CHAPTER V: The CNN Interview about Adam, Eve, and Satan between the Quran and the Old Testament

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the story of Adam and Eve and Gog and Magog and how the human beings are the successors to Gog and Magog on earth

The CNN anchor: What does the Quran say about the descent of Adam and Eve unto the earth after being expelled from Paradise?

Muhammad: There is the beginning before Adam was created, and then, when my Lord God created Adam and commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam. Then we have Iblis, the disobedient angel transformed later on to Satan the Devil, expelled from the Upper Realm. Then we have Adam and his wife living inside the Barsakh Paradise but Satan managed to deceive them to disobey my Lord God's command. Then we have their descent unto the earth and, finally, the useful lessons drawn from this Quranic story.

The CNN anchor: What about the beginning before Adam was created?

Muhammad: Before the creation of Adam, my Lord God informs the angels of the Upper Realm of His Decree to place a new creature as a successor on earth: "When your Lord said to the angels, “I am placing a successor on earth.” They said, “Will You place in it someone who will cause corruption in it and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?” He said, “I know what you do not know.”" (2:30).

The CNN anchor: God does not consult the angels here, right?

Muhammad: This is not consulting anyone; this is about informing the angels of a Divine Decree.

The CNN anchor: What is meant by (successor) here? Would Adam succeed God by controlling the earth as the deputy of God?

Muhammad: No. Successors succeed dead or absent persons. Moses said the following to Aaron before his appointment with the Lord God at Mount Al-Tur in Sinai, Egypt: "...Take my place among my people..." (7:142). As for the Lord God, He is the Omnipresent Lord; no one can succeed or replace Him at all: "...He is with you wherever you may be. God is Seeing of everything you do." (57:4).

The CNN anchor: Adam was a successor to whom, then?!

Muhammad: Adam and his progeny are successors to non-human creatures who lived on earth and controlled it before the creation of Adam.

The CNN anchor: This means the term (successor) in 2:30 is not about Adam only; this idea of succession includes his descendants or all human beings, right?

Muhammad: Exactly.

The CNN anchor: From the very beginning, God knew before the creation of Adam and Eve that both will descend unto the earth after Satan manages to deceive them so that they disobey God's command by consuming the fruit of the Forbidden Tree. This means that Adam and his progeny will rule the earth as successors to non-human creatures.

Muhammad: Yes; and angels did not know this as they never predicted the future; this is why my Lord God has told them the following: "...“I know what you do not know.”" (2:30).

The CNN anchor: This means the Omniscience of God includes His knowledge that the angel Iblis, who will be turned later on into Satan the Devil, will disobey the divine command addressed to angels to prostrate to Adam, right?

Muhammad: Yes. When my Lord God has told the angels: "...“I know what you do not know.”" (2:30), this includes He knew that the angel Iblis harbored arrogance and pride and his disobeying the divine command to prostrate to Adam will expose what he concealed.

The CNN anchor: This is fate imposed by God since His Decree was to make Adam a successor on earth; yet, in light of this, were Adam and Eve guilty or not for being deceived by Satan?

Muhammad: Within preordained fates, there is a measure of interference by human beings who precipitate the realization of fates by their obedience or disobedience chosen as per their own free will. Hence, Iblis interfered by his disobedience when he arrogantly refused to prostrate to Adam and decided to deceive Adam and his wife; Adam and his wife interfered by consuming the fruit of the Forbidden Tree. Such interferences or choices were known beforehand to my Omniscient Lord God Who knows the past, the present, and the future because He is the Creator of time and He is above time. My Lord God does not force angels or human beings into doing anything or into never doing something; they are free agents but they never know the future or the invisible; their deeds chosen freely by them will be judged by my Lord God.

The CNN anchor: What did the angels mean by this: "...“Will You place in it someone who will cause corruption in it and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?”..." (2:30)?

Muhammad: They knew that the non-human creatures on earth who preceded Adam's creation committed bloodshed and corruption on earth; they feared that the new creature might be a disobedient corrupter since they – the angels – praise and sanctify the Lord God. What they did not know is the arrogance and disobedience of Iblis.

The CNN anchor: So, in 2:30, the angels did not predict the future; rather, they saw the crimes committed by these non-human creatures on earth before Adam was created.

Muhammad: And they feared the successor would commit the same corruption and bloodshed.

The CNN anchor: Who were such non-human creatures on earth, then?!

Muhammad: Gog and Magog.

The CNN anchor: Sorry?! I beg your pardon!

Muhammad: Adam and his descendants are successors to the non-human Gog and Magog who controlled the earth and spread corruption and bloodshed; my Lord God deprived them from such succession on earth by creation Adam as the new successor to Gog and Magog on earth. My Lord God's will is to hide Gog and Magog beneath the crust of the earth so that Adam and his progeny will be their successors on earth. This will remain until shortly before the Hour takes place; this is because as per the Quran, Gog and Magog will resurface on the crust of the earth and mingle with human beings shortly before the Hour when the universe will be destroyed.     

The CNN anchor: So, before the descent of Adam and Eve unto the earth, Gog and Magog controlled the earth, right?

Muhammad: Exactly. Within an unidentified spot on earth, the descendants of Adam multiplied; they were a weak minority on earth; what impeded their spread and their controlling the earth was the presence of the tyrannical, powerful, and dominant Gog and Magog

The CNN anchor: What was the solution to this problem?

Muhammad: This entailed divine intervention to imprison Gog and Magog beneath the earth's crust and to leave the surface of the earth to the descendants of Adam. This is mentioned in the Quranic story of Zu Al-Qarnayn in the Quranic Chapter 18.

The CNN anchor: Who is Zu Al-Qarnayn?

Muhammad: Many narratives and myths about this historical figure spread and I was asked in Arabia about him; typically, when I was asked about anything, I waited for the Quranic answer to be revealed to me: "And they ask you about Zu Al-Qarnayn. Say, “I will tell you something about him.”" (18:83). There are few Quranic indications about Zu Al-Qarnayn with many gaps; we should never guess such gaps or things never mentioned in the Quran about the metaphysical realm of the past or the invisible, or else, we will fall into the trap of believing in myths. The Omniscient Lord God is the Only One Who knows all about the past events.

The CNN anchor: How did Zu Al-Qarnayn manage to defeat the powerful Gog and Magog?

Muhammad: Apart from his own power, my Lord God has granted him greater power to defeat the dominance of Gog and Magog and to imprison them beneath the crust of the earth and to build some sort of a dam, a wall, or a barrier to prevent their resurfacing again so that Adam's descendants in their first phase of life on earth can multiply and live in peace; this is about Zu Al-Qarnayn: "We established him on earth, and gave him all kinds of means. He pursued a certain course." (18:84-85).

The CNN anchor: How the existence of Gog and Magog is linked to the words of the angels in 2:30?

Muhammad: Let me quote the dialogue between human beings, or the progeny of Adam, and Zu Al-Qarnayn: "They said, “O Zu Al-Qarnayn, the Gog and Magog are spreading corruption on earth. Can we pay you, to build between us and them a wall?” He said, “What my Lord has empowered me with is better. But assist me with strength, and I will build between you and them a dam.”" (18:94-95).

The CNN anchor: How is this linked to the words of the angels in 2:30?

Muhammad: The angels saw how Gog and Magog spread corruption and bloodshed on earth; they feared that the new successor to Gog and Magog on earth would follow their footsteps of committing corruption and bloodshed.

The CNN anchor: I see; would you explain to me the Quranic context 18:94-95?

Muhammad: The descendants of Adam offered a reward to the powerful Zu Al-Qarnayn in return for separating Gog and Magog from the human beings; Zu Al-Qarnayn knew that my Lord God has empowered him; the impenetrable barrier he built prevents Gog and Magog from mingling with human beings until shortly before the advent of the Hour. 

The CNN anchor: Was this barrier a wall or a dam?

Muhammad: Both; this barrier imprisoned them beneath the crust of the earth: "“Bring me the essence of iron.” So that, when he had leveled up between the two cliffs, he said, “Blow.” And having turned it into a fire, he said, “Bring me tar to pour over it.” So they were unable to climb it, and they could not penetrate it." (18:96-97).

The CNN anchor: So, Gog and Magog live beneath the curst of earth until shortly before the advent of the Hour; this means one day, they will manage to break loose and spread on the surface of the earth and mingle with human beings.

Muhammad: Exactly.

The CNN anchor: What will happen, then?!

Muhammad: Their reemergence is one of the signs preceding the advent of the Hour; let me quote the words of Zu Al-Qarnayn after he built the barrier: "He said, “This is a mercy from my Lord. But when the promise of my Lord comes true, He will turn it into rubble, and the promise of my Lord is always true.” On that Day, We will leave them surging upon one another. And the Trumpet will be blown, and We will gather them together. " (18:98-99). This (surge) means Gog and Magog will mingle with human beings and thus will cause general panic and the explosion of the Hour will take place soon afterwards; the universe will be destroyed before the creation of the New, Eternal Realm in the Hereafter.

The CNN anchor: Where will Gog and Magog emerge?

Muhammad: Do not forget their being technologically advanced before the descent of Adam and his wife unto the earth; defeating them entailed sending the powerful Zu Al-Qarnayn within the divine intervention; we never know if he was a human being or a jinn. We imagine that Gog and Magog got used to living beneath the crust of the earth, their number multiplied there, and they continued their technological advancement. When they will feel the advent of the Hour, they will resurface from countless points on earth; the planet will look like an orange with worms getting out of it from everywhere. Their reemergence is a sign of the advent of the Hour: "Until, when Gog and Magog are let loose, and they swarm down from every mound." (21:96).  

The CNN anchor: Modern science will not approve of this unless there is a tangible proof indicating the existence of the civilization of Gog and Magog.

Muhammad: There are remnants showing their presence on earth before their being imprisoned beneath its crust. Many remnants of a great civilization, with its advanced technology, which predates the existence of humanity on earth are being discovered now.

The CNN anchor: Some theorists assume that such remnants and monuments were made by aliens from outer space.

Muhammad: This theory lacks scientific proofs; why would not aliens return to go on establishing their civilization on earth?! Is it reasonable that remnants of such civilization exist in many locations on earth and the so-called aliens would leave them for centuries to return to outer space forever?!

The CNN anchor: Some people assume the aliens visit the earth; many videos and photos are taken of UFOs in websites and TV channels; some ships and planes, and people, go missing in regions like the Bermuda Triangle and the Devil's Sea near Japan. Such mysterious regions are located within similar distances among one another. Of course, I agree with you that remnants of a pre-humanity civilization on earth, with its advanced technology, are being discovered.

Muhammad: Is there any other explanation apart from aliens and UFOs?

The CNN anchor: Some theorists propagate a dominant idea that the owners of this non-human, superior civilization live inside the core of the earth; such mysterious species send spaceships to outer space and they kidnap some people, and some planes and ships, to examine them and perform some experiments on them, and then, they let such people leave while their minds are blank or in a state of confusion. 

Muhammad: What do you understand from this?

The CNN anchor: I guess that such non-human, superior species who live beneath the crust of the earth desire to know what happens above the crust of the earth and what human beings do, especially during times of big troubles which might influence those who live beneath the earth's crust; for instance, Columbus in his journey to the New World saw what can be described now as UFOs or flying saucers; they are spotted by some people who claim that UFOs hover above military bases, major explosions, and major wars. By the way, do these Quranic verses indicate the existence of aliens in outer space or in heavens: "To God bows down everything in the heavens and everything on earth - every living creature, and the angels, and without being proud." (16:49); "And of His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the creatures He has spread throughout them..." (42:29)?

Muhammad: This is not about aliens or extraterrestrial living creatures; rather, this is about human beings, jinn, devils, and angels. Of course, the ethereal creatures jinn, devils, and angels live in different metaphysical Barsakh levels and no jinn and devils which live in a lower level can ascend into a higher level; angels can descend and ascend among such levels as per their speeds and, of course, as per my Lord God's permission.

The CNN anchor: So, there are no advanced civilizations in other galaxies.

Muhammad: There are no aliens or civilizations at all in the outer space. The phrase (between the heavens and the earth) is repeated here to indicate things we can or cannot see among the inanimate things, bodies, or objects in the universe, undiscovered creatures on earth, and also creatures we cannot see such as jinn, angels, and devils: "Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, if you know for sure." (44:7); "And blessed is He Who has sovereignty over the heavens and the earth and what is between them. He alone has knowledge of the Hour, and to Him you will be returned." (43:85).

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the command addressed to the angels to prostrate to Adam and about the metaphysical Barsakh realms

The CNN anchor: I find some difficulty in arranging these events in a  chronological order; the creation of Adam took place while Gog and Magog controlled the earth; Iblis was turned into Satan and was expelled from the Upper Realm. Yet, were the corrupters Gog and Magog deceived and tempted by Satan or not?! If not, who tempted them to spread corruption and bloodshed on earth?

Muhammad: The events in the Upper Realm took place in a timeless Barsakh metaphysical realm which has not future, present, or past; this cannot be grasped or imagined fully by the limited human mind. Do not forget that the Lord God is the Creator of time and He is above time and place. By the way, Iblis or Satan who argued with my Lord God spoke about tempting the descendants of Adam and not Gog and Magog.

The CNN anchor: Let us continue talking about the creation of Adam, the divine command addressed to angels to prostrate to Adam, the expulsion of Iblis from the Upper Realm, Adam and Eve in Paradise, how Satan deceived and tempted them, their descent unto the earth, and the lesson drawn from this Quranic story.

Muhammad: We have covered the creation of Adam's body from clay or mud and the creation of his soul: the single soul from which all souls of human beings, including Eve's soul, were created; we talked about how the archangel Gabriel, or the Holy Spirit breathed Adam's soul into his body. "We created the human being from clay, from molded mud." (15:26); "He created man from hard clay, like bricks." (55:14); "We created you, then We shaped you..." (7:11).

The CNN anchor: What happened to Adam after his creation?

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Quran: "And He taught Adam the names, all of them; then he presented them to the angels, and said, “Tell Me the names of these, if you are truthful.” They said, “Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. It is you who are the Knowledgeable, the Wise.” He said, “O Adam, tell them their names.” And when he told them their names, He said, “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”" (2:31-33).

The CNN anchor: What has made Adam outsmart the angels regarding names? What about these names, anyway?!

Muhammad: This means my Lord God has created in the mind of Adam the instinct or ability to give name to things (in nature or in body parts,...etc. and also to descriptions like courage, cowardice, strength, weakness, betrayal, justice,...etc.) or to know their names; of course, names now change as per the different human tongues.

The CNN anchor: This instinct is instilled in Adam's descendants, who inherited this from their father Adam, and never in angels.

Muhammad: Exactly; this is why angels never knew the names like Adam as per 2:32; Adam had to teach them about the names.

The CNN anchor: I find the divine command addressed to angels to prostrate to Adam somehow strange; prostration is made to God the Creator and not to any of His creatures, right?

Muhammad: It was a test of obedience; my Lord God tested the angels to see who among them will obey and who will disobey; believers must obey without asking for a reason or a wisdom behind the divine commands; this is the test of life; this applies to applying the Quranic sharia legislations; human beings are tested to see if they will obey or disobey the divine commands. This is the essence of the test of life: Will human beings imitate the obedient angels or the disobedient rebel angel Iblis?

The CNN anchor: You mean to tell me there are legislations in Islam which are obeyed without understanding the reason or wisdom behind them, right? Like what?

Muhammad: Like circling the Kaaba seven times, performing the five daily prayers, never to marry a woman and her sister simultaneously, fasting during Ramadan, and never to eat certain food items which are prohibited. Pious, believing monotheists obey the divine commands of my Lord God the Legislator and never question or protest against them; disbelievers disobey the divine commands and justify such disobedience like Iblis.

The CNN anchor: So, that angels prostrated to Adam does not signify preferring Adam to angels.

Muhammad: Exactly; the grave error of the arrogant Iblis was that he thought my Lord God prefers Adam to the angels; Iblis became among the disbelievers since he refused to obey the divine command to prostrate to Adam; he is no longer among the angels of the Upper Realm nearer to my Lord God; he was transformed into Satan the Devil: "And We said to the angels, “prostrate to Adam.” They prostrated, except for Iblis. He refused, was arrogant, and became one of the disbelievers." (2:34).

The CNN anchor: What was the justification offered by Iblis for disobeying the divine command of prostrating to Adam?

Muhammad: Iblis thought of himself as better than Adam.

The CNN anchor: Why?!

Muhammad: Because Iblis was created from fire whereas Adam was created from mud: "He said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I have commanded you?” He said, “I am better than he; You created me from fire, and You created him from mud.”" (7:12); "He said, “I am better than he; You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.”" (38:76); "He said, “I am not about to prostrate myself before a human being, whom You created from clay, from molded mud.”" (15:33).

The CNN anchor: Iblis despised Adam merely because he was created from mud, right?

Muhammad: Yes; he arrogantly said the following to my Lord God: "...“Shall I prostrate before someone You created from mud?”" (17:61).

The CNN anchor: This means Iblis hated and envied Adam in advance, right?

Muhammad: Yes; Iblis thought that the divine command to prostrate to Adam means that Adam is better than Iblis and the rest of the angels; this is why Iblis vowed to take revenge on Adam and his descendants: "He said, “Do You see this one whom You have honored more than me? If You reprieve me until the Day of Resurrection, I will bring his descendants under my sway, except for a few.”" (17:62).

The CNN anchor: Would you tell me more details about the arrogance and haughtiness of Iblis, created from fire, who thought he was better than Adam who was created from mud?

Muhammad: The metaphysical Barsakh realms and their ethereal creatures were created from fire and not from mud; this applies to jinn: "We created the human being from clay, from molded mud. And the jinn We created before, from piercing fire." (15:26-27).

The CNN anchor: This means jinn were created, from fire, before Adam, right?

Muhammad: Exactly. This is asserted here: "He created man from hard clay, like bricks. And created the jinn from a fusion of fire." (55:14-15).

The CNN anchor: What is the difference between piercing fire and a fusion of fire?

Muhammad: I do not know; human beings cannot know the nature of such fire and the nature of jinn.

The CNN anchor: But Iblis was created from fire, right?

Muhammad: This is mentioned in the Quranic verses 7:12 and 38:76 which I have quoted before.

The CNN anchor: But you told me all creatures are created of water: "...And We made from water every living thing..." (21:30); "God created every living creature from water..." (24:45).

Muhammad: There are many physical and metaphysical levels of water types; there is the fire-water from which jinn, devils, and angels are created.

The CNN anchor: How come fire and water can be combined?!

Muhammad: Many types of water exist on earth; for instance,aqua fortisand heavy water.

The CNN anchor: What type of fire-water from which angels, devils, and jinn were created?

Muhammad: It is what you call now as (energy); yet, it is a Barsakh, metaphysical energy which differs from the types of energy within the physical realm on earth. Energy on earth is a form of matter. The Barsakh, metaphysical energy is not a form of matter; rather, it is pure energy and it has unique features we cannot imagine, especially regarding their atoms, vibrations, and speeds which have nothing to do with the physical realm of the universe.

The CNN anchor: Is it the same energy within all levels of the metaphysical Barsakh realm?

Muhammad: No. Each level of the seven levels of Barsakh of the heavens, as well as the levels of the earth's Barsakh, has its type of energy, ethereal creatures, and also their different speeds of motion; there are angels with different speeds who ascend and descend through the Barsakh levels. The rebel angel Iblis was expelled from the Upper Realm and descended into a Barsakh level of the earth like the jinn and devils; he became the Devil, and he and other jinn and devils cannot ascend into higher Barsakh levels above the first Barsakh level of the lower heaven: "We have adorned the lower heaven with the beauty of the planets. And guarded it against every defiant devil. They cannot eavesdrop on the Upper Realm, for they get bombarded from every side. Repelled - they will have a lingering torment. Except for him who snatches a fragment - he gets pursued by a piercing projectile." (37:6-10). 

The CNN anchor: What about the archangels who are nearer to God in the Upper Realm?

Muhammad: They are the nearest angels to my Lord God; they are mentioned here: "The Messiah does not disdain to be a servant of God, nor do the favored angels. Whoever disdains His worship, and is too arrogant - He will round them up to Himself altogether." (4:172). They manage the universe of the Dominant Lord God, symbolized by the idea of the Throne: "Those who carry the Throne, and those around it, glorify their Lord with praise, and believe in Him, and ask for forgiveness for those who believe..." (40:7); this is what the Dominant Lord God says about them as they manage the Eternal Universe on the Last Day: "And the angels will be ranged around its borders, while eight will be carrying the Throne of your Lord above them that Day." (69:17).

The CNN anchor: So, the Throne is not a chair; the Wahabi Salafists assume it is a real chair for God! This is absurd!

Muhammad: The idea of the Throne in the Quran stands for the dominance of the Lord God over the whole universe through His angels who carry out His commands.

The CNN anchor: How do these angels manage the Throne of the Dominant Lord God?

Muhammad: This universe, realm, or Throne is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth along with all creatures created by my Lord God. The angels move in different speeds, which we cannot imagine, to carry out the divine commands of the Dominant Lord; these different speeds of angels are symbolized by the idea of wings here: "Praise be to God, Originator of the heavens and the earth, Maker of the angels messengers with wings - double, triple, and quadruple. He adds to creation as He wills. God is Able to do all things." (35:1).

The CNN interview with Muhammad about Iblis the angel whose disobedience made him turn into a jinn devil  

The CNN anchor: So, was Iblis originally an angel of the Upper Realm?

Muhammad: Yes; this is why the divine command to prostrate to Adam includes Iblis; otherwise, he would not have been expelled, cursed, and punished. Iblis was transformed into jinn; he became Satan the Devil: "We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam.” So they prostrated, except for Iblis. He became of the jinn, and he defied the command of his Lord..." (18:50); "And We said to the angels, “prostrate to Adam.” They prostrated, except for Iblis. He refused, was arrogant, and became one of the disbelievers." (2:34); "So the angels fell prostrate, all of them. Except for Iblis who was arrogant and became among the disbelievers." (38:73-74).

The CNN anchor: This contradicts the Sunnite notion that angels never disobey God since Iblis the angel disobeyed Him.

Muhammad: The angels are not infallible; this is why Iblis chose to commit the sin of disobedience.

The CNN anchor: This means angels will be judged on the Last Day, right?

Muhammad: Yes. The angels, jinn, and human beings will be brought to be judged on the Day of Judgment: "There is none in the heavens and the earth but will come to the Dominant Lord as a servant. He has enumerated them, and counted them one by one. And each one of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone." (19:93-95). This applies to the Upper Realm angels including the Holy Spirit Gabriel: "On the Day when the Spirit and the angels stand in row. They will not speak, unless it be one permitted by the Dominant Lord, and he will say what is right. That is the Day of the Truth. So whoever wills, let him take a way back to his Lord." (78:38-39); "On the Day when We set the mountains in motion; and you see the earth emerging; and We gather them together, and leave none of them behind. They will be presented before your Lord in a row. “You have come to Us as We created you the first time. Although you claimed We would not set a meeting for you.”" (18:47-48). This arrangement of Judgment is mentioned in the Quran: the prophets and witnesses will be judged first, and then the rest of humanity, and eventually the Judgment of angels after sinful disbelieving human beings are made to enter into Hell and the pious, monotheistic human beings are made to enter into Paradise: "And the earth will shine with the Light of its Lord; and the Book will be put in place; and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought in; and Judgment will be passed among them equitably, and they will not be wronged. And every soul will be fully compensated for what it had done. He is well aware of what they do." (39:69-70); "And you will see the angels hovering around the Throne, glorifying their Lord with praise. And it will be judged between them equitably, and it will be said, “Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.”" (39:75).  

The CNN anchor: But I remember reading a Quranic verse about angels who never disobey God's commands!

Muhammad: This Quranic verse is about angels who are guardians or wardens of Hell: "O you who believe! Protect yourselves and your families from a Fire, whose fuel is people and stones. Over it are angels, fierce and powerful. They never disobey God in anything He commands them, and they carry out whatever they are commanded." (66:6). Hell has not been created yet since its fuel is people and stones and since the Last Day is yet to come; therefore, such angels mentioned in 66:6 have not been created yet.

The CNN anchor: Let us return to the topic of Iblis and his refusal to prostrate to Adam.

Muhammad: Iblis disobeyed defiantly and out of arrogance; Iblis who hated and envied Adam argued with my Lord God to 'justify' this disobedience. "He said, “What prevented you from prostrating when I have commanded you?” He said, “I am better than he; You created me from fire, and You created him from mud.”" (7:12); "He said, “I am better than he; You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.”" (38:76); "He said, “O Iblis, what kept you from being among those who prostrated themselves?” He said, “I am not about to prostrate myself before a human being, whom You created from clay, from molded mud.”" (15:32-33). "When We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” they prostrated, except for Iblis. He said, “Shall I prostrate before someone You created from mud?”" (17:61).

The CNN anchor: So, this disobedience drove God to expel Iblis from Paradise.

Muhammad: Not from Paradise but from the Upper Realm; he was turned into Satan the Devil and forced to descend into the lower Barsakh levels of the earth; he can no longer ascend or pass through the Barsakh levels of the heavens.

The CNN anchor: This is his only punishment? Being expelled?

Muhammad: No; Iblis was turned into Satan and was expelled within being cursed and despised. This is mentioned here: "He said, “Get down from it! It is not for you to act arrogantly in it. Get out! You are one of the lowly!”" (7:13); "He said, “Then get out of here! You are an outcast! And My curse will be upon you until the Day of Judgment.”" (38:77-78); "He said, “Then get out of here, for you are an outcast!”. “And the curse will be upon you until the Day of Judgment.”" (15:34-35).

The CNN anchor: Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise by God; was it the same expulsion like Iblis who became Satan?

Muhammad: Of course not; their descent unto the earth was without being despised or cursed.

The CNN anchor: Why?

Muhammad: Iblis disobeyed and argued out of pride and arrogance; in contrast, Adam and his wife felt remorse and repented when they disobeyed the divine command about not to consume the fruit of the Forbidden Tree.  

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Quran: "And so they ate from it; whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they started covering themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, and fell. But then his Lord recalled him, and pardoned him, and guided him." (20:121-122).

The CNN anchor: But Adam and Eve were punished by being expelled from Paradise!

Muhammad: Their descent unto the earth was with dignity and my Lord God forgave and pardoned them and accepted their repentance: "...We said, “Descend, some of you enemies of one another. And you will have residence on earth, and enjoyment for a while.”" (2:36); "He said, “Descend, some of you enemies to one another. On earth you will have residence and livelihood for a while.” He said, “In it you will live, and in it you will die, and from it you will be brought out.”" (7:24-25). This means that the preordained fate of making human beings, or Adam and his descendants, successors on earth was realized; this is how each soul is tested in this transient world.  

The CNN anchor: So, this descent of Adam includes his descendants.

Muhammad: Exactly; this is addressed to all humanity: "He said, “Descend from it, altogether; some of you enemies of some others. But whenever guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, will not go astray, nor suffer. But whoever turns away from My Reminder, for him is a confined life. And We will raise him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”" (20:123-124).

The CNN anchor: What about Iblis?

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Quran about how Iblis vowed to tempt and misguide Adam's descendants: "Your Lord said to the angels, “I am creating a human being from clay. When I have formed him, and breathed into him with My Spirit, fall prostrate before him. So the angels fell prostrate, all of them. Except for Iblis. He was too proud, and one of the disbelievers. He said, “O Iblis, what prevented you from prostrating before what I created with My Own hands? Are you too proud, or were you one of the exalted?” He said, “I am better than he; You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.” He said, “Then get out of here! You are an outcast! And My curse will be upon you until the Day of Judgment.” He said, “Lord, defer me until the Day they are resurrected.” He said, “You are one of those deferred. Until the Day of the Time Appointed.” He said, “By Your majesty, I will seduce them all. Except for your devout servants among them.” He said, “The Truth is, and I say the Truth. I will fill Hell with you, and with every one of them who follows you.”" (38:71-85); "He said, “My Lord, reprieve me until the Day they are resurrected.” He said, “You are of those reprieved.” “Until the Day of the Time Appointed.” He said, “My Lord, since You have lured me away, I will glamorize for them on earth, and I will lure them all away.” “Except for Your sincere servants among them.” He said, “This is a right way with Me.” “Over My servants you have no authority, except for the sinners who follow you.”" (15:36-42); " When We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam,” they bowed down, except for Satan. He said, “Shall I prostrate before someone You created from mud?” He said, “Do You see this one whom You have honored more than me? If You reprieve me until the Day of Resurrection, I will bring his descendants under my sway, except for a few.” He said, “Be gone! Whoever of them follows you - Hell is your reward, an ample reward.” “And entice whomever of them you can with your voice, and rally against them your cavalry and your infantry, and share with them in wealth and children, and make promises to them.” But Satan promises them nothing but delusion. “As for My servants, you have no authority over them.” Your Lord is Enough as a Guardian." (17:61-65).

The CNN interview with Muhammad about how Satan deceived Adam and his wife and how they left the Barsakh Paradise

The CNN anchor: I am surprised as Iblis accused God of luring him as per this Quranic context: "...“My Lord, since You have lured me away, I will glamorize for them on earth, and I will lure them all away.” “Except for Your sincere servants among them.”" (15:39-40). Has God lured, deceived, or tempted Iblis?!

Muhammad: Of course not. May the Lord God be glorified and exalted above such accusation by a disbeliever like Iblis. My Lord God does not deceive, lure, or tempt anyone. All the angels obeyed the divine command to prostrate to Adam except the angel Iblis who disobeyed and argued against this command with my Lord God; this way, Iblis unwittingly realized the prediction hinted by my Omniscient Lord God when He, after informing the angels about placing a human being as a successor on earth, has told the angels the following: "...“I know what you do not know.”" (2:30).

The CNN anchor: Meaning?

Muhammad: The angels feared that the new successor would be disobedient sinner who may spread corruption and bloodshed like Gog and Magog: "When your Lord said to the angels, “I am placing a successor on earth.” They said, “Will You place in it someone who will cause corruption in it and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?” He said, “I know what you do not know.”" (2:30); the angels never knew that one of them; namely, Iblis, harbors pride and arrogance; what was concealed by Iblis was exposed by my Lord God when He commanded the angels to prostrate to Adam; my Omniscient Lord God knew that the proud Iblis will disobey this divine command; Iblis was exposed again when he accused my Lord God of luring him; there is no luring, tempting, or deception here.

The CNN anchor: Maybe Iblis felt that the divine command was a test to lure or tempt him to show his arrogance.

Muhammad: The other angels never felt this was a test for them at all; they willingly obeyed the divine command of their Lord God without questioning it. The sinful, disbelieving angel Iblis disobeyed the divine command within haughtiness and arrogance. 

The CNN anchor: This means the proud Iblis felt superior and he hated being obedient like the other angels!

Muhammad: The sinful Iblis, who became Satan, is now playing the role of the tempter of the descendants of Adam; he vowed to misguide most human beings: "...“My Lord, since You have lured me away, I will glamorize for them on earth, and I will lure them all away.” “Except for Your sincere servants among them.”" (15:39-40).

The CNN anchor: The sinful, disobedient Iblis contradicted himself; he wrongfully and very impolitely accused God of luring him, and yet, he declared his intention to lure the vast majority of human beings though they never harmed him! They were not yet born at the time!

Muhammad: My Lord God warns humanity against Iblis, who became Satan, here: "Satan promises you poverty, and urges you to immorality; but God promises you forgiveness from Himself, and grace. God is Embracing and Knowing." (2:268); "He said, “Because you have lured me, I will distract them from Your Straight Path. Then I will come at them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left; and you will not find most of them thankful.” He said, “Get out of it, despised and vanquished. Whoever among them follows you - I will fill up Hell with you all. " (7:16-18).

The CNN anchor: Iblis hated Adam and his wife and progeny for no reason! They never harmed him at all! The stance of Iblis is never justified! 

Muhammad: The divine response has been to honor and dignify Adam and his wife but while testing them at the same time.

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: They were allowed to live inside the Barsakh Paradise in bliss and enjoyment; their test was not to consume the fruit of the Forbidden Tree: "We said, “O Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become among the unjust ones.”" (2:35); "And you, Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your wife, and eat whatever you wish; but do not approach this tree, lest you become among the unjust ones.”" (7:19).

The CNN anchor: They became among the unjust ones for eating the fruit of one tree!

Muhammad: This was a test; the pious believers obey the divine commands even if these commands are unfamiliar, strange, or without justification. This applies to the divine command addressed to angels to prostrate to Adam once his soul is breathed to his body by the Holy Spirit Gabriel. Iblis committed the sin of disobedience by deciding never to prostrate to Adam; Iblis who became Satan the Devil was bent on deceiving Adam and his wife; my Lord God has warned them beforehand against the temptation of Satan who will urge them to disobey the divine command by consuming the fruit of the Forbidden Tree: "And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam.” They prostrated, except for Iblis; he refused. We said, “O Adam, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So do not let him make you leave Paradise, for then you will suffer. In it you will never go hungry, nor be naked. Nor will you be thirsty in it, nor will you swelter.”" (20:116-119).   

The CNN anchor: When did Adam and Eve receive this warning?

Muhammad: Directly once Iblis was expelled from the Upper Realm and he became among the jinn and was renamed as Satan. Satan was forced to settle in the Barsakh levels of the earth; the Barsakh Paradise of Adam and his wife was inside one of these Barsakh levels of the earth.

The CNN anchor: The warning against Satan is also addressed to the descendants of Adam, right?

Muhammad: Certainly. Human beings should consider Satan an enemy because he has made all human beings as his enemies: "Satan is an enemy to you, so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his gang to be among the dwellers of Hell." (35:6). The story of Adam's descent unto the earth is repeated in the Quran so that human beings may take heed and draw a useful lesson.

The CNN anchor: What happened after this warning addressed to Adam and Eve?

Muhammad: Satan managed to tempt both Adam and his wife by convincing them to consume the fruit of the Forbidden Tree despite the existence of all other permissible fruits of the other trees which could be consumed. Adam and his wife forgot the divine warning addressed to them by the Dominant Lord God against Satan.

The CNN anchor: This is very strange; how come they disobeyed God despite all this?! How did Satan manage to tempt and misguide both of them?!

Muhammad: Satan tempted them by his repeated and insistent whispers to them inside the Barsakh Paradise and by swearing by the name of God that he sought to advise them; Satan made use of the fact that Adam and his wife coveted ownership and attaining immortality: "But Satan whispered to him. He said, “O Adam, shall I show you the Tree of Immortality, and a kingdom that never decays?” And so they ate from it; whereupon their naked bodies became visible to them, and they started covering themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, and fell." (20:120-121); "But Satan whispered to them, to reveal to them their nakedness, which was invisible to them. He said, “Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree, lest you become angels, or become immortals.” And he swore to them, “I am a sincere advisor to you.” So he lured them with deceit. And when they tasted the tree, their nakedness became evident to them, and they began covering themselves with the leaves of Paradise. And their Lord called out to them, “Did I not forbid you from this tree, and say to you that Satan is a sworn enemy to you?”" (7:20-22).

The CNN anchor: This means Adam and Eve knew they were mortals; they knew they will die and leave this Paradise, right?

Muhammad: Exactly. This is proven by their coveting to own this Paradise forever.

The CNN anchor: And Satan knew about this wish of theirs, right?

Muhammad: Yes; Satan made use of this weakness in order to tempt them; Satan managed to make them disobey the Lord God by consuming the fruit of the Forbidden Tree.

The CNN anchor: Adam and Eve could see Satan inside this Paradise, right?

Muhammad: Of course. Satan talked to them and they heard and saw him; this means that in this Barsakh Paradise, Adam and his wife could see the ethereal creatures (devils, jinn, and angels) of the Barsakh levels of the earth.

The CNN anchor: And what happened next?

Muhammad: Once Adam and his wife consumed the fruit of the Forbidden Tree, everything changed.

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: You remember that both Adam and his wife were created from water and dust; namely, mud. These are material elements from the earth. The same applies to bodies of all human beings who are the descendants of Adam. The fact that Adam and his wife were in this Barsakh Paradise within a certain Barsakh level made their bodies covered with a coat of Barsakh light as is the case with the plants and the ethereal creatures inside this Barsakh level. Once Adam and his wife consumed the fruit of the Forbidden Tree, the Barsakh light was removed from their bodies; they realized and saw their exposed nakedness. Mud is a base material when compared to the Barsakh light which envelopes the Barsakh plants or trees and the Barsakh ethereal creatures.  

The CNN anchor: What was the reaction of Adam and Eve as they saw their naked bodies for the very first time?

Muhammad: They were surprised and shocked; they took leaves of the Barsakh-Paradise trees, which have the Barsakh light, to cover their nakedness.

The CNN anchor: And Satan witnessed this, right?

Muhammad: Certainly.

The CNN anchor: What did Satan do after he managed to seduce Adam and Eve?

Muhammad: Satan taunted them and gloated over them while they felt ashamed and panicked because of their seeing their nakedness for the first time.

The CNN anchor: What did Satan do exactly?

Muhammad: Satan removed the tree leaves of Barsakh light from their bodies; he desired that they know their nakedness and see their body parts: "O children of Adam! Do not let Satan seduce you, as he drove your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their garments, to show them their nakedness...." (7:27).

The CNN anchor: What happened next?

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Quran: "So he lured them with deceit. And when they tasted the tree, their nakedness became evident to them, and they began covering themselves with the leaves of Paradise. And their Lord called out to them, “Did I not forbid you from this tree, and say to you that Satan is a sworn enemy to you?”" (7:22).

The CNN anchor: This means God accepted the repentance of Adam and Eve, right?

Muhammad: Exactly; and my Lord God made them descend unto the earth.

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the Adam and eve Paradise in the Bible's Old Testament

The CNN anchor: Let me quote from the Old Testament's Chapter 2 in the Book of Genesis about Adam and Eve in Paradise: (8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. 11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. 13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. 14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.) (After a short pause) I see that the unknown authors of the Old Testament are influenced by the dominant culture of their era especially geographical details of an unspecified region which do not match today's knowledge except for few details.

 Muhammad remains silent

The CNN anchor: (after a short pause) Some Muslim authors ascribe to you the story, first mentioned by Al-Bokhary, about your alleged ascendance into the heavens; they wrote that you saw in the seventh heaven the River Nile and the Euphrates. Let me quote this narrative from Al-Bokhary book of hadiths: (... Upon reaching the seventh heaven, its dwellers asked who were coming; they were told that Gabriel came along with Muhammad; the dwellers of the seventh heaven felt rejoiced because the Last Prophet has been sent by God; I met with Abraham ... Abraham shook hands with me; he greeted me as a prophet and as his descendant; Gabriel took me to the Frequented House where seven thousand angels pray and they circumambulate it for eternity ... Gabriel took me to the Tree of the Extremity; its leaves were like ears of elephants; I saw four rivers; two higher ones and two lower ones; I asked Gabriel about them: the higher two rivers are those of Paradise water and the two lower rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates ... Fifty prayers per day were imposed at first until they became five daily prayers ...).

Muhammad: I am innocent of such lies and fabrications!

The CNN anchor: By the way, the author named Al-Bokhary contradicts himself; he mentions the Nile and the Euphrates here in the seventh heaven though he mentions them in another hadith in the first heaven. Let me quote this narrative from Al-Bokhary book of hadiths: (... Upon reaching the first heaven, Gabriel knocked at one of its gates; the dwellers of the first heaven asked who were coming; they were told that Gabriel came along with Muhammad; the dwellers of the first heaven felt rejoiced because the Last Prophet has been sent by God; they welcomed me and Gabriel; I met and shook hands with Adam the father of all human beings; Adam told me he takes pride in a son like me; I saw four rivers in the first heaven; two higher ones and two lower ones; I asked Gabriel about them: the higher two rivers are those of Paradise water and the two lower rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates ... I saw a palace made of pearls, emeralds, and rubies, and beneath this palace is the river called Al-Kawthar; Gabriel told me this is God's special gift to me ... Gabriel and I ascended to the second heaven ...).

Muhammad: I am innocent of such lies and fabrications! I never ascended into the heavens at all! This is a myth!

The CNN anchor: What about the lines I have quoted from the Old Testament? What is your own view? Do they match the Quran?

Muhammad: Describing Adam's Barsakh Paradise as (Eden) contradicts the Quran. In the Quran, the term (Eden) is one of the names of the Eternal Paradise in the Hereafter for the pious ones who will be the winners on the Day of Judgment. This Paradise has not been created yet. The term (Eden) describes this Paradise of the Hereafter in many Quranic verses: 9:72, 13:23-24, 16:30-31, 18:30-31, 19:61, 20:75-76, 35:33, 38:49-50, 40:8, 61:12, and 98:7-8.

The CNN anchor: But many hadiths are ascribed to you about Garden of Eden or Paradise as if it exists now; for instance, Al-Bokhary book contains this hadith: (... Two angels visited me last night; they led my soul into a city whose houses are made of gold and silver bricks; good-looking men were seated in one side; ugly-looking men were seated in the other side; they bathed in a river and their ugliness vanished and both groups of men looked alike; they were fit for becoming the dwellers of this city of the Garden of Eden of Paradise ... Ugliness of the second group was because they mixed good deeds and bad ones, but God pardons them and remits their sins before they entered into Paradise ...). 

Muhammad: I am innocent of such lies and fabrications! I never uttered any of the so-called hadiths! My Lord God's Quranic description of Paradise employs metaphoric, figurative style to make our souls and minds grasp it; Paradise has not been created yet; we cannot fully imagine how it will look like; no one, including myself, saw this Paradise of the winners: "No soul knows what eye’s delight awaits them - a reward for what they used to do." (32:17).

The CNN anchor: Let me quote this verse from Chapter 2 in the Book of Genesis about Adam and Eve inside Paradise: (15 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.). What do you think of that?

Muhammad: This is not true; Adam never worked or toiled inside the Barsakh Paradise; he lived there in bliss and pleasure; Adam was told the following, by my Lord God, about Paradise: "In it you will never go hungry, nor be naked. Nor will you be thirsty in it, nor will you swelter.”" (20:118-119); "We said, “O Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please..." (2:35).

The CNN anchor: (16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. 18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.) Do you find details similar to these in the Quran?

Muhammad: The type of the Forbidden Tree is not specified in the Quran: "We said, “O Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become among the unjust ones.”" (2:35).

The CNN anchor: (19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.). What do you think of that?

Muhammad: The idea of teaching Adam names is mentioned in the Quran directly after the creation of Adam: "When your Lord said to the angels, “I am placing a successor on earth.” They said, “Will You place in it someone who will cause corruption in it and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?” He said, “I know what you do not know.” And He taught Adam the names, all of them; then he presented them to the angels, and said, “Tell Me the names of these, if you are truthful.” They said, “Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. It is you who are the Knowledgeable, the Wise.” He said, “O Adam, tell them their names.” And when he told them their names, He said, “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?”" (2:30-33).

The CNN anchor: What is meant by (names) here?

Muhammad: The instinct to give names to things and items to differentiate among them and the ability to learn languages or tongues. This instinct and this ability are inherited from Adam by his descendants; i.e., all human beings.

The CNN anchor: The Old Testament's story different as giving names to things is linked to the creation of Eve: (18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.).

Muhammad: There are some different details and some similar ones in relation to the Holy Quran.

The CNN anchor: Yes, but how?

Muhammad: The Quranic story of the creation of Adam is certainly mentioned in the previous Celestial Scriptures revealed by my Lord God. The Arab Gentiles themselves, who never received any Divine Book before the Quran, knew about Adam and his story.

The CNN anchor: I remember your telling me that in the 7^th century Arabia, the People of the Book or the Israelites possessed the true Torah.

Muhammad: Moreover, the Arabs in Arabia read the Scriptures of Abraham and Moses in Arabic. 

The CNN anchor: I would like a Quranic proof to support your claim.

Muhammad: When some disbelieving Arabs demanded to witness a miracle, my Lord God has told them it is enough that the Quran explained to them what they already knew from the previous Scriptures: "And they say, “Why does he not bring us a miracle from his Lord?” Were they not given enough explanation of the former Scriptures?" (20:133). These Scriptures were the ones conveyed by Abraham and Moses.

The CNN anchor: The names of Abraham and Moses are not mentioned at all in 20:133!

Muhammad: They are mentioned here about refuting the stance of a disbelieving Arabian man: "Or was he not informed of what is in the Scriptures of Moses? And of Abraham, who fulfilled?" (53:36-37).

The CNN anchor: What was this information in these Scriptures, anyway?

Muhammad: Some verses from them are copied in the Quranic context 53:33-56.

The CNN anchor: This means God quotes in the Quranic text some verses from the Scriptures of Abraham and Moses since the Arabs knew them at the time.

Muhammad: The Quranic Chapter 87 also copies some verses from the Scriptures of Abraham and Moses in the Quranic context 87:1-17. These are the last two verses of this Quranic Chapter: "This is in the former Scriptures. The Scriptures of Abraham and Moses." (87:18-19).

The CNN anchor: I see. The dominant culture at the time when some unknown authors wrote the Old Testament was a mixture of some facts of the Celestial Books and some myths of old civilizations; this fact is acknowledged by many researchers specializing in the Jewish theology and Christian theology. This does not apply to the Quran. The Quran does not copy myths or falsehoods in the culture of the 7^th century Arabia, I suppose. 

Muhammad: The Holy Quran is the Book of guidance and reform; it contains refutations of many myths and falsehoods. The Quranic story of Adam is enough proof of this.

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the Quranic description of the Barsakh Paradise of Adam and his wife

The CNN anchor: The Old Testament's Book of Genesis tells us that the Paradise of Adam and Eve was on earth; is this asserted in the Quran or not?

Muhammad: Let's examine first the meanings of the Quranic and Arabic term (Jannah), namely, Paradise and garden; its meanings change as per the Quranic context at hand.

The CNN anchor: OK.

Muhammad: The meaning of (Jannah) as "garden" is exemplified in these Quranic verses about the Quran-hating Meccan Qorayish polytheists who wondered why I had no garden or orchard or ask my Lord God to provide one miraculously for me: "And they say, “What sort of messenger is this, who eats food, and walks in the marketplaces? If only an angel was sent down with him, to be alongside him a warner.” Or, “If only a treasure was dropped on him.” Or, “If only he had a garden from which he eats.” The unjust ones also say, “You are following but a man under spell.”" (25:7-8); "And they said, “We will not believe in you unless you make a spring burst from the ground for us.  Or you have a garden of palms and vines; then cause rivers to gush pouring through them." (17:90-91).

The CNN anchor: The Paradise in the Old Testament seems to be a garden or an orchard on earth.

Muhammad: The meaning of (Jannah) as "Eternal Paradise" of the Hereafter for the pious ones is mentioned here: "As for those who believe and do righteous deeds - these are the inhabitants of Paradise, wherein they will dwell forever." (2:82).

The CNN anchor: This does not apply to the Paradise of Adam and Eve since the Last Day has not come yet.

Muhammad: The meaning of (Jannah) here is the Barsakh Paradise of Adam and his wife: "We said, “O Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become among the unjust ones.”" (2:35); "Near which is the Paradise of Repose." (53:15).

The CNN anchor: I see. But what is meant by 53:15?

Muhammad: This Barsakh Paradise of Adam and his wife is the same place where souls of those killed for God's sake, while serving His cause, repose and reside within blissful pleasures until the Day of the Resurrection. 

The CNN anchor: This Barsakh Paradise exists now!

Muhammad: Yes; I saw it.

The CNN anchor: When?! Where?!

Muhammad: In the first Barsakh level of the earth when I encountered the Holy Spirit Gabriel.

The CNN anchor: Please tell me more!

Muhammad: I saw Gabriel twice; Gabriel descended from his higher metaphysical Barsakh level so that I see him, and within this encounter, he delivered the entirety of the Quranic text into my soul or my heart.

The CNN anchor: Please wait! This topic of the Quranic revelation will be covered later on, but I need a brief explanation.

Muhammad: This encounter with Gabriel is mentioned in the Holy Quran: "By the star as it goes down. Your companion has not gone astray, nor has he erred. Nor does he speak out of desire. It is but a revelation revealed. Taught to him by the Extremely Powerful. The one of vigor. He settled. While he was at the highest horizon. Then he descended, and hovered around. He was within two bows’ length, or closer. Then He revealed to His servant what He revealed. The heart did not lie about what it saw. Will you dispute with him concerning what he saw? He saw him on another descent. At the Tree of the Extremity. Near which is the Paradise of Repose. As there covered the Tree of the Extremity what covered it. The sight did not waver, nor did it exceed. He saw some of the Great Signs of his Lord." (53:1-18).

The CNN anchor: I see. You did not ascend to Gabriel; rather, he descended to you.

Muhammad: The archangel Gabriel of the Upper Realm is an ethereal Barsakh creature. My soul, and not my physical eyes, saw him, in his angelic form, descending to meet me; this encounter resulted in printing the Quranic text into my heart or my soul. Thus, Gabriel, the Extremely Powerful, taught me the Quran.

The CNN anchor: You mention your heart and your soul as if they are exact synonyms; why?

Muhammad: They are synonymous in the Quranic text.

The CNN anchor: I see; this is why you told me one has to understand the Quran according to its own unique terminology.

Muhammad: This is how my Lord God revealed the Quran to me via Gabriel; I saw Gabriel a second time when he descended from his higher Barsakh level to a lower Barsakh level of the earth at the Tree of the Extremity which is located at the Barsakh Paradise. 

The CNN anchor: How did you see all that?

Muhammad: With my soul and not with my physical eyes as I have told you; this is why my eyes never moved throughout this vision which was a great sign granted to me by my Lord God: "The sight did not waver, nor did it exceed. He saw some of the Great Signs of his Lord." (53:17-18)

The CNN anchor: I see.

Muhammad: This means my eyes never moved, and during this great vision of Barsakh witnessed by my heart or my soul, my body felt as if nearer to death. "The heart did not lie about what it saw." (53:11)

The CNN anchor: But you can describe what you saw with your soul, right?

Muhammad: I cannot. No mortals created of clay can see angels in their true, angelic form. Souls of dying persons see the angels of death; all human souls will see angels on the Last Day. As per the Quranic stories, Abraham, his wife, and Lot and his people saw angels who took the human form of men; Mary saw Gabriel when he took the human form of a man. This is why my soul's encounter with Gabriel was a great sign granted to me by my Lord God since my soul saw Gabriel in his angelic form.

The CNN anchor: Why cannot you describe Gabriel, the Tree of the Extremity, and the Barsakh Paradise as you saw them with your soul?!

Muhammad: No words in any human tongues can express the great sign I witnessed; no one can understand this unique experience that occurred to me. This is a test for believers: "Will you dispute with him concerning what he saw?" (53:12); "Glory to Him who journeyed His servant by night, from the Sacred Mosque, to the Farthest Mosque, whose areas We have blessed, in order to show him of Our Signs. He is the Listener, the Beholder." (17:1); "We said to you that your Lord encompasses humanity. We did not make the vision We showed you, except as a test for the people..." (17:60).

The CNN anchor: This is very strange!

Muhammad: During deep slumber, souls of sleepers leave their bodies and fly to their original place in Barsakh momentarily and return to the confines of their prisons, or the human bodies, upon waking up. This is why the temporary visits of souls to Barsakh sometimes bring dreams and visions.

The CNN anchor: But science does not acknowledge the existence of the metaphysical realm; yet, some scientists began to admit its existence since there are dimensions we cannot see despite proofs of their presence as per the superstring theory. Such theory and its likes might be referring to thresholds of the Barsakh metaphysical realm, I suppose.

Muhammad: The Holy Quran contains miraculous scientific indications and some of them are about the Barsakh metaphysical realm.

The CNN anchor: Please tell me more about Barsakh.

Muhammad: It is noteworthy that the Quran links the heavens to the earth despite the fact that the Planet Earth is merely like a speck of sand among the vast desert known as the universe (or "the heavens and the earth" as per the Quranic expression) with its galaxies, stars, black holes,...etc. which are merely what is (between the heavens and the earth) as per the Quranic expression; this means the heavens are so vast and we cannot imagine how they look like; what we see in the realm of galaxies is nothing when compared to the different realms of the heavens.  

The CNN anchor: Why, then, does God in the Quran link the earth to the seven heavens?

Muhammad: Because the seven Barsakh levels of the earth overlap with the seven Barsakh levels of the heavens, and both types of levels overlap with the physical level of the Planet Earth; the divine commands of my Lord God pass through these levels: "God is He Who created seven heavens, and their like of earth. The command descends through them, so that you may know that God is Capable of everything, and that God Encompasses everything in knowledge." (65:12).

The CNN anchor: I am not sure if I follow!

Muhammad: Each heaven or earth Barsakh level overlaps with the one below it and the one above it; this is how the earth and the heavens are linked and angels pass through such levels as per their different speeds while carrying the commands of my Lord God from the Upper Realm to our physical earth.

The CNN anchor: This means angels exist in such Barsakh metaphysical levels and jinn and devils exist within lower levels, right?

Muhammad: Exactly. The jinn are quoted here in the Holy Quran: "We realized that we cannot defeat God on earth, and that we cannot escape Him by fleeing." (72:12). This means they cannot escape the lower Barsakh levels of the earth; the jinn and devils cannot pass through the Barsakh levels of the heavens; when the arrogant disobedient angel Iblis was expelled from the Upper Realm, he became a jinn, or Satan the Devil, and he descended into the earth's lowest Barsakh level of jinn.

The CNN anchor: Where is the Barsakh Paradise of Adam, then?

Muhammad: It exists in the first Barsakh level of the earth; I saw it at the Tree of the Extremity; this Barsakh Paradise is the abode of the souls of those who got killed for my Lord God's sake while serving the cause of my Lord God; they live inside it in pleasure and bliss: "And do not say of those who are killed in the cause of God, “Dead.” Rather, they are alive, but you do not perceive." (2:154). 

The CNN anchor: So, we cannot feel or sense their presence, right?

Muhammad: Yes; but they feel and sense their contemporaries on earth: "Do not consider those killed in the cause of God as dead. In fact, they are alive, at their Lord, well provided for. Delighting in what God has given them out of His grace, and happy for those who have not yet joined them; that they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. They rejoice in grace from God, and bounty, and that God will not waste the reward of the believers." (3:169-171).

The CNN anchor: After what you have told me about Barsakh realms, how could we know the features of the Barsakh Paradise where Adam and his wife lived and where those killed in the cause of God live now?

Muhammad: Let us repeat what my Lord God mentions about the Paradise of Adam.

The CNN anchor: OK

Muhammad: At first, the rebel angel Iblis refused to prostrate to Adam...

The CNN anchor (interrupting): This is not mentioned in the Old Testament.

Muhammad: I am talking about the Quran now; after the creation of Adam and his wife and the expulsion of Iblis and transforming him into Satan, Adam and his wife were allowed by my Lord God to live in this Barsakh Paradise, but my Lord God has warned them against Satan and the Forbidden Tree: "And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam.” They prostrated, except for Iblis; he refused. We said, “O Adam, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So do not let him make you leave Paradise, for then you will suffer. In it you will never go hungry, nor be naked. Nor will you be thirsty in it, nor will you swelter.”" (20:116-119).

The CNN anchor: This means Adam and his wife enjoyed in this Barsakh Paradise and never suffered any hunger or exerted any efforts.

Muhammad: The rebel angel Iblis was transformed into Satan the Devil; he is now among the jinn, in the first Barsakh level of the earth, after his being expelled from the Upper Realm; he can no longer pass through the Barsakh levels of the heavens. The Barsakh Paradise of Adam and his wife exists in the first Barsakh level of the earth; this is why it was accessible by Satan who managed to deceive Adam and his wife; they consumed the fruit of the Forbidden Tree and saw their nakedness for the first time; their physical bodies appeared to them after they were previously covered with Barsakh-light garments; they had to cover their nudity with leaves of the Barsakh trees which have Barsakh light; Satan gloated, sneered, and jeered at them; Adam and his wife descended unto the earth: "But Satan whispered to him. He said, “O Adam, shall I show you the Tree of Immortality, and a kingdom that never decays?” And so they ate from it; whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they started covering themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Thus Adam disobeyed his Lord, and fell. But then his Lord recalled him, and pardoned him, and guided him. He said, “Descend from it, altogether; some of you enemies of some others. But whenever guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, will not go astray, nor suffer." (20:120-123); "We said, “O Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become among the unjust ones.” But Satan caused them to slip from it, and caused them to depart the state they were in. We said, “Descend, some of you enemies of one another. And you will have residence on earth, and enjoyment for a while.” Then Adam received words from his Lord, so He relented towards him. He is the Relenting, the Merciful.  We said, “Descend from it, all of you. Yet whenever guidance comes to you from Me, then whoever follows My guidance - they have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve. But as for those who disbelieve and reject Our Verses - these are the inmates of the Fire - wherein they will remain forever.”" (2:35-39).    

The CNN anchor: A radical change occurred to Adam and his wife after their descent unto the earth, right?

Muhammad: They descended while carrying their progeny inside them with the enmity among them as they will vie for amassing and owning the transient possessions of the earth.

The CNN anchor: Satan also descended unto the earth, right?

Muhammad: Yes, but the difference is that Adam and his wife could see the ethereal creatures of Barsakh like Satan, jinn, and angels when they lived in the Barsakh Paradise; they could no longer see such creatures on earth and this applies to all human beings who can never see angels, jinn, and devils. This is why human beings, the descendants of Adam, are warned in a direct address here by my Lord God: "O children of Adam! Do not let Satan seduce you, as he drove your parents out of Paradise, stripping them of their garments, to show them their nakedness. He sees you, him and his clan, from where you cannot see them. We have made the devils allies of those who do not believe." (7:27).

The CNN anchor: I see now how this Barsakh Paradise of Adam and his wife looks like.

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the descent of Adam and Eve unto the earth in the Bible's Old Testament

The CNN anchor: Let me quote the Old Testament's story of the descent of Adam and Eve unto the earth in Chapter 2 in the Book of Genesis (16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.). The command here about the Forbidden Tree is similar to the command found in the Quran I suppose.

Muhammad: But the Quran mentions different words pronounced by my Lord God.

The CNN anchor: Please tell me more.

Muhammad: The divine command about never to come near the Forbidden Tree is addressed to both Adam and his wife; besides, the Quran never mentions the type of fruit of this Forbidden Tree. It is nonsensical to describe this tree as(the tree of the knowledge of good and evil), as this means it was good to consume its fruit; besides, in the Quran, Adam is never told that he would die as a result of this disobedience; Adam and his wife knew they were mortal creatures even inside the Barsakh Paradise.

The CNN anchor: (after a short pause) I agree with what you have said; let me quote further: (18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.). I know we talked about this Biblical context before; have you anything further to say?

Muhammad: Yes; the order of events differ from that found in the Quran.

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: The Quranic arrangement of events is as follows: the creation of Adam, teaching him names, my Lord God's divine command to the angels to prostrate to Adam, the disobedience of the arrogant angel Iblis, his expulsion from the Upper Realm and the Barsakh levels of the heavens, the creation of Adam's wife, my Lord God's divine command to Adam and his wife to inhabit the Barsakh Paradise and to never get near the Forbidden Tree. My Lord God says the following in the Holy Quran: "When your Lord said to the angels, “I am placing a successor on earth.” They said, “Will You place in it someone who will cause corruption in it and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?” He said, “I know what you do not know.” And He taught Adam the names, all of them; then he presented them to the angels, and said, “Tell Me the names of these, if you are truthful.” They said, “Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. It is you who are the Knowledgeable, the Wise.” He said, “O Adam, tell them their names.” And when he told them their names, He said, “Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth, and that I know what you reveal and what you conceal?” And We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam.” They prostrated, except for Satan. He refused, was arrogant, and became one of the disbelievers. We said, “O Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become among the unjust ones.”" (2:30-35).

The CNN anchor: I see that Adam's wife, or Eve, is not mentioned in 2:30-34; it is mentioned only in 2:35; why is that?

Muhammad: This indication shows that she was there besides her husband, Adam, all the time; this means she was created immediately after the creation of Adam. You remember 4:1 about the creation of all human souls from one soul; i.e., that of Adam, and this includes the soul of Adam's wife which was created from the soul of Adam as well. You remember my telling you that the Quranic methodology within the stories is repetition within certain details so as to warn and remind readers and make them draw useful lessons. This is why the Quranic story of Adam is repeated, with new and added details each time, in the Quranic text in order to preach all human beings, who are the descendants of Adam, so that they draw lessons from what happened to their father Adam. As for the so-called the Bible's Old Testament, one finds in it a chronological order of events typical of historical narratives, and yet, it contains many contradictions.       

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: You have quoted from it that the command was addressed to Adam and then his wife was created; this gives the impression that the command was not addressed to her at all and she could consume the fruit of the Forbidden Tree without any sense of guilt since she did not know that this was a sin; yet, the authors of the Old Testament accuse her unjustly of causing the fall of Adam! This is not the case in the Quranic story; the command about avoiding the Forbidden Tree was addressed by my Lord God to both Adam and his wife.

The CNN anchor: You criticism is logical; let me quote these verses from Chapter 3 in the Book of Genesis: (1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.). We see here the contradiction that Eve said to the serpent that she knew about the command of never to consume the fruit of the Forbidden Tree though she seems not to have been created yet when this command came to Adam as per earlier verses of the Old Testament's Book of Genesis.

Muhammad: Regardless of the silliness of the idea of a talking serpent and how it could find its way to Paradise – while other beasts could not – we see the huge difference between the false, Biblical story and the true, Quranic story. The Quran tells us that the divine command of the Lord God about never to get near the Forbidden Tree was addressed to both Adam and his wife; both saw Satan himself – not Satan disguised as a serpent – and both were tempted and deceived by him; both Adam and his wife were sinners who violated the divine command; yet, the Old Testament story makes Adam's wife bear the full responsibility as if she deceived Adam! This is not true!   

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: Adam is the one responsible for his descent unto the earth and leaving the Barsakh Paradise after violating the divine command which was directly addressed to him; but Adam repented and my Lord God accepted his repentance: "We said, “O Adam, inhabit Paradise, you and your spouse, and eat from it freely as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you become among the unjust ones.” But Satan caused them to slip from it, and caused them to depart the state they were in. We said, “Descend, some of you enemies of one another. And you will have residence on earth, and enjoyment for a while.” Then Adam received words from his Lord, so He relented towards him. He is the Relenting, the Merciful." (2:35-37).

The CNN anchor: The Quran is fair towards Adam's wife; indeed, the unknown authors of the Old Testament accuse her of being fully responsible for driving Adam out of Paradise! By the way, Al-Bokhary hadith (mentioned again by Moslem in his book of hadiths) ascribed to you assume that you have said that: (if it had not been for Eve, no woman would have cheated her husband and if it had not been for the Israelites, no meat chunks would have gone rotten); this means all women or wives cheat on their men or husbands as they follow the footsteps of Eve! Did you pronounce such hadith?

Muhammad: Never! I am innocent of such lies and fabrications; I never heard of the authors Al-Bokhary and Moslem and I never read their books!

The CNN anchor: Let me quote further: (7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.). (Smiling after a short pause) This is insulting to the Omniscient and Omnipresent Lord God; it is as if He could not see Adam; it is as if Adam played hide-and-seek! Besides, no reptiles have legs in the past or in the present and they never consume dust as food; this is like fairy tales invented by the unknown authors of the Old Testament!

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Quran: "God created every living creature from water. Some of them crawl on their bellies, and some walk on two feet, and others walk on four. God creates whatever He wills. God is Capable of everything." (24:45). The unknown authors of the Old Testament may be influenced by the dominant culture at the time especially regarding sanctifying reptiles as sacred and/or cursed gods of evil.

The CNN anchor: Let me quote further: (16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.). What do you think of that?

Muhammad: That Adam's wife and all women bear children and give birth to them is never a punishment; this is done as per the Divine Will of my Lord God Who created the sentiments of motherhood inside women in general. "God knows what every female bears, and every increase and decrease of the wombs. With Him, everything is by measure." (13:8). Besides, no wife leaves her husband rule over her except by her own consent; some wives control and rule over their husbands and these husbands are OK with that and they are happy and content that way. Both the husband and the wife desire each other; the Quran puts it in a better way here: "And of His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, so that you may find tranquility in them; and He planted love and compassion between you. In this are signs for people who reflect." (30:21). Adam knew beforehand that he had to toil and suffer if he would descend unto the earth: "And when We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam.” They prostrated, except for Iblis; he refused. We said, “O Adam, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So do not let him make you leave Paradise, for then you will suffer. In it you will never go hungry, nor be naked. Nor will you be thirsty in it, nor will you swelter.”" (20:116-119).

The CNN anchor: This is great; the Quran is a great text. Let me quote further: (22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: 23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.). (A short pause followed by a sigh). What do you think of that?

Muhammad: What is your own view?

The CNN anchor: The authors of this passage in the Old Testament accuse God of claiming that Adam became an immortal god! This is blasphemous polytheism! Adam was no deity and he died like all mortals; besides, this contradicts the earlier passage about death as the penalty of consuming the fruit of the Forbidden Tree!

Muhammad: Let us return to the Quran which heals the souls of people.

The CNN interview with Muhammad about drawing lessons from the story of Adam and Eve

The CNN anchor: What is the reason, in your own view, for repeating the story of our father Adam in the Quranic text?

Muhammad: Because it is the story of all humankind; it is related to all descendants of Adam; they should ponder it deeply and draw useful lessons from it. 

The CNN anchor: What lessons?

Muhammad: I will state my own personal view here.

The CNN anchor: What do you mean?

Muhammad: I mean my personal view as a human being; my views do not represent Islam; views of any mortals do not represent Islam; Islam is the Quran only.

The CNN anchor: But does the Quran quote any of your views or words?

Muhammad: Yes; this is exemplified here: "When you said to the believers, “Is it not enough for you that your Lord has reinforced you with three thousand angels, sent down?”" (3:124); "There is no blame on the weak, nor on the sick, nor on those who have nothing to give, provided they are true to God and His messenger...Nor on those who approach you, wishing to ride with you, and you said, “I have nothing to carry you on.” So they went away, with their eyes overflowing with tears, sorrowing for not finding the means to spend." (9:91-92).

The CNN anchor: But some of your words brought reproach to you in the Quranic text, right?

Muhammad: Yes; this is exemplified in this rebuke when I was reluctant and shied away from the divine command to marry my adoptive son's ex-wife; adoption by making adopted children have the name of the adopter is forbidden in Islam; before the descent of the Quran, Zaid was my adoptive son and carried my name: "When you said to him whom God had blessed, and you had favored, “Keep your wife to yourself, and fear God within piety.” But you hid within yourself what God was to reveal. And you feared the people, but it was God you were supposed to fear. Then, when Zaid ended his relationship with her, We gave her to you in marriage, that there may be no restriction for believers regarding the wives of their adopted sons, when their relationship has ended. The command of God was fulfilled." (33:37).

The CNN anchor: This means your views and words included faulty ones and good ones even in the Quranic story of you, right?

Muhammad: Exactly; I am a human being; my words and views, which might be wrong or right, outside the Quran can be expressed by any person; the only source of Islam is the Quranic verses I pronounced and conveyed.

The CNN anchor: What about your biographies written by some Abbasid authors?

Muhammad: I never authorized anyone to write my biography; how come some people who were never my contemporaries would dare to write any biographies of me? Anyway, my active life within the call for Islam and within self-defense jihad fighting as a leader in Yathreb was filled with stances, actions, and words linked to certain situations, circumstances, and times which can never be repeated; they are never part of Islam because Islam is the Quran only.

The CNN anchor: What is the percentage of truth in such biographies?

Muhammad: What matches with my story in the Quran is true; yet, such biographies are never part of Islam because Islam is the Quran only. Any biographies may contain lies, falsehoods, exaggerations, and some truths. Such relative truths are never part of Islam; anyway, what contradicts the Quran in such biographies is never true; most of such biographies are mere fabrications, I assure you.

The CNN anchor: What about the views expressed by you now?

Muhammad: They are my own personal views, which might be wrong or right, and they can be expressed by anyone; they are not part of Islam; Islam is the Quran only as I have told you.

The CNN anchor: Even when your views are comments on some Quranic verses, right?

Muhammad: Exactly.

The CNN anchor: Many viewers of Arab origin hate and condemn your words expressed in this CNN interview; in our opinion, why is that?

Muhammad: Their hearts and souls still cling to the polytheistic notion of deifying and sanctifying prophets as if such prophets were larger than life or above the level of human beings; they forget the fact that prophets are not deities. I am a mortal prophet and a human being who consume food and walk through marketplaces. In fact, I hope very much that this interview with me would remove all remnants of deifying and sanctifying prophets from the minds of viewers. Islam, as a religion, is only my Lord God's Word: the Quranic Discourse itself; other discourses pertain to human beings and never represent Islam. 

The CNN anchor: Some people told me they are afraid lest your views expressed in this CNN interview should be written down as your Sunna hadiths!

Muhammad: Those who may do so forget my assertions that my views are my own personal ones which may be wrong or right. My views are not Islam because Islam is the Quran only. Anyway, one cannot prevent others from guiding or misguiding themselves.

The CNN anchor: Would we remain silent? What are we to do with those who protest against this CNN interview with you?

Muhammad: The Quran must be preached to them; if they question or reject it, we distance ourselves from them and let them be: "And say to those who do not believe, “Act according to your ability; and so will we.” “And wait; we too are waiting.”" (11:121-122).

The CNN anchor: What about those who reject your views and comments, about the Quranic verses, expressed here? Are they to be considered as disbelievers?

Muhammad: Not at all; my own personal views may be wrong or right; they are not Islam; Islam is the Quran only and nothing more, as I have told you.

The CNN anchor: What is in your view, then, the lessons to be drawn from the Quranic story of Adam?

Muhammad: I see that the main issue in it is obeying or disobeying divine commands and our stance towards them.

The CNN anchor: Meaning?

Muhammad: To prostrate to Adam is a strange divine command addressed to the angels of the Upper Realm; yet, all angels obeyed my Lord God except the arrogant angel Iblis. Thus, there are two stances here: (A) immediate obedience without questioning the divine command or asking for its reasons, and (B) disobeying the divine command and arguing against it.

The CNN anchor: I see.

Muhammad: Similarly, the divine command addressed to Adam and his wife about never to get near to the Forbidden Tree was without mentioning any reasons at all. Adam and his wife sinned and disobeyed this divine command; yet, they repented and my Lord God accepted their repentance. This is a third stance: repentance after disobedience and sinning. 

The CNN anchor: I see there are three stances: obedience, disobedience without repentance, and disobedience followed by repentance.

Muhammad: Iblis never repented since he arrogantly and wrongfully justified for himself his disobedience; Adam and his wife knew they were sinners when they disobeyed the divine command; they felt deep remorse and repented sincerely.

The CNN anchor: The three stances are found in our modern life and culture now. Some people perform acts of charity as they obey God the Creator like the angels. Some people commit sins and mistakes and then have pangs of conscience driving them to repent like Adam and Eve. Some people try to justify their crimes and sins within false claims and thus they never repent like Iblis.

Muhammad: But there is a worse type of criminals and sinners.

The CNN anchor: What is this type?

Muhammad: Those who justify their sins and crimes by making them part of the divine legislations ascribed to my Lord God though He warns against this grave sin within the story of how Satan managed to deceive and tempt Adam.

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Holy Quran: "O children of Adam! We have provided you with clothing to cover your bodies, and for luxury. But the clothing of piety - that is best. These are some of God’s Verses, so that they may take heed. O children of Adam! Do not let Satan seduce you, as he drove your parents out of Paradise, stripping them of their garments, to show them their nakedness. He sees you, him and his clan, from where you cannot see them. We have made the devils allies of those who do not believe. And when they commit an indecency, they say, “We found our parents doing this, and God has commanded us to do it.” Say, “God does not command indecencies. Are you attributing to God what you do not know?”" (7:26-28).

The CNN anchor: How is this linked to Adam and Eve?

Muhammad: When Adam and his wife disobeyed my Lord God by consuming the fruit of the Forbidden Tree inside the Barsakh Paradise, they garments of Barsakh light which covered their bodies disappeared; their nakedness appeared to them for the first time. The Lord God provided garments for human beings in this life; such garments are man-made; the souls should have their best garments which are woven of piety; this is better for the souls in the Hereafter.

The CNN anchor: If garments or clothes are man-made in this world, how come that God provided them for us?!

Muhammad: They are woven of material created by my Lord God.

The CNN anchor: I see that in the Quranic context 7:26-28, human beings are warned against temptation and deceit of Satan since he managed to deceive Adam and Eve; yet, what is intended by reminding readers that Satan removed the garments of Barsakh light from their bodies so that they see their nakedness?

Muhammad: When Iblis arrogantly refused to prostrate to Adam, his reason was that Adam was created of mud and clay; these are base material when compared to the power of fire from which angels like Iblis were created; Satan removed the garments of Barsakh light from their bodies so that they realize they did not belong to the Barsakh realm but to the lower, physical realm of the earth since they are created from the dust and water of this earth.

The CNN anchor: What is meant by this Quranic phrase: "...He sees you, him and his clan, from where you cannot see them..." (7:27)?

Muhammad: This is very important to all human beings; Adam and his wife could see Satan and other ethereal Barsakh-realm creatures (devils, jinn, and angels) inside the Barsakh Paradise. Yet, in this physical realm of the earth, no human beings can see such ethereal creatures; in contrast, these ethereal creatures can see human beings since they exist in a Barsakh level above human beings which overlaps with the physical earth. While seen by Adam and his wife, Satan managed to tempt and deceive both of them; this means he and other devils can deceive and tempt human beings in an easier manner now since human beings can never see Satan and devils. Human souls who reside in bodies created of mud belong to the Barsakh realm; Satan and devils can misguide and whisper evil to the souls which drive and control the human bodies. This is how disobedience and sins are committed. This is how allying oneself to devils occurs; this is why one reads this phrase by the end of the same verse: "...We have made the devils allies of those who do not believe." (7:27).

The CNN anchor: This is proved by the crimes and bloodshed committed by human beings, past and present. History provides us with many painful examples and so is today's media. There are thousands of individual crimes, group crimes, and international crimes. Sadly, the most lucrative business on earth now is the selling and purchasing weapons; such weapons are used by the descendants of Adam to massacre one another though they are brethren and have one father and one mother: Adam and Eve. 

Muhammad: As per 7:28, it is a grave sin to ascribe one's sins or crimes to the Lord God's religion and divine commands; this grave sin is committed by allies of Satan and his devils.

The CNN anchor: I see. This is exemplified by the Wahabi ISIS terrorists who ascribe their sex jihad and their heinous terrorist crimes, such as massacres, bloodshed, enslaving women, sabotage, and looting, to the name of Islam; it is a shame that the media labels them as (Islamists); such terrorists justify their heinous crimes using hadiths ascribed to your name.

Muhammad: I am innocent of what they do!

The CNN anchor: How can you refute such Wahabi terrorists? 

Muhammad: My Lord God refutes them beforehand here: "And when they commit an indecency, they say, “We found our parents doing this, and God has commanded us to do it.” Say, “God does not command indecencies. Are you attributing to God what you do not know?” Say, “My Lord commands justice, and to stand devoted at every place of worship. So call upon Him, and dedicate your religion to Him alone. Just as He originated you, so you will return.” Some He has guided, and some have deserved misguidance. They have adopted the devils for allies rather than God, and they assume that they are guided." (7:28-30).

The CNN anchor: This is why the story of Adam is repeated in the Quranic text; human beings should take heed and be careful so as to avoid being deceived and tempted by Satan and his devils; they should not lured by Satan to disobey God so as not to repeat the sin of disobedience committed by their father Adam who was tempted by Satan.  

Muhammad: You are absolutely right. This is in addition to draw their attention to the fact that the only guidance is from the Lord God conveyed by His messengers: "We said, “Descend from it, all of you. Yet whenever guidance comes to you from Me, then whoever follows My guidance - they have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve. But as for those who disbelieve and reject Our Verses - these are the inmates of the Fire - wherein they will remain forever.”" (2:38-39); "He said, “Descend from it, altogether; some of you enemies of some others. But whenever guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, will not go astray, nor suffer. But whoever turns away from My Reminder, for him is a confined life. And We will raise him on the Day of Resurrection blind.”" (20:123-124).

The CNN anchor: This is a warning and glad tidings at the same time.

Muhammad: This Quranic verse contains my Lord God's address to the emotional and rational sides of human beings who are the descendants of Adam: "We said to the angels, “Prostrate to Adam.” So they prostrated, except for Iblis who became of the jinn, and he defied the command of his Lord. Will you take him and his offspring as allies instead of Me, when they are an enemy to you? Evil is the exchange for the unjust ones." (18:50).

The CNN anchor: Such richness in the Quranic story of Adam is never found in the Old Testament's story of Adam.

Muhammad: This is because the Quranic Message is the source of guidance from my Lord God and not a history book.

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the existence of Satan

The CNN anchor: The Old Testament does not mention Satan the Devil within the story of Adam or elsewhere; it is noteworthy that some thinkers of the cultural elite deny the existence of Satan. Let us discuss this topic of Satan's existence; you can provide me with your own view and then with the Quranic proofs.  

Muhammad: Of course, the Quran is a call for pondering, reflecting, contemplating, reasoning, and understanding. Using one's rational mind, before quoting the Quran, can prove Satan's existence and his control over the souls of his human followers. Let me pose some questions to you and you will kindly answer me.

The CNN anchor: OK.

Muhammad: There is a storehouse filled with building material like sand, cement, wood, glass, iron, bricks,...etc. Two men came and bought some of such items; one of them built a nightclub, and the other built a mausoleum and convinced the gullible, naïve masses that under it, there is a buried saint or ally who works miracles for his worshipers. The items of building material in both cases are the same, right?

The CNN anchor: Of course they are.

Muhammad: Why, then, the masses would venerate, sanctify, and worship the bricks, iron, curtains, and glass of the mausoleum and never those of the nightclub?

The CNN anchor: Because they believe that such 'holy' and deified mausoleum may bring benefit to them and ward off evil or harm from them.

Muhammad: The items of building material of the nightclub are the same and yet no one says that the bricks, iron, curtains, and glass of the nightclub may bring benefit and ward off harm or evil, right?

The CNN anchor: Yes and this is because the masses believe in the saints buried beneath mausoleums.

Muhammad: Would this alleged sanctity or benediction of any saints be transmitted into the bricks, iron, curtains, and glass of any mausoleums?!

The CNN anchor (hesitant): I do not know! Yet, many people believe in saints buried under mausoleums. This is the core of many of today's religions.

Muhammad: If so, why would not they dig into these tombs to draw the benediction directly from the corpses of such sanctified saints?!

The CNN anchor (hesitant): I do not know!

Muhammad: What if such a saint would get out of the tomb and greeted his worshipers with open arms?

The CNN anchor: They will scream and run away in panic, for sure!

Muhammad: It is never rational to worship stones and building material on which one can tread with one's feet; likewise, it is never rational to worship corpses of the dead.

The CNN anchor: Of course, you are right.

Muhammad: Who have managed to convince polytheists to worship tombs?

The CNN anchor: Do you mean Satan?

Muhammad: Exactly; my Lord God warns all people here: "O you who believe! Wine, gambling, mausoleums, and divination are abominations of Satan’s doing. Avoid them, so that you may prosper. Satan wants to provoke strife and hatred among you through wine and gambling, and to prevent you from the remembrance of God, and from prayers. Will you not desist?" (5:90-91).

The CNN anchor: But Satan never built any mausoleums himself, right?

Muhammad: But Satan has managed to convince many people to worship and deify stones, icons, tombs, statues,...etc. This means Satan is the real fashioner of such abominations and fabrications never accepted by the rational mind; Satan is like a director of a movie who controls the scene but never appears on camera.  

The CNN anchor: I wholeheartedly agree with you; I know a banker who demands too many guarantees when giving a loan to someone and he examines his own expenditures and purchases carefully; yet, he donates much money without thinking to a mausoleum of a saint! This man never thinks for one minute to verify if such a saint is found or not beneath such a tomb!    

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Quran: "And they allocate, to something they do not know, a share of what We have provided for them. By God, you will be questioned about what you have been inventing." (16:56).

The CNN anchor: If such polytheists were rational human beings, they would not have worshiped stones on which they can treat by their feet; Satan has managed to blind them and to brainwash them!

Muhammad: As for the so-called hadiths ascribed to me by some authors....

The CNN anchor (interrupting): They are Malik, Al-Shafei, Al-Bokhary, Moslem, Ibn Hanbal,...etc.

Muhammad: I never knew them in Arabia; they were not my contemporaries. How come they would write words I might have uttered?! I never authorized my contemporaries to write anything I say except the Quranic verses. It is very silly to consider such hadiths, which have nothing to do with me, as divine revelation; could I have left parts of Islam without conveying them so that such authors would 'complete' and 'find' any 'missing' parts of Islam?! This is absurd!

The CNN anchor: Such authors ascribe their hadiths to Isnad or series of narrators whose last narrator would be a man who was among your contemporaries in Arabia.

Muhammad: Why would anyone believe in such a myth?! Any oral traditions by any person or groups are changed and distorted by generations of people who hear and repeat it; I never pronounced any of the hundreds of thousands of hadiths. I never read them or heard about them. They are never part of Islam. They are never part of the divine revelation at all; the only divine revelation I received is the Quran itself.

The CNN anchor: Yet, over one billion Muslims worldwide believe in hadiths!

Muhammad: It is never rational to believe in such texts and Isnad of such hadiths; who has managed to deceive people so that they believe in these hadiths in the past centuries until now and so that they refuse to question them? 

The CNN anchor: Do you mean Satan?

Muhammad: Of course. The devilish revelations are inspired to allies of Satan to misguide people; yet, monotheists take heed of the warning here: "Likewise, We have assigned for every prophet an enemy - human and jinn devils - inspiring one another with fancy words in order to deceive. But had your Lord willed, they would not have done it. So leave them to their fabrications. So that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter may incline to it, and be content with it, and that they may perpetrate whatever they perpetrate. “Shall I seek a judge other than God, when He is the One who revealed to you the Book, explained in detail?” Those to whom We gave the Book know that it is the Truth revealed from your Lord. So do not be of those who doubt. The Word of your Lord has been completed, in Truth and justice. There is no changing to His words. He is the Hearer, the Knower." (6:112-115).

The CNN anchor: This means you consider Satan as the basis of misguiding human beings as far as religion is concerned. I see that this is why most religions worldwide cause much troubles. I know that the Divine, Celestial Religion aims at upholding justice; yet, the other religions fabricated by men cause people to engage into religious wars and strife; extremists among any coreligionists hate those who do not follow their way and this drives them to commit violence and bloodshed; this has occurred in the past and in the present. If they were really religious people, they would have adhered to a higher moralistic level and to higher values like peace and tolerance.   

Muhammad: What you say asserts the existence of Satan and that he is behind the fabrication of man-made religions of polytheism which have hundreds of 'holy' books and mausoleums and incite violence and bloodshed. 

The CNN anchor: Aside from corrupting religion, has Satan any other role?

Muhammad: Yes; Satan tempts people to commit crimes, evil deeds, and sins; for instance, people or rulers may commit murders and launch wars to steal precious stones and gems though they are never edible items; yet, who has managed to convince such people to lose their minds and also lives for the sake of mere stones?!  

The CNN anchor: I know the answer: Satan. This means Satan makes most people worship stones of several types whether they are precious stones or gems, pagan idols, or mausoleums. Satan makes some people die for keeping or gaining mere stones!

Muhammad: By the way, is your own father alive or dead?

The CNN anchor: He died when I was a kid.

Muhammad: And your ancestors died like our father Adam, right?

The CNN anchor: Of course. Why are you asking me about them?!

Muhammad: And you will die one day, right?

The CNN anchor: Of course.

Muhammad: Have you arranged your life on the basis of your inevitable death?

The CNN anchor: I am not sure if I follow!

Muhammad: Have you ever said to yourself that it is useless to struggle against any enemies since all of us will die and will unwillingly leave the possessions of this transient world?

The CNN anchor: I never thought of that! In fact, most people spend their lives in endless disputes, wars, and struggles with other people in vain.

Muhammad: Most of them forget about their own inevitable death, right?

The CNN anchor: Yes.

Muhammad: Who is behind this forgetfulness?

The CNN anchor: Do you mean Satan?

Muhammad: Of course, Satan is behind this. Sadly, Satan has managed to deceive most of the descendants of Adam in the same method he employed to deceive Adam: the promise of immortality and kingdom or ownership. Most people struggle and vie for ownership of as many assets and possessions as possible while assuming they would never die. I mean they tend to forget that they are mortals who are bound to die and leave their assets and possessions to others. If they were rational beings, they would have divided the resources of Planet Earth equally among them and adhered to peace within settling all disputes so that they enjoy their lives in peace of mind and serenity.

The CNN anchor: I see.

Muhammad: This gap between rational thinking and the sins and folly of most people indicates that Satan controls the souls of misguided people to lead them to Hell in the Hereafter because of their disobeying the Lord God and their sins and crimes. No human beings can see their arch-enemies: Satan and devils.

The CNN anchor: I see. This means Satan controls clergymen, politicians, rulers, kings, presidents, billionaires, media owners, businesspersons, and warlords; all of them are allies of Satan and yet they deny the existence of Satan!