Tree of life (Quran)

The Tree of Immortality (Arabic: شَجَرَةُ الْخُلْد, romanized: šajara al-ḫuld) is the tree of life motif as it appears in the Quran. It is also alluded to in hadiths and tafsir. Unlike in the biblical account, the Quran mentions only one tree in Jannah, which was whispered to Adam by Syaitan as the tree of immortality,^[1] and which God specifically forbade to Adam and Hawa. There is no tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Quran.^[2][3]

The Tree of Immortality, Palace of Shaki Khans, Azerbaijan

The tree in the Quran is used as an example of a concept, idea, way of life or code of life. A good concept/idea is represented as a good tree and a bad idea/concept is represented as a bad tree.^[4] Syaitan appeared to them and told them that the only reason God forbade them to eat from that tree was that they would become angels or start using the idea/concept of ownerships in conjunction with inheritance generations after generations, which Iblis convinced Adam to accept.^[5]

See also

• List of characters and names mentioned in the Quran#Plant matter
• Sidrat al-Muntaha

References

1. "The Qur'an, 20:120". Quran.com - The Noble Qur'an. Retrieved 4 August 2020. فَوَسْوَسَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّيْطَانُ قَالَ يَا آدَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَىٰ شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لَّا يَبْلَىٰ But Syaitan whispered to him, saying, "O Adam, shall I direct thee unto the tree of immortality, and a possession that withers not away?"
2. Brannon Wheeler Prophets in the Quran: An Introduction to the Quran and Muslim Exegesis 0826449565 2002 Page 24 "Abu Hurayrah: The Prophet Muhammad said: "In Paradise is a tree in the shade of which the stars course 100 years without cutting it: the Tree of Immortality." "
3. Oliver Leaman The Qur'an: An Encyclopedia 0415326397, 2006, p.11 "Unlike the biblical account of Eden, the Qur'an mentions only one special tree in Eden, the Tree of Immortality, from which Adam and Hawa were prohibited."
4. "The Qur'an, 14:24". Quran.com - The Noble Qur'an. Retrieved 4 August 2020. Sahih International - Have you not considered how Allah presents an example, [making] a good word like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed and its branches [high] in the sky?
5. "The Qur'an, 20:120". Quran.com - The Noble Qur'an. Retrieved 4 August 2020. Sahih International - Then Syaitan whispered to him; he said, "O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?"