When Satan refused to abide by God’s order to fall prostrate before Adam when he was commanded, instead of repenting and reforming, he requested a respite from God till the Day of Judgment.
7:12 He said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I ordered you?” He said, “I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from mud.”
7:13 He said, “Therefore, you must go down, for you are not to be arrogant here. Get out; you are debased.”
7:14 He said, “Grant me a respite, until the Day of Resurrection.”
7:15 He said, “You are granted a respite.”
Then, after falsely blaming God for his misdeed, he commits to making his purpose in life to prove that the human being is unappreciative.
7:16 He said, “Since You have willed that I go astray, I will skulk for them on Your straight path.
7:17 “I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find that most of them are unappreciative.”
To do this, Satan wanted Adam and his spouse to approach the forbidden tree to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. Then, when they fell for Satan’s scheme, they attempted to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise.
7:20 The devil whispered to them, in order to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. He said, “Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree, except to prevent you from becoming angels, and from attaining eternal existence.”
7:21 He swore to them, “I am giving you good advice.”
7:22 He thus duped them with lies. As soon as they tasted the tree, their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Their Lord called upon them: “Did I not enjoin you from that tree, and warn you that the devil is your most ardent enemy?”
An interesting observation is that the word “ sawātihumā” ( سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا) which translates to “both their bodies” and is used in 7:20 and 22 comes from the root “sin-waw-alif” ( س و ا). This root occurs 167 times in the Quran and in almost every other case is in reference to “evil” like in the example below:
35:8 Note the one whose evil work is adorned in his eyes, until he thinks that it is righteous. GOD thus sends astray whoever wills (to go astray), and He guides whoever wills (to be guided). Therefore, do not grieve over them. GOD is fully aware of everything they do.
This may be interpreted as a sophisticated linguistic maneuver, wherein the Quran implies that Satan’s objective of exposing their naked bodies which were invisible to them—might metaphorically signify bringing to the surface the concealed evil within them that they could not see. Adam and his spouse contained this latent darkness, a reality of which they were blissfully unaware until Satan, through his astutely deceptive strategies, illuminated this darkness and forced them to confront the profound and troubling aspects of their own shortcomings.
This may be why the following verses inform us about the importance of the garments of righteousness. Which are spiritual garments that protect us from evil.
7:26 O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of GOD’s signs, that they may take heed.
7:27 O children of Adam, do not let the devil dupe you as he did when he caused the eviction of your parents from Paradise, and the removal of their garments to expose their bodies. He and his tribe see you, while you do not see them. We appoint the devils as companions of those who do not believe.
Just as blood in the ocean attracts predators, our sins cause chinks in our garments of righteousness and draw in Satan and his malevolent forces, who prey on our vulnerabilities and moral failings. In this context, Satan and his followers are likened to sharks, homing in on the ‘scent’ of our sins to wreak havoc and inflict suffering.
15:42 “You have no power over My servants. You only have power over the strayers who follow you.
Recognizing how this system works illuminates the broader consequences of our moral choices. It underscores the need for vigilance and responsibility. Our moral lapses are not just personal failings; they act as beacons, opening the doors to shame and chaos. Abiding by God’s laws does more than protect us; it safeguards our families and communities from evil and adversity.
14:28 Have you noted those who responded to GOD’s blessings by disbelieving, and thus brought disaster upon their own families?
However, when we fall short, the devil’s affliction in our lives indicates that we have fallen off the right path. God permits these difficulties to manifest so that any hidden evil within us can be revealed and ultimately addressed. Then, with God’s guidance and grace, we can take steps to repent, reform, and return to the right path.
2:37 Then, Adam received from his Lord words, whereby He redeemed him. He is the Redeemer, Most Merciful.