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Having called
modern concepts on the formation of the Universe to
mind, reference was made to the evolution that took
place, starting with primary nebula through to the
formation of galaxies, stars and (for the solar system)
the appearance of planets beginning with the Sun at a
certain stage of its evolution. Modern data lead us to
believe that in the solar system, and more generally in
the Universe itself, this evolution is still continuing.
How can anybody who is aware of these ideas fail to make
a comparison with certain statements found in the Qur'an
in which the manifestations of divine Omnipotence are
referred to.
The Qur'an reminds us several times that: "(God)
subjected the sun and the moon: each one runs its course
to an appointed term."
This sentence is to be found in sura 13, verse 2; sura
31, verse 29; sura 35, verse 13 and sura 39, verse 5.
In addition to this, the idea of a settled place is
associate with the concept of a destination place in
sura 36, verse 38: "The Sun runs its course to a
settled place. This is the decree of the All Mighty, the
Full of Knowledge."
'Settled place' is the translation of the word mustaqarr
and there can be no doubt that the idea of an exact
place is attached to it.
How do these statements fare when compared with data
established by modern science?
The Qur'an gives an end to the Sun for its evolution and
a destination place. It also provides the Moon with a
settled place. To understand the possible meanings of
these statements, we must remember what modern knowledge
has to say about the evolution of the stars in general
and the Sun in particular, and (by extension) the
celestial bodies that automatically followed its
movement through space, among them the Moon.
The Sun is a star that is roughly 4.5 billion years old,
according to experts in astrophysics. It is possible to
(distinguish a stage in its evolution, as one can for
all the stars. At present, the Sun is at an early stage,
characterized by the transformation of hydrogen atoms
into helium atoms. Theoretically, this present stage
should last another 5.5 billion years according to
calculations that allow a total of 10 billion years for
the duration of the primary stage in a star of this
kind. It has already been shown, in the case of these
other stars, that this stage gives way to a second
period characterized by the completion of the
transformation of hydrogen into helium, with the
resulting expansion of its external layers and the
cooling of the Sun. In the final stage, its light is
greatly diminished and density considerably increased;
this is to be observed in the type of star known as a
'white dwarf'.
The above dates are only of interest in as far as they
give a rough estimate of the time factor involved, what
is worth remembering and is really the main point of the
above, is the notion of an evolution. Modern data allow
us to predict that, in a few billion years, the
conditions prevailing in the solar system will not be
the same as they are today. Like other stars whose
transformations have been recorded until they reached
their final stage, it is possible to predict an end to
the Sun.
The second verse quoted above (sura 36, verse 38)
referred to the Sun running its course towards a place
of its own.
Modern astronomy has been able to locate it exactly and
has even given it a name, the Solar Apex: the solar
system is indeed evolving in space towards a point
situated in the Constellation of Hercules (alpha lyrae)
whose exact location is firmly established; it is moving
at a speed already ascertained at something in the
region of 12 miles per second.
All these astronomical data deserve to be mentioned in
relation to the two verses from the Qur'an. Since it is
possible to state that they appear to agree perfectly
with modern scientific data.
The Expansion of the
Universe
The expansion of the Universe is the
most imposing discovery of modern science. Today it is a
firmly established concept and the only debate centres
around the way this is taking place.
It was first suggested by the general theory of
relativity and is backed up by physics in the
examination of the galactic spectrum; the regular
movement towards the red section of their spectrum may
be explained by the distancing of one galaxy from
another. Thus the size of the Universe is probably
constantly increasing and this increase will become
bigger the further away the galaxies are from us. The
speeds at which these celestial bodies are moving may,
in the course of this perpetual expansion, go from
fractions of the speed of light to speeds faster than
this.
The following verse of the Qur'an (sura 51, verse 47)
where God is speaking, may perhaps be compared with
modern ideas:
"The heaven, We have built it with power. Verily.
We are expanding it."
'Heaven' is the translation of the word sama' and
this is exactly the extra-terrestrial world that is
meant.
'We are expanding it' is the translation of the plural
present participle musi'una of the verb ausa'a
meaning 'to make wider, more spacious, to extend, to
expand'.
Some translators who were unable to grasp the meaning of
the latter provide translations that appear to me to be
mistaken, e.g. "we give generously" (R.
Blachere). Others sense the meaning, but are afraid to
commit themselves: Ramidullah in his translation of the
Qur'an talks of the widening of the heavens and space,
but he includes a question mark. Finally, there are
those who arm themselves with authorized scientific
opinion in their commentaries and give the meaning
stated here. This is true in the case of the Muntakab, a
book of commentaries edited by the Supreme Council for
Islamic Affairs, Cairo. It refers to the expansion of
the Universe in totally unambiguous terms.
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