CHAPTER IV: The CNN Interview about Creation between the Quran and the Old Testament

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the Bible's Old Testament

The CNN anchor: I wonder why the Quran does mention the Israelites a great deal!

Muhammad: This is one of the miraculous features of the Quran; the Bible's Old Testament which includes a history of the Israelites and their sharia laws is still one of the most important religious books worldwide despite the fact that the Israelites are, and were, a minority in this world.

The CNN anchor: I am surprised to see that most Israelites and Christians of today never pay attention at all to the detailed and rich Quranic stories about the Israelites!

Muhammad: The Quranic stories begin with the creation of Adam and his descent unto the earth, then how one of Adam's sons murdered his brother. The Quranic stories, then, mention the stories of Noah, and some Arab prophets, Hud, Saleh, and Shuaib, and then of Abraham, Lot, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob or Israel, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, then the exodus of the Israelites who left Egypt, and then David, Solomon, Zachariah, John, and Jesus. 

The CNN anchor: Yet, there are radical differences between the Quranic stories of the Israelites and their stories in the Old Testament. Of course, non-Muslims believe in the veracity and credibility of the Old Testament stories and never pay attention at all to the Quranic stories; this is because the Bible is their history and religion.

Muhammad: Let me ask you: Does the Old Testament have the same text of the Torah mentioned by my Lord God in the Quran?

The CNN anchor: I do not think so; the Old Testament as we know it was written by many unknown men during the eras after the death of Moses. Of course, there are those who accuse you of having authored the Quran yourself and that it is not a Celestial Scripture. Yet, how could you have reached that information about prophets in general and about the Israelites in particular?!   

Muhammad: It is impossible that an Arab man in the 7^th century Arabia would invent such historical information about ancient nations and previous prophets and messengers; of course, some of such information agree with the Old Testament stories and some do not. The Quranic stories are repeated sometimes briefly and sometimes in detail without any discrepancies, inconsistencies, or differences. This means authoring the Quran is beyond my capacity; it is beyond human capacity. Before the Old Testament was written, the true Torah existed in Arabia with the Israelites who were my contemporaries.    

The CNN anchor: I guessed as much from these two Quranic verses: "...Say, “Bring the Torah, and read it, if you are truthful.”" (3:93); "But why do they come to you for judgment, when they have the Torah, in which is God’s Law?..." (5:43).

Muhammad: Furthermore, the divine dialogue addressed to the Israelites in the Quran reminds them of what was written in the Torah and other Celestial Books they have received; the Israelites in Arabia could never deny what is found in the Quran about them.

The CNN anchor: Like what?!

Muhammad: This Quranic verse is directly addressing them by reminding them of what has occurred to their ancestors: "O Israelites! Remember My bounties which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your pledge to Me, and I will fulfill My pledge to you, and fear Me within piety." (2:40).

The CNN anchor: Please give me another example.

Muhammad: My Lord God has demanded from me to ask them about a story they have concealed from their own history: "Ask them about the town by the sea, when they violated the Sabbath. When they observed the Sabbath, their fish would come to them abundantly. But when they violated the Sabbath, their fish would not come to them. Thus We tried them because they disobeyed." (7:163).

The CNN anchor: This is about their history or stories; what about legislations? Did the Israelites in Arabia argue with you about any religious laws?

Muhammad: Yes; some sinners among them prohibited food items made permissible by my Lord God: "For the Jews We forbade everything with claws. As of cattle and sheep: We forbade them their fat, except what adheres to their backs, or the entrails, or what is mixed with bone. This is how We penalized them for their inequity. We are indeed truthful. If they accuse you of lying, say, “Your Lord is Possessor of infinite mercy, but His wrath cannot be averted from the criminal people.”" (6:146-147).

The CNN anchor: This means they denied the Quranic laws about food items when you conveyed the Quranic verses about this topic, right?

Muhammad: Yes; when the disobedient sinners among them prohibited legal food items, my Lord God punished them by making such food items prohibited: "The polytheists will say, “Had God willed, we would not have practiced polytheism, nor would have our forefathers, nor would we have prohibited anything.” Likewise those before them lied, until they tasted Our might. Say, “Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us? You follow nothing but conjecture, and you only guess.” Say, “To God belongs the conclusive argument. Had He willed, He would have guided you all.”" (6:148-149).

The CNN anchor: What is meant by (knowledge) in the challenge posed to them in 6:148?

Muhammad: The Quranic term (knowledge) refers to Celestial, Divine Books of my Lord God; this term in 6:148 refers to the Torah in particular; this means the Israelites in Arabia at the time possessed the true Torah and it contains no evidence to support their false argument.

The CNN anchor: What about their rabbis and scholars at the time?

Muhammad: If they bear witness against the Torah, I should not bear witness with them as per my Lord God's command: "Say, “Produce your witnesses who would testify that God has prohibited this.” If they testify, do not testify with them. And do not follow the whims of those who deny Our Verses, and those who do not believe in the Hereafter, and those who equate others with their Lord." (6:150). In the same Quranic context, we find the true Ten Commandments here: "Say, “Come, let me tell you what your Lord has forbidden you: that you associate nothing with Him; that you honor your parents; that you do not kill your children because of poverty - We provide for you and for them; that you do not come near indecencies, whether outward or inward; and that you do not kill the soul which God has sanctified - except in the course of justice. All this He has enjoined upon you, so that you may understand.” And do not come near the property of the orphan, except with the best intentions, until he reaches maturity. And give full weight and full measure, equitably. We do not burden any soul beyond its capacity. And when you speak, be fair, even if it concerns a close relative. And fulfill your covenant with God. All this He has enjoined upon you, so that you may take heed. This is My Path, straight, so follow it. And do not follow the other paths, lest they divert you from His Path. All this He has enjoined upon you that you may attain piety." (6:151-153).

The CNN anchor: Why are the Ten Commandments mentioned here? 

Muhammad: Because the sinners among the Israelites created a long list of prohibitions which has nothing to do with the true Torah; the Quranic Ten Commandments clearly show the prohibitions.

The CNN anchor: What is mentioned after the Quranic Ten Commandments?

Muhammad: This is about the Scripture granted to Moses: "Then We gave Moses the Book, perfect for the righteous, and explaining everything clearly, and a beacon, and mercy, that they may believe in the encounter with their Lord." (6:154); this is about the Quran itself: "This too is a Blessed Book that We revealed; so follow it, and be righteous, that you may receive mercy." (6:155).

The CNN anchor: You can consider me a scholar specializing in the Bible's Old Testament; its laws can be found in the Book of Leviticus, the Book of Numbers, and the Book of Deuteronomy. These laws are repeated and contains many discrepancies, inconsistencies, and differences; these laws tend to prohibit many items and to suggest severe penalties. I will use the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. Let me quote from the entire Chapter 11 in the Book of Leviticus: (.1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.

3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.

10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you:

11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.

13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,

14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind;

15 Every raven after his kind;

16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckoo, and the hawk after his kind,

17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl,

18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the eagle,

19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.

21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth;

22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.

23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.

24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.

25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not cloven-footed, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.

27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.

28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening: they are unclean unto you.

29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind,

30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.

31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.

32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.

33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.

34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.

35 And everything whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you.

36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.

37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.

38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.

39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.

40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the evening: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.

42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.

43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.

44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth:

47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.). Were such details found in the Torah owned by the Israelites of Arabia during your lifetime there? 

Muhammad: No.

The CNN anchor: But you said that the disobedient sinners among the Israelites prohibited legal food items and God made it prohibited to punish them.

Muhammad: Until my lifetime in Arabia, the Torah was not distorted and it refuted their claims; some sinners among them had their own laws which contradicted the Torah and they argued about such laws; the Quran settles some of these disputes and exposes how some sinners concealed some verses of the Torah: "This Quran relates to the Israelites most of what they differ about." (27:76); "O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, clarifying for you much of what you kept hidden of the Book, and overlooking much. A Light from God has come to you, and a Clear Book." (5:15).

The CNN anchor: This means during your era in Arabia, some sinful Israelites concealed some verses from the undistorted Torah when God challenged them to show and use its knowledge. Yet, later on, the true Torah disappeared mysteriously. The Old Testament was written as its alternative, I think. Strangely, Chapter 31 in the Book of Deuteronomy mentions that towards the end of his life, Moses wrote the Torah, and yet, the unknown author of the Old Testament mentions in Chapter 34 in the Book of Deuteronomy that Moses died after the Lord God made him see the Promised Land. Many researchers now prove that the unknown authors of the Old Testament were heavily influenced by the laws of Hammurabi.    

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the Quranic stories in contrast to the stories of the Bible's Old Testament

The CNN anchor: You know from the Quran that the true Torah existed in Arabia in the 7^th century during your lifetime there, but you never heard of the Bible's Old Testament and its books, right?

Muhammad: Yes.

The CNN anchor: The first book in the Old Testament is the Book of Genesis which contains 50 Chapters; it is like a history book; it tells us about the creation of the heavens and the earth and then about the creation of Adam and Eve and their descent unto the earth; it tells us, in a chronological order, the stories of Noah to those of Jacob and Joseph; the Book of Exodus tells us about the story of Moses and the Israelites and how they left Egypt forever. I do not think that such chronological order exists in the Quran.

Muhammad: There is a chronological order in the Quranic stories of prophets and messengers.

The CNN anchor: How?!

Muhammad: The order is as follows: the creation of Adam; the two sons of Adam, Noah, Hud, Saleh, Shuaib, Jonah, Abraham, Lot, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Zachariah, John, and Jesus.

The CNN anchor: The Old Testament's stories are arranged chronologically despite the laws found in the Book of Leviticus, the Book of Numbers, and the Book of Deuteronomy, among other books, which are interpolated in the historical narration. In contrast, I find no chronological arrangement in the Quran regarding stories of prophets; for instance, the story of Adam is repeated in the Quranic Chapters 2, 7, 15, 17, 18, 20, and 38. The stories of Noah, Hud, Saleh, Shuaib, and Lot are repeated in the Quranic Chapters 7, 11, 23, 26, 37, and 54.

Muhammad: This is true. The chronological order is found but there are entire Quranic Chapters dedicated to certain prophets such as the story of Joseph in the Quranic Chapter 12 and the story of Noah in the Quranic Chapter 71. The story of Moses and Pharaoh are repeated in the Quranic Chapters 7, 10, 20, 26, and 28 revealed in Mecca and in the Quranic Chapters 2, 5, 33, and 61 revealed in Yathreb. There are details of the stories of Noah, Hud, Saleh, and Shuaib repeated in different Quranic Chapters.

The CNN anchor: Why is that? Why do not we find a chronological arrangement in the Quran regarding the stories of prophets in the manner we find in the Old Testament?

Muhammad: You have told me that the so-called Old Testament was written by several unknown authors; ancient historians often follow the chronological order in their methodology: from the most ancient to the newest.

The CNN anchor: Why cannot I find this in the Quran?

Muhammad: Because the Quran is not a history textbook; it is the Book of guidance, preaching, and warning; its central call is the monotheism of (There is no God but Allah). The methodology of Quranic stories serves this purpose only. 

The CNN anchor: How is this purpose or call served by scattering stories of prophets and messengers in different Quranic Chapters?

Muhammad: The verb (scatter) is not suitable here; you would better employ the verb (repeat); the Quranic text repeats some stories with long and short events and with brevity or in detail in some contexts.

The CNN anchor: What is the purpose of this repetition regarding the call for guidance and monotheism, then?

Muhammad: Human beings tend to forget and are liable to fall into the trap of misguidance; this is why repetition is part and parcel of the call methodology in the Quran; do not forget the Quranic fact that most human beings, in all eras, are both misguided and misguiding; the repetition of the Quranic warnings and reminders offers no excuse for them.

The CNN anchor: The stories of the Old Testament mention proper names especially those of the Israelite tribes and link many events to certain people, times, and locations. This is not the case with the Quranic stories; why is that?

Muhammad: Again, the Quran is not a book in history; the Quranic stories aim at drawing useful lessons and at guiding the readers. The Quranic stories are freed from the restraints of names, locations, and eras so that lessons are drawn from the events themselves by everyone who seeks guidance in all regions and eras. The events of any Quranic stories can happen and apply to all societies and regions. For instance, stances, deeds, and words of the disbelievers among the people of Noah apply to disbelievers of today and in all eras within any society; the same applies to the Quranic descriptions of criminals, pious ones, weak ones, believers, hypocrites...etc. In contrast, the historical narratives mentioned in the Old Testament represent only the ancient times, and ancient nations, and it is never related to the present time or to today's people.

The CNN anchor: There are details of the Quranic stories which match those of the Old Testament stories and there are details which differ; this is an excellent feature which characterizes the Quranic stories; the Quran is supposed to have descended centuries after the death of Jesus Christ and after the descent of the Torah. Yet, instead of copying stories of the Torah or the Old Testament verbatim, one notices a great deal of differences between the Quranic stories and those of the Old Testament, right?

Muhammad: Yes; the methodology is different and so are the main themes and details.

The CNN anchor: How?

Muhammad: The Old Testament stories do not include the stories of Hud with the tribe of Aad, Saleh with the tribe of Thamood, and Shuaib with the tribe of Madian.

The CNN anchor: That is true.

Muhammad: Likewise, the Quranic stories do not mention all prophets and messengers of the Israelites; details in the Quranic stories differ a lot from the details of the so-called Old Testament stories about the same events and persons.

The CNN anchor: By the way, why do both the Quran and the Old Testament focus on the Middle-East, Abraham's descendants, and the Israelites? What about other continents and their peoples as well as their prophets and messengers?

Muhammad: There are universal stories shared by all humanity like those of Adam, the two sons of Adam, and Noah. My Lord God does not mention all prophets and messengers in the Quranic text: "We have inspired you, as We had inspired Noah and the prophets after him..." (4:163). One does not know all the names of all prophets who were sent by my Lord God after Noah; by the way, all humanity after the deluge are the descendants of Noah: "And We made his descendants the survivors." (37:77). "We have inspired you, as We had inspired Noah and the prophets after him. And We inspired Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Tribes, and Jesus, and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon. And We gave David the Zabur. Some messengers We have already told you about, while some messengers We have not told you about. And God spoke to Moses directly." (4:163-164); "We sent you with the Truth; a bearer of good news, and a warner. There is no community but a warner has passed through it." (35:24).

The CNN anchor: But as per 35:24, stories of messengers, warners, and prophets of the two Americas, China, India, Australia, and Africa should have been mentioned, right?

Muhammad: No. let us be reminded of the fact that the Quran is not a history book; it is the Book of guidance; its aim is never to trace all stories of prophets and messengers worldwide in all eras within thousands of pages. You should remember that my Lord God in the Quran mentions descriptions mainly and not characters and persons. Hence, the details mentioned by Him in the Quranic stories apply to the past, the present, and the future events which are not told in the Quran: "Nothing is said to you but was said to the Messengers before you..." (41:43). This means the Quranic Revelation is similar to the previous divine revelation and the words and stances of the disbelievers and deniers are the same in all eras and locations within stories of prophets, messengers, and warners never mentioned in the Quran. There is another Quranic fact that you should bear in mind. 

The CNN anchor: What is it?

Muhammad: The Lord God sent prophets and messengers who employ the same tongues of their people: "We never sent any messenger except in the tongue of his people, to make things clear for them..." (14:4). The Quran was revealed in Arabic so that the Arabs would understand: "We have revealed it an Arabic Quran, so that you may understand." (12:2); "We made it an Arabic Quran, so that you may understand." (43:3); "We made the Quran easy to learn. Is there anyone who would learn?" (54:17). Hence, it is not expected that the Quran would include thousands of pages to cover all stories of all warners, prophets, and messengers with their different names as per the different human tongues. There is yet another Quranic fact that you should bear in mind. 

The CNN anchor: What is it?

Muhammad: Messengers and prophets whose names are mentioned in the Holy Quran and in the so-called Old Testament are known worldwide now and in the past. Most human beings today on earth know about the Bible and the Quran.

The CNN anchor: Is there another major difference between the Old Testament stories and the Quranic stories?

Muhammad: Those of the so-called Old Testament belong to the past tense only; they are mere history. As for the Quranic stories, they have different levels of tenses; they include (1) stories of the past about the ancient nations and previous prophets and messengers, (2) contemporary, present stories about what happened in Arabia during the revelation of the Quran, and (3) stories about future predictions; for instance, predicting the victory of the Byzantines after their defeat: "The Byzantines have been defeated. In a nearby territory. But following their defeat, they will be victorious. In a few years. The matter is up to God, in the past, and in the future. On that day, the believers will rejoice. In God’s support. He supports whomever He wills. He is the Almighty, the Merciful." (30:2-5). This prediction was fulfilled years later. Other predictions are about the Hour, the Hereafter, and the Last-Day events.  

The CNN anchor: Those who do not believe in the fact that the Quran is God's Word wonder, as they read the Quranic stories, that how an Arabian man of the 7^th century like you would know all such details about history of ancient nations we never heard of except in the Quran itself.

Muhammad: This proves that I am not the author of the Quran; no mortals have authored it; the Holy Quran is my Lord God's Word; the Quranic stories miraculously contain details and information about the unseen past known only to the Omniscient Lord God; this is exemplified here: this is about the events within the story of Noah: "These are some stories from the past that we reveal to you. Neither you, nor your people knew them before this. So be patient. The outcome belongs to the pious." (11:49); this is about the events within the story of Joseph: "This is news from the past that We reveal to you. You were not present with them when they plotted and schemed." (12:102); this is about the childhood of Mary: "These are accounts from the Unseen, which We reveal to you. You were not with them when they cast their lots as to which of them would take charge of Mary; nor were you with them as they quarreled." (3:44); this is about the unseen past in general: "You were not on the Western Side when We decreed the command to Moses, nor were you among the witnesses. But We established many generations, and time took its toll on them. Nor were you among the people of Madian, reading Our Verses to them. But We kept sending messengers. Nor were you by the side of Mount Al-Tur when We proclaimed. Rather, it was a mercy from your Lord, that you may warn people who received no warner before you, so that they may take heed." (28:44-46).

The CNN anchor: This is really great.

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the creation of the universe in the Quran and in the Bible's Old Testament

The CNN anchor: Beginning from this segment of this interview, we will compare between the Quranic stories and the Old Testament stories.

Muhammad: OK.

The CNN anchor: The Book of Genesis is said to be the first among the five books of the Torah or the Pentateuch; it begins with the story of the creation of the universe: (1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided between the light and the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening was, and the morning was. And the evening and the morning were the first day.). What does the Quran mention about the same topic?

Muhammad: "Praise be to God, Who created the heavens and the earth, and made the darkness and the light..." (6:1). This means the universe, or the heavens and the earth in the Quranic terms, was created first and then darkness and light whose existence followed the creation of the universe; darkness was created before light; one can infer this from here: "And He dimmed its night, and brought out its daylight." (79:29).

The CNN anchor: (after a short pause) Let me read further: (6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas: and God saw that it was good.). Water is mentioned here though I think it should have been mentioned along with the creation of the heavens and the earth. What does the Quran mention about the same topic?

Muhammad: Water is mentioned as the basis of the creation of the heavens and the earth; the Throne here is the universe itself and my Dominant Lord God's control and dominance over it: "It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His Throne was upon the waters..." (11:7).

The CNN anchor: Is it the same water we know today?

Muhammad: Water is the basis of all living creatures: "Do the disbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were one mass, and We tore them apart? And We made from water every living thing. Will they not believe?" (21:30). This means all seen and unseen living creatures of the earth and of Barsakh (such as angels, jinn, and devils) are created from different types of water. Even the water of Paradise differ from that of Hell; jinn was created, before humanity, from a water consisting of fire; humanity was created from mud or clay which contains ordinary water: "We created the human being from clay, from molded mud. And the jinn We created before, from piercing fire." (15:26-27). Water is the origin of visible and invisible creatures and the origin of the Throne or the whole universe.

The CNN anchor: (after a short pause) This differs a lot from what I am going to quote here: (11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.). What does the Quran mention about the same topic?

Muhammad: The soul of brevity and a miraculous scientific indication are found here: "...and scatters in it all kinds of creatures..." (2:164); this is part of this verse about creating the universe: "In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships that sail the oceans for the benefit of humankind; in the water that God sends down from the sky, and revives the earth with it after it had died, and scatters in it all kinds of creatures; in the changing of the winds, and the clouds disposed between the sky and the earth; are signs for people who understand." (2:164). This is explained further here: "He created the heavens without pillars that you can see, and placed stabilizers on earth lest it shifts with you, and scattered throughout it all kinds of creatures. And from the sky We sent down water, and caused to grow therein of every noble pair." (31:10); this applies to the humankind which have multiplied from the progeny of Adam and his wife: "O people! Fear your Lord within piety, who created you from a single soul, and created from it its mate, and propagated from them many men and women..." (4:1).

The CNN anchor: In contrast to the Quranic brevity, we find details here in the Old Testament's Chapter 1 in the Book of Genesis: (13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide between the day and between the night. the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and let fowl fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good....).

Muhammad: I notice here indications of time.

The CNN anchor: Yes; God created the universe, or the heavens and the earth, in six days or stages; this means the element of time is the framework of creation.

Muhammad: Time has been created alongside with the creation of the heavens and the earth: "The number of months, according to God, is twelve months - in the decree of God - since the Day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred. This is the correct religion. So do not wrong yourselves during them..." (9:36).

The CNN anchor: This is not mentioned in the Old Testament; let me quote further from it: (26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.).

Muhammad: I quite disapprove of such blasphemy; the human creature was never created in the image of God; my Lord God describes Himself here: "...There is nothing like Him..." (42:11).

The CNN anchor: Yet, there is a hadith ascribed to you in Al-Bokhary book of hadiths about Adam's being created in the image of God!

Muhammad: I never uttered such blasphemous phrase! I am innocent of the so-called hadiths! I am innocent of what the polytheists say and write about me!

The CNN anchor: Yet, the creation of Adam in the image of God is a basic notion of Judaism, Christianity, Sufism, and the Sunnite and Shiite religions!

Muhammad: These religions have nothing to do with the Holy Quran! I am innocent of what the polytheists say! Such a blasphemous notion contradicts the Quranic monotheism of (There is no God but Allah). My Lord God does not resemble any of His human or nonhuman creatures. Allah describes Himself here: "Say, “He is God, the One. God, the Absolute. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.”" (112:1-4). When some sinful Jews and Christians assumed that they are the children of God, my Lord God has refuted their claim here: "The Jews and the Christians say, “We are the children of God, and His beloved.” Say, “Why then does He punish you for your sins?” In fact, you are human beings from among those He created. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and what lies between them, and to Him is the return." (5:18).

The CNN anchor: But the authors of the books of Sufis, Shiites, and Sunnites assume that Adam, as well as his progeny or all human beings, was created from a breath of the Spirit of God as per their own interpretation of this Quranic verse about the creation of Adam: "When I have formed him, and breathed into him of My Spirit, fall down prostrating before him.”" (15:29).

Muhammad: They have misunderstood 15:29; the Quranic term (Spirit) refers only to archangel Gabriel who carried the soul of Adam and breathed it into his body; the missions of Gabriel include to deliver my Lord God's Revelation to prophets and messengers and to breathe souls into human bodies. Gabriel carried the soul of Jesus by the divine command (Be) and this is how Mary conceived her son: "And mention in the Book Mary, when she withdrew from her people to an eastern location. She screened herself away from them, and We sent to her Our Spirit, and he appeared to her as a full human being. She said, “I take refuge from you in the Dominant Lord, should you be righteous.” He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord, to give you the gift of a pure son.” She said, “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, and I was never unchaste?” He said, “Thus said your Lord, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for humanity, and a mercy from Us. It is a matter already decided.'”" (19:16-21). The Spirit here is Gabriel; the same meaning is found here: "And she who guarded her virginity. We breathed into her of Our Spirit, and made her and her son a sign to the world." (21:91). Again, the Spirit here is Gabriel. This is why the creation of Adam and that of Jesus are the same: "The likeness of Jesus in God’s sight is that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was." (3:59).

The CNN anchor: This is clear for those monotheists who believe in the fact that the Creator never resembles any of His creatures; let me quote the rest of Chapter 1 in the Book of Genesis: (28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, Ihave given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.). What does the Quran mention about the same topic?

Muhammad: Everything in the heavens and the earth is at the service of the humankind; my Lord God addresses all humanity here: "It is God who placed the sea at your service, so that ships may run through it by His command, and that you may seek of His bounty, and that you may give thanks. And He placed at your service whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth - all is from Him. In that are signs for a people who think." (45:12-13).

The CNN anchor: It entails rational and scientific thinking to believe in the One Lord God and to make the best of everything in the universe created by God to serve the humankind. After mentioning the six days of creation, the Old Testament story in Chapter 2 in the Book of Genesis mentions that God rested on the seventh day: (1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. 4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.). What does the Quran mention about the same topic?

Muhammad: The creation of the heavens and the earth in six days is linked to my Lord God's control and dominance over the universe symbolized by the notion of the Throne: "Your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then settled over the Throne, governing all things..." (10:3); "It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then settled over the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth, and what comes out of it, and what descends from the sky, and what ascends to it. And He is with you wherever you may be. God is Seeing of everything you do." (57:4); "He who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days, then settled on the Throne. The Dominant Lord..." (25:59); "God is He who created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six days, and then established Himself on the Throne...He regulates all affairs, from the heavens, to the earth. Then it ascends to Him on a Day the length of which is a thousand years by your count." (32:4-5).

The CNN anchor: what is meant by the phrase (what is between them) in 25:59?

Muhammad: Stars, galaxies, and so on in what you call the universe.

The CNN anchor: What about God's rest in the seventh day as per the Old Testament?

Muhammad: This is blasphemy; my Lord God never feels tired or fatigued and never needs to rest; creation and Resurrection are easy things for Him: "We created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days, and no fatigue touched Us." (50:38); "It is He who initiates creation, and then repeats it, something easy for Him..." (30:27).

The CNN anchor: What about details of the six days of creation in the Old Testament's Book of Genesis?

Muhammad: They have nothing to do with the Quran; my Lord God says here something different: "Say, “Do you reject the One who created the earth in two days? And you attribute equals to Him? That is the Lord of the worlds.” He placed stabilizers over it; and blessed it; and planned its provisions in four days, equally to the seekers. Then He turned to the heaven, and it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth, “Come, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.” So He completed them as seven heavens in two days, and He assigned to each heaven its laws. And We decorated the lower heaven with lamps, and for protection. That is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing." (41:9-12).

The CNN anchor: These are seven days of creation and not six! Why?!

Muhammad: The sense of stages of time in this context differs from our own sense of time on earth.

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

Muhammad: Days in the Quranic context 41:9-12 are stages of time and not days in the sense of 24 hours. Time calculations change in the observable universe and in the metaphysical Barsakh realms; across such different time frameworks, the decrees and commands of my Lord God, Who controls and governs the physical and the metaphysical realms, pass and get realized.

The CNN anchor: How?!

Muhammad: My Omniscient Lord God knows everything that occurs in the realms of the heavens and the earth; for instance, inside the galaxies and also inside the atoms. "...Not even the weight of an atom, on earth or in the heaven, escapes your Lord, nor is there anything smaller or larger, but is in a clear book." (10:61); "He knows what penetrates into the earth, and what comes out of it, and what descends from the heaven, and what ascends to it...Those who disbelieve say, “The Hour will not come upon us.” Say, “Yes indeed, by my Lord, it will come upon you. He is the Knower of the unseen.” Not an atom's weight in the heavens and the earth, or anything smaller or larger, escapes His knowledge..." (34:2-3); "He regulates all affairs, from the heavens, to the earth. Then it ascends to Him on a Day the length of which is a thousand years by your count." (32:5). The time framework for each realm differs. Preordained fates of births, deaths, provisions, and adversity and prosperity descend annually, by Gabriel leading other angels, within the Night of Decree every Ramadan, although a day in the Upper Realm of Allah is like one thousand years as per the time count on earth. This is about the Hour and how it is an inevitable torment for disbelievers: "A questioner questioned the imminent torment. For the disbelievers; none can repel it. From God, Lord of the Ways of Ascent. Unto Him the angels and the Spirit ascend on a Day the duration of which is fifty thousand years. So be patient, with sweet patience. They see it distant. But We see it near. On the Day when the sky will be like molten brass. And the mountains will be like tufted wool." (70:1-9). The fifty thousand years are not as per time count on earth but as per the time frameworks in the metaphysical realm.

The CNN anchor: Is this related to the Quranic assertion that the Hour of the destruction of the universe is drawing near?

Muhammad: The Quran is the Last Message from my Lord God to humanity until the end of days; this means the Quran ushers in the last phase of humanity on earth before the destruction of the universe when the Hour takes place. The present perfect tense is employed on the following Quranic verses to indicate the future because the sense of time regarding my Lord God's inevitable decrees and commands differs from the time count on earth; there is a gap between the issued divine commands and their realization: "The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split." (54:1); "The humankind’s Judgment has drawn near, but they turn away heedlessly." (21:1); "The command of God has come, so do not rush it..." (16:1). Of course, 16:1 is about the divine command of the advent of the Hour; 16:1 is addressing all human beings from the time of the Quranic revelation to the end of days.

The CNN anchor: Please tell me more about the creation story in the Quran.

Muhammad: This is about the fact that the earth is a ball or a sphere: "And the earth after that He spread." (79:31). The only shape spread without an edge is the ball or the sphere; this comes in the context of creation: "Are you more difficult to create, or the heaven? He constructed it. He raised its masses, and proportioned it. And He dimmed its night, and brought out its daylight. And the earth after that He spread. And from it, He produced its water and its pasture. And the mountains, He anchored." (79:27-33).

The CNN anchor: What is your view of the details in the Book of Genesis about separating day and night and light and darkness.

Muhammad: This cannot be so; both overlap because the earth is a sphere that orbits the sun disk: "Your Lord is God; He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne. The night overtakes the day, as it pursues it persistently; and the sun, and the moon, and the stars are subservient by His command. His is the creation, and His is the command. Blessed is God, Lord of all beings." (7:54); "He merges the night into the day, and He merges the day into the night..." (57:6); "He created the heavens and the earth with the Truth. He wraps the night around the day, and He wraps the day around the night..." (39:5).

The CNN anchor: I see that the words of the unknown authors of the Old Testament's Book of Genesis reflect the dominant culture of their era; they may be repeating old traditions that influenced them; to believe in the creation story of the Old Testament means to never use one's reasoning mind. What about the Quranic verses about creation? Do they pertain to belief or to the rational, reasoning mind? What do you think?

Muhammad: They belong to both belief and the rational, reasoning mind. One does not have to mute one's rational, reasoning mind in order to believe in the Quran. The Quran contains scientific indications which prove that it has no mortal author; it is the Divine Revelation by my Lord God. No Arabians knew such scientific facts during the 7^th century Arabia.

The CNN anchor: I see. Would you tell me something that I have not known yet?

Muhammad: The Quran has its own methodology which differs from that of the narrative in the so-called Old Testament. The Quran is not a history book with chronological order of events and details of names, time, regions,...etc. The Quran is the Book of guidance. Likewise, the Quran is not a book of science; the scientific miraculous indications serve the purpose of guidance and to prove that the Quran is my Lord God's Word. The Author of the Quran is the Creator of the universe who created countless realms from the galaxies to the atoms. This is why the Quranic scientific indications are not arranged even about the topic of the creation of the universe; the same applies to Quranic stories. The Quranic scientific indications are repeated briefly in some verses and in detail in some others because repetition aims to make the heedless, sinful, ignorant, and disobedient people remember their Lord God and repent before they die.   

The CNN anchor: I see that the Quranic scientific indications address Arabs in an indirect way so that they are not shocked; mentioning scientific facts plainly in the Quran would have shocked them to the core and driven them to ridicule and reject its verses. 

Muhammad: This is why the Quranic scientific indications are miraculous, indirect, and simple, and they address all people in all eras despite their different amounts of knowledge. The sun moves in its orbit and this is indicated here in a way that never shocked Arabs at the time: "And the sun runs towards its destination. Such is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. " (36:38).

The CNN anchor: Please give me more examples about the Quranic scientific indications phrased in simple ways that did not shock people in the Middle-Ages.

Muhammad: The fact that the earth as a ball, an egg, or a sphere is revolving around its axis and orbits the sun disk is indicted in simple terms: "Another sign for them is the night: We strip the day out of it..." (36:37); "He created the heavens and the earth with the Truth. He wraps the night around the day, and He wraps the day around the night..." (39:5).

The CNN anchor: What is the purpose of these Quranic scientific indications?

Muhammad: To urge human beings to seek guidance and repentance within piety and within the monotheism of (There is no God but Allah); the Lord God is the Creator of the universe and He has no partners or associates.

The CNN anchor: Let us focus on the creation of the heavens and the earth as per the Quran after we have talked about the creation story in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament.

Muhammad: I briefly assert to you that the creation of the heavens and the earth is directly linked to the destruction of the universe by the advent of the Hour; the creation is the result of an explosion or the so-called Big Bang; the Hour is another explosion of total destruction of the universe as per the inevitable divine decree of the Lord God and His estimation and calculations.

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

Muhammad: My Lord God is the Originator of the universe, or the heavens and the earth as per the Quranic terms, and this means He created the universe out of nothing, or ex nihilo, and this means that at point zero, an enormous explosion, or what is called now as the Big Bang, caused the existence of the universe by the Will of my Lord God.

The CNN anchor: What about the explosion of the Hour of destruction of the universe and the Resurrection Day?

Muhammad: These are two explosions: one of the Hour followed by another one of the Resurrection.

The CNN anchor: I do not understand the idea of creation out of nothing!

Muhammad: My own personal view is that the Big Bang consisted of a piece of time which was made to explode by my Lord God's Will; this explosion turned this piece of time into matter. This means there is special time for each level of the physical and metaphysical realms of the universe.

The CNN anchor: How did you infer this?!

Muhammad: Time envelopes and engulfs everything; we live in it though we cannot see it; its terms are found in the Quran in relation to the phases of the universe's creation and destruction: (Hour, Day, the Resurrection Day, the Last Day, the Judgment Day, the Gathering Day...etc.).

The CNN anchor: So, the first explosion resulted in the creation of the universe; the second one will cause its destruction; the third one will cause Resurrection. I would like you to tell me about the link between the explosion of the creation and that of the total destruction.

Muhammad: When the Big Bang occurred, two universes were created: the universe and its counter-universe.

The CNN anchor: Like (+) and (-), right?

Muhammad: Exactly; the universe and the counter-universe moveelliptically in opposite directions because when they will collide, the explosion of total destruction, or the Hour, will take place as per the Divine Will. A third explosion will follow to cause the Resurrection and the beginning of the Last Day.  

The CNN anchor: I see; but you have inferred this only from the Quran, have not you?

Muhammad: Yes, but...

The CNN anchor: What?!

Muhammad: This is when one reads the Quran according to its own terminology and not as per the sets of terminology of any era. Each era has its sets of terminology in each branch of knowledge. Modern science has its new sets of terminology.

The CNN anchor: I see.

Muhammad: Let me examine with you this Quranic context which contains a miraculous scientific indication: "Do the disbelievers not see that the heavens and the earth were one mass, and We tore them apart? And We made from water every living thing. Will they not believe? And We placed on earth stabilizers, lest it sways with them, and We placed therein signposts and passages, that they may be guided. And We made the sky a protected ceiling; yet they turn away from its wonders." (21:30-32).

The CNN anchor: What does this mean?

Muhammad: The verse 21:30 has given me the idea that a piece of time might have been made to explode to prompt the creation of the universe. This means the universe was one, nonporous mass made to explode by the Divine Command of the Lord God; this is what you call the Big Bang. This caused the creation of galaxies, stars, planets,...etc. or all that exists between the earth and the heavens.

The CNN anchor: And then what?

Muhammad: And then comes the law of pairs on earth and in the universe; everything and its opposite, or (+) and (-) as you have said. These are called (pairs) in the Holy Quran. This is why there are the universe and the counter-universe.

The CNN anchor: This applies also to human beings and living creatures; there are males and females.

Muhammad: This is about human pairs: "And that it is He who created the pair - the male and the female. From a sperm drop, when emitted." (53:45-46).

The CNN anchor: Pairs of (+) and (-) are found in nature; in electricity, for instance.

Muhammad: This includes everything we know or we do not know on earth and in the universe: "He Who created all the pairs..." (43:12); "We created all things in pairs, so that you may reflect and ponder." (51:49); "Glory be to Him who created all the pairs; of what the earth produces, and of their own selves, and of what they do not know." (36:36).

The CNN anchor: This is why you told me about the universe and the counter-universe.

Muhammad: When both will collide, an enormous explosion will result in the destruction of both of them. 

The CNN anchor: What does prevent such collision from happening now?!

Muhammad: They move in opposite directions and the universe is being expanded all the time. The collision which will cause the Hour will occur in a certain point in time never known to anyone except the Dominant Lord God.

The CNN anchor: This expansion of the universe is mentioned in the Quran, right?

Muhammad: Yes, here; "We constructed the heaven with power, and We are expanding it." (51:47). Of course, (the heaven) in 51:47 is the universe itself. This expansion has begun since the moment of creation of the universe and it goes on until the Hour comes.

The CNN anchor: It might go on forever; a collision may not occur between the universe and the counter-universe!

Muhammad: No. The collision will occur as per the Lord God's Will; both the universe and the counter-universe move in elliptical trajectories in opposite directions and they will collide and destroy each other when the Hour comes. This is described here: "On the Day when We fold the heaven, like the folding of a book. Just as We began the first creation, We will reverse it - a promise binding on Us..." (21:104). The (heaven) in 21:104 is the universe itself, of course. Thus, as you open and close a book, this is like the creation and the destruction of the universe. 

The CNN anchor: This is great! (A short pause). I wonder why Muslims within the past centuries until now never heeded such Quranic scientific indications such as the one in the Quranic context 21:30-32 which addresses disbelievers in your era in Arabia and in all eras; it addresses Muslims of today as well. Scientists of today assert that when an atom of matter and an atom of anti-matter collide, this will cause an explosion; this means the collision of the universe and the counter-universe is beyond our imagination; we cannot envision it with the limited human mind. Shame on Muslims for never pondering on these great Quranic scientific indications.

Muhammad: They have abandoned the Quran; I am innocent of what they say and do!

The CNN interview with Muhammad about the creation of Adam and Eve in the Quran and in the Bible's Old Testament

The CNN anchor: This is the only passage about the creation of Adam in Chapter 2 in the Book of Genesis: (7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.). What does the Quran say about the creation of Adam?

Muhammad: My Lord God says the following in the Quran: "He created man from hard clay, like bricks." (55:14); "We created the human being from clay, from molded mud...Your Lord said to the angels, “I am creating a human being from clay, from molded mud.”“When I have formed him, and breathed into him by My Spirit, fall down prostrating before him.”" (15:26-29); "Your Lord said to the angels, “I am creating a human being from clay. When I have formed him, and breathed into him by My Spirit, fall prostrate before him." (38:71-72). One understands from these Quranic verses that my Lord God created the body of Adam first and sent the Spirit, or the archangel Gabriel, with the soul of Adam to breathe it into his body by the divine command (Be). Once his soul entered his body, Adam became alive. The angels were commanded to prostrate to Adam.

The CNN anchor: I see; but is there a difference between mud and clay?

Muhammad: The dust and water formed mud which turned into clay from which Adam's body was created and made alive when his human soul was breathed into his body by Gabriel as per the command of my Lord God.

The CNN anchor: I remember that death is the reversed process of creation: the soul leaves the body forever in death; the lifeless body decompose with a very foul smell, and water and minerals...etc. get out of it until the corpse turns into dust. 

Muhammad: Exactly. "To Him is your return, altogether. The promise of God is true. He originates creation, and then He reverses it..." (10:4); "...Just as We began the first creation, We will reverse it - a promise binding on Us..." (21:104).

The CNN anchor: What about the creation of human beings who are the descendants of Adam? We are not created of clay like our father Adam, I suppose.

Muhammad: This is about the creation of human beings: "O people! Fear your Lord within piety, Who created you from a single soul, and created from it its mate, and propagated from them many men and women..." (4:1). The creation of the progeny of Adam and his wife began with mud, or water and dust, which causes plants to grow; human beings and animals consume plants; human beings consume animals; food helps make ova and semen; when an ovum is inseminated as a man and a woman copulate, the fetus is formed; when souls are breathed into fetuses by Gabriel, with God's permission, these fetuses are made into human beings; human mothers give birth to male and female babies; such babies are breastfed, and as they grow up, they consume food items grown of the earth. Human beings die and their souls return to Barsakh while their bodies turn into dust eventually after the process of decomposition. The elements resulted from the decomposition of corpses feed the soil, the plants, and then the animals and human beings. This means that dust and water are the basis of life for all human beings, plants, and animals.

The CNN anchor: Is this mentioned in the Quran?

Muhammad: This is about the creation of Adam: "He who perfected everything He created, and originated the creation of man from clay." (32:7); this is about the creation of the progeny of Adam: "Then made his reproduction from an extract of an insignificant fluid.Then He proportioned him, and breathed into him of His Spirit. Then He gave you the hearing, and the eyesight, and the brains - but rarely do you give thanks." (32:8-9).

The CNN anchor: So, Gabriel breathes the souls into all fetuses.

Muhammad: Gabriel heads the group of angels who descend unto the earth every Night of Decree, each Ramadan, to carry the preordained fates, for one year until the next Night of Decree, which include births, deaths, provisions, and adversity/prosperity which will occur to people. The execution of fates, including breathing souls into fetuses, might be done by other angels under the command of Gabriel. There is another angel, with other angels under his command, whose mission is to take souls of the dead as per the predetermined time for the death of each human being.

The CNN anchor: What about Jesus?

Muhammad: This is a special case as he had no biological father; the miracle of his birth consists of my Lord God's sending Gabriel, who took a human form of a man, to Mary with the divine command (Be); she became pregnant and gave birth to Jesus at once: "She screened herself away from them, and We sent to her Our spirit, and He appeared to her as a perfect human. She said, “I take refuge from you in the Dominant Lord, should you be righteous.” He said, “I am only the messenger of your Lord, to give you the gift of a pure son.” She said, “How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, and I was never unchaste?” He said, “Thus said your Lord, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for humanity, and a mercy from Us. It is a matter already decided.'”" (19:17-21); "The likeness of Jesus in God’s sight is that of Adam: He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was." (3:59).

The CNN anchor: What about the creation of human souls? They were created before human bodies, I suppose.

Muhammad: Exactly; my Lord God created all souls of all humanity in Barsakh; when the time comes for the test of a certain soul, it is breathed into its body and live in earth for a predetermined duration and it leaves the body forever, in death, in a preordained time as well.

The CNN anchor: Do souls carry the images and features of bodies which will clothe these souls in earth? Do the souls and bodies match in appearance somehow despite their different natures?

Muhammad: Yes; this is done as per the Divine Will of my Lord God: "We created you, then We shaped you..." (7:11); "It is He who forms you in the wombs as He wills. There is no God except He, the Almighty, the Wise." (3:6); "O man! What deluded you concerning your Lord, the Most Generous? He Who created you, and formed you, and proportioned you? In whatever shape He willed, He assembled you." (82:6-8).

The CNN anchor: What is the Quranic proof that souls and bodies look alike despite their different natures?

Muhammad: On the Resurrection Day, people who knew one another on earth will recognize one another and flee from one another; this means their resurrected souls carry the facial features of their annihilated bodies: "The Day when a person will flee from his brother. And his mother and his father. And his consort and his children. Every one of them, on that Day, will have enough to preoccupy him." (80:34-37).

The CNN anchor: I quote now this about Eve from Chapter 2 in the Book of Genesis: (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.). What about the Quranic description of the creation of Eve?

Muhammad: The name (Eve) is not mentioned in the Quran; the Quran mentions (the wife/mate/spouse of Adam). "O people! Fear your Lord within piety, who created you from a single soul, and created from it its mate, and propagated from them many men and women..." (4:1); "He created you from one soul, then made from it its mate..." (39:6); "It is He who created you from a single soul, and made from it its mate, that he may find tranquility with her. Then, when he has covered her, she conceives a light load, and she carries it around. But when she has grown heavy, they pray to God their Lord, “if You give us a good child, we will be among the thankful.”" (7:189).

The CNN anchor: All human beings are created from a single soul! This means Eve was also created from this single soul and when she and Adam knew each other, the human beings were born and then their descendants begot children and so on.

Muhammad: This also means all souls of all human beings were created in the metaphysical realm of Barsakh before their bodies are created; the single soul in the Quranic verses I have quoted is that of Adam from which all these souls were created. Each soul carry its predetermined time to descend unto earth inside a human body and the preordained time for its departure, forever, to return to Barsakh when its human body dies. My Lord God says the following in the Quran: "And it is He who produced you from a single soul, then a repository, then a depository. We have detailed the Verses for people who understand." (6:98). 

The CNN anchor: So, Eve was not created from a rib of Adam?

Muhammad: This myth is never part of the Holy Quran.

The CNN anchor: This is a myth, then, in your view.

Muhammad: My Lord God created the universe out of nothing; He needs no ribs to create another human being; why would Adam live with a missing rib?! This does not agree with the perfected creation proportioned by my Lord God. "Has there come upon man a period of time when he was nothing to be mentioned?" (76:1); "...and I created you before, when you were nothing." (19:9); ""He who perfected everything He created, and originated the creation of man from clay. Then made his reproduction from an extract of an insignificant fluid. Then He proportioned him, and breathed into him of His Spirit. Then He gave you the hearing, and the eyesight, and the brains - but rarely do you give thanks."" (32:7-9); "We created man in the best design." (95:4); "O man! What deluded you concerning your Lord, the Most Generous? He Who created you, and formed you, and proportioned you? In whatever shape He willed, He assembled you." (82:6-8).

The CNN anchor: One of the hadiths ascribed to you assert the creation of Eve from a rib of Adam.

Muhammad: I told you before I have never heard of such hadiths before; I never uttered them; I am innocent of the fabrications the polytheists attribute to me!

The CNN anchor: How souls were breathed into the bodies of Adam and Eve?

Muhammad: No one can describe this process; no human beings witnessed it; we only try to ponder the Quran, as much as we can, to infer certain information. "I did not call them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor their own creation..." (18:51).

The CNN anchor: I think I read in the Quran that all souls will be resurrected at once.

Muhammad: Yes; they are created from a single soul and will be resurrected on the Last Day as if they were a single soul: "Your creation and your Resurrection are only as a single soul. God is Hearing and Seeing." (31:28).

The CNN anchor: Would science one day help us understand how this resurrection of souls will happen?

Muhammad: I do not know; this is known only to the Omniscient Lord God; the metaphysical realm of Barsakh is beyond our senses; no human languages can express it fully; all we have to do is to ponder the Quranic verses about it; the limitations of the human mind will never allow a full grasp of Barsakh. This is exemplified in this Quranic verse about all human souls in Barsakh: "How can you deny God, when you were dead and He gave you life, then He will put you to death, then He will bring you to life, then to Him you will be returned?" (2:28). This means souls of those who are yet to be born are dead souls in Barsakh; they are brought to life on earth while wearing human bodies; they return to Barsakh upon death; they live for eternity in the Last Day.   

The CNN anchor: So, human souls have two deaths and two lives. I am now living my first life.

Muhammad: Yes. The Barsakh level contains souls of your dead ancestors and souls of your grandchildren and descendants who are yet to be born.

The CNN anchor: Do the souls of the dead meet and talk with souls of those who are yet to be born on earth?

Muhammad: No. This is impossible.

The CNN anchor: Why?

Muhammad: Souls inside Barsakh are in a state of timelessness, immobility, and senselessness. They move and sense only when they are clothed in human bodies and live within the framework of time on earth.

The CNN anchor: But when will my ancestors and descendants meet?

Muhammad: On the Resurrection Day. This is when each of the human souls will wear bodies woven of their good or evil deeds as per its fate in Paradise or Hell. This is the Gathering Day: "In that is a sign for whoever fears the punishment of the Hereafter. That is a Day for which humanity will be gathered together - that is a Day to be witnessed." (11:103). 

The CNN anchor: Would people recognize one another on the Last Day?

Muhammad: Only those who were contemporaries of one another: "On the Day when He gathers them - as if they had tarried only one hour of a day - they will recognize one another..." (10:45).

The CNN anchor: I see.

Muhammad: My Lord God created all souls of all humanity at one time; when He created the body of Adam, He made the Holy Spirit, Gabriel, breathe Adam's soul into Adam's body. Likewise, when He created the body of Eve, He made the Holy Spirit, Gabriel, breathe Eve's soul into Eve's body. This is clear enough. No ribs were stolen from Adam; this story of Eve's creation from a rib is a laughter-inducing myth. Adam and his wife had children after their descent unto the earth; a soul was breathed into each fetus inside her womb so that the fetus was turned into a human being who did not exist before: "Has there come upon man a period of time when he was nothing to be mentioned? We created man from a liquid mixture, to test him; and We made him hearing and seeing." (76:1-2).

The CNN anchor: Do you mean to tell me that the reason for creating human beings is to test them?

Muhammad: Yes. Therefore, the universe is created only to test human beings.

The CNN anchor: What?! The universe is created only to test human beings!

Muhammad: Yes; my Lord God says the following in the Quran: "It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days - and His Throne was upon the waters - in order to test you - which of you is best in conduct...." (11:7)

The CNN anchor: This is unbelievable! The universe is created only to test human beings!

Muhammad: Yes; and this is why my Lord God created life and death: "He who created death and life - to test you - as to which of you is best in conduct..." (67:2). Each soul is tested when it wears its human body for a preordained duration; it leaves it forever in death to return to Barsakh; the Hour will occur so that the universe (with its galaxies, stars, planets,...etc.) is destroyed. A New, Eternal Realm will be created with an everlasting earth and everlasting heavens: "On the Day when the earth is changed into another earth, and the heavens, and they will emerge before God, the One, the Dominant." (14:48). The human souls will be resurrected from their Barsakh tombs to be judged by the Dominant Lord God; their deeds and faiths will be judged. The winners will enter into Paradise bliss where they will abide forever; the losers will enter into Hell to suffer its torment forever.

The CNN anchor: This is unbelievable! The universe is created only to test human beings!

Muhammad: Yes. Sadly, most people never appreciate the value of freedom granted to them by my Lord God; they are free agents who can believe or disbelieve and obey or disobey, and they have absolute religious freedom; yet, they hate the idea of bearing responsibility for their choices and deeds which will be judged by the Lord God in the Hereafter. Most people are heedless of the fact that freedom is linked to responsibility and to the test of life.

The CNN anchor: This freedom is linked to the creation of souls, right?

Muhammad: Of course. One can choose to adhere to piety or to sin and hence to join the winners or the losers in the Hereafter after the Judgment: "And the soul and He who proportioned it. And inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness. Successful is he who purifies it. Failing is he who corrupts it." (91:7-10).

The CNN anchor: Yet, God creates some people who live in abject poverty or within environments of criminals; some people are born cripples or handicapped; in contrast, some people are born and raised within the lap of luxury and they have no problems or chronic diseases.

Muhammad: Both adversity and prosperity are part of the test of life; there are losers and winners of the test of life among the rich and the poor, the healthy and the ill, and so on. "Every soul will taste death. We burden you with adversity and prosperity - a test. And to Us you will be returned." (21:35). To pass the test of life, one must adhere to patience and thankfulness; some people chose misguidance despite their being relatives of prophets; for instance, many of my own paternal uncles, Noah's son, and the father of Abraham. Some others chose guidance despite their living within an environment of evil, corruption, and injustice such as the wife of Moses' Pharaoh and the believing man inside the palace of Moses' Pharaoh.    

The CNN anchor: Yet, some people assume there is a contradiction between the fact that God proportioned the creation and the fact that there are some ugly-looking people, some people who look plain, some people who look very pretty...etc.

Muhammad: That my Lord God proportioned the creation means mastering the creation to perfection and within design, as we see in atoms and cells and even in galaxies, and this has nothing to do with being ugly or beautiful: "He who perfected everything He created, and originated the creation of man from clay." (32:7); "It is God who made the earth a habitat for you, and the sky a structure. And He designed you, and designed you well; and He provided you with the good things. Such is God, your Lord; so Blessed is God, Lord of the worlds." (40:64); "He created the heavens and the earth with the Truth, and He designed you, and designed you well, and to Him is the final return." (64:3); "And you see the mountains, and imagine them fixed, yet they pass, as the passing of the clouds - the making of God, who has perfected everything..." (27:88). Of course, we cannot imagine the proportion and design in the metaphysical Barsakh levels. 

The CNN anchor: Yet, some people feel it is unjust that they are ugly and not as good-looking as others around them; some people envy others who have more beauty, wealth, and health.

Muhammad: This is part of the test of life; features of one's body and face and one's family or lineage are part of the preordained fate of births; being rich or poor is part of the preordained fate of provisions; the preordained fate of adversity and prosperity includes accidents, poor or good health, happy occurrences, and chances. The winners who pass the test of life are those who adhere to patience and piety and are thankful to their Lord God in all cases. The Lord God will not judge us based on the preordained fates but will judge our stances regarding them. I mean if one will choose to be thankful, pious, and patient within monotheism and performing good deeds, or if one will choose disbelief, injustice, disobedience, and tyranny. Those who seek bliss and rich rewards for themselves should seek Paradise in the Hereafter within monotheism and good deeds by dedicating one's religion and soul to the Lord God. Their reward is Paradise forever after a short suffering in this transient world. The preordained fates are inevitable in this world, and apart from them, one chooses for oneself one's actions, deeds, stances, beliefs,...etc. This is why human beings are free agents who choose, by their own free will and within their deeds, their fate either in Hell or in Paradise, by choosing to disbelieve or to believe in the Lord God, and in His world: the Quran, and to disobey or to obey the Lord God's Quranic commands.

The CNN anchor: This means if a poor, black, handicapped not-very-pretty young woman chooses monotheism and good deeds dedicated to God will enter into Paradise, whereas if a wealthy, healthy, white young woman chooses injustice, tyranny, oppression, and corruption, her fate is Hell.

Muhammad: In this world, colors of people differ and this is part of inevitable preordained fate of births: "And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colors. In this are signs for those who know." (30:22). Yet one's good deeds and monotheistic faith will bring one a bright, radiant face in the Hereafter; one's sins and polytheism will bring one a blackened, ugly face in the Hereafter: "On the Day when some faces will be whitened, and some faces will be blackened. As for those whose faces are blackened: “Did you disbelieve after your belief?” Then taste the torment for having disbelieved. But as for those whose faces are whitened: they are in God’s mercy, remaining in it forever." (3:106-107); "For those who have done good is goodness, and more. Neither gloom nor shame will come over their faces. These are the inhabitants of Paradise, abiding therein forever. As for those who have earned evil deeds: a reward of similar evil, and shame will cover them. They will have no defense against God - as if their faces are covered with dark patches of night. These are the inmates of the Fire, abiding therein forever." (10:26-27); "Faces on that Day will be radiant. Laughing and rejoicing. And Faces on that Day will be covered with misery. Overwhelmed by remorse. These are the disbelieving sinners." (80:38-42); "On the Day of Resurrection, you will see those who told lies about God with their faces blackened. Is there not a place in Hell for the arrogant?" (39:60).