What does Hz. Adam and Hz. Hawwa's getting down to the world with enmity mean? Who are the enemies mentioned in the phrase: "get down with enmity between yourselves"?

"Then did Satan make them slip from the (Garden) and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. (al-Baqara, 35) We said: "Get ye down all (ye people) with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling place and your means of livelihood for a time." (al-Baqara, 36/al-Araf, 24) What is meant by the expression "with enmity between yourselves"? Who are the enemies ordered to get down with enmity between themselves? Are the enmities in this world included in it?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The meaning of verse 24 of the chapter of al-Araf is as follows:

"(Allah) said: "Get ye down, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood― for a time."

The people meant by the phrase "Get down, with enmity between yourselves" in the verse areHz. Adam, Hz. Hawwa (Eve) and Iblis/Satan. They are three people; therefore, the verb “ihbitu (get down)”, which is a form of imperative used for at least three people, is used. However, the real enmity is between Hz. Adam and Satan. Hz. Hawwa is subject to Hz. Adam. Therefore, in verse 123 of the chapter of Taha, the verb is used as ”ihbita” which is a form of imperative used for two people. (see Ibn Kathir, the interpretation of the relevant verse)

Besides, this meaning includes wars, all kinds of fights and enmities in the world.

"..We said, 'Get down' so that some of you will be enemies that will oppress and transgress others, so that the earth will be a temporary place to live for a while (that is, until you die) and so that you will deserve to live there..."(see Elmalılı, the interpretation of the relevant verse)

Adam and Hawwa did not insist on obeying Satan and they repented to Allah by noticing their sins; and as it is stated in verse 37 of the chapter of al-Baqara, Allah accepted their repentance and sent them to the world, which is a place of testing; it was ordained that human beings would scatter on earth and settle there, take shelter, live, die and be resurrected there. Thus, it is understood from this verse and the other related verses (see al-Baqara 2/36, 38; Taha 20/123) that Adam and his wife were expelled from Paradise due to a sin they committed and that this incident affected the fate of human beings. 

Conflicts and enmities were ordained as a part of the worldly life like brotherhood and friendship.It can be thought that the enmity here can express the eternal enmity between man and Satan, the disagreements between the wife and the husband, and the conflicts among the descendants of Hz. Adam and Hawwa. Therefore, according to an interpretation, they, including Iblis, were addressed as "Get down!" For, no enmity could occur in Paradise, which the Quran describes as "darussalam" (land of peace).

Doubtlessly, Hz. Adam and Hawwa's being pure and sinless in Paradise was not based on will; therefore, it did not have an ethical value - even if it is not regarded as a bad state - ; it had an instinctive characteristic. However, it is understood that, along with the prohibition "...do not approach that tree...", they were given the power of will and preference whether to obey the prohibition or not; thus, the father and mother of the human beings moved to the phase of acting consciously and willfully from the phase of acting instinctually with incident of eating from the forbidden tree; they realized their bad deed and asked for forgiveness; then, they were forgiven. In this case, the process that started with the first sin and continued with the expulsion from Paradise indicates an elevation for humanity in terms of ethics, not a decline; it also indicates the beginning of a species that is different from other beings, that is called "man", that can act freely and make mistakes but that can realize his mistakes and apologize and ask for forgiveness and that can show the consciousness and will of tending toward good deeds. (see Kur'an Yolu, Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, the explanation of the relevant verse)

This verse and similar ones states that Hz. Adam, Hawwa and Iblis were sent down to the earth from high ranks due to disobeying Allah's order and that an enmity started between them. It is also reminded that they will live on earth, die there and be gathered there again and scattered.

Enmity will occur among people; and enmity between humans and satans and jinn will not disappear.

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