According to Islamic perspective, who ate the apple of heaven Adam or Eve?

Question

In Islam there is a big controversy about who ate the Apple first, unlike Christianity where Eve ate the apple first. So who ate it first? Or did they eat it at the same time?

Reasons for controversy

In Quran God said:

فَوَسْوَسَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّيْطَانُ قَالَ يَا آدَمُ هَلْ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى شَجَرَةِ الْخُلْدِ وَمُلْكٍ لّا يَبْلَى
Then Satan whispered to him; he said, "O Adam, shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?" [20:120]

So it is Adam who ate it??

While in another verse in Quran God Said:

فَدَلاَّهُمَا بِغُرُورٍ فَلَمَّا ذَاقَا الشَّجَرَةَ بَدَتْ لَهُمَا سَوْآتُهُمَا وَطَفِقَا يَخْصِفَانِ عَلَيْهِمَا مِن وَرَقِ الْجَنَّةِ وَنَادَاهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا أَلَمْ أَنْهَكُمَا عَن تِلْكُمَا الشَّجَرَةِ وَأَقُل لَّكُمَا إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَكُمَا عَدُوٌّ مُّبِي
So he made them fall, through deception. And when they tasted of the tree, their private parts became apparent to them, and they began to fasten together over themselves from the leaves of Paradise. And their Lord called to them, "Did I not forbid you from that tree and tell you that Satan is to you a clear enemy?" [7:22]

so now it is Adam and Eve?? and again, In another verse God said:

وَلَقَدْ عَهِدْنَا إِلَى آدَمَ مِن قَبْلُ فَنَسِيَ وَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْمًا
And We had already taken a promise from Adam before, but he forgot; and We found not in him determination.[20:115]

so is it Adam??

But again!! Mohammed (pbuh) said in Hadith?

لولا حواء لم تخن أنثى زوجها الدهر
If not for Eve, no women ever cheated her husband.
رواه البخاري في صحيحه في كتاب الأنبياء (3152) و(3218) , ورواه مسلم في كتاب الرضاع (1470) ورواه الإمام أحمد في مواضع عدة من المسند.

So now it is Eve!!

These are not all verses from Quran and Hadiths that has opposite meaning (or at least it seems like it has opposite meanings) which is the reason why some Muslims argue about this issue.

Answer 1

I don't believe that this is a good question; there is no controversy to begin with. The story is clearly outlined in the Qur'an. From Surah Baqarah:

But Satan caused them to slip out of it and removed them from that [condition] in which they had been. And We said, "Go down, [all of you], as enemies to one another, and you will have upon the earth a place of settlement and provision for a time." See: Surah Baqarah

The Arabic clearly outlines "fa azallahumaa ash-shaytaan," that Satan caused them both to slip into the forbidden. There is no question of "Eve did it and therefore all women carry original sin until the end of time."

Answer 2

First I have to say, I am not a scholar, forgive me if I make a mistake. But Unfortunately, you have not looked at the text in a context. I do not have the experience of reading the Quran in a professional way. However, this might be an insight and beginning to a more academic approach of reading the Quran. In order to understand the book, we need to understand in what kind of historical and geographical context we are in, and to read the comments of the Muslim scholars to understand which event that is taking place. - If you look at the upcoming verse from the Quran that you looked at, then look at the following sentences. The following sentences elaborates that both Adam and Eve were deceived. After 20:120 comes 20:121 it is the next 'verse' or also called 'ayah' tells us that it not a matter of who is to be blamed, because both of them made the same mistake:

"So, both of them [‘Adam and Hawwa’ (Eve)] ate from it, and their parts of shame were exposed to them, and they started stitching on themselves some of the leaves of Paradise. And ’Adam disobeyed his Lord, and erred. (121)"

And a comment from the scholar, can contribute to our understanding, as you can see from the following: (Translation of the Holy Quran in English by Mufti Taqi Usmani - www.quranexplorer.com/quran)

Answer 3

In your question, and all the verses you have provided, there is nothing like An APPLE being eaten, nor those Verses' subject is an apple or who ate it first, so before accusing Quran of having controversies, perhaps you need to ponder upon verses first.

One key thing about the story in the Quran:

Allah warned Adam and his wife, from approaching the tree. the warning was delivered to Adam to not approach the Tree and not allow His wife to approach it!

And We said, "O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise and eat therefrom in [ease and] abundance from wherever you will. But do not approach this tree, lest you(both of you) be among the wrongdoers." 2-35

Apparently what you are trying to ask is:

Who stands accountable for the sin of approaching and eating from the tree?

Quran answer:

Adam is main character of the Story. He witnessed prostration by Angels, the incident of the Satan rejecting him, was warned not to approach the tree, and was even warned of the consequences.

So We said, "O Adam, indeed this is an enemy to you and to your wife. Then let him not remove you from Paradise so you would suffer. 20-117

ONE VERY IMPORTANT NOTE HERE

The arabic verses use the MUTHANNA,the DUAL FORM (talking to two) whenever Adam and his wife were involved, except when Allah spoke about suffering! and repentance.

So He was warned, and he was accountable for reminding his wife not to approach.

His wife was warned this is why she is included in the sin

Adam forgot and ate after he was warned and this is why he is a sinner too.

as a consequence, Adam is to suffer! This is why the word suffer is used in singular form directed to Adam! So it suffering was a result of Adam's slip.

After repentance, Adam repented and Allah forgave him.

you can refer to my answer in a relevant question here.

https://islam.stackexchange.com/a/43638/24313

And Allah knows best.