Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Ask A (Born Again) Muslim

Home
Muslim
Do the Quran and Bible Really Teach The Universe Was Created in 6 Days?

Do the Quran and Bible Really Teach The Universe Was Created in 6 Days?

Last updated on: March 27, 2018 at 6:49 am by Ejaz Naqvi, MD

Do the Quran and Bible Really Teach The Universe Was Created in 6 Days? 2018-03-27T06:49:09-07:00 Ejaz Naqvi, MD

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

But are these “days”, days or stages and periods?

The word for “days” used in Arabic in the Qur’an is Ayyam, a plural for Yaum. In general, the word Yaum is translated as “a day”. However, the plural Ayyam is also meant for “periods of time”, and therefore is meant to indicate stages rather than a time period between sunrise and sunset (or sunrise to sunrise) on earth.

One might wonder what was the measure of a day before the earth was created? It could not have been the days as measured by the rotation of the (then-nonexistent) earth upon its axis. However, the Qur’an clearly speaks of measurements of days other than the earthly days as explained below.

Time Is Relative

In 1905, Albert Einstein came up with theory of general relativity and determined that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers, and that the speed of light in a vacuum was independent of the motion of all observers.

10 years later, in his theory of special relativity, determined that the laws of physics are the same for all non-accelerating observers, and he showed that the speed of light within a vacuum is the same no matter the speed at which an observer travels. As a result, he found that space and time were interwoven into a single continuum known as space-time. Events that occur at the same time for one observer could occur at different times for another. (From https://www.space.com/17661-theory-general-relativity.html)

The Qur’an introduced the concept of a measure of a time, different from the earthly measures- some 1400 years ago.

He regulates the affair from the heaven to the earth; then shall it ascend to Him in a Day the measure of which is a thousand years of what you count. 32:5

To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit in a Day the measure of which is fifty thousand years. 70:4

Yet they ask thee to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Verily a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning. 22:47

You may jump to the (inaccurate) conclusion that according to the Qur’an, the universe was created in 300,000 years (50,000 x6), or 6,000 years (1000×6). By giving these examples, the Qur’an is simply drawing our attention to another way of measuring of days.

It wasn’t until more recent times, that we began to realize that a day on earth is not the same as a day elsewhere in the universe, and that time is relative in space.

Biblical definition of a day

The Biblical scholars similarly point out that ‘a day’ during the creation is like a period, or a stage, not the earthly 24 hours. A day’s example is like a thousand years in this passage from the Psalm. Even the “thousand years” is used as a metaphor and not as a mathematical conversion.

Lord, through all the generations, you have been our home!
Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God. You turn people back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, you mortals!”
For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours. Psalm 90:1-4

The Universe as Smoke (Nebula)

It is widely believed that at one point in time, the whole universe was nothing but a cloud of smoke, consisting of highly opaque and hot gases, and the galaxies took shape much later. New stars and galaxies are still being formed from this smoke. Some of the amazing pictures sent by the Hubble telescope of stars being formed out of a cloud of smoke and dust (nebula) give us a visual clue to the origins of the universe.

When mentioning the creation of the universe, the Qur’an refers to this primitive stage of creation as smoke (Dukhan in Arabic).

Then He directed Himself to the heaven and it was a smoke, so He said to it and to the earth: Come forward (into being), willingly or unwillingly. They both said: We come willingly. 41:11

So, from this creation, He formed the seven heavens in two periods and to each heaven He ordained its laws…. 41:12

According to the verse noted above (“Then He directed Himself to the heaven and it was a smoke, so He said to it and to the earth: _…”), the earth and the smoky universe were ordered to come into being at the same time—an apparent contradiction to the currently held scientific view. The verse goes on to say, “so from this creation*”* which can be taken to indicate the matters that eventually formed the earth and the heavens existed at the time of the divine orders, “He said to it and to the earth”

Who or what was God addressing to as “earth” if earth had not fully been formed at the time?

Even though the Bible does not speak of this ‘smoke’ at the start of creation, it does point to its original shapeless form.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

The earth was formless and empty…. Genesis 1:2

Portions of this post were adapted from section ‘Quran and Science’ in my book, The Quran: With or Against the Bible?

For introduction to my series on “Religion and Science”, check the previous three posts out.

4 Myths about Religion and Science being Mutually Exclusive:

Do You Have to Pick Between Religion or Science?

Is believing in Science Not Based on Faith (in Science)?

Go back

Creation in 6 days

Creation in Quran and Bible

Creation vs evolution

Creation vs evolution

creationism

creationist

earth creation in 6 days

Previous Post

February 11, 2018

Is believing in Science Not Based on Faith (in Science)?

Next Post

February 15, 2018 Parkland Shooting- Another Plea For Gun Control Laws

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #IStandWithIlhan #ISupportRashidaTlaib #JusticeForZainab #MeToo #shithole Countries #Shitholecountries 1001 Inventions 2017 in review 2019 2nd amendment 4th of July 58 Palestinians 99 names of God Afghanistan Afterlife Al Ma'idah Allah Alms America and Islam American mosque American Muslim American Muslims Animals in paradise Annunciation anti-Semitism Aquatic origin Arafat Arkansas Arrogance Ashura Ashura and Karbala atheism atheism and islam Atheism and Muslim atheist Attacks on places of worship Austin Serial Bomber ave a dream Avicenna Benjamin Corey Beyond rituals Bible Bible and science Biden inauguration Big Bang Black Lives Matter Brett Kavanaugh Burcin Mutlu-Pakdil Burma Caliph Donald Trump Cell phones and mobile devices Chanukah Charity Charlottesville Chastity Child murder Child rape Christchurch mosque attacks Christchurch Mosques shootings Christian Christian Fundamentalism Christian Muslim Dialogue Christian Muslim interfaith Christian Taliban Christian-Muslim Dialogue Christians Christine Blaise Ford Christmas Christmas and Gaza Church Church of Ebgland Civil liberty CNN Explosive Device Coexist Conor Lamb Corona virus Covenant of Muhammad Covid-19 Virus Creation Creation in 6 days Creation in Quran and Bible Creation vs evolution Creationism Cross channel Patheos dialogue Crucifisxion Daily Prayer Services Day of Arafah Dayton shooting Dear Mother Devin Kelley Diamond Rule Domestic terrorism Domestic Violence Domestic Violence in Muslim communities Easter Edhi Eid Eid Al Adha Eid Al Fitr Eid Mubarak El Paso shooting Elohim End of Life care Environment Protection Ethnic Cleansing Evolution Evolution theory Explosive Devices in Mail Fact-Checking Faith and civil liberties Faith and justice Faith and religion Faith and suffering Fake news Fasting and ramadan Fasting in Torah and Gospel Fasting on Ashura Fear Inc fear mongers Fear of God Flat Earth Flat Earther Flu Flu prevention Flu tips Flu vaccine Followers of christ forgiveness forms of interfaith dialogue Freedom of expression Freedom of religion Friday at Kaaba Friday prayer Friday prayer at Kaaba Friday prayer during Hajj Gaza General Wesley Clark Genocide George Floyd Glad Tidings God God Fearing God of Abraham God's Mercy Golden Rule Good Friday Gospel Gospels Gratitude Gun control laws gun safety Gun violence Hagia sophia Hajj Hajj 2020 Hajj 2020 Day of Arafah Hajj 2022 Hajj in review Halal Hanukkah Happy Father's day Happy New Hijri Year Happy New Year Hate crime hate speech Hijab Hijabi scientist Holy Land Holy week Hot takes Humility I have a dream I have a dream in the Quran Ihram ilad un Nabi Ilhan Omar Imam Ali Imam hussain In God we trust In God's image infidels Intelligent design Inter religious relations Interfaith Interfaith Dialogue Interfaith Iftar Intra Faith Dialogue Intra-Faith dialogue Islam and Jesus Islam and racism Islam in America Islam Judaism and Christianity Islam One Religion Islam- way of Abraham Islam-Facts Islam-one religion Islamberg Islamic Comamndments Islamic golden age Islamic jesus Islamic Mannerism Islamophobia ISNA Israel's capital Jerusalem Jeruslam Jesus Jesus and end of times Jesus and Gaza Jesus Christ Jewish-Muslim dialogue Jewish-Muslim Relations Jews Jews Christians and Muslims Jihad Joe Biden Joseph son of Jacob Just Muslim Justin Trudeau Kaaba Karbala Kashmir Kavanaugh confirmation Killings of Palestinians Kind and Loving God Kind God and sufferings Kobe Bryant Kosher Labor Day Las vegas shooting Las vegas terror Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad Last Supper Law of Moses Leaving religion Lent Life lessons Linda Sarsour lllegal immigrants Loving God Make America Great aagain Malala Mannerism lessons Marijuana Mark anthony Conditt Martin Luther King Martin Luther King Day Mary Maryam Masjid Nabawi Mass shooting Mawlid Mawlid un nabi Mecca Medical Marijuana Medina Medina AlQiblatayn mosque Medina Baqih meditation Merciful God Merry Christmas Mike Pompeo mindfulness Miracles of the Qur'an Mitzvah MLK Day Mosque Most Forgiving God mother of Jesus Mother's day Mount Sinai Monastery Muhammad Muharram Muharram and Karbala Muslim Muslim Americans Muslim Christian Dialogue Muslim contribution to Science Muslim gatekeeprs Muslim Jesus Muslim Nobel prize winners Muslim Review Year 2022 Muslim scientists Muslim Unity Muslim Women in Congress Muslim-Atheist dialogue Muslim-Christian relations Muslims-Facts Muzdalifah My Hajj My Jihad Myanmar Myths about Islam Myths about Muslims Nativity Nativity of Jesus New Year New Year resolution New Year Wishes Nobel prize Nones Northern California fires not flu Nuns Occupied Kashmir OJ Simpson One nation under God Onjil Original Sin osque of prphet Muhammad Palestine Parkland school shooting Pew Research center Pilgramage Pilgrims Pillars of Islam Pious Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting Plastic Platinum Rule Police racism Pope Francis meeting with Ayatollah Sistani Pot Prayers Prophet Muhammad Prophets of Islam Protestant Proud American Pulpit Purpose of creation Quba mosque Qur'an Quran Quran and Jesus Quran and Science Quran commandments Quran is easy to understand racism Racism and Diversity Ramadan Ramadan Fasting Ramadan Kareem Rashida Tlaib Rashida Tlaib Cursing Rebuttal to Hemant Mehta Religion and science Religion is the solution Religion vs science Religiosity Religious scientists Removing life support Republicans and Christianity Retirement Riazul Jennah Rick Saccone Righteousness Rohingya Roman Catholic Round Earth Roy Moore defeat Safa and Marwa Salah Salat Saudi exported extremism Saudi Oil filed attack Science and Faith Science and religion scientist and atheism Secretary of state Senate hearing Sermon on the Mount Sexual abuse Sexual harassment Sharia Sharia Law Shia Shia Sunni Unity Social Justice and Islam Sri Lanka Terror Attacks on Easter St. Catherine Monastery Stand with Kashmir Straight Path Submission to God Sunni Sunni-Shia unity Supplications supremacists Supreme court judge Supreme court nomination synagogues and churches Talbiya Taliban Ten Commandments Terror plot against Islamberg Terrorism Texas church shooting Thank God Thankfulness Thanksgiving Thanksgiving celebration Thanksgiving Day the mother of Jesus Torah Tree of Life Tree of Life Synagogue True Christians Trump Trump and misogyny Trump's decision for recognition of Jerusalem Trump's threat to Sanctuary cities Trusting God Tzedekah Uhad Umrah UN resolution Uncategorized Unchristian Republican behavior UnChurched United Ummah UnMosqued US Embassy in Jerusalem US war with seven countries Uyghurs Vatican on Eid Violence in Gaza Wahhabisim War on Christmas wellness What Would Jesus Do? What would Muhammad do? white supermacist White supremacists White Supremacy Why were we created Women's march WWJD Yemen Zakat Zamzam well

Select a Month April 2024 March 2024 December 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 December 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz