origin of universe in the Quran

”-And indeed it is a Book of Exalted Power.” (41:41)

We occupy only a tiny fraction of the vast universe. What lies outside our immediate territory is a mystery which human beings are striving to unravel. There are regions of the universe still unexplored. What lies there? We still do not know.

On the other hand, the knowledge of Allah is perfect because it is He who created the universe and everything in it. He knows what puzzles humanity. As He himself says in the Quran:

”Verily Allah knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth.” (49:18)

And:

”- He that has full knowledge of (all) that is hidden.” (34:48)

Allah has, however, bestowed upon humanity a great gift in the form of the Quran. The answer to questions lies in understanding the Quran. In this article, I will discuss the birth of the universe discussed in the Quran more than thousand years ago.

People in all ages were curious about the age and the origin of the universe. Scientists use the Big Bang theory to explain the origin of universe. This is a recent discovery. The theory suggests that about ten billion to fourteen billion years ago, all matter was concentrated into a very small volume of space referred to as the primeval atom. This cloud of atoms exploded, throwing material out in all directions. From the debris, the galaxies formed. The Quran describes this event in the following words:

”Moreover He comprehended in His design the sky, and it had been (as) smoke.” (41:11)

And also:

”Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of creation) before we clove them asunder?-“ (21:30)

Similarly, concerning the age of the universe, the Quran says:

Has there not been over man a long period of time, when he was nothing-(not even) mentioned.” (76:1)

"Dr. Alfred Kroner is one of the world’s renowned geologists. He is the proffesor of geology and the chairman of the department of geology at the Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenburg University, Mainz, Germany. He said, “Thinking where Muhammad (peace be upon him) came from…I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe, because scientists have only found out within the last few years, with very complicated and advanced technological methods, that this is the case.” Also he said, ”somebody who did not know something about nuclear physics fourteen hundred years ago could not, I think, be in a position to find out from his own mind, for instance, that the earth and the heavens had the same origin.”"*

Apart from the origin of universe, the Quran also talks about the finiteness of the sun and the moon. After years of research, scientists have come to the conclusion that after about five thousand million years, our sun will become a red giant. A red giant has a hot dense core and a cooler outer layer of gas. It slowly loses the outer layer of gas and becomes a planetary nebula. The hot core becomes a white dwarf. It no longer produces energy and cools down. In simple words, the sun will die. Quran talks about this issue in the following words.

”And the sun runs its course for a period determined-“ (36:38)

And also:

”-Each one runs (its course) for a term appointed.-” (13:2)

It is a miracle that the Quran talks about the origin and finiteness of the universe more than thousand years ago. This shows that Quran is the literal word of God, revealed by Him. With the passage of time, the knowledge of humanity will increase and the hidden meanings of Quran will become clearer.

I have only discussed the birth of universe. Quran also talks about planetary orbits, seas and internal waves, stages of embryonic development etc. For further information, visit the following sites: www.harunyahya.com and www.islam-brief-guide.org

*www.islam-brief-guide.org