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Joseph A Islam www.quransmessage.com

Salamun Alaikum (Peace be upon you


ADAM
(pbuh
AND JANNAH - AN EARTHLY ABODE OR PARADISE?



!opyright " #$$% &oseph A 'slam: Article last modified (
th
)ay #$*+


There has been much debate throughout history and within 'slamic literature as to whether the
&annah referred to in the following verse was an earthly abode or a reference to another heavenly
location synonymous with the paradise of the afterlife.

002.03
,And -e said: ,. Adam/ dwell you and your wife in the 0arden !A"a#$%& Ja'a(a) and eat of the
bountiful things therein as (where and when you (both will1 but do not (you two approach this
tree2 or you (both will be of the wrongdoers,


AN ANALYSIS O* THE TERM JANNAH

The Arabic word 3&annah3 is formed from the root word 3&iim45un45un3 which means to veil2 cover2
hide or conceal. 't forms words such as 3&inn3 as these are entities concealed to one3s senses.

3&annah3 literally means a 3garden3 irrespective of whether it is an abode in the afterlife or elsewhere.
't takes its meaning from the dense trees which conceal the ground.





Source: 6dward 7anes 7e8icon +,-


ADAM
(pbuh
.AS MADE *OR THE EARTH

The following verse makes it absolutely clear that Adam
(pbuh
was created to be placed on 6arth as
vicegerent. There is no mention of an intermediary abode2 or a place in the heavens2 but rather2 as
the verse clearly states2 a purpose to be fulfilled on 6arth.

002.030
,9ehold2 thy 7ord said to the angels: ,'ndeed2 ' am going to pla%e a /$%e0e"e'( o' (he ea"(h., They
said: ,-ill :ou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood;4 whilst we do
celebrate :our praises and glorify :ou;, <e said: ,'ndeed2 ' know what you know not.,

=urthermore2 we continue to read the mention of a garden (&annah only a few verses later. There is
no disconnect in the theme of the >uranic narrative and therefore there is no reason to assume that
the location has changed.

002.03
,And -e said: ,. Adam/ dwell you and your wife in the 0arden !A"a#$%& Ja'a(a) and eat of the
bountiful things therein as (where and when you (both will1 but do not (you two approach this
tree2 or you (both will be of the wrongdoers,


.HAT IS THE P1RPOSE O* RE2REATIN3 THE 1NI4ERSE I* A HEA4EN ALREADY E5ISTS?

'n the following verse2 it is clear that the ?niverse will be recreated on the @ay of &udgment for the
abode of the righteous (&annah.

02,.,06
,The @ay that -e roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books (completed 4 even as -e
produced the first creation2 so shall -e produce a new one: a promise -e have undertaken: truly
shall -e fulfil it,

02,.,0
79efore this -e wrote in the Psalms2 after the )essage (given to )oses: )y servants the righteous2
shall $'he"$( (he ea"(h,

0,6&068
,(.n the day when the 6arth will be changed to other than the 6arth2 and the heavens (also will be
changed and they will come forth to 0od2 the .ne2 the Almighty,

The >uran also claims this abode to be as wide as the previous ?niverse.

003&,33
,9e quick in the race for forgiveness from your 7ord2 and for a 0arden 9hose 9$:(h $s (ha( !o; (he
9hole) o; (he hea/e's a': o; (he ea"(h2 prepared for the righteous,

0<&02,
,Aace one with another for forgiveness from your 7ord a': a 3a":e' 9he"e (he #"ea:(h $s as (he
#"ea:(h o; (he hea/e's a': (he ea"(h2 prepared for those who believe in 0od and <is messengers.
Such is the bounty of 0od2 which <e bestows upon whom <e will2 and 0od is of 'nfinite 9ounty,






HO. 2O1LD ADAM
(pbuh
HA4E =NO.N O* THE S1N OR ITS HEAT I* HE .AS IN ANOTHER
HEA4ENLY LO2ATION?

There is strong suggestion in the following verses that the 0arden (&annat was in fact in a location
where the sun3s heat was present. This is not such a far fetched proposition given that plant life
would require the energy from the sun to sustain and flourish.

<owever2 it is also clear that the state that both Adam
(pbuh
and his spouse found themselves did not
require them to feel the heat of the sun. 'f Adam
(pbuh
was in a separate location and not aware at
that time of an 6arthly abode (as he had not yet sinned2 then the mention of the heat of the sun
would be somewhat meaningless.

020.,,<
,Then -e said: ,. Adam/ indeed2 this is an enemy to you and your wife: so let him not get you both
from the 0arden (&annate2 so that you would suffer,.

020.,,8
,Surely it is (ordained for you that you shall not be hungry therein nor to go naked,

020.,,>
7And that you shall not suffer from thirst 'o" shall ?o@ ;eel (he hea( o; (he s@',

't is a difficult proposition to accept that despite Adam
(pbuh
being created for the 6arth2 he was
instead introduced into another location2 especially when there is no direct evidence in the >uran
for such an assertion. =urthermore2 it is difficult to accept that he was then given volition to sin to
carry it out so that he could be banished to the 6arth2 the intended location of his abode in the first
place.
't wouldn3t be much of a choice if 0od had actually created him for the 6arth and then waited so that
Adam
(pbuh
could sin before <e could accomplish <is plan.
A more plausible e8planation given the te8t and the conte8t of the narratives is that Adam
(pbuh
was
only placed on 6arth2 the intended location and therein given volition to make choices. 'ndeed2 the
state Adam
(pbuh
was introduced into was one where he would neither have to toil to gather necessary
provisions for sustenance2 felt the heat or thirst2 nor would he have felt ashamed of his nakedness
(much like the animal kingdom. =or all intent and purposes2 this was a state of felicity irrespective of
being an 6arthly abode.

't was this state that he was removed from after he had sinned.

002&03A
Then did Satan make them slip from it (garden2 and get them out of the state (of felicity in which
they had been. -e said: ,0et down2 (all of you2 with enmity between yourselves and for you in the
earth will (is a dwelling4place and your means of livelihood for a time.,


B3O DO.NB

00<&026
,(0od said ,3o :o9' !A"a#$%& $hB#$(@) (from hence with enmity between yourselves. And on earth
will be your dwelling place and livelihood for a time,,

The e8pression B$hB#$(@B is often understood to mean a movement from paradise to planet 6arth as a
shift between two very different locations. =rom a >uran3s perspective2 there is no warrant for such
a restrictive interpretation.

-e note the same e8pression used for the !hildren of 'srael who were not in any other location but
planet 6arth.

002&0A, !pa"()
,...3o :o9' !$hB#$(@) to 6gypt...,

The verb Bha#a(aB !$hB#$() simply means a change of state from one (arguably better to another2 to
descend from a better state of being to a lower one2 a lower rank2 state of dignity or a change in
condition2 to become degraded2 or to go forth (as seen in verse **:+B.




Source: 6dward 7anes 7e8icon +2-

Therefore2 the e8pression in verse (:#+ can simply imply a change of state from one better and not
necessarily a move from paradise to planet 6arth as two very different locations.




*INAL THO13HTS

0iven the discussions above it appears that both Adam
(pbuh
and his spouse were created for the
purposes to reside on 6arth as vicegerents. -hat changed was the state of felicity that they initially
acquired and after sinning2 were subsequently banished from it till a term appointed.


Rela(e: A"($%les&

!,) Theory of 6volution and the >uran
!2) <eaven(s and Paradise 4 The @ifference
!3) Are There Seven <eavens or Several <eavens;


RE*EREN2ES

+,- LANE. E..C E:9a": La'es LeD$%o'C .$ll$ams a': No"0a(e ,8A3E L$#"a$"$e :@ L$#a' Be$"@(-Le#a'o' ,>A8C 4ol@me 2C
Pa0e 6A3
<ighlights marked in red on the le8icon e8cerpt are my own insertions. They have no bearing on the original te8t other than
they emphasise relevance to the topic at hand. These are merely illustrations and have solely been utilised for educational
and e8planatory purposes.
+2- I#$:.C 4ol@me 8C Pa0e 28<6
<ighlights marked in red on the le8icon e8cerpt are my own insertions. They have no bearing on the original te8t other than
they emphasise relevance to the topic at hand. These are merely illustrations and have solely been utilised for educational
and e8planatory purposes.



&oseph 'slam
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