Surah Al A'raf Tafseer

فَوَسْوَسَ لَهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ لِيُبْدِيَ لَهُمَا مَا وُورِيَ عَنْهُمَا مِن سَوْءَاتِهِمَا

"And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both wish, but approach not this tree otherwise you both will be of the wrongdoers.Then Shaytan whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before);

Allah states that He allowed Adam and his wife to dwell in Paradise and to eat from all of its fruits, except one tree.

We have already discussed this in Surah Al-Baqarah.

Thus, Shaytan envied them and plotted deceitfully, whispering and suggesting treachery. He wished to rid them of the various favors and nice clothes that they were enjoying.

وَقَالَ

He (Shaytan) said,

uttering lies and falsehood,

مَا نَهَاكُمَا رَبُّكُمَا عَنْ هَـذِهِ الشَّجَرَةِ إِلاَّ أَن تَكُونَا مَلَكَيْنِ

"Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels..."

meaning, so that you do not become angels or dwell here for eternity.

أَوْ تَكُونَا مِنَ الْخَالِدِينَ

or become of the immortals."

Surely, if you eat from this tree, you will attain both, he said.

In another Ayah,

قَالَ يـَادَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لاَّ يَبْلَى

Shaytan whispered to him, saying:"O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away." (20:120)

Here, the wording is similar, so it means, `so that you do not become angels,' as in;

يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّواْ

(Thus) does Allah make clear to you (His Law) lest you go astray. (4:176)

meaning, so that you do not go astray,

and,

وَأَلْقَى فِى الاٌّرْضِ رَوَاسِىَ أَن تَمِيدَ بِكُمْ

And He has affixed into the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; (16:15)

that is, so that the earth does not shake with you