A garden, a tree, a prohibition, a serpent, and two people who discover they are naked: the story in Genesis is short, and it distinguishes carefully between the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil [1]. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says its details are symbols holding meanings no calendar can measure, and He offers several at once. Adam may be the spirit and Eve his self; the tree may be the maturity of God’s Cause, which Adam desired in an age that could no more digest it than a nursing infant can eat solid food; the forbidden fruit may be the desires that still shut each of us out of the paradise of the soul. Bahá’u’lláh reads the prohibition as a fact of growth rather than a rule, like the impossibility of an embryo being an adult. Masculine and feminine, He adds, belong to bodies, and the spirit is free of both. The garden opens onto the Torah and the Jewish people, original sin, and the question of how the Bible is to be interpreted.
As to the record in the Bible concerning Adam's entering paradise, His eating from the tree and His expulsion through the temptation of Satan: These are all symbols beneath which there are wonderful and divine meanings not to be calculated in years, dates and measurement of time. Likewise, the statement that God created the heaven and the earth in six days is symbolic. We will not explain this further today. The texts of the Holy Books are all symbolical, needing authoritative interpretation.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at 309 W 78th St on 1912-Jul-05 -- ABU0403)
02
As regards the story of Adam, peace be upon him, its outward meaning is not what is intended, but rather its inner significances. The tree is none other than the Tree of Life, firmly rooted, with branches extending to the vault of heaven, ever-bearing fruit and breaking the fast of every spiritual wayfarer. The prohibition given to Adam was not a legislative or prescriptive prohibition, but rather an existential one - like the prevention of an embryo from assuming the conditions of a mature adult.
… Eve represents Adam's own soul.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1908-Jul-08, to Aqa Abdu'l-Husayn son of Muhammad Taqi Isfahani -- AB00134)
03
Adam desired that the Law of God reach its ultimate degree of maturity, but this was not possible, for the maturity and growth of God's Cause was dependent and conditional upon the Blessed Promised Day. For example, an infant at nursing cannot possibly manifest all human perfections nor partake of delicious foods, but must be content with milk until reaching maturity when human perfections become manifest and evident in him.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1901-May-07, to Hasan Khurasani -- AB00038)
04
The tree of Adam represents the maturity of the world. Adam desired that the world's maturity be manifested in that age, which caused delay. It is like when a loving father wishes his infant to partake of the most delicate and delicious foods, but the infant's stomach cannot digest it, producing the opposite effect and depriving him even of his basic nourishment.
Adam is the symbol of the childhood of the race of man. Childhood has not a great capacity, therefore when he put out his hand to take the apple, he had not the capacity to receive such great knowledge as the apple symbolizes.
The Bab said: "The day of Adam is, as compared with the Day of the Blessed Perfection, as a child in the womb of its mother beside a full grown and perfect man." He did not mean that the world was then in its infancy, but that the Bounties of God then poured out upon all the people of those days were so much less than those manifested in the days of the Blessed Perfection.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Alma Albertson et al, spoken on 1900-Dec-01 -- ABU0810)
07
Suppose a mirror represents the prophets, and the sun represents God, and the sun's rays the Holy Spirit. The mirror of Adam was dull, for the people of the world were not sufficiently advanced at that time to receive more light than the mirror of Adam sent forth, therefore God reflected the light upon a dull glass.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken in Dec. 1900 -- ABU1184)
08
God took a covenant from Adam, peace be upon him, that neither he nor his wife should approach the Tree, saying "Draw not nigh unto this Tree." The Tree is the Tree of Life, the Supreme Horizon, the Divine Lote-Tree, the Tree of Blessedness, and the Furthermost Sanctuary -- the station of Universal Reality, the Divine Essence, the Single Identity, and the Perfect Manifestation, which is distinguished by the mystery of existence and the Praiseworthy Light. Adam desired to manifest the Primary Effulgence, the Hidden Secret, and the Preserved and Guarded Symbol during his cycle and dispensation -- that is, in its complete revelation and manifestation -- but this was not possible....
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to Mirza Qahraman Avarzamani -- AB08363)
The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.
09
The Tree of Life refers to human life - in forbidden things, meaning transgressions and desires make humans accountable and deprive them of the gifts of the paradise of the soul, unless Adam walks on the straight path of moderation and divine teachings and does not transgress his station and limits.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1913-Jun-07 in Paris -- ABU2063)
10
Sin is the state of man in the world of the baser nature, for in nature exist defects such as injustice, tyranny, hatred, hostility, strife: these are characteristics of the lower plane of nature. These are the sins of the world, the fruits of the tree from which Adam did eat.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Evil: Words spoken ca. 1912-Dec-26 in London -- ABU2403)
11
All things when God created them were perfect, until Adam and Eve left the garden and Cain killed Abel. Then the lands and those upon them changed, and things fell into a drunken state and heedlessness, turning away from their Beloved and toward themselves, unmindful of the path of their servitude to God, glorified be He.
We did forbid Adam and his mate from Our tree in that Gate, and We willed that they should draw nigh unto it according to what We knew concerning them. Thus did they draw nigh, and were deprived of the blessings of Paradise.
… Verily We commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam of the Gate, and the angels all prostrated in truth upon the ground of the heart together, save Iblis who refused and grew proud concerning Our command, and was thus in the Mother Book rejected from that Gate.
(The Báb, Qayyumu'l-Asma' (Commentary on the Surah of Joseph), 1260-05 [1844-May] -- BB00002)
13
Be thou in such wise that the veils of the world withhold thee not, nor the doubts of the nations prevent thee from this noble prospect. Thus doth He teach thee Who taught Adam all the names.
(Bahá’u’lláh, 1292-05-19 [1875-Jun-23], to Mulla Ali Akbar brother of Ahmad -- BH07826)
14
God taught Adam the names of all beneath his station, and this Adam, our father Adam, is a thousand thousand Adams removed from the First Adam, yet he cannot know the names of the Imams, for even Jesus, noblest of prophets, admitted this, as God relates his words: "I know not what is in Thy Self." What is related in traditions that God taught Adam the names of the Five for his repentance - Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn - such that none calls upon God through them but God must answer, that knowledge was at Adam's station, and nothing surpasses its source.
(The Báb, Tafsir-i-Hadith-i-Ma'rifati Nafs, 1261 [1844-1845] -- BB00098)
15
God has always judged the essence of all things without regard to their outward form. Consider the tradition regarding the Proof, where he, peace be upon him, says: "Whoever wishes to behold Adam, let him look upon..." and did not say "look at Adam," even though Adam was alive upon the earth. Not in the sense of that primordial, original, innate Adamic nature, but rather through the manifestation of those divine attributes - that same Adam was alive. Yet the judgment pertains to what lies within, for the essence that was in Adam was the divine manifestation, and thus He made him Adam. When that manifestation transferred to another throne, this became the throne of manifestation, and likewise until it transferred to Muhammad, the Messenger of God.
(The Báb, Panj Sha'n (Book of the Five Modes), 1266-04 ca. [1850-Feb] -- BB00005)
The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.
16
Say: O people! We sent forth the First Creation by Our command, and We made him a Word, and We sent him to earth and made him the father of all creation. We gave him progeny from Our presence and made them inheritors.
And when We desired to manifest the Cause in the kingdom of creation, We took a handful of clay in the grasp of Our power, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Wise. Then We kneaded it with the waters of holiness and breathed into it a spirit from the spirits We had created in the heaven of eternity, and We fashioned it according to a temple from among the temples of holiness, and We named it Adam in the heaven of names, if thou be of them that know.
(Bahá’u’lláh, Ridvanu'l-Iqrar, to Muhammad-Ali et al -- BH00227)
18
The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is in reality an illustration of the development of man, or rather the evolution of the power of God in mankind, from its conception. By Adam is really intended the reality of the existence (or essence) of man, his five ranks or stations in his existence.
Nevertheless, We shall briefly and concisely relate to thee, and thou must be guided by the indication to the truth: Adam's lamentation for seventy thousand years does not refer to known years and counted time, but rather to an assumed period encompassing an extended time - like the Day of Resurrection which was specified as fifty thousand years yet passed in a single minute, like the twinkling of an eye, or even less.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1903 ca., to Aqa Shaykh Husayn-Ali brother of Karbala'i Qasim -- AB00216)
20
O maid-servant of God, the example of His Holiness Christ is similar to His Holiness Adam. Did the first man who was created in the world have a father and mother? Certainly, he had no father nor mother, and thus Jesus was without father.
Our Lord said, "You believe in the Creation of man?" (Adam) They said "Yes." Our Lord said to them "And who were the father and mother of Adam? You said that you couldn't believe that Jesus Christ could be born without an earthly father (when he had a Mother) yet you can believe that Adam was born without either."
The meaning of Adam is the reality that bestows bounties, is manifest and active, for in him are comprised the outward manifestations of the divine names and attributes, and the various states of the All-Merciful. Eve is the reality that is dependent, on which bounties are bestowed, which is subservient and influenced, for it is under the influence of all the divine names and attributes.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Sharh-i-Fass-i-Nigin (on the Ringstone Symbol), 1908-Aug-20, to Muhammad Ali Mahallati -- AB00328)
23
For this pairing of male and female exists in all the animals and plants. They even argue that the Qur'an itself affirms this pairing of all things: "Glory be to Him Who hath created all the pairs, of such things as earth produceth, and out of men themselves, and of things beyond their ken"; that is, man, animals, and plants are all found in pairs. "And of everything have We created two kinds"; that is, We have created all things in pairs.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Chapter 17, The Birth of Christ, 1904 ca. -- AB00920)
24
When we look upon creation, we find the male and female principle apparent in all phenomena of existence. In the vegetable kingdom we find the male and female fig tree, the male and female palm, the mulberry tree and so on.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Public address given at Hotel Sacramento on 1912-Oct-25 -- ABU0040)
25
Among them was Adam, whom God forgave after he transgressed what was forbidden him, and made him a Prophet and sent him with truth to give glad tidings to those who were certain of the presence of God.
Question: What is the truth of the story of Adam and His eating from the tree?
Answer: It is recorded in the Torah that God placed Adam in the garden of Eden to work and tend it, and said to Him: "Eat freely of every tree of the garden, save for the tree of good and evil, for if thou wert to eat thereof thou wouldst surely die." Then it is said that God caused Adam to sleep, took a bone from His ribs, and created a woman to be His companion. Further on it is said that the serpent tempted the woman to eat of the tree, saying: "God has forbidden you to eat from the tree, that your eyes may not be opened and that you may not discern good from evil." Then Eve ate from the tree and gave unto Adam, who also ate. Whereupon their eyes were opened, they found themselves naked, and they covered their nakedness with leaves.
… These verses of the Torah have therefore numerous meanings. We will explain one of them and will say that by Adam is meant the spirit of Adam and by Eve is meant His self. For in certain passages of the sacred scriptures where women are mentioned, the intended meaning is the human self.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Chapter 30, Adam and Eve, 1904 ca. -- AB00100)
27
It is said in the Old Testament, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Observe that Adam is said to have come into being from the spirit of life. Moreover, John's utterance in regard to the Apostles proves that they also proceeded from the heavenly Father.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Chapter 18, The Greatness of Christ, 1904 ca. -- AB01218)
28
Know thou that masculine and feminine are characteristics of physical bodies and have no connection with the spirit. The spirit and its realm are sanctified from such conditions and are free from every description that applies to bodies in the contingent world.
… Without doubt, the beginning of this spiritual creation was the Manifestation itself in every age and cycle, for each Manifestation of Truth is Adam, and the first to believe in Him is Eve, and all souls who are born with the second spiritual birth are their children and descendants.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1903-Oct-24, to Isabella D Brittingham -- AB03015)
29
He said, 'I am following the example of God. As God has repeatedly mentioned Adam's sin in all the heavenly books, I am doing the same to other people.'
Yesterday, in response to the request of the editor of the Christian Commonwealth, I wrote something for that journal: that because of contention with Satan, Adam was expelled from Paradise.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1912-Dec-25 in London -- ABU3724)
31
Remember how Adam and the others once dwelt together in Eden. No sooner, however, did a quarrel break out between Adam and Satan than they were, one and all, banished from the Garden, and this was meant as a warning to the human race, a means of telling humankind that dissension---even with the Devil---is the way to bitter loss.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, 1913-Jan-21, to Readers of Christian Commonwealth Newspaper -- AB02153)
32
As for the matter of "Adam disobeyed" and the verse "that which preceded of thy sin and that which followed" - this station is where "the good deeds of the righteous are the sins of those drawn nigh" and "thy very existence is a sin that no sin can encompass." A breath on the mirror appears, and imaginary dust in the eye causes distress. The Exalted One says "even thy seeking nearness to Me is like the misbelief of others." Now, God forbid one should say that seeking nearness to God is sin and misbelief, and therefore the Holy Manifestations are not the embodiment of the Most Great Infallibility. I seek God's forgiveness from this! They are infallible, protected, holy and preserved.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, to Ghulam-Husayn Bunabi -- AB00353)
33
The Kaf is the rank of the Primal Will, and the Nun is the rank of Purpose, and the Primal Will is the father of all things and Purpose their mother. … Through the Kaf God created the substance of things and the sign of His uniqueness and the temple of His oneness, indicating God alone, and it is the highest consciousness in contingency wherein God alone is known, and it is called the heart. Through the Nun God created things from the beginning of inclination toward Himself to the uttermost multiplicity, from infinity unto infinity.
First: Were there affinities? That is, were the souls created in pairs and did they belong to each other forever and ever, even if they did not meet on this earth?
He said: "Yes" - that everything was created in pairs, but that this earth was the flaming sword and sometimes, even if affinities met, they could not be happy for various reasons connected with the imperfect conditions here; but in spirit they were related forever. Sometimes of course they meet here and have the happiness of living together here, but in that case nearly always they suffered in some other way, because the conditions for perfect happiness do not exist on this earth. The nearest we can come to that is to know the Truth and work in the Cause of God; then nothing matters to us, and material conditions lose their power to affect our happiness.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words to Miss E. Goodall, Kheirallah et al in March 1899 -- ABU2647)
35
All created beings are male and female, and there is no difference between their males and females. Looking at the plant kingdom, we see there are male and female, and there is equality between them with no distinction. In all creation, botanical perfections are equal, just as you are equal with them.
(‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Words spoken on 1911-Nov-14 in Paris -- ABU1437)
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
36
'Adam' signifieth that reality which is pervasive, effulgent and active, that is the manifestation of God's Names and Attributes, and the evidences of His mercy. Whereas 'Eve' is that reality which is the seeker and the recipient of the force, the grace, the message and the influence - that reality which receiveth the impact of all God's Names and Attributes.
(Abdu'l-Baha, authorized translation, MA2.102, in Response, p.72)