This is an extract taken from William C. Chittick, Sufism A Short Introduction, 2000, Oneworld Oxford, p132.
On the fall of Adam:
"O dervish! On the day when Adam slipped, they beat the drum of good fortune for all human beings, God set down a foundation with Adam at the beginning of the work. He gave him a capital from His own bounty.
The first example of bounty that He gave Adam was that He placed him in paradise without any worthiness and without his asking. And the first example that Adam displayed of his own capital was his slip.
God made a contract with Adam at the beginning of this business. The stipulation of the contract was that whenever someone buys something, or sells something, he has to give a taste. Adam gave a taste of his capital when he disobeyed the command and ate the wheat. God gave him a taste of the cup of bounty when He pardoned that slip.
No sin is as great as the first sin. This is especially true when the person was nourished on beneficence and nurtured through blessings. The angels had to prostrate themselves before him - the throne of his good fortune was placed on the shoulders of those brought near to God. He was brought into paradise without any worthiness. God gave him a home in the neighborhood of His own gentleness. Since He pardoned the first slip, this is proof that He will pardon all sins.
After all, we have a thousand times more excuses than Adam had. If the darkness of clay is necessary, we have it. If the weakness of earth is necessary, we have it. If the impurity of stinking mud is necessary, we have it. If some confused bites of food are necessary, we have them. If the times should have become dark with injustice and corruption, we have that. If the accursed Iblis has to be sitting in wait for us, we have him. If caprice and appetite have to dominate over us, we have that. At the first slip, Adam was excused without any of these meanings. Since we have all these opacities, why should He not forgive us? In truth, He will forgive us."
Ahmad Sam'ani died in 1140.
PS. (added 4 March 2009)
I came across this the other day which brought the point home for me:
"...the Prophet said, "no time will come to you which will not be followed by one that is more evil until you encounter your Lord." "
Sachiko Murata, William C. Chittick, The Vision of Islam, Paragon House, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1994, p332.
