Page 20 - Quranic Wisdom - New.indd

The Forbidden Tree

When God created Adam and Eve, it was not just creating
a pair, rather it was creating the first unit of society. Adam and
Eve were not created to live simply as a pair forever but were
destined to start a generation; and form a society complete in
every respect, subsequently paving the way for the building of a
civilization.

Anything that proves to be harmful to one’s fellow
men is wrongdoing.

Adam and Eve were given complete freedom but their freedom
was a restricted freedom. They were to refrain from all activities
which would go against their fellow men. In other words, they
were forbidden to indulge in any kind of social wrongdoing,
otherwise they would fail to fulfil the divine plan.
What is ‘wrongdoing’? Anything that proves to be harmful to
one’s fellow men is wrongdoing. In other words, Adam and Eve
were required to follow the well-known formula: You are free but
your freedom ends where another’s nose begins.

This was the first social lesson given to the first man. As well
as having freedom bestowed upon him, man was created with
great qualities and all kinds of infrastructure to allow him to
make use of his talents. Thus man potentially was the master of
his environment. He was able to create a world of his own, with
the sole condition that he should not misuse his freedom. He
must refrain from approaching the ‘forbidden tree.’

If the members of society refrain from indulging in wrongdoing
and all use their freedom within the prescribed limit, then in
such a society everyone will be able to develop his personality.
Moreover, this society will grow in every way for the better. Living
in such a society is like living in Paradise.

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