Wa Alaikum Assalam, Thank you Mumtaz for re-opening this old thread. I completely forgot to respond back to this. Here is my conclusion with evidences from Qur’an:
Dr. Irfan and Umer, although are correct on the meaning of Ahbitu and also the dual meaning of Jannah (as paradise and garden) as in 34:15 and 17:91, the arguement was still unresolved.
The fact that God made Adam from clay (as referred to 32:7 by Dr Irfan) doesn’t mean he was made on Earth. Shaytan was made from fire, doesn’t mean (and certainly not) he was made in Hell !?! It’s a poor argument.
My original question was; when Allah (swt) says “move out”, is He not talking about “move out from Jannah (Paradise) to the Earth”, and the answer was within the same Verse (and the next), I guess we all missed it. Let’s read it again together shall we? 7:24 and 7:25
[Allāh] said, “Descend, being to one another enemies. And for you on the earth is a place of settlement and enjoyment [i.e., provision] for a time.”
He said, “Therein you will live, and therein you will die, and from it you will be brought forth.”
So from 7:24, after Ahbitu, Allah immediately mentions that now Earth is your place of settlement! Had he already been on the Earth’s garden garden, there was no need to mention Earth. The “place” i.e. Earth is compared as opposed to the place he was in (where he was asked to step down).
Further the very next Verse 7:25 again emphasises on that new location “Earth” that Adam has been appointed, Therein you will live.. meaning he will now live on Earth.
Let’s stick to what Allah says in the Qur’an.
Shaytan entering (or be able to roam around) in Paradise is a different arguement, let’s not twist the Verses of Qur’an to answer/justify that argument.
A balanced approach (that resolves/satisfies both arguments) would be that Adam was in a separate Paradise/Garden (not on earth, and not the eternal Paradise), and since no other information is provided, we should leave it at that.
JazakAllah khair.