In Bible Versus Quran: The Serpent Is Cursed And Eats Dust

In Bible Versus Quran: The Serpent Is Cursed And Eats Dust

Who is cursed in Bible vs. Quran-1?

 

This is the first article of the series: “Who is cursed in Bible versus Quran”

In the Bible the Lord God says that the earth and the serpent are cursed.

The Earth is Cursed because of Adam; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for Adam to eat; the serpent is cursed because of Eve and it will eat dust.

In the Quran, Allah has cursed Iblis (Satan or the Devil).

 

==================================

 

Who is cursed in the Bible? (1)

 

The following verses, Genesis 3: 1, 11-18, which talks about Adam and Eve, reveals some interesting facts; they are:

1-     God has cursed the Earth and the serpent                    

2-     The serpent is the craftiest animal and is the cause of Eve’s fall

3-     Eve is the cause of Adam’s fall

4-     Man rules over woman

5-     The serpent eats dust

6-     Adam was essentially vegetarian.

 

The verses Genesis 3: 1, 11-18 say:

 

The serpent is deceitful and skillful in evil schemes; it is craftier than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. The serpent said to Eve, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

God said unto Adam, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I have commanded you not to eat from?”

Adam said unto the Lord God, “The woman (Eve) whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”

The Lord God said to Eve, “What is this you have done?” Eve said, “The serpent deceived and beguiled me, and I ate.”

God said unto the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

God said unto Eve, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

The Lord God said unto Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground (the Earth) because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it (the Earth) all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.”

 

==================================

 

Who is cursed in the Quran? (1)

 

The following verses, 15:26-44, which talks about Adam’s creation, reveals some interesting facts; they are:

1-     Allah created the jinn before the creation of Adam

2-     Allah created Adam of black mud that stinks; this indicates that the Bacteria (stinks) were mixed with the clay-Adam. These bacteria would form later on the normal body flora in the living-Adam.  This normal body flora comprises 60-70% of the immunity of any human being including Adam.

3-     Allah celebrated the creation of Adam by commanding the Angels to prostrate once the clay-Adam turns out to be the living Adam when Allah places the spirit into him. This prostration is the Angel’s greeting for Adam and it is a great honor for mankind.

4-     The Angels prostrated save the too proud Iblis (Satan) who was standing among the angels, watching Adam’s creation.

      5- Then, there was a dialogue between Allah and Satan.

 

The verses 15:26-44 say:

 

Allah created the jinn before the creation of Adam of smokeless fire, of permeative fire that can escape through openings.

Allah created Adam of black mud that stinks.

Allah said to the angels, “Indeed I am going to create a mortal out of clay of black stinking mud”. “So, when I have proportioned him, when I created his hands, legs, eyes and the rest of him and I have breathed into him of My Spirit, so that he becomes a living thing, fall down in prostration before him!’

And so, the angels fell prostrate to Adam, all of them together. Except Iblis (Satan or the Devil), he was [standing] among the angels: he felt too proud and refused to be among those prostrating to Adam.

 

Then, there was a dialogue between Allah and Satan (Iblis):

 

Allah said: O Iblis! Why you are not among those prostrating? Why do you not prostrate to Adam?

 

Satan said: Why should I prostrate myself before a mortal whom you have created out of clay of black stinking mud; it is not becoming of me to prostrate to black stinking mud.

 

Allah said: ‘Then be gone from hence, that is, from standing among the angels — but it is also said, from the heavens — for you are indeed accursed, outcast, and banished from My mercy.  And indeed My curse and the curse of the angels and all created beings shall be upon you until the Day of Judgment, the Day of Requital.

 

Satan said: My Lord! Reprieve me until the day when they, mankind, shall be resurrected and are raised from the grave; the accursed did not wish to taste death.

 

Allah said: you are reprieved, you will be given respite. Till an appointed time, the time of the first blast of the Trumpet.

 

Satan said: ‘My Lord, because You have lead me astray I shall adorn for them all the evil acts in the earth and I shall lead all of them astray. Except those servants of Yours who are protected from me, who are sincerely devoted to You.

 

Allah said: The straight path leading to Me is the right and honored course.  Lo! As for My servants, the devoted believers, you shall have nether warrant nor power over them; except those who follow you from among the wicked, the disbelievers. And truly Hell shall be their destination; all those who follow and obey you shall be with you in Hell.

 

===================================

 

The Bible: Genesis 3: 1, 11-18 (English Standard Version)

 

1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

11He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.

15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

16To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

17And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

18thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

 

==================================

 

The Quran: Verses 15:26-44 (Pickthal translation)

 

?26? verily we created man of potter’s clay of black mud altered,

?27?and the jinn did we create aforetime of essential fire.

?28? and (remember) when thy lord said unto the angels: lo! I am creating a mortal out of potter’s clay of black mud altered,

?29? so, when I have made him and have breathed into him of my spirit, do ye fall down, prostrating yourselves unto him.

?30? so the angels fell prostrate, all of them together

?31? save Iblis. He refused to be among the prostrate.

?32? he said: o Iblis! What aileth thee that thou art not among the prostrate?

?33? he said: I am not one to prostrate myself unto a mortal whom thou hast created out of potter’s clay of black mud altered!

?34? he (Allah)  said: then go thou forth from hence, for lo! Thou art outcast.

?35? and lo! The curse shall be upon thee till the Day of Judgment.

?36? he said: my lord! Reprieve me till the day when they are raised.

?37? he said: then lo! Thou art of those reprieved

?38? till the day of appointed time.

?39? he said: my lord! Because thou hast sent me astray, I verily shall adorn the path of error for them in the earth, and shall mislead them every one,

 ?40?? save such of them as are thy perfectly devoted slaves.

?41? he said: this is a right course incumbent upon me:

?42? lo! As for my slaves, thou hast no power over any of them save such of the froward as follow thee,

?43? and lo! For all such, hell will be the promised place.

 

========================

 

The wisdom of Adam’ story in the Quran:

 

1) Before Allah has given Adam the spirit to live, the clay-Adam was stinking; and after the spirit leaves the man when he dies, he will stink again.

2) So, the man’s beginning was stinking and the man’s end is eventually stinking too.  The spirit provided by Allah is between the two man’ stink.

3) Our body is material + spirit.  We almost always give our material part its proper nourishment.  Also, our spirit part needs sustenance too by being connected to its Creator.  Unfortunately, most of us do not give their spirit part its proper nourishment; and that is why most us are not happy and will never ever be satisfied. Hence, the secret of happiness is in our spirit part.

4) It is Satan, not the serpent, who is our essential enemy.

5) In other verses of the Quran, both Adam and Eve ate from the tree at the same time; so Eve was not the cause of Adam’s fall.

 

Back to my question to the smart and interested reader:

Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?