُونَا
fatakūnā
lest you [both] be
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoers
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 35) ➊ In this verse, the third virtue of Adam (peace be upon him) is mentioned: after having the angels prostrate to him, he was granted residence in Paradise. The apparent meaning of the verse is that Hawwa (Eve) had already been created at that time. For details about her creation, see Surah An-Nisa (1) and Surah Al-A'raf (189).
➋ What kind of tree was this? Allah Almighty did not mention it, nor did the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) inform us. If it had been necessary or beneficial to know, it would certainly have been told. Some commentators have named wheat, grape, fig, etc., but all these statements are without evidence.
➌ {وَ لَا تَقْرَبَا.....:} In order to avoid eating from this tree, He also forbade going near it. From this, the legal principle of blocking the means (sadd al-dhara'i) is established, meaning that it is also necessary to avoid anything that leads to something forbidden. For example, to avoid adultery, going near it is also prohibited, as He said: «{ وَ لَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنٰۤى }» [ بنی إسرائیل : ۳۲ ] "And do not go near adultery." To avoid the forbidden, it is commanded to avoid doubtful things. Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Indeed, the lawful is clear and indeed, the unlawful is clear, and between them are some doubtful matters that many people do not know. So whoever avoids the doubtful matters will protect his religion and his honor completely, and whoever falls into doubtful matters will fall into the unlawful, like a shepherd who grazes (his flock) near a forbidden pasture, it is likely that he will soon graze in it. Beware! Every king has a forbidden pasture, and the forbidden pasture of Allah is His prohibited things." [ مسلم، المساقاۃ والمزارعۃ، باب أخذ الحلال و ترک الشبہات : ۱۵۹۹ ] Similarly, to prevent Allah from being insulted, He forbade insulting false deities: «{ وَ لَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللّٰهَ عَدْوًۢا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ }» [ الأنعام : ۱۰۸ ] "And do not insult those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge."
➋ What kind of tree was this? Allah Almighty did not mention it, nor did the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) inform us. If it had been necessary or beneficial to know, it would certainly have been told. Some commentators have named wheat, grape, fig, etc., but all these statements are without evidence.
➌ {وَ لَا تَقْرَبَا.....:} In order to avoid eating from this tree, He also forbade going near it. From this, the legal principle of blocking the means (sadd al-dhara'i) is established, meaning that it is also necessary to avoid anything that leads to something forbidden. For example, to avoid adultery, going near it is also prohibited, as He said: «{ وَ لَا تَقْرَبُوا الزِّنٰۤى }» [ بنی إسرائیل : ۳۲ ] "And do not go near adultery." To avoid the forbidden, it is commanded to avoid doubtful things. Nu'man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Indeed, the lawful is clear and indeed, the unlawful is clear, and between them are some doubtful matters that many people do not know. So whoever avoids the doubtful matters will protect his religion and his honor completely, and whoever falls into doubtful matters will fall into the unlawful, like a shepherd who grazes (his flock) near a forbidden pasture, it is likely that he will soon graze in it. Beware! Every king has a forbidden pasture, and the forbidden pasture of Allah is His prohibited things." [ مسلم، المساقاۃ والمزارعۃ، باب أخذ الحلال و ترک الشبہات : ۱۵۹۹ ] Similarly, to prevent Allah from being insulted, He forbade insulting false deities: «{ وَ لَا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللّٰهَ عَدْوًۢا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ }» [ الأنعام : ۱۰۸ ] "And do not insult those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge."
