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Salamun Alaikum (Peace be upon you


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



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


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 /arden !A"a#$%& Ja'a(a) and eat of the
bountiful things therein as (where and when you (both will0 but do not (you two approach this
tree1 or you (both will be of the wrongdoers+


AN ANALYSIS O* THE TERM JANNAH

The Arabic word 2&annah2 is formed from the root word 2&iim34un34un2 which means to veil1 cover1
hide or conceal. 't forms words such as 2&inn2 as these are entities concealed to one2s senses.

2&annah2 literally means a 2garden2 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: 5dward 6anes 6e7icon +,-


ADAM
(pbuh
.AS MADE *OR THE EARTH

The following verse makes it absolutely clear that Adam
(pbuh
was created to be placed on 5arth as
vicegerent. There is no mention of an intermediary abode1 or a place in the heavens1 but rather1 as
the verse clearly states1 a purpose to be fulfilled on 5arth.

002.030
+8ehold1 thy 6ord said to the angels: +'ndeed1 ' am going to pla%e a /$%e0e"e'( o' (he ea"(h.+ They
said: +,ill 9ou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood:3 whilst we do
celebrate 9our praises and glorify 9ou:+ ;e said: +'ndeed1 ' know what you know not.+

<urthermore1 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 /arden !A"a#$%& Ja'a(a) and eat of the
bountiful things therein as (where and when you (both will0 but do not (you two approach this
tree1 or you (both will be of the wrongdoers+


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

'n the following verse1 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 3 even as ,e
produced the first creation1 so shall ,e produce a new one: a promise ,e have undertaken: truly
shall ,e fulfil it+

02,.,0
78efore this ,e wrote in the Psalms1 after the *essage (given to *oses: *y servants the righteous1
shall $'he"$( (he ea"(h+

0,6&068
+(-n the day when the 5arth will be changed to other than the 5arth1 and the heavens (also will be
changed and they will come forth to /od1 the -ne1 the Almighty+

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

003&,33
+8e quick in the race for forgiveness from your 6ord1 and for a /arden 9hose 9$:(h $s (ha( !o; (he
9hole) o; (he hea/e's a': o; (he ea"(h1 prepared for the righteous+

0<&02,
+@ace one with another for forgiveness from your 6ord a': a 3a":e' 9he"e (he #"ea:(h $s as (he
#"ea:(h o; (he hea/e's a': (he ea"(h1 prepared for those who believe in /od and ;is messengers.
Such is the bounty of /od1 which ;e bestows upon whom ;e will1 and /od is of 'nfinite 8ounty+






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 /arden (&annat was in fact in a location
where the sun2s 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.

;owever1 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 5arthly abode (as he had not yet sinned1 then the mention of the heat of the sun
would be somewhat meaningless.

020.,,<
+Then ,e said: +- Adam. indeed1 this is an enemy to you and your wife: so let him not get you both
from the /arden (&annate1 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 5arth1 he was
instead introduced into another location1 especially when there is no direct evidence in the =uran
for such an assertion. <urthermore1 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 5arth1 the intended location of his abode in the first
place.
't wouldn2t be much of a choice if /od had actually created him for the 5arth and then waited so that
Adam
(pbuh
could sin before ;e could accomplish ;is plan.
A more plausible e7planation given the te7t and the conte7t of the narratives is that Adam
(pbuh
was
only placed on 5arth1 the intended location and therein given volition to make choices. 'ndeed1 the
state Adam
(pbuh
was introduced into was one where he would neither have to toil to gather necessary
provisions for sustenance1 felt the heat or thirst1 nor would he have felt ashamed of his nakedness
(much like the animal kingdom. <or all intent and purposes1 this was a state of felicity irrespective of
being an 5arthly abode.

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

002&03A
Then did Satan make them slip from it (garden1 and get them out of the state (of felicity in which
they had been. ,e said: +/et down1 (all of you1 with enmity between yourselves and for you in the
earth will (is a dwelling3place and your means of livelihood for a time.+





*INAL THO13HTS

/iven the discussions above it appears that both Adam
(pbuh
and his spouse were created for the
purposes to reside on 5arth as vicegerents. ,hat changed was the state of felicity that they initially
acquired and after sinning1 were subsequently banished from it till a term appointed.


Rela(e: A"($%les&

!,) Theory of 5volution and the =uran
!2) ;eaven(s and Paradise 3 The ?ifference
!3) Are There Seven ;eavens or Several ;eavens:


RE*EREN2ES

+,- LANE. E..B E:9a": La'es LeC$%o'B .$ll$ams a': No"0a(e ,8A3D L$#"a$"$e :@ L$#a' Be$"@(-Le#a'o' ,>A8B 4ol@me 2B
Pa0e 6A3
;ighlights marked in red on the le7icon e7cerpt are my own insertions. They have no bearing on the original te7t other than
they emphasise relevance to the topic at hand. These are merely illustrations and have solely been utilised for educational
and e7planatory purposes.



&oseph 'slam
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