CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE:
‘THE BIG BANG’
The creation of the universe is explained by
astrophysicists as a widely accepted phenomenon,
popularly known as ‘The Big Bang’. It is supported
by observational and experimental data gathered by
astronomers and astrophysicists for decades.
According to ‘The Big Bang’, the whole universe was
initially one big mass (Primary Nebula). Then there
was a ‘Big Bang’ (Secondary Separation) which
resulted in the formation of Galaxies. These then
divided to form stars, planets, the sun, the moon,
etc. The origin of the universe was unique and the
probability of it happening by ‘chance’ is nil.
The Qur’an contains the following verse regarding
the origin of the universe:
“Do not the Unbelievers see
that the heavens and the earth
were joined together (as one
unit of Creation), before
We clove them asunder?”
[Al-Qu’ran 21:30]
The striking similarity between the Qur’anic verse
and ‘The Big Bang’ is inescapable! How could a book,
which first appeared in the deserts of Arabia 1400
years ago, contain this profound scientific truth?
INITIAL GASEOUS MASS BEFORE
CREATION OF GALAXIES
Scientists agree that before the galaxies in the
universe were formed, celestial matter was
initially in the form of gaseous matter. In short,
huge gaseous matter or clouds were present
before the formation of the galaxies. To describe
initial celestial matter, the word ‘smoke’ is more
appropriate than gas. The following Qur’anic verse
refers to this state of the universe by the word
dukhaan which means smoke.
“Moreover, He Comprehended
in His design the sky,
and it had been (as) smoke:
He said to it and to the earth:
‘Come ye together,
willingly or unwillingly.’
They said: ‘We do come (together),
in willing obedience.’”
[Al-Qur’an 41:11]
Again, this fact is a corollary to the ‘Big Bang’ and
was not known to anyone before the prophetehood of
Muhammad (Peace be upon him)1. What then, could
have been the source of this knowledge?
SHAPE OF THE EARTH IS SPHERICAL
In early times, people believed that the earth was
flat. For centuries, men were afraid to venture out
too far, for fear of falling off the edge! Sir Francis
Drake was the first person who proved that the
earth is spherical when he sailed around it in 1597.
Consider the following Qur’anic verse regarding the
alternation of day and night:
“Seest thou not that Allah
merges Night into Day
and He merges Day into Night?”
[Al-Qur’an 31:29]
Merging here means that the night slowly and
gradually changes to day and vice versa. This
phenomenon can only take place if the earth is
spherical. If the earth was flat, there would have
been a sudden change from night to day and from
day to night.
The following verse also alludes to the spherical
shape of the earth:
“He created the heavens and
the earth in true (proportions):
He makes the Night
overlap the Day,
and the Day
overlap the Night.”
[Al-Qur’an 39:5]
The Arabic word used here is Kawwara meaning
‘to overlap’ or ‘to coil’– the way a turban is wound
around the head. The overlapping or coiling of the
day and night can only take place if the earth is
spherical.
The earth is not exactly round like a ball, but
geo-spherical, i.e. it is flattened at the poles. The
following verse contains a description of the earth’s
shape:
“And the earth, moreover,
hath He made egg shaped.”
[Al-Qur’an 79:30]
The Arabic word for egg here is dahaahaa1 which
means an ostrich-egg. The shape of an ostrich-egg
resembles the geo-spherical shape of the earth.
Thus the Qur’an correctly describes the shape of the
earth, though the prevalent notion when the Qur’an
was revealed was that the earth was flat.
