What is the reality of the sin of Adam and Hawwaa’ (Eve), may Allaah exalt their mention? Did we inherit their nature? Did [the burden of the] sin reach us because of them?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Him, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

There are certain facts that should be noted here, concerning the issue of the sin of Aadam and Hawwaa’, may Allaah exalt their mention.

Firstly, their transgression was because of the devil, since he whispered to them to eat from the tree, promising them angelic qualities or immortality. Allaah the Almighty says (what means): {But Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was concealed from them of their private parts. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal."}[Quran 7:20] Ibn Katheer stated that this verse means Satan claimed they would never die after eating from the tree, and, as Allaah the Almighty says (which means): {he swore [by Allaah] to them, "Indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors."}[Quran 7:21]

In another place, Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {Then Satan whispered to him; he said, "O Aadam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?"}[Quran 20:120] This verse shows that Satan said he would direct them to the tree that would grant them perpetual life and great wealth that would not diminish.

Secondly, Aadam and Hawwaa’, may Allaah exalt their mention, both, repented; and, it was narrated by Ibn Mas‘ood that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that a person who repents is akin to one who has not committed any wrongdoings. [Ibn Maajah] Allaah the Almighty says (what means):

· {Then Aadam received from his Lord [some] words, and He accepted his repentance. Indeed, it is He who is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.}[Quran 2:37]

· {And Aadam disobeyed his Lord and erred. Then his Lord chose him and turned to him in forgiveness and guided [him].}[Quran 20:121,122]

Thirdly, they cannot be censured for a sin they committed so long as they repented.

The reality is that we did not inherit their sin. In other words, every one of us did not commit the same transgression. We make mistakes because we are people who are not infallible, and it is human to err. But, the best person is the one who repents quickly, as shown in the aforementioned Hadeeth.

When Moosa (Moses) talked to Aadam, may Allaah exalt their mention, and blamed him for his and his offspring’s expulsion from Paradise on account of his sin, the latter replied with a definitive answer that deflects all blame, and said, “How can you rebuke me for something that Allaah the Almighty predetermined [to occur] before even creating me?” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that Aadam thus [rightly] refuted what Moosa said. [Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah] The wording of other narrations say that [Aadam mentioned] it was decreed forty years before his creation. [Muslim] An-Nawawi said that predetermination or destiny here means that Allaah the Almighty decreed this and wrote it on the Preserved Tablet. If so, then, Aadam cannot be blamed at all.

Fourthly, it is important to note the great aspect of our religion: that every individual will be held accountable for the sins they have personally committed, not of others’ wrongdoings. That said, one will be responsible for misleading others, who then follow him. Allaah the Almighty says (what means):

· {Every soul, for what it has earned, will be retained}[Quran 74:38]

· {Every person, for what he earned, is retained.}[Quran 52:21]

· {No bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another}[Quran 6:164]

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told us that any person who beckons to good, will have the same reward as those who may emulate him, without either’s reward being decreased. Likewise, whoever calls toward evil will incur the same sin as those who follow him, without their sins being diminished. [Muslim]

Moreover, Allaah the Almighty rewards those who enjoin virtue and on account of all those who are guided to the right path because of them.

This is different from what the followers of the distorted Gospel claim: that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the son of Allaah; Glorious is He and far Above what they say. They also claim that ‘Eesa was crucified as penance for the sin of Aadam, may Allaah exalt their mention. All this is invalid because the former is neither a god nor the son of God, but rather, just an honorable Prophet. Furthermore, he was not crucified or killed but raised to the heavens, as Allaah the Almighty Says (what means):

{And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allaah." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allaah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allaah Exalted in Might and Wise.}[Quran 4:157,158]

Moreover, Aadam is not, and was never, in need of someone to expiate his sin, because he himself had already repented for it, as mentioned above.