Thank you both for your contribution.

I think taking the verses literally is more appropriate than taking them figuratively because you really have to go extreme end to make figurative interpretation. For ex, this verse is a give way that Adam and Eve exposed their genital parts (not deeds) and they had to use leaves (not symbolic act) to cover their shame.

722 Literal So he lured/attracted and lowered them , with deceit/temptation so when they tasted/experienced the tree, their shameful genital private parts/deeds appeared to them, and they started and continued (to) stick/tried hard to make do with what they do not have on them from the Paradise's leaves , and their Lord called them "Did I not forbid/prevent you from that the tree, and I said to you that the devil (is) for you an evident enemy?"

Also see what Allah says to them. He does not say any figurative or abstract thing to them. He clearly says the tree, not some evil act.

There's the Adam evolution theory which says Adam wasn't really in paradise. He was a human on earth and he was put on an elevated garden(jannah). Eve was a humanoid. There's very convincing interpretation of the Adam related verses to explain how Adam was really the first genetically evolved human being.

Also Allah asked "the heaven" and the earth to come together. That means "the heaven" and earth were separated and they were asked to come together (gravity?). And after that Allah made the heavens seven heavens.

When we look at both 4111-12 and 2130 it makes sense

First the heaven (singular, atmospheric gases like H, He) and the earth (the solid mass) was separated. They came together due to gravity and thus the solid mass of earth got it's first atmosphere where there was only one layer. Then Allah has made the single heaven into seven heavens = seven layers in atmosphere. This requires splitting materials from the earth and spread it into the heavens so that Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide etc can get into the atmosphere and build the seven layers.

Problem is if we assume this verse is talking about Big Bang, then we have to conclude the following

the heavens = the entire universe.
the earth = our planet.

Thus our planet, earth is separated from the universe. It cannot be true.

Moreover, there are two verses which further indicates l-samawai, the heavens, cannot be the entire universe

It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then He directed Himself to the heaven, and made them seven heavens, and He is Knowing of all things. 229

Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come , willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly." And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. 4111-12

Here the construction of the seven heavens is surely happening after the creation of earth. Thus the heavens cannot be the entire universe.

O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them. Indeed, We have made the devils allies to those who do not believe. (727)

If Adam?s spouse was really a spouse/wife, then there should be no problem taking clothes off from each other and seeing naked or having sexual intercourse. This verse implies there?s something seriously wrong with Adam AND and his mate taking their clothes off in front of each other and seeing private parts of each other.

What was wrong for shaitan to expose them to each other? If they are really spouse there should be no problem seeing each other naked.

Does this mean that Adam wasn't supposed to see his mate naked?
How can she be a mate then?

Quran has three usage

The sky, l-samai
The sky, l-samaa
The heavens, l-samawati

First I thought l-samai means the sky - the first layer of the atmosphere. Many Quranic verses say it rains from the sky. For example,

sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs in the earth 3921
sends down to you from the sky, provision 4013
And who sends down rain from the sky in measured amounts, and We revive thereby a dead land - thus will you be brought forth 4311

But the following verse makes no sense when it is just the sky from where rain comes

And it is Allah who is deity in the sky, and on the earth deity. And He is the Wise, the Knowing 4384

Allah is not just the deity in the sky. If it said "deity in the heavens", it would have made sense. Otherwise if you go outside the atmosphere, Allah is not the Deity? No.

Next verse says the nearest heaven, the sky, is a protection

And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. 4112

But we know the nearest sky, from where rain comes, isn't the protection. The higher layers, the ionosphere, ozonosphere are the protections.

Now from this verse, if we assume the nearest heaven = the sky, is the entire atmosphere of the earth, then it makes sense in some places.

sends down rain from the atmosphere and makes it flow as springs in the earth 3921
sends down to you from the atmosphere, provision 4013
And who sends down rain from the atmosphere in measured amounts, and We revive thereby a dead land - thus will you be brought forth 4311

It also makes sense for the following verse

adorned the nearest heaven (atmosphere) with an adornment of stars 376

Because it is because of the atmosphere, the stars twinkle. Without the atmosphere, stars would not twinkle, thus no adornment.

Next problem is with l-samawati = the heavens. If l-samai is the atmosphere, l-samawati must be the atmosphere, the space and anything beyond.

It does not make sense for the following verses, where it says the heavens were created after earth is created

It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then He directed Himself to the heaven, and made them seven heavens, and He is Knowing of all things. 229
And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. 4112

If the heavens indicate the space, the universe, surely this does not match with science.
On the other hand, if the heavens mean the atmosphere, then it makes sense. Atmosphere is developed into seven layer after earth was formed.

In that case, l-samai, the heaven, cannot be the whole atmosphere. It then has to be the lowest layer of atmosphere. I explained above why l-samai cannot be the lowest layer in atmosphere.

Then next use is l-samaa

And We did not create the heaven (l-samaa) and the earth and that between them aimlessly 3827

Here l-samaa should mean the universe. Not just the sky. Because everything Allah created for purpose.

Does anyone have conclusive proof what l-samai, l-samaa, l-samawati mean?

The common understanding of 2130 is that it is talking about Big Bang

Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe? (2130)

Couple of reasons why I believe it is not talking about the Big Bang.

1. Here it says The Earth, l-ardi, which always means our planet. It is not just the heavens which were joined with our earth, but all planets, everything.
2. The heaves, which is commonly believed as the universes, aren't separated from the earth. The earth is inside the heavens today. If it said "the heavens were joined entity" it would have included the earth as well. Here it specifically says the earth. Most of the places in the Quran, it says "the heavens and the earth". As if heaven and earth are two separate entities.

Now the reasons why I think it is talking about the atmosphere are

a) During the early development of the earth, the atmosphere gases O2, N2, CO2 etc were all mixed inside earth's early state. So, the atmosphere was separated out of earth.
b) The separation happened through comet impacts, asteroid impact, large chunk of earth getting separated out, volcanic eruptions and so on. All violent activities causing the earth to spit out the atmosphere.
c) Atmosphere has multiple layers - thus the plural "heavens" applies.

I am in great dilemma with these two verses.

www.quran.com/2/196
www.quran.com/2/197

There?s something seriously wrong with the traditional translations and what Quran is really saying.

First of all, the word l-hadyi is only translated as Sacrificial Animal in this verse and one more verse 52. Nowhere else it is translated as Sacrificial Animal. Everywhere else as ?offering?. I do not see why it has to be sacrificial animal in this verse. Do you see?

If that?s the case, we have a big problem. There?s no Quranic base to say during Hajj you have to slaughter animal for sacrifice. I can?t find it anywhere else.

Second dilemma is taliq = shaving head. The other use of this is muhalliqina = having shaved in 4827. It is translated as ?with your heads shaved and shortened,? How come hair be shortened when head is already shaved?
The only other place where muqairna = shortened is used is 4827. Other places it is used as ?restrained?. If we take it as restrained everywhere, then in 4101, we should not be shortening prayer, instead we should restrain from prayer. It says ?taqsuru minas salati?. Shouldn?t it be ?restrain from prayer??

Third, in 2197 is another dilemma. It says ?Hajj is during well-known months?. It is months, not the month. If there is no fixed month for Hajj, then we should be able to perform Hajj in several well-known months, not just once per year.

I would appreciate your views on this.

Regards,
Omar