Time Travel

                                 

This modern age generations are very well aware of concept of ‘time travel’ though this concept is based on science fiction only and lacks in scientific validity. In this article we will articulate various Quranic approaches which formulate eventually concept of ‘time travel’.

Time and space are considered as a twin and interdependent phenomenon. Time may be defined as duration to cover a distance between two points in space. Simply speaking, if a person moves from point A to point B, the duration required for space travelled/ covered between points A and B is called Time to reach from A to B. in other words, if space between A and B is expanded, the time to reach from A to B will be expanded; and if the space between A and B is contracted/condensed, time to reach from A to B will be shortened. It means same event (in this case moving from A to B) will require more (expanded) time to happen, if space is expanded; as that event will require lesser time to happen, if space is condensed/ contracted. 

This concept of time and space may be substantiated on the basis of Quran.

Sura al-maarij states that “Lord of the Ascending Stairways. The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him in a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years” (al-ma,arij-3,4). These stairways or gates are used by Hazrat Gabrael (as) and other angels to reach to such divine proximity from where they receive commandments from Allah, and such ascendance of angels from earth to seventh sky happens within a DAY (twenty four hours) which is actually equal to fifty thousand years on earth. It means events happen quicker on 1st sky as we move from 1st sky to upper skies; the events occurring in fifty thousand years on earth take one day/24 hours to occur on seventh sky. In other words, one second spent in the seventh sky would be equal to 211.22 days spent on earth; it means the events which are seen to be happened  in one second in seventh sky would happen in 211.22 days on earth. That is why Allah states: “Indeed, they see it [as] distant, But We see it [as] near”(al-ma,arij-6,7). It also explains why 'meraj' was possible only within a part of night; the events witnessed by Hazrat Muhammad (saw) during the ‘journey of meraj’, would take thousands of years to take place according to earth time. It also explains return of Hazrat Masih (as) from an upper sky (i.e. fourth sky) to earth as much a young man as he was at the time of his exaltation - he would have stayed in the upper sky for a short period of time, but events happened in that short period  would have taken thousands of years passed on earth.

From understanding of above mentioned Quranic verses, we may draw two conclusions. The first conclusion is because events happen quicker on 1st sky as we move from 1^st sky to upper skies, it means space starts contracting/ condensing more as we move from upper skies to first sky. In other words, space starts expanding as we move from 1st sky to upper skies. It means both time and space contract on earth relatively more as we move from 1^st sky to upper skies. Thus, as we have seen through al-ma,arij-3,4, by spending a few hours in upper skies, we can see the events happening in future hundreds of years on earth. It means we can draw second conclusion that mankind can travel in future time; this is what has been actually done by Hazrat Muhammad (saw) during ‘journey of Meraj’.

During the short period which our Nabi (saw) spent in upper skies, he (saww) witnessed events which would require thousands of years to happen on earth; it means, ‘meraj journey’ was travel in future time. But it may be noted that we can  travel into future time (as our Nabi s.a.w.w. did) and we can travel into past time (as our Nabi s.a.w.w did, whem he s.a.w.w. came back to earth from 'Meraj'); but we cannot travel into past of present earthly time. Similarly, we can get back from future earthly time to present earthly time;  but we cannot travel back to past of present earthly time.  For instance, suppose we start time traveling on 2nd December, and come back to earth on 4th December. During this Time Travel,  we could have experienced earthly events of 3rd December-which is past of 4th December on earth, but, during this Time Travel,  we cannot travel into 1^st December- which is past of present earthly time i.e. 2nd December. In Quran, there is no mention/ inference as to travel in the past of present earthly time; rather Quran negates such a concept of travel in the past of present earthly time. Quran says:

“If we only had a chance to return (to the world), we shall truly be among the believers!  Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers” (al-shuara-102-103).
This verse states sinners' wish to get back in time so that they might become righteous people; but Quran reflects in this verse futility of their wish. 
This verse contradicts the possibility of going back to past of present earthly time.

We can conclude that mankind may travel in future of earthly time; but they may not travel in the past of present earthly time.