Check our new online courses here; or see the details below.
Bismillāh.
قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِين
They said: ‘Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we shall surely be among the losers.’
Sūrat al-A‘rāf, No. 7, Āyat 23
The story of Ādam (a) is mentioned repeatedly in the Noble Qur’ān, and beyond being a specific narrative about a specific individual, it is a profound representation of the human condition itself. It speaks not merely of a past event, but of an ongoing reality: the descent of man from higher realms wherein we once dwelled, down to this lower realm of material existence. Ādam’s story is, in a sense, the story of us all—our origin, our fall, our struggle, and our hope of return.
As indicated by transmitted traditions and affirmed by the intellectual sciences, there exist higher, immaterial realms from which God’s creation descends. Human existence unfolds through stages, from subtle and luminous domains to the realm of multiplicity and limitation. This truth is echoed in the Qur’anic declaration:
إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
Indeed we belong to Allah, and to Him we shall return. (Q 2:156)
Our entire journey is framed by descent from God and return to Him, and the story of Ādam (a) is representative of this cosmic movement. In this regard, ‘Allāmah al-Tabātabā’ī says:
“The story … represents the condition of the human being according to his earthly, material nature. God, exalted is He, created him in the best form, immersed him in His innumerable blessings, and settled him in a garden … He forbade him from overstepping its bounds by deviating toward excess through following desire, becoming attached to the mirage of the world, and neglecting the side of the Lord, exalted is He, by abandoning the covenant entrusted to him, disobeying Him, and following the whisperings of Satan … Ādam’s experience (peace be upon him) occurred before the legislation of the fundamental religious law, and his Garden was a barzakhī garden, represented in a mode of life that was non-worldly.”
According to this perspective, Ādam’s “Garden” was neither the final, eternal Paradise promised in the Hereafter nor a physical location within this world. Rather, it was a garden in the barzakhī realm—an elevated, immaterial domain from which humanity has descended and to which it shall return after death. Adam’s lapse thus signifies a transition from that realm, from a state of nearness, unity, and grace, into a domain characterized by effort, choice, struggle, and moral responsibility.
When Adam entered this lower world of multiplicity, he did not forget the intimacy he once enjoyed with his Lord. A deep longing remained within him—a yearning for that proximity and divine presence that had characterized his earlier state.
An important lesson in this story is that Ādam (a) did not persist in heedlessness. He turned back to Allah with humility, confession, and hope, as mentioned in the verse quoted at the onset of this writeup.
Through repentance and adherence to divine guidance, Ādam and the purified elite from among his progeny would not only regain what was lost, but attain something even greater. Life in this world, with all its trials and struggles, becomes the arena through which conscious obedience and sincere turning back elevate the human being to ranks higher than those of untested innocence. In this way, Satan’s plot ultimately backfired. He sought to cast Ādam down, yet through repentance, servitude, and divine mercy, the human being was given the opportunity to ascend to an even more exalted station.
This lesson is especially relevant as we stand on the threshold of the blessed month of Rajab, the opening of the season of worship and spiritual renewal. Rajab is a month in which the doors of mercy are open and God’s servants are invited to return consciously to their Lord. The Messenger of Allah (s) said:
“Rajab is the month of seeking forgiveness for my community, so increase in it your seeking forgiveness, for indeed He is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
As we enter this sacred time, we must strive to set aside moments for increased worship, reflection, and repentance. We ask Allah to grant us success to make the most of the season of worship that lies ahead; to inspire our hearts with humility and awareness; and to enable us to repent and return to Him sincerely, just as our father Ādam turned back to his Lord.
Sources: Allāmah Tabātabā’ī, Al-Mīzān; Muhammad Hasan Wakili, Insān Shenāsī.
ALI 710: Quranic Arabic and knowledge – Level 4
In this online course, specially tailored for serious learners, we will attempt to simplify Quranic Arabic. To make it interesting, we will begin with a brief tafsīr of short surahs or passages.
At this level, we will continue learning grammatical rules on nouns covered in Lesson 13 onwards in Qur’anic Language Made Easy by Hafiza Iffath Hassan.
Eligibility: All Muslims ages 15 and over.
Instructor: Sh Hasanayn Kassamali
Fees: $55.00
Schedule: 6 Wednesdays, January 7 to February 11, 2026.
Timings: 7:30 – 8:30 pm EST.
Registration: www.academyofislam.com/registrations/