Sunday, August 29, 2010

The Big Bang theory in the Quran?

The Big Bang theory in a nutshell states that the universe began when a quick expansion of gases occurred creating stars and planets and everything within our universe. Many Creationists refute this idea by saying that the Bible states that the earth was created in six days. What the Bible says is that God formed what is ON earth in seven days. Genesis 1:1-2 states "In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth, Now the Earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep..." It goes on to say that God then took the six days to form what is on the earth. This doesn't refer to how the "heavens and earth" came into being. When the Bible and Quran state "heavens and earth" it isn't referring to the promised paradise after this life. The term "heavens" is referring to the skies and stars, etc. Interestingly the Quran talks about how the universe became what we see today in a way that has many scientists considering the validity of the Quran. The first verse that I find in reference to this is in the Quran chapter 21 verse 30 which states "Have not the people who have disbelieved ever considered this?: The heavens and the earth were one mass, then we parted them and created every living thing from water." In this verse the Arabic term for "parted" means "expansion". Modern scientists (with the help of technology) have found that the universe continues to expand slowly but steadily and assume based on this expansion as well as other factors (materials that form the universe) that all of the matter that we see in the universe was at one point one giant mass that began to expand. Now many people assume that the big bang theory is about a sudden explosion of gases and dust, however the genuine Big Bang theory is about a steady expansion of these materials. Now the problem here is that water was necessary for life to "occur". The above verse describes that how after this expansion of materials occurred Allah CREATED every living thing from water. This would imply that after Allah willed the universal expansion He then Created living things from water. Scientists have been searching planets and even the moon for water in hopes that such a discovery would prove life could exist on these planets. Every living thing could not exist with out water and most living things are at least 98% water. Even our blood is made from water while we are in the womb. Now Muslims are also informed that we are made up of dust as well which is obvious to anybody who has seen a decayed corpse. A human body dies and upon death there are two main factors that cause decomposition which includes lack of oxygen and lack of water. After we lose oxygen our heart stops and after our heart stops all of our water retention leaves the body leaving only dust and bones. Bones will eventually become dust as well.
The next Quranic verse that refers to the formation of the universe is found in chapter 41 verse 11- "Moreover He comprehended in His design the sky, and it had been as smoke; He said to it (the skies aka universe) and to the Earth "Come ye together willingly or unwillingly" They said "We do come together in willing obedience." This is referring to after the expansion of the universe. After the expansion there was "formless" smoke which was then set together in layers. In Arabic the terms have much more exact meanings which are hard to translate, however since there may not be exact words some Quranic translations have good description to detail the words more correctly. The most interesting part about this verse is the word "smoke". Smoke is made up of gases and water vapors. The particles and vapors found in smoke are also found throughout the universe. Take our sun for example; The sun (and other stars) is made up of mostly hydrogen and helium and the nebula's are also made up of these particles. These particles are more compact in the sun and less condensed throughout different nebula's which is perhaps why nebula's look so much like colorful smoke. The point is that the universe and everything in it was at some point (according to scientists) smoke which eventually "came together" forming planets and stars. AMAZING. Take also the saying "come ye together"; Science implies that some force holds the formed universal bodies together and they have called this force gravity. Of course gravity doesn't have a visual or physical form and is a theory to explain the force that is holding these bodies "together" and is also the force used to explain the expansion and movement of the universe. Take for example black holes, these are giant gravity machines which, according to theory, were former stars which had exploded from a burst of energy and the center of the star which consisted of gravity, remains leaving a black hole. If all celestial bodies have this center of gravity which holds the body together then the Quran gives a clearer explanation of the source than any scientific theory because every theory about gravity has yet to have a cut and dry explanation for the source. The so called greatest mind on earth, Stephen Hawkings, recently presented the claim that God doesn't have to exist due to the existence of gravity, yet even he can't explain this phenomenon that we label "gravity". With out this "gravity" the gases and particles could not have become planets and stars and in fact universal expansion would be impossible. In the Quran God details for us that this force was at His command which at least gives us an explanation for the source of this bonding agent that we have labeled gravity which is more of an explanation than any scientist has presented about the source of this phenomenon and hundreds of years before gravity was even a theory. The next Quranic verse which refers to universe formation is in chapter 51 verse 47 "And it is we who built the universe with creative power, and verily it is we who are steadily expanding it." (Note: The "we" in this verse is a plural of respect and it refers to God alone.) This verse is quite clear in reference to the continuing expansion of the universe (by God's will) which I previously stated. The Hubble telescope has managed to take incredible photographs of different nebula's over the past 20 years and scientists find that when comparing the pictures from 1990 to the pictures taken in 2010 there is with out a doubt universal expansion. Many scientists believe that this continuous movement defeats the monotheistic God because of the Creation story which has no description of universal expansion and that since this expansion appears "spontaneous" there is no Creative force behind it. The Quran informed us of this expansion and the forces behind it 1400 years ago. An overview of these verses indicates that there was a mass of material which expanded then particles and "smoke" came together forming planets, stars, etc. By water life was formed and the universe continues to expand. Many scientists use this "Big Bang" theory to disprove God, however here we can see God sending them clear evidence 1400 years ago about what they are just now proving this century.
"Have not the people who have disbelieved ever considered this?: The heavens and the earth were one mass, then we parted them and created every living thing from water."

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