ADAM AND EVE THEORY

The Biblical concept of “Adam and Eve” had wrought havoc with the existence of women. It has had deep and far-reaching impact on her dignity and freedom and all that is beautiful in human life. As such it needs to be explained and discussed in more detail. Its implications are as follows:

(a) God created only the make creature, called MAN. Soon the MAN felt lonely, so God created WOMAN for MAN. Thus a woman came into existence not on her own right but to fulfill man’s purpose. Such indeed is the “Divine purpose” of woman’s existence on this earth.

(b) Woman was created from Adam’s rib-a rib that is crooked and cannot be straightened.

(c) It was a woman, and not man, who was tempted by Satan, implying thereby that man is stronger them woman and is, by himself, not pone to temptation. The woman is also wicked, because, she in her turn, tempted man. Thus while man emerges as the innocent party in this story, woman is confirmed as weak and wicked.

(d) Woman was caused by God. Her punishment was her labor pains in child birth! And, as if this is not enough, her sin is bequeathed to her progeny. Every child bears the burden of his/her first parents sin on his/her back.logically then, ideal life is that of monasticism, that is, keeping away from women.

Unfortunately, this concept has penetrated the beliefs of the conventional “Muslim” as well. This theory of “Adam and Eve” is invariably referred to prove the inferiority and wickedness of women.

The Quran has not even feeble affinity with this theory. It declared that men and women exist on their own right, and that both were created out of one single life cell. Both are responsible for their own actions and deeds. A woman is neither weak nor wicked simply because is she a woman. In Surah 2, Verse 36, it is stated that both men and women are equally susceptible to temptation.

It is very important to understand this in the interest of the future of women in Pakistan and the world at large. As long as the concept of Eve being created for man prevails, women can never be free in true sense of the word. The emancipated woman of the west has achieved a very high statues in the society and performs manifold activates, but sub-consciously, her role is till to fulfill mans purpose.

The Quranic attitude towards women has already been referred to above. All that needs to be understood at this stage is that the Quranic reference to “Adam” is equivalent to the English world “Man” and hence “mankind”. “Adam” was not an individual. He is symbolic of mankind, and the story of “Adam” is an allegory to explain the status of human beings in relation to their own lives, to each other , and the universe. In a nutshell, it bring home to us the following Truths:

(1) man can conquer all animate and inanimate objects around him. (Malaika)

(2) Man has been endowed, unlike other creations with the faculty of will and choice with the result that he can also say No to the Laws of God. (Shaitan)

(3) Deviation from God’s was mean frustration and pessimism. (Iblis)

(4) But there is always hope for the regeneration of they again follow the path laid down by God’s laws, revealed to the anbiya.

These are the implications of the Quranic concept of the story of “Adam”.