Introduction
God has blessed us to confirm upon reviewing 32 verses across 28 surahs from the Quran that He has created seven heavens and the same number of earth from a single mass in six days with the truth for an appointed term to recompense us a day, while He has adorned the Lowest heaven with lamps and guards that we may reflect to the greatness of God and the vastness of the universe to worship Him alone. Now if we may extend our studies to align its verses to scientific data help us better understand the formation and organization of the universe/cosmos reflecting to the factual:
Big Bang Theory
The creation of the universe is explained by the astrophysicists popularly known as the “Big Bang Theory”, which was revealed in 1927. They have theorized that it must have originated at a single point of infinite density and finite time that began to expand. After the initial expansion, the theory maintains that the universe cooled sufficiently to allow the formation of subatomic particles, and later simple atoms. Giant clouds of these primordial elements later coalesced through gravity to form stars and galaxies. The Big Bang theory does not provide any explanation for the initial conditions of the universe; rather it describes and explains the general evolution of the universe going forward from that point on. Thus, at some point in the past, the entire universe would have been a single mass, and this point called the big bang was the beginning of the universe as we understand it today. Modern measurements place this moment at approximately 13.8 billion years ago, which is thus considered the age of the universe.
[6:73] And He is One who has created the heavens and the earth with the truth, and a Day He says: “Be,” then it is! His word is the truth. And to Him is the sovereignty, a Day will be blown in the trumpet, Knower of the unseen and the seen. And He is the Wise, the Cognizant.
[21:30] Do not see those who have disbelieved that the heaven and the earth had been a single mass, then we have parted them? And we have made every living thing from the water. Do they not then believe?
[41:11] Then He turned to the heaven when it was still gas, then He said to it and to the earth, “Come both of you in willingness or unwillingness.” They both said, “We have come being willing.”
The Quran tells us that God says a day the gaseous state be and it is, and the heavens and the earth have come in willingness indicates a process that began in the past, which could take place a loner period of time to complete being 13.8 billion years but should not be misinterpreted His command has been executed immediately or in six days of ours when there was no existence of a day based on 24-hour.
The Galaxies
The large size of the fragments of primary gaseous mass gave birth to the galaxies. It is estimated that there are between 200 billion (2×1011) to 2 trillion (2×1012) galaxies in the observable universe, while some research suggests that the universe may be infinite, which would mean there could be an infinite number of galaxies. Galaxies are categorized according to their visual morphology as elliptical, spiral, or irregular. A galaxy is formed with stars and a star is a massive, glowing ball of hot gas that produces light and heat through nuclear fusion in its core. Stars are made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, with some other elements, and can vary in size and color. Astronomers can estimate the number of stars in a galaxy by measuring the brightness and color of starlight. The number of stars in a galaxy can vary widely, from a few million in a small dwarf galaxy to up to a hundred trillion in the largest known galaxies
[2:29] He is One who has created for you all what is in the earth, then He has turned to the heaven and has designed them as seven heavens, and He is Knower of everything.
[17:44] Glorifies for Him the seven heavens and the earth, and whatever is in them, and there is not a thing except to glorify of His praise, but you do not comprehend their glorification. Indeed, He has been Compassionate, Forgiving.
[23:17] And certainly, we have created above you seven layers, and we have not been unaware from the creation.
[41:11] Then He turned to the heaven when it was still gas, then He said to it and to the earth, “Come both of you in willingness or unwillingness.” They both said, “We have come being willing.”
[41:12] Thus, He completed seven heavens in two days and inspired to each heaven its matters. And we have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and guard. That is a design of the Almighty, the Knower.
[65:12] God is One who has created seven heavens and of the earth like of them. The command descends between of them that you may know that God has power over everything and that God certainly has encompassed of everything with knowledge.
[67:3] He is One who has created seven layered heavens. You do not see any flaw in creation of the Gracious. So turn the vision, do you see any flaw?
The Quran tells us that God has designed and created seven heavens and the same number of earth indicating a number seven, which could be 100 billion to 2 trillion or even an infinite number being equal to the number of galaxies that make the expanding universe, while galaxies are the large size fragments of the primary gaseous mass, but it may be a misinterpretation if we just mean the number seven disregarding the scientific data, and we may also reflect that the seven was a popular number when the Quran was revealed, even it is today, which God used to refer the infinite number of galaxies, while in semitic languages seven means many.
The Expanding Universe
In 1929, Edwin Hubble, an astronomer at Caltech, discovered that the universe is expanding. He measured the redshifts of a number of distant galaxies. He also measured their relative distances by measuring the apparent brightness of a class of variable stars called Cepheids in each galaxy. When he plotted redshift against relative distance, he found that the redshift of distant galaxies increased as a linear function of their distance. The only explanation for this observation is that the universe was expanding.
[51:47] And the heaven we have constructed it with strength, and indeed, we are surely expanding.
The expanding universe is finite in both time and space. The reason that the universe did not collapse, is that it had been expanding from the moment of its creation. The universe is in a constant state of change. The expanding universe, a new idea based on modern physics, laid to rest the paradoxes that troubled astronomers from ancient times until the early 20th Century. Now we understand the expanding universe from the regular movement of the galactic spectrum towards the red section by the distancing of one galaxy from another. Thus, the size of the universe is probably constantly increasing and this increase will become bigger the further away the galaxies are from us.
The Milky Way
The galaxy to which our solar system belongs is the Milky Way estimated to have between 100 billion and 400 billion stars, depending on the average mass of a star used in the model, which we may think it to be the Lowest Heaven, and the sun is one of the stars belongs to it:
[41:12] Thus, He completed seven heavens in two days and inspired to each heaven its matters. And we have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps and guard. That is a design of the Almighty, the Knower.
On a fine summer night, the space seems to be filled with stars that make what is known as the Milky Way. This group has extremely dimensions, and the scientists have estimated that it would require 900,000 years to go from one extreme to the other.
The Solar system
The solar system is made up of a star, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other space rocks. The star is the Sun, and the planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The solar system also includes five dwarf planets, such as Pluto, hundreds of moons, thousands of asteroids, and comets.
The Sun
The Sun is the star at the heart of our solar system. Its gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything — from the biggest planets to the smallest. It is a giant, spinning ball of hot gas that is the largest object in our solar system with a radius of 32,168.6 miles.
[36:38] The sun runs to a specific destination. Such is the design of the Almighty, the Omniscient.
[21:33] And He is the One who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; each is floating in an orbit.
[13:2] God is the One who has raised the heavens without pillars, you see them; then He has established on the Throne. He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running for an appointed term. He manages all the matter; He details the revelations that you may believe with certainty in the meeting of your Lord.
[31:29] Do you not see that God causes the night to enter into the day and causes the day to enter into the night, and that He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running for an appointed term, and that God is Cognizant of what you do?
[35:13] He causes to enter the night into the day, and causes to enter the day into the night. He has committed the sun and the moon each to run for an appointed term. That is God your Lord; to Him belongs the dominion. And those whom you call on other than Him do not possess even a covering of a date seed.
[39:5] He has created the heavens and the earth with the truth. He rolls the night over the day, and rolls the day over the night. And He has committed the sun and the moon, each running for a specified term. Undoubtedly, He is the Almighty, the Forgiving.
[36:40] The sun is never to catch up with the moon nor can the night overtake the day, each of them is floating in its own orbit.
The Quran gives a destination place to the sun in the evolution where it is running for a specified term, which is consistent with the data established by modern science, while solar calendar is based on the movement of earth around the sun.
The Earth
The earth is not like other planets of the solar system but its constitution is highly complex if we reflect, in particular to the sea, the land and the sky. The earth is the only place in the known universe confirmed to host life with a radius of 3,959 miles being the distance on an average from the Earth to the Sun is 93 million miles, Earth is the fifth largest planet in our solar system, and it’s the only one known for sure to have liquid water on its surface.
[41:9] Say, “Do you indeed, surely disbelieve in One who has created the earth in two days and set up competitors for Him? That is Lord of the worlds.”
[41:10] And He has placed therein mountains on it, and He has blessed therein and has calculated therein its provisions in four days for those who ask.
[2:22] One who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky a canopy and has sent down water from the sky, then He has brought forth with it provision from the fruits for you. So you do not make rivals to God, while you know
[2:164] Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the ship which sails in the sea of what benefits the people, and what God has sent down from the sky of water, then He has given life to the earth with it after its death, and has dispersed in it all kinds of creatures, and directing of the winds and the clouds to be the controlled between the sky and the earth, surely (all these) are signs for a people to use intellect.
[13:3] And He is the One who has expanded the earth and has placed in it mountains and rivers. And from every kind of the fruits, He has made pairs of two in it. He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that there are signs for a people who can reflect.
[15;19] And the earth, we have spread it, and have cast in it mountains, and have caused to grow in it everything in balance.
[15:20] And we have made in it means of living for you, and for whoever you have not been of providers for it.
[15:21] There is not a thing except its treasures (provisions) are with us, and we send down it with an exact measure.
[20:53] The One who has made the earth a resting place for you and has made paths in it for you, and He has sent down water from the sky, then we have brought forth with it various kinds of plants in pairs.
[20:54] You shall eat and shall raise your livestock. Indeed, in that surely there are signs for possessors of the intelligence.
[27:61] Who has made the earth habitat, and has made rivers its midst, and has made mountains to it, and has made a barrier between the two seas? Is there any god with God? Nay, most of them do not know.
[27:88] And you see the mountains appearing them standing still, while they move as moving of the clouds, is God’s system, Who has perfected everything. Indeed, He is Cognizant of what you do.
[67:15] He is the One who has made the earth resource for you, so you shall roam its paths, and shall eat from His provision, while to Him is the return.
[79:30] And the earth after that He had given an egg shape to it.
[79:31] He had produced its water and its pasture from it,
[79:32] and the mountains He had made them fixed,
[79:33] a provision for you and for your livestock.
The verses in the Quran dealing with the earth are very diverse to understand its formation and constituent to host life, and its movement is indicated in an unusual way mentioning of moving mountains as clouds, while God has created it in two days, and He has calculated provision in four days making a habitable planet, while mentioning two or four days are symbolic as well to have no contradiction with scientific data being the age of earth 4.5 billion years.
The Moon
The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite, or planetary satellite, and the fifth largest natural satellite in our solar system. It orbits Earth at a distance of about 239,000 miles:
[2:189] They ask you about the new moons. Say, “They are timing indicators for the people and the Hajj.” And it has not been the righteousness with that you come to the houses from their backs, but the righteousness is whoever has feared (God). And you shall come to the houses from their doors so that you may succeed.
[10:5] He is the One who has made the sun radiant, and the moon a light and has determined for it phases that you may know a number of the years and the counting. God has not created that, except with the truth. He explains the signs for a people to perceive.
[21:33] And He is the One who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; each is floating in an orbit.
[36:39] And the moon we designed it to appear in stages, until it returns like an old curved sheath.
[36:40] The sun is never to catch up with the moon nor can the night overtake the day, each of them is floating in its own orbit.
The Quran has clearly defined the rotation and phases of the moon in its orbit, and lunar calendar is a dating system based on complete cycles of phases of the Moon.
TRAPPIST-1
Astronomers have found a star called TRAPPIST-1 outside of our solar system, at least seven earth-sized planets orbiting this star 40 light-years away from us. These seven exoplanets are all found in tight formation around an ultra-cool dwarf star. Estimates of their mass also indicate that they are rocky planets, rather than being gaseous like Jupiter. Three planets out of seven are in the habitable zone of the star known as TRAPPIST-1e, f and g, and may even have oceans on the surface according to researchers. The researchers also believe that TRAPPIST-1f in particular is the best candidate for supporting life. It is a bit cooler than Earth, but could be suitable with the right atmosphere and enough greenhouse gases:
[65:12] God is One who has created seven heavens and of the earth like of them. The command descends between of them that you may know that God has power over everything and that God certainly has encompassed of everything with knowledge.
Based on preliminary climate modeling, the researchers believe that the three planets closest to the star may be too warm to support liquid water, while the outermost planet, TRAPPIST-1h, is probably too distant and cold to support water on the surface. Like the moon, the planets closest to the star are tidally locked. This means that the planets always face one way to the star. One side of the planet is perpetually night, while the other is always day.
This discovery outside of our solar system is rare because the planets have the winning combination of being similar in size to Earth and being all temperate, meaning they could have water on their surfaces and potentially support life. However, researchers are encouraged by the discovery of this system because it improves their chances of finding another habitable planet, like Earth, in the future, by knowing where to look.
Although 40 light-years away doesn’t sound too far, it would take us millions of years to reach this star system. But from a research perspective, it is a close opportunity and the best target to search for life beyond our solar system. Life may begin and evolve differently on other planets, so finding the gases that indicate life is the key, according to the researchers. Since this type of star evolves so slowly, this star system will probably outlive us and when our sun dies, TRAPPIST-1 will still be a young star and will live for another trillion years. Thus, after we are gone, if there is another part of the universe for life to carry on, it may be in the TRAPPIST-1 system.
Conclusion
According to the Quran God at some point says the gaseous state be, and the heavens and the earth have come in willingness indicating a process that began in the past but extended to a longer period of time, while He has also confirmed that it has been expanding from the moment of its initial expansion.
Once scientists understood the universe through the testing of theoretical principles, experiments involving particle accelerators and high-energy states, and astronomical studies observing the deep universe, they have constructed a timeline of events that began with the Big Bang and has led to the current state of cosmic evolution. They also understood that it would have been smaller in the past, which was expanding. This all began roughly 13.8 billion years ago, and is thus considered to be the age of the universe, while the age of the earth is calculated to be 4.5 billion years.
The scientific discoveries around the creation of the universe with regard to the formation and organization should convince us to believe that the Quran has given us the most accurate data about the creation of the universe to have no disputes with modern science rather making it a source of knowledge to explore for finding the facts from the creation of God investigating with the knowledge of modern science. Thus, when we align data mentioned in the Quran to the scientific data, and interpret the relevant verses of it, we should think that those data to be symbolic on the subject of the creation of the universe not to have any disputes with modern knowledge would be the best way to reflect to the creation of the universe being the Quran is the universal message, while we all should keep in mind that our all praise and prayers to be dedicated to God alone to make us winners in the Hereafter.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (08/02/2024).