سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 20
فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ لِيُبْدِىَ لَهُمَا مَا وُۥرِىَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْءَٰتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَىٰكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰلِدِينَ ﴿20﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Then Shaitân (Satan) whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before); he said: "Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save that you should become angels or become of the immortals."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
فَوَسْوَسَ
fawaswasa
Then whispered
لَهُمَا
lahumā
to both of them
ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ
l-shayṭānu
the Shaitaan
لِيُبْدِىَ
liyub'diya
to make apparent
لَهُمَا
lahumā
to both of them
مَا
mā
what
وُۥرِىَ
wūriya
was concealed
عَنْهُمَا
ʿanhumā
from both of them
مِن
min
of
سَوْءَٰتِهِمَا
sawātihimā
their shame
وَقَالَ
waqāla
And he said
مَا
mā
(Did) not
نَهَىٰكُمَا
nahākumā
forbid you both
رَبُّكُمَا
rabbukumā
your Lord
عَنْ
ʿan
from
هَـٰذِهِ
hādhihi
this
ٱلشَّجَرَةِ
l-shajarati
[the] tree
إِلَّآ
illā
except
أَن
an
that
تَكُونَا
takūnā
you two become
مَلَكَيْنِ
malakayni
Angels
أَوْ
aw
or
تَكُونَا
takūnā
you two become
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْخَـٰلِدِينَ
l-khālidīna
the immortals
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 20) ➊ {لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا:} Some scholars of exegesis have written that in {’’ لِيُبْدِيَ ‘‘} the “lam” is for consequence, meaning that it was not in Satan’s heart that they become naked, but the outcome of doing so was exactly this. However, the more authentic view is that this “lam” is for causation, and its purpose was exactly this, and he knew what the result of eating from the tree would be. The private parts are called {’’ سوء ة ‘‘} because their exposure naturally feels bad to a person, and the meaning of {’’سَاءَ يَسُوْءُ ‘‘} is to feel bad, as if the clothing of Paradise that was given to them, which covered their private parts, was removed as a result of eating from the forbidden tree. Allah Almighty had already informed Adam (peace be upon him) of four special comforts of Paradise, one of which was that you would not be naked in Paradise, and at the same time, it was made clear that these comforts would be taken away if the forbidden tree was eaten from. Therefore, Adam (peace be upon him) also knew this, but he forgot due to Satan’s oath. For these comforts, see Surah Ta-Ha (118, 119).
➋ { ’’ وٗرِيَ ‘‘} This is the passive past tense from {’’ وَارٰي يُوَارِيْ مُوَارَاةً ‘‘} (mufa‘alah).
➌ {وَ قَالَ مَا نَهٰىكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا …… :} Satan deceived both of them in such a way that he said the reason Allah Almighty forbade you from this tree is that by eating from it, you will become angels, meaning their characteristics and natural perfections will also be found in you, or you will be included among those who will remain in Paradise forever. When the word {’’ أَوْ ‘‘} comes between two things, it can mean either one of them or both. It cannot mean that neither is possible; at least one will definitely occur, and the other is also possible. From this, it is understood that Adam (peace be upon him) considered angels to be better than himself because of their closeness to Allah, as He said: «وَ مَنْ عِنْدَهٗ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهٖ وَ لَا يَسْتَحْسِرُوْنَ » [ الأنبیاء : ۱۹ ] “And those who are with Him are not arrogant about His worship, nor do they tire.” But this is a partial virtue; it does not prove that angels are superior to humans in every respect.
➋ { ’’ وٗرِيَ ‘‘} This is the passive past tense from {’’ وَارٰي يُوَارِيْ مُوَارَاةً ‘‘} (mufa‘alah).
➌ {وَ قَالَ مَا نَهٰىكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا …… :} Satan deceived both of them in such a way that he said the reason Allah Almighty forbade you from this tree is that by eating from it, you will become angels, meaning their characteristics and natural perfections will also be found in you, or you will be included among those who will remain in Paradise forever. When the word {’’ أَوْ ‘‘} comes between two things, it can mean either one of them or both. It cannot mean that neither is possible; at least one will definitely occur, and the other is also possible. From this, it is understood that Adam (peace be upon him) considered angels to be better than himself because of their closeness to Allah, as He said: «وَ مَنْ عِنْدَهٗ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُوْنَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهٖ وَ لَا يَسْتَحْسِرُوْنَ » [ الأنبیاء : ۱۹ ] “And those who are with Him are not arrogant about His worship, nor do they tire.” But this is a partial virtue; it does not prove that angels are superior to humans in every respect.
