The Second ForbiddenTree
Adam was the first man. After he was created, he was placed in
paradise where he enjoyed all kinds of freedom. But in paradise
there was one tree which was forbidden. Adam was told that he
could live freely in paradise, but that he was not allowed to go to this
forbidden tree that if he failed to obey the commandment, he would
be expelled from paradise. In a similar way, there is also a forbidden
tree in this world, and that is violence. Those who act with violence,
shall have to pay a heavy price for this crime and that is, being barred
from entering paradise. We learn from the Quran that when Adam
and Eve were settled on earth, a tragedy took place in the very
beginning. Two sons of Adam, Cain and Abel, became involved in
a confrontational situation, which ended with Cain killing Abel.
Citing this incident as a bad precedent, God made the following
revelation:
“That was why we laid it down for the children of Israel that
whoever killed a human being ---except as a punishment for murder
or for spreading corruption in the land---shall be regarded as having
killed all mankind, and that whoever saved a human life shall be
regarded as having saved all mankind” (5:32). Such strong words have
not been revealed for any other crime in the Quran. This shows that
the gravest crime in the eyes of God is one man taking the life of
another. The only exception in this matter is for a court or other
authorized body under an established government, when it enforces
the rule of justice. There is no exception to this rule for the common
man.
This strict forbidding of violence is essential, because violence
goes against the natural system. The natural system established by
the Creator is one according to which everyman and woman receives
the full opportunity to work in freedom. But violence and aggression
disturbs this whole natural system. Violence is an intervention in
the natural system of the Creator. And, without doubt, such an
intervention is a very serious crime.
How can we bring about an environment free from violence and
aggression in this world? The answer is only one---the God-fearing
have to bear the responsibility of exercising patience unilaterally:
even if they are provoked, or are subjected to violence, they must
