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Whoever reads the sacred book is invited many times to look around and think, ponder,
reflect upon the creation. Why? Because there is much wisdom to learn in how things have been
made and how harmoniously they were put together.
The Qur'an speaks about how the universe has been created. The Noble book even offers
scientific explanations of the big bang, the elliptic movement of the planets, the reason for the
creation of the mountains, the stages of the fetus in its mother's womb, and many other things.
Can you give some examples?
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Creation of the Universe:
The Qur'an informs us concerning the existence of an initial gaseous mass (dukhan), as well as
descriptions of the elements which, although at first were fused together (ratq), they subsequently
became separated (fatq). These ideas are expressed in chapters Fussilat and al-Anbiyaa:
God then rose turning towards the heaven which it was smoke
[Al-Qur'an, 41:11]
Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined
together (as one unit of creation),then We split them apart?
[Al-Qur'an 21:30]
According to modern science, the separation process resulted in the formation of multiple worlds,
a concept which appears dozens of times in the Qur'an.
For example, look at the first chapter of the Qur'an, al-Faatihah:
Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds. [Al-Qur'an, 1:1]
These Qur'anic references are all in perfect agreement with modern ideas on the existence of
primary nebula (galactic dust), followed by the separation of the elements which resulted in the
formation of galaxies and then stars from which the planets were born.
Expansion of the Universe:
Chapter ath-Thariyaat of the Qur'an alludes to one of the most imposing discoveries of modern
science, the Expansion of the Universe.
"The heaven, We have built it with power, Verily We are expanding it."
[Al-Qur'an, 51:47]
The expansion of the Universe was first suggested by the general theory of relativity and is
supported by the calculations of astrophysics. The regular movement of the galactic light towards
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the red section of the spectrum is explained by the distancing of one galaxy from another. Thus,
the size of the universe appears to be progressively increasing.
The Sun and the Moon:
Whereas the Bible talks of the sun and the moon as two lights differing only in size, the Qur'an
distinguishes between them by the use of different terms: light (noor) for the moon, and lamp
(siraaj) for the sun.
Did you see how Allah created seven heavens, one above the other,
and made in them the moon a light and the sun a lamp?
[Al-Qur'an, 78:12-13]
The moon is an inert body which reflects light, whereas the sun is a celestial body in a state of
permanent combustion producing both light and heat.
Orbits:
Today, the laws governing the celestial systems are well known. Galaxies are balanced by the
position of stars and planets in well-defined orbits, as well the interplay of gravitational forces
produced by their masses and the speed of their movements. But is this not what the Qur'an
describes in terms which have only become comprehensible in modern times. In chapter al-
Anbiyaa we find:
"(God is) the one Who created the night, the day, the sun and the moon.
Each one is travelling in an orbit with its own motion.
[Al-Qur'an, 21:33]
The Arabic word which expresses this movement is the verb yasbahoon which implies the idea of
motion produced by a moving body, whether it is the movement of one's legs running on the
ground, or the action of swimming in water. In the case of a celestial body, one is forced to
translate it, according to its original meaning, as "to travel with its own motion."
Mountains:
The Noble Qur'an is perfectly in harmony with modern discoveries when it illustrates that the
mountains is shaped like a wedge, that the mountain itself is but a small part of the whole, and
that its root is deeply entrenched in the ground. Dr. Press writes on the functions of the
mountains and states that they play an important role in stabilizing the crust of the earth. This is
exactly how the Qur’an described mountains 14 centuries before.
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