Question: Assalamu ‘alaykum. I had a few questions about the creation of Adam (Allah give him peace). There seems to be some dispute about whether he was created on Earth or in Heaven. Was he created in some third heaven in Barzakh as some other scholars say?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barrakatuh.
I pray you are well.
Yes, there have been a few positions amongst the Muslim scholars about what is meant by “Janna.” The vast majority of scholars held it to be the Garden which all believers will abide in forever.
This position has the strongest proofs, such as it being what immediately comes to mind in the Qur’anic usage and that it was referred to only a few verses before Adam was mentioned. Also, in the next verse Adam, Hawwa’, and Iblis were told to “descend” to Earth. Interpreting this descent to mean “move to” in a metaphorical sense, like those who claimed the Janna was on Earth is far fetched, and without need. [Alusi, Ruh al-Ma’ani]
There are other poofs too. Such as the hadith in which people, on the Day of Judgement, will as Adam to ask that the Garden (al-Janna) be opened for them, and he will say, “Was it anything but the mistake of your father that took you out of the Garden?“ [Muslim] This indicates that they were talking about the same place. [Ibn al-Qayyim, Hadi al-Arwah]
May Allah allow us to gaze at His perfection forever in the Garden.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani