Surah 7:19
Show Full Scripture Context (7:19-21) — 3 Verses
وَيَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ ٱسۡكُنۡ أَنتَ وَزَوۡجُكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ فَكُلَا مِنۡ حَيۡثُ شِئۡتُمَا وَلَا تَقۡرَبَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
‘Adam! Inhabit the Garden, you and your wife, and eat freely of it wherever you please, but do not go near this tree, or you will both be among the evildoers.’
فَوَسۡوَسَ لَهُمَا ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ لِيُبۡدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُۥرِيَ عَنۡهُمَا مِن سَوۡءَٰتِهِمَا وَقَالَ مَا نَهَىٰكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنۡ هَٰذِهِ ٱلشَّجَرَةِ إِلَّآ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيۡنِ أَوۡ تَكُونَا مِنَ ٱلۡخَٰلِدِينَ
Then Satan whispered to them both, to reveal to them both what was hidden from them of their shameful parts. He said, ‘Your Lord has only forbidden you both from this tree to keep you both from becoming two angels, or from becoming two of the immortals.’
وَقَاسَمَهُمَآ إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنَ ٱلنَّـٰصِحِينَ
And he swore to them both, ‘Surely I am indeed one of your trusty advisers.’
Allah states that He allowed Adam and his wife to dwell in Paradise and to eat from all of its fruits, except one tree. We have already discussed this in Surat Al-Baqarah. Thus, Shaytan envied them and plotted deceitfully, whispering and suggesting treachery. He wished to rid them of the various favors and nice clothes that they were enjoying.
{He (Shaytan) said} uttering lies and falsehood,
meaning, so that you do not become angels or dwell here for eternity. Surely, if you eat from this tree, you will attain both, he said. In another Ayah,
Here, the wording is similar, so it means, ‘so that you do not become angels’ as in;
(Thus) does Allah make clear to you (His Law) lest you go astray.
meaning, so that you do not go astray, and,
And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you ;
that is, so that the earth does not shake with you.
{And he Qasamahuma}, swore to them both by Allah, saying,
for I was here before you and thus have better knowledge of this place.
It is a fact that the believer in Allah might sometimes become the victim of deceit. Qatadah commented on this Ayah, “Shaytan swore by Allah, saying, 'I was created before you, and I have better knowledge than you. Therefore, follow me and I will direct you.’”