Summary of Surah Al Baqarah 2:21-29 Adam's Appointment on Earth

Surah Al Baqarah 2: 21-39

Adam’s Appointment on Earth

The Central Subject of the surah Is the process of teaching and training Adam in heaven before sending him to practice on Earth with authority and autonomy

21. O people! Worship your Lord (Allâh), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become (the pious).
22. Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and Who made the sky as a canopy, and
Who sent down water (rain) from the sky and Who brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allâh (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped).
23. And if you (Arab pagans, Jews, and Christians) are in doubt concerning that which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur'ân) to Our slave (Muhammad Peace be upon him), Then produce a Surah (chapter) of the like thereof and Call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allâh, if you are truthful.
24. But if you do it not, And you can never do it, Then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers.
25. And give glad tidings to those who believe and do righteous good deeds, That for them will be Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise). Every time they will be provided with a fruit therefrom, they will say: "This is what we were provided with before," and they will be given things in resemblance (i.e. in the same form but different in taste) And they shall have therein (purified mates or wives), (having no menses, stools, urine, etc.) And they will abide therein forever.
26. Verily, Allâh is not ashamed to set forth a parable Even of a mosquito or so much more when it is bigger (or less when it is smaller) than it. And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, But as for those who disbelieve, they say: "What did Allâh intend by this parable?" By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only those who are (the rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).
27. Those who break Allâh's Covenant after ratifying it, And sever what Allâh has ordered to be joined (as regards Allâh's Religion of Islamic Monotheism, And to practice its legal laws on the earth And also as regards keeping good relations with kith and kin ), And do mischief on earth, it is they who are the losers.
28. How can you disbelieve in Allâh? Seeing that you were dead and He gave you life.
Then He will give you death, Then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return.
29. He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He (rose over) towards the heaven and made them seven heavens And He is the All-Knower of everything.
30. And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: "Verily, I am going to place (Khalifah) generations after generations on earth." They said: "Will You place therein those who will
Make mischief therein And shed blood, - While we glorify You with praises and thanks (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You." He (Allâh) said: "I know that which you do not know."
31. And He taught Adam all the names (of everything) , Then He showed them to the angels and said, "Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful."
32. They (angels) said: "Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise."
33. He said: "O Adam! Inform them of their names," And when he had informed them of their names, He said: "Did I not tell you that I know the Ghaib (unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing?"
34. And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves before Adam.". And they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allâh).
35. And We said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and eat both of you freely with pleasure and delight of things therein as wherever you will, but come not near this tree or you both will be of the Zâlimûn (wrong-doers)."
36. Then the Shaitan (Satan) made them slip there from (the Paradise), and got them out from that in which they were. We said: "Get you down, all, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment for a time."
37. Then Adam received from his Lord Words . And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful.
38. We said: "Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.
39. But those who disbelieve and belie Our (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) such are the dwellers of the Fire, they shall abide therein forever.

Some Dimensions of Human Nature

1. Goals (Allah told the angels that he is putting a Khalifah on Earth.)
2. The quality teacher for Adam (and Allah taught Adam the names)
3. The best environment (Adam was taught in Heaven)
4. The subject of teaching (names)
5. The right time (after breathing the soul into Adam he was taught)
6. The need for competitors (the angles)
7. Publicity of the achievements
8. The reward (prostrate for him)
9. The need for a real challenger and real enemy (Iblis)
10. The need for practical training:

• Do (dwell in Paradise; eat from it what ever you like...)
• Do not (except this tree...)
• Safety factor (do not even come near it...)

11. Power of a friend/teacher

• Iblis whispers to them
• Iblis swears to them that he was a sincere advisor
• Trust is the first step in the life journey
• Iblis explains the prohibition of the tree

12. Curiosity is part of the nature of human being (Submission and follow Prophet Muhammad, while using this quality to discover, invent, innovate, and creatively think about every thing else in this universe)

13. Forgetting is a part of our nature (Reminders)

14. No determination and lack of will power (Training regularly)

15. We make mistakes and commit sins (Repentance)