اللَّهُ الَّذِي رَفَعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ بِغَيْرِ عَمَدٍ تَرَوْنَهَا ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي لِأَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ يُفَصِّلُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُم بِلِقَاءِ رَبِّكُمْ تُوقِنُونَ
Allah (is) the One Who raised the heavens without pillars that you see, then He established on the Throne and subjected the sun and the moon each running for a term appointed, He arranges the matter; He details the Signs so that you may in the meeting (with) your Lord believe with certainty.
[Al-Quran 13:2]
Surah alFussilat (Explained in Detail) explains the condition of space at the time of creation as smoke:
ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلْأَرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ
Then He directed (Himself) towards the heaven while it (was) smoke, and He said to it and to the earth, "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said, "We come willingly."
[Al-Quran 41:11]
The Sun and Moon are examples of how each object in space exists separately, without the need to be attached to anything; yet the synchronised movements orchestrated by Allah benefit us on Earth:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لَا تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلَا لِلْقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ
And of His Signs (are) the night and the day and the sun and the moon. (Do) not prostrate to the sun and not to the moon, but prostrate to Allah the One Who created them, if you, Him alone, worship.
[Al-Quran 41:37]
Clouds are an example of how something heavy can exist without pillars:
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِمَا يَنفَعُ النَّاسَ وَمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِن مَّاءٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَبَثَّ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ
Indeed, in (the) creation (of) the heavens and the earth, and alternation of the night and the day, and the ships which sail in the sea with what benefits [the] people, and what (has) sent down Allah from the sky [of] water, giving life thereby (to) the earth after its death, and dispersing therein [of] every moving creature, and directing (of) the winds and the clouds [the] controlled between the sky and the earth, surely (are) Signs for a people who use their intellect.
[Al-Quran 2:164]
Birds are yet another example:
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ فِي جَوِّ السَّمَاءِ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا اللَّهُ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ
Do not they see towards the birds controlled in the midst (of) the sky? None holds them up except Allah. Indeed, in that (are) Signs for a people who believe.
[Al-Quran 16:79]
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا إِلَى الطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَافَّاتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا الرَّحْمَٰنُ إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ بَصِيرٌ
Do not they see [to] the birds above them spreading (their wings) and folding? Not holds them except the Most Gracious. Indeed, He (is) of every thing All-Seer.
[Al-Quran 67:19]
Surah Fatir informs us that:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ أَن تَزُولَا
وَلَئِن زَالَتَا إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِهِ
إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا
وَلَئِن زَالَتَا إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِّن بَعْدِهِ
إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا
Indeed, Allah upholds the heavens and the earth, lest they cease.
And if they should cease, not can uphold them any one after Him.
Indeed, He is Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving.
[Al-Quran 35:41]
Surah Fatir introduces Allah as the Fatir (فَاطِرِ) of the heavens and earth:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَاعِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ رُسُلًا أُولِي أَجْنِحَةٍ مَّثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ مَا يَشَاءُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
All praises (be) to Allah, Separator (of) the heavens and the earth, (Who) makes the Angels messengers having wings two or three or four. He increases in the creation what He wills. Indeed, Allah (is) on every thing All-Powerful.
[Al-Quran 35:1; Translation edited (in italics)]
Revisiting Surah alFussilat (Explained in Detail), we read:
ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَهِيَ دُخَانٌ فَقَالَ لَهَا وَلِلْأَرْضِ ائْتِيَا طَوْعًا أَوْ كَرْهًا قَالَتَا أَتَيْنَا طَائِعِينَ
فَقَضَاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ فِي يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَوْحَىٰ فِي كُلِّ سَمَاءٍ أَمْرَهَا وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَحِفْظًا ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ
Then He directed (Himself) towards the heaven while it (was) smoke, and He said to it and to the earth, "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said, "We come willingly."
Then He completed them (as) seven heavens in two periods and He revealed in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the heaven, [the world] with lamps and (to) guard. That (is the) Decree (of) the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.
Then He completed them (as) seven heavens in two periods and He revealed in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the heaven, [the world] with lamps and (to) guard. That (is the) Decree (of) the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.
In Surah alMulk (The Kingdom), we read:
ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ
وَلَقَدْ زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ وَجَعَلْنَاهَا رُجُومًا لِّلشَّيَاطِينِ وَأَعْتَدْنَا لَهُمْ عَذَابَ السَّعِيرِ
وَلِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
The One Who created seven heavens one above another. Not you see in (the) creation (of) the Most Gracious any fault. So return the vision, can you see any flaw?
Then return the vision twice (again). Will return to you the vision humbled while it (is) fatigued.
And certainly We have beautified the heaven nearest with lamps, and We have made them (as) missiles for the devils, and We have prepared for them punishment (of) the Blaze.
And for those who disbelieved in their Lord (is the) punishment (of) Hell, and wretched is the destination.
[Al-Quran 67:3-6]
Note: فُطُورٍ in Q67:3 is variously translated as rifts, cracks, breaks, etc. as it shares the same root as فَاطِرِ in Q35:1, the translation of which I have edited above as Separator.
So, the Earth was separated from the skies, and is now lying somewhere in the space within the Sky of the Earth, while the Sky borders the edge of space. As we really cannot determine the edge of space, whatever direction we try to look in, there is no way of knowing whether we are in the centre or or how far away from it. What we do know of the observable universe is that there are stars, planets, comets, asteroids, meteors, and so on, each moving through the space between our Earth and our Sky. The Earth has been hit by comets and asteroids; meteorites, meteor showers and cosmic dust are a common phenomenon; megacryometeors have fallen from cloudless skies ... ; so yes, the sky does indeed seem guarded from those who dwell upon this Earth, such that the mischief and corruption is contained here, and is not allowed to ascend to the sky.
So, the Earth was separated from the skies, and is now lying somewhere in the space within the Sky of the Earth, while the Sky borders the edge of space. As we really cannot determine the edge of space, whatever direction we try to look in, there is no way of knowing whether we are in the centre or or how far away from it. What we do know of the observable universe is that there are stars, planets, comets, asteroids, meteors, and so on, each moving through the space between our Earth and our Sky. The Earth has been hit by comets and asteroids; meteorites, meteor showers and cosmic dust are a common phenomenon; megacryometeors have fallen from cloudless skies ... ; so yes, the sky does indeed seem guarded from those who dwell upon this Earth, such that the mischief and corruption is contained here, and is not allowed to ascend to the sky.
The last ayat of Surah alFussilat also informs us that:
أَلَا إِنَّهُمْ فِي مِرْيَةٍ مِّن لِّقَاءِ رَبِّهِمْ أَلَا إِنَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُّحِيطٌ
Unquestionably, they (are) in doubt about (the) meeting (with) their Lord? Unquestionably, indeed, He (is) of all things encompassing.
The picture that seems to form in my mind is concentric spheres of the seven skies (heavens) above our Earth, and the Throne of Allah above it, such that He is encompassing it all, in personal real-time knowledge, and through his government, and absolutely, perhaps in a literal sense as well. After all, Surah azZumar does give us an idea of the relative size:
وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ وَالْأَرْضُ جَمِيعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ مَطْوِيَّاتٌ بِيَمِينِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
And not they appraised Allah (with) true appraisal, while the earth entirely (will be) in His Grip (on the) Day (of) the Resurrection, and the heavens (will be) folded in His Right Hand. Glory be to Him! And High is He above what they associate (with Him).
[Al-Quran 39:67]
When it is Allah who invents, creates, separates and sustains everything and everyone, then it is His decree that we should follow in all matters. The Quran defines the correct religion as:
Last updated on November 17, 2018
