are superior to all the angels, because Allah commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam in his honour. Thus Iblīs said:

“Do You see this one whom You have honoured above me?”

This indicates that Adam was honoured above those who prostrated before him.

According to the early generations of the Muslim community and Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah, the “Paradise” in which Allah settled Adam and his wife is the everlasting Paradise. Whoever says that it was a garden on earth, in India, Jeddah, or elsewhere, belongs to the adherents of philosophy and the heretics, or to their fellows among the speculative theologians who introduce religious innovations. This view is held by some adherents of philosophy and some Mu‘tazilites. The Quran and the Sunnah refute it, and the early generations of the Muslim community and its leading scholars agree that it is false.

Allah Most High said:

“And when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate before Adam,’ they prostrated, except Iblīs. He refused and was arrogant, and was among the disbelievers.”

“And We said, ‘O Adam, dwell, you and your wife, in Paradise,’”

up to His words:

“And We said, ‘Descend, as enemies to one another. On earth you will have a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time.’”

He thus tells us that He, glorified be He, commanded them to descend, and that they were enemies to one another. He then said:

“On earth you will have a place of settlement and enjoyment for a time.”

This shows that they were not on earth, but were made to descend to it. Had they been on earth and moved to another land—as the people of Moses moved from one land to another—their place of settlement and enjoyment for a time would have been on earth both before and after their descent. Likewise, in Sūrat al-A‘rāf, when Iblīs said:

“I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay,”

Allah said:

“Then descend from it! It is not for you to be arrogant there.”