Abstract
The Quran hints on the existence of something prior to the creation of the heavens and earth, something outside it.
Full Text
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ
لَوْ أَرَدْنَا أَن نَّتَّخِذَ لَهْوًا لَّاتَّخَذْنَاهُ مِن لَّدُنَّا إِن كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ
Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between!
If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We should surely have taken it from the things nearest to Us, if We would do (such a thing)!
According to these ayaat, there is something, some place other than the heavens and the earth, which has existed since before it. It is outside what we call Space. In fact, regarding space, it states:
وَالسَّمَاءَ بَنَيْنَاهَا بِأَيْدٍ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ
And the heaven We constructed it with strength, and indeed, We (are) surely (its) Expanders.
[Al-Quran 51:47]
It seems like the sky (heaven) is something elastic, and it is being expanded, for some purpose?
Surah ad-Dukhan (The Smoke) again states that these heavens and earth are not without purpose:
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ
مَا خَلَقْنَاهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them, merely in (idle) sport:
We created them not except for just ends: but most of them do not understand.
[Al-Quran 44:38-39, Translation: Yusuf Ali]The Quran is quite clear that beyond space, beyond the confines of heaven and earth, no unauthorised travel is possible. Space is the limit to where humans and jinns can travel to, but they cannot ascend beyond that:
يٰمَعۡشَرَ الۡجِنِّ وَالۡاِنۡسِ اِنِ اسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ اَنۡ تَنۡفُذُوۡا
مِنۡ اَقۡطَارِ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالۡاَرۡضِ فَانْفُذُوۡاؕ
لَا تَنۡفُذُوۡنَ اِلَّا بِسُلۡطٰنٍۚ ٣٣
فَبِاَىِّ اٰلَاۤءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبٰنِ ٣٤
يُرۡسَلُ عَلَيۡكُمَا شُوَاظٌ مِّنۡ نَّارٍ ۙ وَّنُحَاسٌ فَلَا تَنۡتَصِرٰنِۚ ٣٥
فَبِاَىِّ اٰلَاۤءِ رَبِّكُمَا تُكَذِّبٰنِ ٣٦
O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass!
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
On you will be sent (O ye evil ones twain!) a flame of fire (to burn) and a smoke (to choke): no defence will ye have:
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?
[Al-Quran 55:33-36, Translation: Yusuf Ali]
The Quran mentions the six days of the creation of the heavens and earth, but it focuses on the WHY. While it is fascinating to wonder about the HOW, it is important to focus on the purpose and consequent final outcome:
الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ قِيَامًا وَقُعُودًا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ
وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَٰذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ مَن تُدْخِلِ النَّارَ فَقَدْ أَخْزَيْتَهُ وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ
Those who remember Allah standing, and sitting and on their sides and they reflect on (the) creation (of) the heavens and the earth, "Our Lord, not You have created this (in) vain. Glory be to You, so save us (from the) punishment (of) the Fire.
Our Lord, indeed [You] whom You admit (to) the Fire then surely You (have) disgraced him, and not for the wrongdoers (are) any helpers.
[Al-Quran 3:191-193, Translation: Yusuf Ali]
For more on purpose, please read Teleology: A purpose-built Universe?
Science
Scientist do not know if there was something before the 'Big Bang', the most popular theory about the origin of our Universe. Wikipedia states:
Pre–Big Bang physics (PBBP) are physics which can be speculated to have existed prior to the Big Bang. PBBP may have been radically different from the current laws of physics.
Although theoretical speculation on possible PBBP has only begun, research into the field could hold incredible implications for the makeup of the universe, and numerous possibilities beyond the limit of the current laws of physics in possible existence prior to the Big Bang.
Last updated on: November 27, 2023
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