Hawwa: The Mother of Mankind

She is the mother of mankind. She is created from one of Adam’s ribs. Allah the Almighty says:

{He created you (all) from a single person: then created, of like nature, his mate} 39: 6

It was after Adam had been created the angels were asked to prostrate to him, for by Allah’s grace, his status had actually been raised higher. All of the angels prostrated save Iblis (Satan) who in turn was expelled from the Garden owing to his rebelliousness. Adam and his wife, Hawwa were placed in the Garden of comfort and Bless but it was Allah’s plan to give him a limited faculty of choice. All that he was forbidden to do was to approach the tree, but he succumbed to Satan’s suggestions.

Adam and Hawwa were innocent in matters material as well as spiritual. They knew no evil. But the faculty of choice, which was given to them and which raised them above the angels, also implied that they has the capacity of evil, which by the training of their own will, they were to reject. They were warned of the danger. When they fell, they realized the evil of the danger. When they fell they realized the evil. They were as we are still given the chance in this life on a lower plane, to make goof recover the lost status of innocence and bliss.

Adam and Hawaah were commanded to inhabit the earth. They were very sad. Both of them repented and Allah accepted their repentance because it was sincere. They were told by Allah that the earth is their original abode where they would live and die and be resurrected from one the Day of Judgment. Allah the Almighty said:

{He said: "Therein shall ye live, and therein shall ye die; but from it shall ye be taken out (at last). 7:25

Some people claim that Hawwa is the real reason why mankind does not dwell in paradise because she asked Adam to eat from the tree. They believe that if it were not for this sin we would have continued to live there. This is undoubtedly a naive view. When Allah the almighty willed the creation of Adam He told the angels.

{I will create a vicegerent on earth] Al Baqrah: 39

He almighty did not say “I will create a vicegerent on Paradise” Allah, the high exalted, knew that Adam and Hawwaa would eat from that tree and descend on earth, He knew that Satan would rob them of innocence. The knowledge they learned was to become essential for their life on earth.

From the very early down of life on earth, Satan tried to tempt our parents (and all of us) in order that he might manage to keep them away from the path of Allah. Thus, it is an ongoing was and we should fight against Satan to win paradise.