of what he had been commanded.

Ibn Qutaybah said: He lacked a firmly resolved judgment, since he obeyed his enemy, Iblis, who envied him and refused to prostrate before him. In linguistic usage, resolve means setting one’s mind firmly upon an action.

Abu Umamah al-Bahili said: “If Adam’s forbearance were weighed against the forbearance of all his descendants, his forbearance would outweigh theirs.” (1) Yet Allah says: “And We found in him no firm resolve.”

If it is asked: Do you maintain that Adam had forgotten Allah’s command when he ate from the tree?

It is said: It is possible that he forgot His command. At that time, forgetfulness had not been waived for mankind; rather, a person was held accountable for it. It was only waived for us. (2)

It was also said: He forgot Allah’s punishment and thought that he had merely been discouraged from it, rather than forbidden.

“And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, except Iblis; he refused.” (116) “So We said, ‘Adam, this is an enemy to you and to your wife, so do not let him drive you both out of Paradise, lest you suffer hardship.’” (117)

His saying, Exalted is He, “And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, except Iblis; he refused,” means: he refused to prostrate. “So We said, ‘Adam, this is an enemy to you and to your wife,’” namely, Eve, “‘so do not let him drive you both out of Paradise, lest you suffer hardship,’” that is, lest you toil and struggle, and your livelihood come through the labor of your hands and the sweat of your brow. Al-Suddi said: This means ploughing, sowing, harvesting, grinding, and baking.

It is reported from Sa'id ibn Jubayr (14/b) that he said: A red ox was sent down to Adam, and he would plough with it and wipe the sweat from his brow. That was his hardship. (3)

He did not say, “lest you both suffer hardship,” referring it instead to Adam, because his toil was greater; for the man (4) is the one who labors to support his wife.