According to Big Bang Theory, this
universe has come into existence when ‘singularity’-
i.e. finite matter smashed into infinite density, infinite pressure, infinite
temperature and infinitely small size- started expanding to cool down and
solidify gradually into form of universe as we find it today. Some scientists suggest there was no time and
space before this Big Bang; but they are unable to explain where the ‘singularity’ existed, if no space
existed before Big Bang. In this article we would shed light on Islamic version about
origin of universe, the way universe is created.
From the outset, it needs to be clarified that Allah
has not created this universe only once; it is Allah’s Sunnah to create universe,
to destroy it, and again create it in the manner it was created first time.
There are many verses in Quran, which state that Allah
originates His creation and then repeats it; the instances are yunus-34;
al-naml-64; al-ankbut-19. But sura al-anbiya specifically states this practice
of Allah about this universe. It sates:
“On the
day when We will roll up sky like the rolling up of the scroll for writings, as
We originated the first time, We shall reproduce it; a promise (binding on Us);
surely We will bring it about” (al-anbiya-104).
From this above quoted verse, it
is clear that one day our sky will be destroyed being rolled up like a scroll.
After that it will be again created exactly in the manner it was created for
the first time. Regarding the previous creation of this sky Quran states:
“It is He who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then
He directed Himself to the sky and made them seven skies, and He is Knowing of
all things” (al-baqra-29).
From this verse, it is clear that
seven skies were created out of one sky. Because as per al-anbiya-104, our sky
is to be created exactly in the manner it was created the first time, it means
not only our sky will be re- created by Allah but also all seven skies will be re-created.This verse (al-baqra-29) also shows that our earth lies in the first sky. Allah first created all that is on the earth and then He directed Himself to the sky of the earth and made them seven skies. Because sky is something which lies above the earth and all seven skies were made out of the sky which was above our earth, it means our earth lies in the first sky. This verse also proves that seven skies do not mean seven parts of one sky (some people say seven skies mean seven space layers in our single sky). By the word 'them', it is clear the seven skies are separate entities. If instead of 'them', singular word 'it' had been used, we might infer that seven skies lie in single sky. In other words, this verse shows that seven skies are separate entities; they are not parts of our single sky.
From the verses mentioned above (
yunus-34; al-naml-64; al-ankbut-19), it is evident that it is Allah’s practice
to create, to destroy and recreate universe. These verses state:
“……who originates creation and then repeats it?" Say, "Allah
originates creation and then repeats it, so how are you deluded?"
(yunus-34).
“Is He [not best] who originates creation and then repeats it…?” (al-naml-64).
“Have they not considered how Allah originates creation and then
repeats it? Indeed that, for Allah , is easy” (al-ankbut-19).
We cannot say how old is this
practice of Allah to create, destroy and then again create this universe. Though
origin of Allah’s Entity cannot be found in any point of time but origin of creations can be found in any point
of time. In fact time and space are continuing since their inception. Because from the above stated verses it is
evident it is Allah’s practice to create and recreate this universe, and
because longevity of time cannot be determined, we may infer universe has been created by countless times in the past before Big Bang.
Because existence of time and space is essential for creating universe, it may mean
space and time were already present when this universe we are living in was
created as a result of BIG BANG. Big Bang Theory also affirms the presence of
matter in the form of ‘singularity’ before the Big Bang took place. The
presence of matter before Big Bang -in whatever form it may be- proves
existence of space and time before Big Bang. In other words, the Big Bang
created/expanded matter but it did not create space and time; space and time
prevailing in this universe were already present before the Big Bang which
created matter which was gradually transformed into present day universe we are
living in. Similarly time and space were always present already before every
time Big Bang took place in the past to create the universe; as universe has
been created by countless times in the past, every time space and time were
already present before every time Big Bang took place to create the
universe.
One may argue that it might be that
every time universe is destroyed, time and space is also destroyed; time and
space are created afresh at every Big Bang. Such an argument is not tenable on
the basis of Quran. According to Quran time and space are continuing since undetermined time in the past.
Quran states:
“On the
day, i. when We will roll up sky like the rolling up of the scroll
for writings, ii. as We originated the first time, iii. We shall
reproduce it; a promise (binding on Us); surely We will bring it about”
(al-anbiya-104).
If we take the words ‘on the day’ as
applying only to the first phrase, the meaning remains incomplete and does not
make any sense. Actually, in this verse the words ‘on the day’ apply to all three phrases ending up into the
words ‘We shall reproduce it’. It means the day the sky will be rolled up, it
will be reproduced the same day. We know that the
concept of ‘day’ is associated with time. Therefore, we may infer that ‘time’ existing
before the destruction of the sky continues to exist after the destruction of
the sky and reproduction of the sky. In other words, time and space are
continuously present before destruction of the sky and after/before reproduction of the sky. As sky will be/is reproduced in the manner it was first time produced, it means time and space were present when sky was produced first time, and time and space are always present before reproduction of sky each time through Big Bang. In other words, time and space are continuing since their inception; time and space are not destroyed with the
destruction of the sky.
According to Big Bang Theory at
one stage, whole matter of the universe was present in the form of ‘singularity’
with infinitely small size, infinite temperature, infinite pressure and
infinite density. Then a Big Bang occurred which resulted in sudden expansion
of matter/energy in the space; this energy gradually transformed into the
universe as we see it today. According to one version of the Theory, time and
space were created at the time of Big Bang; but this view is not endorsed by
Quranic version as has been detailed above.
According to Quranic version, time and space are always present before occurring
of a Big Bang.
Al-anbiyaa-104 also hints at
the way the universe is destroyed. The verse states:
“On the
day when We will roll up sky like the rolling up of the scroll for writings, as
We originated the first time, We shall reproduce it; a promise (binding on Us);
surely We will bring it about” (al-anbiya-104).
Combining Big Bang Theory and the way
of destruction of the universe described in this above stated verse, we may
understand the phenomenon of making and un-making of the universe. This phenomenon explains that at one point of time, whole matter of the universe exists as a ‘singularity’
with infinitely small size, infinitely temperature, infinitely density and
pressure. Then suddenly this matter is erupted into the space. Such eruption is
quite in line with physical laws; it is just like eruption of a Pressure Cooker
when high pressure is created inside it. With this great eruption which is
commonly called Big Bang, matter/energy starts expanding with pressure into the
space which is already present there. Gradually this matter/energy is
solidified and transformed into the universe as it exists today. The universe
consisting stars/planets is still expanding with pressure into the space, as
has been mentioned in al-dhariat-47 which states “And the sky We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its]
expander”. When this universe expands into the space, it pushes the
space around it; the more space is being pushed, the greater it is being condensed. That is why space is most condensed on the first sky. Because the first sky is at the bottom of all seven skies, it is most depressed space of all seven skies. That is why events are becoming faster on 1st sky as we move from first sky to upper skies (for details plz see my article "Time Travel). When the pressure with which the universe is
expanding will become lesser than the pressure exerted by the space on
peripheral universe, the universe will be started to be rolled up by the space like rolling up a
scroll -as has been mentioned in al-anbiyaa-104. The concept of rolling up the universe like a scroll may be better understood by looking into the model of the universe described in my article "Model of Universe -a Quranic perspective"; this model looks like an open book whose each page is one of the seven skies. The more the
universe will be rolled back, the greater pressure will be built inside the
universe and finally whole matter of the universe will be smashed into ‘singularity’
with infinite pressure, temperature, density and infinitely small size. When the
pressure inside this singularity will become greater than the pressure being
exerted by the space on this singularity, this singularity will again erupt
into the space in the form of Big Bang to make the universe afresh. This process
of making and un-making the universe is continuing since existence of time and space, and will continue till time and space exist.
From the above discussion, we may
also infer that space is not an empty entity; it can exert pressure on the
universe/celestial bodies. It means, space also contains matter. In other
words, matter has two types- one contained in the celestial bodies/universe (which was/is created out of Big Bang) and
the other contained in the space (which is present in space since before Big Bang). We have already seen in my many previous articles
particularly in the article “Reality of
Creation-existence in pairs”, that everything exists in pair. Matter also
exists in pair. The matter contained in the universe/celestial bodies is paired
with matter contained in the space. The difference is that the matter contained
in the celestial bodies/universe may be called ‘Luminous Matter’, because it is visible; and the
matter contained in the space may be called ‘Dark Matter’, because it is invisible. Quran states about
these two kinds of matter as follows:
“[All] praise is [due] to Allah , who created the skies and the earth
and made the darkness(es) and the light…” (al-anam-1).
In this verse, it is stated that
Allah has created ‘darkness’ and ‘the light’. We know that light is a form of
matter; this form of matter was released during Big Bang; all the rest of
matter may be called ‘Dark Matter’ which is spread everywhere in the space since before Big Bang. It is
this ‘Dark Matter’ which determines the location of celestial bodies/universe
by exerting pressure on them; it is this ‘Dark Matter’ which holds together the
celestial bodies/universe in the space by exerting pressure on them; it is this
Dark Matter’s pressure on the celestial bodies, which, along with curved space, provides for the gravitational
pull exerted by the celestial bodies. We have already seen in my article “Law of Gravity and Quran” that gravitational
force is something coming from outside, not coming from inside of the celestial
bodies. It may be this "Dark Matter" which is responsible for holding together an atom/constituents of an atom.
We may conclude that time and
space existed before the Big Bang. The universe has been destroyed by countless
times in the past
to be recreated every time
through a Big Bang. The process of making and un-making of the universe is
continuing since existence of time and space; time and space are
continuing to exist since their inception. Like everything else matter also
exists in pair. The matter contained in celestial bodies/universe (created out of Big Bang) may be called ‘luminous
matter’ and is paired with matter contained in the space (the matter present in space since before Big Bang) which may be called ‘dark
matter’. This ‘dark matter’ holds this universe/celestial bodies together, and
provides, along with curved space, for gravitational force exercised by the celestial bodies.It may be this "Dark Matter" which is responsible for holding together an atom/constituents of an atom.
