Debunking the Claim: Quran's "Seven Heavens" and the Expanding Universe

Muslims claim that the Quran's reference to "seven heavens" or seven skies describes the expansion of the universe, presenting it as a popular scientific miracle. Specifically, in Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:47, it states, "We built the heaven with might, and We are certainly expanding it," which Muslim apologists like Zakir Naik or Hamza Tzortzis link to the ongoing expansion of the universe, matching Edwin Hubble's 1929 discovery.

They interpret the word "mūsiʿūn" as an active participle indicating a continuous process, and equate the seven heavens to a multiverse or cosmic layers. On X, Muslim posts often highlight this, portraying the Quran as containing miraculous knowledge from 1400 years ago.

However, ex-Muslims and critics argue that this claim is a misinterpretation, retrofitted to fit modern science. They point to other Quranic verses that contradict science, such as describing the sky as a "ceiling" in Surah Al-Anbiya 21:32, or the seven heavens as layered skies in Surah Fussilat 41:12, where stars are placed in the lowest heaven and shooting stars are missiles thrown at devils in Surah As-Saffat 37:6-10.

On X, ex-Muslim posts identify these as ancient myths, like portraying the Earth as flat or the sky as a solid dome. They assert that such interpretations are post-hoc, meaning the Quran is adjusted to match scientific discoveries after the fact.

Debunking this claim step by step reveals that the word "mūsiʿūn" in classical tafsirs by scholars like Ibn Kathir or Al-Zamakhshari means vastness or powerful creation, with no mention of ongoing expansion, and modern translations added "expanding" only after Hubble's discovery.

The verse refers to "heaven" or sky, not the universe, and is influenced by ancient civilizations like Sumerian or Greek beliefs. No pre-modern Muslim scholar interpreted it as universe expansion, proving it to be retrofitting. The description of seven heavens aligns with ancient cosmology, where stars are not distant but in lower layers, and other Quranic parts describe the Earth as spread out or flat in Surah An-Naba 78:6-7 or imply a geocentric solar motion in Surah Ya-Sin 36:38.

In summary, the Muslim claim lacks foundation because it exemplifies confirmation bias, forcibly aligning an ancient text with modern science. Ex-Muslims are correct in stating that the Quran reflects ancient beliefs, not future science. For more information, check WikiIslam or YouTube searches for "Quran expanding universe debunk."

1 comment