The way the Quran describes the heavens and earth separating sounds very similar to the ancient creation myths. It repeats incorrect ideas, it doesn’t get the order of creation right, and it doesn’t give the right timings either. It sounds exactly like someone who is not God wrote it.
If the Quran was from God, we would expect it to say something different than what everyone else was saying at the time. However we find the exact opposite. We find it repeating ancient creation myths about the sky being lifted up, being held up without pillars, about the heavens and earth being joined, and it was made in six days. Even if we dont take “yawm” literally, these verses are extremely troubling. Why is it that Muhammad is repeating the same flawed ideas that we know are not true?
Let us look at the first and biggest issue with the Quran
What is “As-Sama” (The Heavens)?
The Quran explains it here. It is what contains the stars (ie the universe)
Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars (37:6)
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. (41:12)
Allah split the heavens and the earth
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? (21:30)
One of the most widespread motifs in creation myths is that of separation of heaven and earth. When we look at culture after culture we see the same idea. At this point, you should really be wondering if Muhammad spoke to Allah or was just repeating what everyone else was saying. Do you notice that the verse above actually draws attention to the fact that the disbelievers were “aware” of this concept? It’s actually saying that we are describing to you what you already know to be true (that the heavens and earth were joined).
Other ancient culture myths of heavens and earth being split
- The Bible (Genesis) that says that in the beginning there was only water, and then God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.”
- The Greeks who said in the beginning there was only water (the God Oceanus), and then Eurynome separated the sky from the sea by dancing on the waves of Oceanus[ref]Greek creation myths[/ref]
- The Dhammai of India, The Diegenos of California – Earth and heaven had to be separated because no room for growth in the darkness otherwise
- The Romans – separation of heaven and earth by a natural force – a God
- in Ancient Greece Kronos (Time) castrated his father and separated heaven and earth, similarly with the Continental Celts
- Creation myth of the Krachi of Africa the God of heaven rests firmly on Earth and human offspring are nearly smothered, and by lots of squirming father is sent up higher and higher
- Maori and other Polynesian people said that the sky father and earth mother clung so tightly that their children had no choice but to force them apart
- The Snohomish of North Western Africa – people banging their heads against the sky so heaven and earth separated
- Melenesian Solomon Island myth
- Micromesian Mariana Islands myth
- In Mongolia Udan separates heaven and earth with 99 golden columns
- Vietnam giant Khong raises the sky from the earth with his head
- Mesoamerica the Mayan feathered serpent and the god Tepeu use their immense power to separate heaven and earth
- and more… [ref]Reference: Creation Myths of the World: Parts I-II, By David Adams Leeming (Google Books): 1, 2, 3 [/ref]
How was the world actually created?
One of the most well established theories of how the world was created is the “big bang”. It was confirmed by multiple scientists through multiple different evidences.
- In 1917, Einstein developed the general theory of relativity which predicted the universe was expanding. He actually doubted his own physics because at the time everyone thought the universe was static (not expanding) and always existed. He said this was the biggest mistake of his life.
- Then on May 20, 1964, American radio astronomers Robert Wilson and Arno Penzias discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB). They discovered the left over radiation from the explosion from the beginning of the universe.
- In 1929, further evidence for this theory being true was discovered by Edward Hubble who noticed that stars were moving away from Earth, and also from each other! This means that the universe was expanding! Einstein’s theory was confirmed. It also means that if we rewind the clock, everything was in a single point
This is in a nutshell how we discovered the big bang is true.
This is explained in this video
Other issues
There are other strange verses in the Quran that betray a misunderstanding of cosmology. Things like saying the Earth took two days, or the heavens took six days. Very strange and arbitrary numbers applied nonsensically.
Which came first, the heavens or the Earth?
“He it is Who created for you all that is on earth. Then He rose over towards the heaven and made them seven heavens and He is the All-Knower of everything” (2:29)
Also, apparently the Earth took “two days” to make?
Say, “Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds.” (41:9)
And all the heavens and earth in total six days?
He who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days and then established Himself above the Throne – the Most Merciful, so ask about Him one well informed. (25:59)
So the Earth took two days, and everything took six days? That sounds actually seriously wrong. Even if you don’t take days literally, the Earth is just a tiny spec of dust in the entire universe, why would it take so long as a percentage of the total?
This is confirmed by the fatwa on IslamQA that
“So the earth was created first, not spread, then the heaven was created” (Fatwa 70217, IslamQA)
Of course this contradicts everything we understand about the universe. This is completely incorrect and shows how the Quran doesnt give any sort of indication of the correct method of creation
We have a pretty good understanding of how the universe was created, and especially the Earth.
The Earth was not formed until around 8 billion years after the universe started.
Obviously Muhammad did not know how the universe was formed.
Allah is He Who raised ( رَفَعَ) the heavens without any pillars that you can see. Then, He Istawa (rose above) the Throne. He has subjected the sun and the moon! Each running (its course) for a term appointed. He regulates all affairs, explaining the signs in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord. (13:2)
Awesome ! Authentic ,ingenious and simply thoughtful presentation.
What is awesome about the ignorance that Sameer is espousing here?Take any well researched and evidenced scientific work in another language and quote it out of context and see how correct the impressions it would give!That is what Sameer and all other shallow minds who critique the Qur’an do as opposed to very objective and thoroughly scientific minds with good knowledge of the Arabic language such the french Surgeon Dr Maurice Bucaille who had no option but to acknowledge the divine origin of the Qur’an and accepted Islam.See his book “The Bible,The Qur’an and Modern Science”.
The Qur’an and authentic Sunnah when properly understood according to the rules of the Arabic language,classical commentaries and established scientific facts never conflict.Should there be a perceived divergence,it would either be as a result of errors in human interpretations or an indication that the scientific communities not reaching the accurate understanding of the subject matter yet as the Qur’an and Sunnah is inerrant being the revelation from the All-Knowing Creator,Al’Aleem.
As an instance,at the time of the Qur’anic revelation the Ptolemy idea of a stationary sun was the then scientific communities position.Yet at that time,the Qur’an categorically declared “The sun is running its course to its appointed place. That is the ordaining of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing.”Q 36:38
Commenting on the verse above Maulana Maududi says in Tafheemul-Qur’an:
“Place of rest” may either mean the place where the sun will ultimately come to a halt, or the time when it will come to a halt. The true meaning of this verse can be determined only when man has attained the full and exact knowledge of the realities of the universe. But man’s knowledge is such that it has been changing in every age and what he seems to know today might change tomorrow. The people of the ancient times on the basis of their observations of the sun believed that it was moving round the earth. Then after further research and observation the view became that the sun was stationary and all the planets of the solar system were revolving round it. But this theory also did not last long. The later observations revealed that not only the sun but All the stars also are moving in a particular direction, at speeds of 10 to 100 miles per second. About the sun the modern astronomers hold the view that it is moving at a speed of 20 kilometres (about 12 miles) per second along with its whole family of the planets. (See “Star” and “Sun” in Encyclopedia Britannica). ”
Sameer and other ignorant folks would have laughed at the believers over a thousand years ago that they are “believing in tales” right?But posterity in hindsight laugh at them now and uphold the Qur’anic verdict.
Science,now matter how advanced is still a human endeavor that is subject to error.It is a changing human enterprise as the humble scientist know.Moreover,when it deals with the cosmological past that cannot be replicated in the laboratory.As for the ignorant and haughty reader of popular science and media he exclaims “we have conquered the gods and now know everything”-a patent lie.
From other coherent and convincing arguments such as logic,reason,history,prophecy,miracles,mass-witnesses,etc we know for a certainty that Prophet Muhammad is a true Prophet and the Qur’an a genuine and preserved revelation.So their verdicts on all issues are final and absolute truth as opposed to other sources of knowledge that are open to errors.In summary,Allah says in Q18:29:
“The truth is from your Lord ….” .
Sameer demonstrated so much ignorance and prejudice in his understanding of Q 21:30-which he called the a myth in his convoluted ignorance.The classical interpretation provide and a layer of understanding which is yet compatible linguistically with the modern Big-Bang model cosmology in its basic form as the universe emerged out of a primordial fireball.
Part of the Qur’anic miracle is that it can speak in a timeless fashion to every age and civilization without going obsolete. An there many examples.One simple one is the fact that many centuries ago,people understand man to be created from the male “sperm only”.The Qur’an says man is created from the “lowly fluid” meaning “sperm” without saying “sperm only”.At a later time till our own time we understand than man is created from the male sperm and female egg,Q 86:6-7 says man created from “sulb” and “taraib”-which linguistically admit of male and female role.Modern medical science teach that only 2-5% of semen is “sperm” and the rest is glucose and others.The Qur’anic description still astonishingly accommodate this based on its linguistic construct.
The verse-21:30-that Sameer ignorantly claim to be erroneous concluded by saying “…made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?”.Sameer ignored this I guess “because it is too scientifically true” to be in the Qur’an!Or could it be because the verse pose the question “then will they not believe?” and he does not wish to believe in the face of the evidence?
May Allaah open his mind,eyes and heart to see his errors and return to the right path.
Is there any verses in Quran which allows the prophet’s commpanions to have sex the captives? the women whose husbands are still alive. I didn’t see myself but I saw a video claimed it. if there is, do you think a god order such thing?!
You literally pointed out one of the miracles of the Quran. The Earth was created in two days and the Heavens AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN (i.e. the Earth as well) was created in 6 days. This ratio is 2/6 = 1/3. The Earth is 1/3 the age of the entire universe.
The age of universe is 13.82 billion years plus minus uncertainty. The age of earth is 4.543 billion years plus minus uncertainty. The ratio of age of earth to age of universe 0.328 which includes the uncertainty which is a good approximation for 0.333.
What does duration of creation have to do with age? If you come to my house for dinner and I tell you that the main meal took one hour to make but the cake took two hours to make, does that mean the cake is older? Of course not. I could have made the main meal much earlier in the day and the cake just before you arrived.
They are related, is Allahs work finished? We can say what Allah says, that He almighty is still expanding it (the universe) at this moment and creates more worlds an stars in it as He wishes. if you divide 13.7 billion by 6 periods you will have as result that each period is 2.283 billion years. And if Mr Abdullahsameer wants a miracle…. if you multiply 2.283 billion by 2 days or periods in which Allah created the earth to what it is nowadays, you will get 4.56 billion years age of the earth. May Allah guide us all, human beings are thinking they have knowledge by science and science is everything, but they are wrong.Allah knows we know nothing. Mr.Abdulsameer, Allah is your God whether you accept it or not. It is up to you to believe, chasing scientific facts has nothing to do with belief. Allah created you so that you will believe in Him and pray to Him. Believe is to accept the certainty of existance of Allah without any doubt. There is no reason to try to prove scientifically the existance of Allah, that has nothing to do with belief. Furthermore why should He interfer with problems of human kind? Those problems are created by us, because of our greed,selfishness, arrogancy, pride, and all bad habbits that makes of us animals. He has prepared for us One day, in which He will divide the truthfully from the liar and Judge us on basic of the highest moral values and your belief in Him. He is Almighty and Alknown.
{ This is confirmed by the fatwa on IslamQA that “So the earth was created first, not spread, then the heaven was created } According to Quran 9:31, educated Muslims have no obligation to treat scholars ignorant about science as infallible, especially when we have intelligent scholars like Averroes who advocated evidentialism instead of presupposition when dealing with Scriptural descriptions of scientific phenomena.
The critics of Islam have no intellectual integrity when they show laziness in consulting most easily availible academic scholarship on Arabic linguistics. F or example, Edward Lane a western scholar who wrote Arabic lexicon states in the meaning of word ‘thumma’ that it does not always have a chronological sense and is used in the sense of conjunction as well. The word which has more explicit chronological sense is ‘ba’d’ which clearly shows according to Quran 79:30 that earth was created and made habitable later. So, the more accurate translation of the verse is that God created earth as well as heavens, not that He created earth first.
Plagiarizing from creation myths is improbable because those creation myths are intellectually inconsistent, and to to separate fact from fiction among those myths would require supernatural intelligence.
it seems that this guy was really taken in by the Zakir Naik/Maurice Baucaille Dawah of trying to prove the miraculous nature if the Qur’an based im science. Has he really not heard the Salafi refutations of this dawah and that from the major scholars? This is what happens with bidah. Check the linked document.
http://www.aqidah.com/creed/assets/docs/big-bang-cosmology-quran.pdf
God also doesn’t know how to count? Wouldn’t it easier for god to tell ‘i created the heaven in 3 days and earth in 1 day’ LOL
https://topicsfromquran.wordpress.com/2018/05/19/creation-of-skies-and-the-earth/
The above link to a post review description of creation of Earth and heavens and sequence of their creation.
The Quran also says he beautified the lowest heaven with stars. So it cant be 7 layers of atmosphere.
Can be a possibility. The layers of air make the stars and planets look like glimmering lamps and hence beautify it.