Creation & Cosmology
Omar Zaid, M.D.
Lecture for Insaniah Medical Students
Course: Islamic Revealed Knowledge
Insaniah Medical School
Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia
2012
For the most part, mainstream religious scholarship stayed
clear of concentrated reflection on the structure and nature of
the universe. Most scholars even looked askance at attempts to
construct comprehensive cosmologies. Why?
T HE Q URAN DOES NOT CONTAIN A SYSTEMATIC COSMOLOGY.
The hadith corpus is richer in cosmological content but it is
hardly possible to build a homogeneous cosmology on the
hadith because of the disconnected, inconclusive, and
frequently irreconcilable nature of the reports in question.
It is not mistaken to state that the great majority of Hellenized
Muslim philosophers and scientists allotted a substantial role to
human reason (as opposed to revelation) in their quest for the
truth and that they subscribed to Ptolemaic Cosmology, which
then became the most widely accepted view of the universe
among educated Muslims.
In summary, owing to the indifferent attitude of traditionalist
religious scholars toward cosmological speculation, systematic
reflection on the structure of the universe was a challenge
taken up by Philosophers and by Gnostics and Mystics.
The works produced by these groups, were viewed with
suspicion in legalist circles and yet they form the major
source of cosmographical diagrams in Islam.
COSMOGRAPHICAL DIAGRAMS by AHMET T. KARAMUSTAFA
God is said to be established on a throne Quran
7:54, 10:3, 13:2, 20:5, 25:59, 32:4, 57:4), and that this
throne either rests on water (11:7) or is borne by
angels (69:17) and that it encompasses the
heavens and the earth (2:255).
The sky, frequently described as a canopy spread
over the earth (2:22, 20:53, 21:32, 40:64, 43:10, 50:6,
78:6), was raised without any supports that
humans could see (13:2) and is illuminated by the
sun and the moon (25:61, 71:16, 78:12)
the seven heavens it is said to comprise (2:29,
17:44,41:12, 65:12, 67:3, 71:15, 78:12) exist only the
lowest heaven is described as adorned with the
beauty of the stars (37:6,41:12, 67:5).
the earth, spread wide and held firmly in place by
mountains (13:3, 15:19, 16:15, 21:31, 31:10, 50:7, 51:48,
55:10, 78:7, 79:32), proves to be only one of seven
earths that match the seven heavens (65:12); the
other six earths, however, remain totally obscure.
Hence: in broad outline, the Quranic
universe is a hierarchical, multilayered
complex that stretches from the throne of
God (on top), through the seven heavens (in
between) down to the seven earths at
bottom, with our earth as the only visible
earth.
Hence, when God says ‘Be’, the PEN writes , the
TABLET records, and the created ‘thing’ or ‘creature’
must ‘read’ (exist or live) in obedience to what is
recorded.
As we shall see, this process is ongoing to the Day of
Resurrection and beyond.
Some have called this Tablet the ‘Universal Soul’ of Religio Perrenialism
and have actually ascribed to it a living identity as a god-like entity, an
extremely dangerous thing to do.
unseen
other
dimensions
“S A M AWAT - WA L - A R D ” “Ard” refers to all the
matters of the Universe, such as, the stars, planets,
Asteroids, free dust etc. scattered in space.
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 This verse mentions more than one
universe: Alamin
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4
 Subsequently, the Quran teaches
there are two universes:
 Samawat: First Universe contains
Seen
Dimensions
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2
other dimensions (skies)

skies: “Samawat–wal–Ard” (Skies and Lands).
 Jannaat:
called Paradise
Second Universe
1
Material
Universe
Earth
"WE
M A D E T H E S K Y A PR E S E RV E D A N D
PROT EC T E D RO O F Y E T ST I L L T H E Y
T U R N AWAY F RO M
O U R S I G N S . .“
( T HE Q U R ' AN, 2 1 : 3 2 )
magnetosphere layers, created by the magnetic f ield of the Earth, work as a shield
protecting the earth from celestial bodies and harmful cosmic rays and particles.
In the above picture this magnetosphere layer, which is also known Van Allen
Belts, is seen.
These belts at thousands of kilometres above the earth protect and guard the
living things on the Earth from the fatal and deadly energ y that would otherwise
reach and destroy it.
DO
NOT THE UNBELIEVERS SEE THAT THE SKIES AND THE
1 light year is approximately
ten million million kilometers
Milky Way measures one
hundred thousand light years
across__ the distance of our
Solar System from the galactic
center is about 32,000 light
years.
( AS ONE UNIT OF CREATION)
ASUNDER. - Q u r a n 2 1: 30
LANDS WERE JOINED TOGETHER
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2
Milky Way
1
7
4
CLOVE THEM
5
WE
6
BEFORE
Hydrogen & Helium
Do not the
unbelievers see
that the skies
and the lands
were joined
together (as one
unit of creation)
before We clove
them asunder–
Al Quran 21:30
We have built The Sama - Firmament with might, We indeed Have vast power;
to create the vastness of Space and
continue to expand it, And We have
spread out Ardh – [Ground; interior or
lower part of the Universe; the dark matter
holding the galaxies] -: How excellently
We do spread outใ
(Surah No. 51, verse 47- 48).
[Quran 21.30]
Do not those who
disbelieve see that
the heavens and the Earth
were meshed together then
We ripped them apart?
And then We made of water
ever ything living? Would
they still not believe?
WE CANNOT THINK OF THE BIG BANG AS A BEGINNING OR EVEN AN
EXPLOSION
...
IT IS ACTUALLY A TERM THAT MARKS THE LIMIT OF OUR
KNOWLEDGE ON THE MATTER , BEYOND WHICH WE CAN KNOW NOTHING .
at 1 second we have free
neutrons and protons
Expanding
Radius
1 0 s e co n d s f ro m
the Big Bang
f re e p ro to n s a n d
n e u t ro n s a re
b e i n g fo r m e d
i n to l i gh t n u cl ei
– this is the only
point of which
today's physicists
have direct
experimental
conf irmation of
theory
f o r 1 m i l l i o n y e a r s a f te r t h e b i g b a n g
there were no stars or galaxies, all
was an expanding pool of hot gas
that cooled . The only elements were
hydrogen, Helium & lithium
THE BIG BANG IS A THEORY NOT A FACT
A f t e r co o l e d t o 1 X 1 0 32 K e l v i n ,
star cosmolog y began
at about 370,000 years after the big
b ang, electrons com bine with hyd rogen
nuclei to form atoms (as universe
cools, they stick together)
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1 Mpc = 3.08567758 × 10 meters
About 25 billion light years
Milky Way
Cabalist Theory
God Withdrew from Here to make
room for the Material Universe
Ka b a l i s t
Co s m o l o g y
insists
that
God
w i t h d re w
to
m a ke
s p a ce
( Va c u u m ) f o r c r e a t i o n a n d t h a t th e i r j o b ( a s C a b a l i s t Je w s - M a g i ) i s
t o l i b e ra te t h e d i v i n e e n e r g y ( l i g h t / S PA R K S ) n ow t ra p p e d i n m a te r i a l i n
order to:
RESTORE THEM TO DIVINIT Y
13.7 billion yrs
post Big Bang
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
M i l k y Wa y = 1 0 0 g i g a s t a r s a n d u n i v e r s e h a s 2 0 0 b i l l i o n g a l a x i e s
is big and is getting bigger (expanding as a function of time)
do not know if limited or inf inite ... but do know relevant size
galaxies do not expand (only the space between them)
same in everyplace (homogeneous) and in every direction (isotropic)
m i c r o v ave r a d i a t i o n i s e n d e m i c r e m n a n t o f b i g - b a n g
particle density and energ y density decrease as universe gets larger
vacuum energ y (space) remains constant
The Quran told us about this expansion 1400 years before it was discovered.
“With power and skill did We construct the skies: for it is
We Who cause it to expand” or ‘and We are still expanding’.
– A L Q URAN 51:47
This Verse talks about “ power ” that is provided to the Skies to cause
the expansion— Probably “Dark Energ y” is the power that the Verse
talks about.
Recent satellite observations reveal that the
Universe is made up of 73% Dark Energy,
23% Dark Matter, and 4% ordinary matter.
1990s: Supernova Cosmological Project and High-Z
Search Team suggested that the expansion of the
Universe is accelerating.
As the distance increases, the attractive
gravitational force decreases but this
mysterious repulsive force increases. This
repulsive force is pushing galaxies apart; the
greater the distance the greater the
repulsion. Scientists today do not know what
this "Dark Energy" is, but they know that it is
causing the entire universe to expand at an
increasing rate.
DARK ENERGY is a repulsive force that opposes self
attraction of matter (gravity) and causes the
expansion of the Universe to accelerate. Dark
Energy otherwise remains in complete mystery.
DARK MATTER is only known by its gravitational
effect on the matter. It cannot be seen and it
appears to be transparent and trans-matter in that
physical substance can pass right through it  it
may represent another dimension
He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except by His Leave.
Verily, Allâh is, for mankind, full of Kindness, Most Merciful. - AL-HAJJ 22:65.
 Be ye foremost forgiveness from your Lord, and
the Jannaat, the width of which is as the width
of the ‘Skies and Lands’ (universe)
–Al Quran 57:2.
 Because only a few will be saved, God created
the width of Jannaat is equal to the
width of the Universe. If two
entities are equal in width – one
cannot be inside
another. Therefore, Jannaat is a
separate Universe.
two worlds, instead of only one
– 2 Esdras: 7:50, Holy Bible.
 “In Jannaat, one from the lower class will
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observe the higher, like a rising star in the
eastern or western corner of the Sky.”
–
Bukhari Sharif.
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5
4
 But give glad tidings to those who believe and
work righteousness, that their portion is
Jannaat, beneath which rivers flow. Every time
they are fed with fruits there-from, they say:
“Why, this is what we were fed with before,” for
they are given things in similitude; and they
have therein companions pure; and they abide
therein. - Al’Qur’an 2:25
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2
1
Earth Like
Great Attractor:
an immensely powerful
gravitational anomaly
appears in the direction
of the Centaurus at a
distance of about 211
light years from the
Earth.
All matters out to a
distance of about 250
light years are flowing
toward the Great
Attractor on the order of
600 km/Sec.
A mass of 1016 suns
would account for such a
powerful attraction. A
search by astronomers,
of that region of the sky,
finds ten times too little
visible matter. But, the
Great Attractor is
certainly there as its
gravitational influence is
clearly visible.
What is it?
We don’t know
----- 1500 Light Yrs ----Gravitational Fields
Folded Universe
beyond 250 mil light years,
space is curved in
opposite direction
Diameter 500 MLY
Great Attractor
- - - - - - 4 B i l l i o n L i g h t Ye a r s - - - - - - -
Wrapped or folded like a scroll
Doors of the Skies
One layer of space (Sky) is not completely separated from
another layer. Curvatures of space-time that make up Seven
Skies are like sound waves produced in the air (transverse waves).
The fabric of space is denser in the middle of each layer than the
sides; and the edges of two adjacent skies are joined to each
other. Therefore, light can travel from one Sky to another.
Sound waves in water
producing light
Since Skies are created by curving the space, matter cannot
normally move from one Sky to another. However, according to
the Quran and Hadith, there are many paths to move from one
Sky to another. Those paths have entries and exits. The entries
and exits are guarded by angels. If space curvature makes a
path, it must be very difficult to go out of that path except
through exits.
From Hadith we know that during Miraz Prophet Mohammed
(pbuh) visited all the Skies. He saw Prophet Adam (pbuh) in the
First Sky, Prophet Jesus (pbuh) in the Second Sky, Prophet
Moses (pbuh) in the Sixth Sky . . . The Angel who accompanied
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked permission from guardian
angels while crossing over through the gates of each Sky.
Sound waves in the
Sun’s atmosphere
No just estimate have they made of Allah, such as
is due to Him: On the Day of Judgment all of the
lands (stars, planets etc.) will be in His hand, and
the skies will be rolled up in His right hand: Glory
to Him, high is He above the partners they
attribute to Him
–Al Quran 39: 67
“On the day when we will roll up the skies like the
rolling up of the scroll for writings”
–Al Quran 21:104.
“…The sky disappeared like a scroll being rolled up,
and every mountain and island was moved from its
place…” –Revelation 6: (12–14).
- Holy Bible
According to the latest
theories, there are 11
dimensions in the universe
all in the form of one
dimensional planes waving
like the sea across time.
There is only one [material]
universe that contains many
different spaces
[dimensions]. What we
consider our current
universe is just ‘our space’
and the rest of the spaces are
yet to be found
Examples of Cosmic Collapse
Example of
cosmic collision
VOID ? NO!
A dark molecular cloud - a mass of of dust and gasses
which combine to blank out all the visible light from
the background stars. Many of these 'dark absorption
nebulae' have been discovered across the galaxy, with
this one called Barnard 68 in the Ophiuchus
constellation. Measurements place this at a relatively
close only 5 0 0 l i gh t ye a rs a wa y
Creation in Progress = ongoing process of divinely controlled evolution
Big Crunch & Big Bang II ??
The day when We will roll up the skies
like the rolling up of scroll for writings
[or: like the folder compacts the books]: as
We originated the first creation, We
shall reproduce it; a promise on Us:
Truly We will fulfill it.
– A L Q URAN 21:104
New Samawat ?
New Hell ?
And We have adorned the lowest sky with
lamps (stars) Have made such missiles
(asteroids) to drive away the satan And
have prepared for them the penalty of the
blazing fire of hell.
–Al Quran 67:5
How can you reject the faith in Allah seeing
that you were without life, and He gave you
life; then He will cause you to die, and will
again bring you to life; and again to Him
will you return. Al’Qur’an 2:28
HADITH:
During Miraz I saw in the S EVENTH S KY
that, there was thunder and roaring
sound and a group of people . Their
bellies were as big as houses. In those,
there were many snakes, which were
being seen from the outside. I asked to
Zibrael, which kind of people they were?
He said, “I T IS THE SCENE OF THOSE , WHO
TOOK INTEREST ( RIBA ) BY LENDING MONEY.
–Sahih Al Bukhari
HADITH: ON THE Miraj
On the day of final judgment Allah will assemble all of mankind. Then Allah
will say:
•
‘People will follow whom they worshipped, he must go with him’.
•
Accordingly, those who used to worship the Sun will follow the Sun.
•
That means, they will be compelled to go there, where the Sun will reach.
•
Those who used to worship the Moon, will be compelled to follow the Moon.
•
Those who used to worship different idols, will be compelled to follow those
idols. That means, they will be compelled to go there, where those idols will reach.
–Bukhari Sharif
On the day when Earth will be swapped by another Earth and
so will be the heavens; and all (creatures) will resurrect
before the One God.
Q URAN 14.48
He Who created the seven Samawat (sky, Firmament) one
above another: no want of proportion wilt thou see in the
Creation of (Allah) Most Gracious. So turn thy vision again:
seest thou any flaw? Again turn thy vision a second time:
(thy) vision will come back to thee dull and discomfited, in a
state worn out.
Image (right)
Two huge clusters of invisible Dark Matter (in blue)
clashed with each other. Each with a mass of 10,000
galaxies (each a quadrillion times the mass of the Sun;
On impact they did not collide but simply passed
through each other !
Gravity, Black Holes, and the Very Early Universe; T.Chow,
Springer 2008 (p. 108) wrote:
"This means that the world at very small scales is not
made up of particles living in three spacial
dimensions, but perhaps strings and branes living in
nine dimensions. String theories are the most active
area of research in physics today..."
Traditionally scientists thought that
we live in a four dimensional
universe: Time and the usual three
spacial dimensions of length, width
and height (x,y,z). However, today
there is evidence for six extra spacial
dimensions. We cannot see nor
collide with this invisible Dark Matter
because it is mass in the remaining
six dimensions.
QURAN 41.12 - So [Allah] decreed them as seven heavens (one above
the other = layers) in two days and revealed to each heaven its orders
(Cosmos). And We [Allah] adorned the lowest heaven with lights, and
protection. Such is the decree of the Exalted; the Knowledgeable.
Q URAN 65.12 - Allah is the one who created seven Heavens and from Earth like
them (of corresponding type); Allah’s command descends among them so that you
may know that Allah is capable of anything and that Allah knows everything.
Q URAN 84.16-18 I swear by the afterglow of sunset...
You will ride one layer from another layer.
(‫)طبق عن طبقا لتركبن‬
Q URAN 20.6 - To Him belongs what is in the Heavens and what
is on Earth and what is between them and what is under the soil.
Recently discovered evidence suggest that the smallest particle is not ‘point
like as previously thought, but rather a vibrating string of energy. But
physicists also discovered that these strings need more than three spatial
dimensions to vibrate in. Particularly they need six extra spatial dimensions.
In all versions of String Theory there are 10 dimensions: "Time" plus the
usual three spatial dimensions x,y,z = 4 dimensions = Our Material World or
observable universe  PLUS six extra spatial dimensions making a total of
ten dimensions  Seven Heavens
Theoretically, Dark Mater in string theory is not only
mass in other dimensions but they are in parallel
universes (where the laws of physics might not be
the same as ours). The only thing shared among
those superimposed parallel universes is gravity. Add
our universe to those parallel universes you get the
Multiverse.
[Quran 51.7]
And the heaven that [He] weaves (Hubuk in Arabic).
Hubuk is plural of Habka which means a knot or a weave (LITERALLY:
‘TIED TOGETHER’)
Implication of Knowledge synthesis:
the Seven Heavens of the Multiverse are parallel worlds woven together.
MIU EGYPTIAN BRANCH PROJECT: Background
I swear by the afterglow of sunset... You will ride one layer from another layer.
(‫ )طبقا عن طبق لتركبن‬- QURAN 84.16-18
Here "Tabak ‫ "طبق‬is a noun meaning "a layer". The adjective "Tibak ‫ "طباق‬means
"superimposed" and is used in describing the seven heavens "‫"طباق سبع سموات‬.
The superimposed heavens of the Quran may well be the extra spatial
dimensions of modern physics.
Today we are sure that we are not living in a "Universe" but rather in a
"Multiverse". No physicist today believes that we are living in the threedimensional universe of the Christian Bible (where not even time is a
dimension!). Moslems ask how could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years
have known that we are living in a Multiverse?
[Quran 40.57] The creation of the heavens and earth is greater than the creation
of mankind, but most of the people do not know.
Those who reject Our Signs and turn away from them with disdain, the gates
of spiritual f irmament will not be opened for them, nor will they enter
Heaven until a camel goes through the eye of a needle. And thus do We
requite the offenders. - AL -A` RAF 7:40 (tr. Maulvi Sher Ali)
Summary
Cosmology: Study of the Orderly Arrangement of the Universe
Samawat: Two Universes, one is a Multiverse containing seven skies
which hold other dimensions and/or divisions.
Janaat: Paradise = eternal success
Question for discussion:
What implications arise from cosmological discoveries and knowledge
with relation to Health and the Practice of Medicine?
The End