Normally these two verses are approached in an almost Biblical style and create a mythological story which has to be approached metaphorically to get a meaningful message from it, science has already disproven the idea of one ancestoral couple, since it had to be several groups of first homo sapiens that generation by generation made the homo sapiens genome more specific before it could be understood as a seperate species starting the Homo sapiens genome to the final end result of the modern human Homo sapiens sapiens. The word Eve/Hawa is never used in the Qur'an, and the word Adam in Arabic inclines more to representing mankind in total. When the Arabic words used in these verses are carefully looked at, a whole different message is emerging.

One that is very literal and very important in all ages. God says here clearly to mankind that we may never fight over which race is better then the other as then we will become oppressors of another. And not only on the matter of race, but also certain families who believed they were better then others. This directly refers to monarchical families who believe they stand above other people and were destined to rule.

Any belief that one person, family or race is better then the other will create tyranny, oppression, slavery and discrimination as we have seen in history and in present times were for example discrimination is still present in Western countries. The old Apartheid regime in South-Africa. Genocides have and are occuring in for example Joegaslavia and Sudan. Minorities are oppressed in for example Egypt where the original Coptic people are oppressed by the Arab Egyptians. And the list goes on and on.

The Quran is very clear, all humans, no matter what race, sex, colour, religion, no matter what, they all have been created in honour and dignitity and all must be treated as such.

17:70 Now indeed, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam (as a birth right, regardless of where the child is born), and provided them with transport on land and sea and given them decent things of life. And We have favored the humans far above a great many of Our creation.

وقلنا يا ادم اسكن انت وزوجك الجنة وكلا منها رغدا حيث شئتما ولا تقربا هذه الشجرة فتكونا من الظالمين

2:35 “And We told early Mankind/Adam and all by which it is united/Azwaj [adama=Mankind, Azwaj=That in which individuals are united/mingle, meaning their culture, language, traditions and goals], Reside in this existence where you can find everything for your nourishment and development [Jannah=Garden with such extensive growth the ground is hidden by the foilage representing development and nourishment] and eat out of it(the results of your efforts) in complete ease and carefree as you please. But do not go near/approach the dispute of who is of better origins[Al-Shajara=matter of controversy, dispute, to fight, stock or origin of a person, tree]. Or, you will become those that displace your goals and equality from its rightful place and will become oppressors/Zalimeen.”

ادم[ Adam=Human skin, Human being, Man, Person, Intelligent Person, Brown Man, Human Race, Mankind, Civilized Person, Person who is created from different substances, Person in possession of different powers, One who has heirs, One who enjoys the conforts of Life, One who is by nature social and hard.

زوج Azwaj= That in which individuals are united/mingle, mate, companion, individual when consorting with one another, kind, species, class of sex, pair, couple, each of a pair.

الجنة Jannah= Garden with such extensive growth the ground is hidden by the foilage, coming from the root JNN= hidden/covered. A garden doesn't grow in nature by itself, it is always manmade.

الشجرة Al-Shajara= Matter of controversy, dispute, to fight, stock or origin of a person, genealogical tree, tree, plant having a trunk.

الظالمين Zalimeen= Those that displace something from its rightful place, Those that replace good with evil, Those that oppress, Those that do wrong against Mankind. Coming from Zulm:To displace something from its rightful place, Replace good with evil, Relegate the truth, Transgression, Oppression, Violation of human rights, Wrongdoing.

The Qur'an multiple times warnes us that if you branch off into casts, sects, and rivalry, you shall replace your paradise with hell. 2:213, 4:65 10:19, 20:117-118.

2:36 But Selfishness/Rebeliousness (Shaitan=Shaatan=long rope=that which creates distance between one another, to rebel, be an opponent) caused them both (men as well as women) to stumble therein (Azalla=to slip by accident with your foot or tongue/ to make a mistake) and got them out of the state (of Oneness 2:213 and progression) they were in. And so We said, “Degraded (habt=to be degraded/go from a high level to a low level/ to be weakened/to transgress into evil/to be dispised) you have become with wedges of discord among yourselves! There shall be for you habitation and livelihood on earth for a while (compared to the Next Stage of Existence (11:108).”

Sources:

• Dictionary of the Holy Qur’an by Abdul Mannar Omar, 2006 4th edition.
• A Concise Dictionary of Koranic Arabic by Prof. A. Ambros, 2006.