فَأَكَلَا مِنْهَا فَبَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْءَٰتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ ٱلْجَنَّةِ ۚ وَعَصَىٰٓ ءَادَمُ رَبَّهُۥ فَغَوَىٰ 121
Translations
And they [i.e., Adam and his wife] ate of it, and their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred.
Transliteration
Fa-akala minhā fa-bada t lahumā sawʾātuhum wa-tafiqā yakhsifān ʿalayhimā min waraq al-jannah. Wa-ʿasā Ādam rabbahu fa-ghawā.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree, after which their private parts became apparent to them, and they began covering themselves with leaves from Paradise. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that their disobedience to Allah's command resulted in shame and the loss of their innocence. The phrase 'wa-ʿasā Ādam rabbahu fa-ghawā' (and Adam disobeyed his Lord and went astray) underscores that while Adam's sin was forgiven, the immediate consequence was misguidance from the straight path, demonstrating the severity of transgressing divine commands.
Revelation Context
Surah Taha is a Meccan surah that chronologically recounts the story of Adam's creation and his fall from grace as part of a broader narrative about human nature and divine guidance. This particular ayah comes within the Quranic account of the first trial of humanity—the temptation by Iblis and the consequent disobedience—which serves as a foundational lesson for the Meccan audience about human weakness and the necessity of Allah's guidance.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Every son of Adam commits sin, and the best of those who commit sin are those who repent' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet mentioned Allah's forgiveness of Adam's mistake, showing that repentance is the path to redemption after sin.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that disobedience to Allah brings immediate spiritual loss and shame, yet it also reminds us that Allah created humanity with the capacity to repent and return to Him. The story of Adam's fall is not merely punitive but serves as an eternal reminder that acknowledging our mistakes and seeking Allah's forgiveness is the path to spiritual restoration.