Did Hz. Adam (pbuh) commit any sins?

A Brief Description of the Question: 

Did Hz. Adam (pbuh) commit any sins?

The Answer: 

It is very important in which sense the words in the Quran are used. If it is thought that prophets are innocent, it will be clearly understood that it is definitely not a conscious disobedience.

As a matter of fact, when the incident is narrated in the previous verses, it is stated that Hz. Adam (pbuh) forgot this covenant:

"We had already beforehand, taken the covenant of Adam, but he forgot: and We found on his part no firm resolve." (Taha, 20/115)

That is, this deed of Hz. Adam (pbuh) is not a conscious deed aiming to oppose the order of Allah. Therefore, it is possible to understand the verse as follows not as disobedience in the sense we understand:

"In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them: they began to sew together, for their covering, leaves from the Garden: thus did Adam disobey his Lord, and allow himself to be seduced." (Taha, 20/121)

Prophets do not commit sins.

Sins are divided into two as major and minor sins. The principal major sins are as follows: Killing, fornication, drinking alcohol, opposing one's parents, gambling, perjury and supporting the innovations (bid'ahs) that will harm the religion. 1

No prophet committed any major sins before or after they became prophets.

However, some prophets made some mistakes called "zallah" by forgetting or by abandoning the better one. 2Hz. Adam's eating the fruit of the forbidden tree in Paradise can be given as an example of a zallah. When Hz. Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he did not commit a sin in the sense that we know; he abandoned the better one. Consequently, he and his wife were deprived of the bounties of Paradise due to this mistake. Since there is no concept of sin and reward in Paradise, it is understood that this sin has a form that is different from what is known.

One of the bounties of Paradise is that there is no need "to go to the toilet" there. 3  Hz. Adam (pbuh) and Hawwa (Eve) did not pee or crap in Paradise because what they ate did not have any waste material. Their private parts were hidden by a garment or luminous light. 4 To eat the fruit of the forbidden tree would cause their private parts to be uncovered and cause them to pee and crap; that is why, God Almighty prohibited them from eating the fruit of that tree. 5 As a matter of fact, as soon as they ate the fruit of the forbidden tree, their private parts, which they had not seen before, were uncovered. They started to cover them with leaves because it was not appropriate to leave them uncovered. 6

It is necessary not to forget the share of qadar (destiny) in the incident of Hz. Adam's eating the fruit of the forbidden tree and being sent out of Paradise. For, purpose and wisdom of the creation of man by God Almighty was realized only when Hz. Adam and Hawwa were sent down to the world. Abu'l-Hasan ash-Shazali states the following about the zallah of Hz. Adam:

"A sin so full of wisdom that caused the repentance of the people to come up to the Day of Judgment to become legitimate." 7

Footnotes:

1. Barla Lahikası, p. 179.
2. Muvazzah ilm-i Kelâm, p.184; Fıkh-ı Ekber Şerhi, p.154; Risale-i Hamidiye, p. 491.
3. Muslim, Jannah: 15.
4. Tefsîr-i Kebir , 14:49; Hak Dini Kur'ân Dili, 3:2140.
5. Hülasatül-Beyan ,2:4748.
6. al-A'raf, 22.
7. Risale-i Hamidiye, p. 611.

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