Does The Quran Say the Universe is Expanding?

Refuting Claims of Scientific Foreknowledge in Quran 51:47 and 21:30

Muslim apologists often cite Quran 51:47 and 21:30 as evidence of scientific foreknowledge, claiming these verses predict the universe’s expansion and the Big Bang, respectively. These assertions, popularized by figures like Zakir Naik hinge on interpreting vague Arabic terms to align with modern cosmology. However, a linguistic and contextual analysis of the original Arabic, informed by classical exegesis, reveals these claims to be anachronistic projections rather than inherent meanings. Below, we examine each verse and dismantle the argument.

Quran 51:47: “Expanding” or “Expanse”?

The verse states: Wa al-samā’a banaynāhā bi-aydin wa innā la-mūsi‘ūn (“And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed We are mūsi‘ūn”). Apologists translate “mūsi‘ūn” as “expanding,” linking it to Edwin Hubble’s 1929 discovery of cosmic expansion. This interpretation suggests the Quran anticipated a 20th-century scientific breakthrough.

However, the Arabic term “mūsi‘ūn” derives from the root “w-s-‘” (و-س-ع), meaning “to be wide” or “to make spacious.” In Lane’s Lexicon, “wāsi‘” (a related form) denotes “wide, vast, or spacious,” with no implication of ongoing motion or expansion. As a plural active participle, “mūsi‘ūn” translates to “ones who make wide” or “ones who are vast,” a description of state, not process. Classical tafsir supports this: Al-Tabari (d. 923 CE) interprets it as God’s creation of a vast heaven, tied to His power and provision, while Ibn Kathir (d. 1373 CE) emphasizes its grandeur, not its growth. No early commentator suggests a dynamic stretching of the cosmos.

Grammatically, “mūsi‘ūn” lacks the verbal structure (e.g., “nūsi‘u,” “we expand”) needed to imply continuous action in Arabic. Modern translations like Yusuf Ali’s (“We are expanding it”) reflect a post-Hubble bias, not the term’s natural meaning. Scholars like David Solomon Jalajel argue it describes the heaven’s static vastness, not a cosmological process. The 7th-century Arabs, lacking a framework for an expanding universe, would have understood this as poetic praise of creation’s scale—hardly a prediction of redshift or galaxies drifting apart.

Quran 21:30: The Big Bang or Basic Observation?

The second verse reads: Awa lam yara alladhīna kafarū anna al-samāwāti wa al-ard kānatā ratqan fa-fataqnāhuma (“Have those who disbelieved not seen that the heavens and the earth were ratqan, then We separated them?”). Apologists claim “ratqan” (joined) and “fataqnāhuma” (separated) prefigure the Big Bang, where all matter originated from a singularity before expanding.

The root “r-t-q” (ر-ت-ق) means “to be sewn, closed, or joined,” while “f-t-q” (ف-ت-ق) means “to split, tear, or separate.” In isolation, these terms could suggest a unified state followed by division. But context matters. The verse continues: wa ja‘alnā min al-mā’i kulla shay’in hayyin (“and We made from water every living thing”), shifting focus to creation and life. Classical exegesis—e.g., Al-Tabari and Al-Razi (d. 1209 CE)—interprets this as God separating the sky (heavens) from the earth, a common creation motif, not a cosmic explosion. Al-Tabari links “ratqan” to the earth and sky being initially merged, then parted to form the firmament, a process tied to rain and vegetation, not a primordial singularity.

The Big Bang involves a dense, hot point expanding into space-time, a concept requiring modern physics—general relativity, cosmic microwave background radiation, etc.—unknown in 7th-century Arabia. “Ratqan” and “fataqnāhuma” lack specificity about a singular origin or explosive expansion. Instead, they align with ancient Near Eastern cosmologies (e.g., Genesis 1:6-8), where heaven and earth are split to order the world. This resembles observable phenomena—sky above, earth below—not a scientific theory.

Moreover, the verse addresses “those who disbelieved,” implying an appeal to visible evidence, not an esoteric prediction. Separating a joined heaven and earth could simply mean distinguishing the atmosphere from the ground, a poetic framing of everyday perception. Stretching this to encompass a 13.8-billion-year-old event requires eisegesis—reading modern science into vague terms.

Broader Context and Critique

Both verses share a pattern: poetic language about creation is retrofitted to match discoveries made centuries later. Quran 51:47 extols God’s might in crafting a vast heaven; 21:30 marvels at the ordered world as proof of divine power. Neither specifies mechanisms like cosmic inflation or nucleosynthesis. The Arabic terms—”mūsi‘ūn,” “ratqan,” “fataqnāhuma”—are broad and lack the technical precision apologists imply. Classical scholars, unburdened by modern science, saw these as theological affirmations, not astrophysical claims.

This isn’t unique to Islam. Religious texts often inspire post hoc alignments with science—e.g., Christians citing Genesis for the Big Bang. But as linguist Dr. Marijn van Putten notes, “Natural language bends to fit what we want it to say.” The Quran’s strength lies in its spiritual and literary depth, not in encoding Hubble’s law or Lemaitre’s primeval atom. Claims of scientific miracles collapse under scrutiny of the text’s own words and historical context. They reflect modern ingenuity, not ancient prophecy.

Let us see the usage of the word ws’ in other Quranic contexts. These sources can shed light on his usage. Let’s explore this systematically.

Quranic Usage of “W-S-‘”

In Quran 51:47, wa innā la-mūsi‘ūn (“and indeed We are mūsi‘ūn”) is the phrase in question. The root “w-s-‘” appears elsewhere in the Quran, offering insight into its consistent meaning. Here are key examples:

1. Quran 2:255 (Ayat al-Kursi): Wasi‘a kursiyyuhu al-samāwāti wa al-ard (“His Kursi extends over/encompasses the heavens and the earth”). Here, “wasi‘a” (a verb from “w-s-‘”) means “to encompass” or “to be vast enough to include.” It describes a static, expansive scope, not a process of expansion.
2. Quran 6:80: Wa sā‘atnī al-samāwātu wa al-ard (“The heavens and the earth encompass me”). The verb “sā‘atnī” (from “w-s-‘”) implies “to contain” or “to be spacious enough for,” again emphasizing expanse, not ongoing growth.
3. Quran 20:25: Qāla rabbi ishrah lī ṣadrī (“He said, ‘My Lord, expand my breast’”), uses a different root (“sh-r-h”), but apologists sometimes conflate it with “w-s-‘.” However, when “w-s-‘” appears elsewhere, like in 4:97 (alaysati al-ardu wāsi‘atan, “Is not the earth wide/vast?”), it denotes inherent spaciousness, not a dynamic act.

Across these instances, “w-s-‘” conveys breadth, vastness, or capacity—attributes of a completed state. “Mūsi‘ūn” in 51:47, as a participle, fits this pattern: “We are the ones who are vast” or “who make vast,” describing God’s attribute or the heaven’s finished expanse, not a continuous stretching.

Hadith Evidence

In Muhammad’s recorded sayings (hadith), “w-s-‘” appears less frequently but aligns with the Quranic sense. For example:

• Sahih Muslim 2786: Allāhumma innaka ‘afuwwun karīmun tuḥibb al-‘afwa fa‘fu ‘annī wa wasi‘a ‘alayya (“O Allah, You are forgiving, generous, You love forgiveness, so forgive me and grant me expanse”). Here, “wasi‘a” (imperative) means “grant me abundance” or “make spacious for me” (e.g., in provision or mercy), a one-time act, not a process of expansion over time.
• Sunan Ibn Majah 1352: Describing Paradise, Muhammad says, wāsi‘atu al-abwāb (“wide of gates”). “Wāsi‘atu” (from “w-s-‘”) denotes static vastness, not an expanding feature.

In these contexts, Muhammad uses “w-s-‘” to signify amplitude or generosity—spatial or metaphorical—not an ongoing increase. There’s no instance where it explicitly means “expanding” in the sense of continuous motion, as modern cosmology requires.

Application to Quran 51:47

If Muhammad’s broader usage reflects his intent in delivering 51:47 (assuming divine authorship via his voice), “mūsi‘ūn” likely meant “vast” or “makers of vastness.” The verse’s structure—banaynāhā (“We built it”) followed by wa innā la-mūsi‘ūn (“and We are mūsi‘ūn”)—suggests a completed creation with an attribute of expanse. Classical lexicographers like Al-Raghib al-Isfahani (d. 1108 CE) define “w-s-‘” as “to widen or make ample,” with no temporal progression implied unless context demands it. Here, it doesn’t.

Contrast this with Arabic words for “expand” in a dynamic sense, like “imtdd” (to extend gradually) or “tatawwur” (to develop), which Muhammad could have used if “expanding” were intended. Instead, “w-s-‘”’s consistency across his revelations and sayings points to “expanse.” The scientific claim hinges on a modern reinterpretation, not Muhammad’s apparent meaning.

It is clear that Muhammad’s use of “w-s-‘” in the Quran and hadith overwhelmingly supports “expanse” or “vastness” over “expanding.” Whether describing God’s dominion, Paradise, or mercy, the term reflects a state of being wide, not a process of becoming wider. In 51:47, this suggests he meant the heaven’s grandeur, not its cosmic inflation—a reading affirmed by early tafsir and linguistics, not a 7th-century preview of Hubble’s redshift.

In addition, the earth and heaven (sky/space) are not separated. The earth is inside the heaven. They cannot separate from each other.

The biblical statement about the separation of earth and heaven is found in the creation account of Genesis 1:6-8 in the Old Testament. This passage, describes God dividing the waters to create a distinct sky (heaven) and earth. The text predates the Quran and reflects a shared ancient Near Eastern cosmological motif.

Genesis 1:6-8 (NIV Translation)

Here’s the passage from the New International Version.

6: And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.”
7: So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so.
8: God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.

This isn’t a modern scientific description but a theological and poetic framing of order from chaos. Ancient Israelites likely envisioned a flat earth with a solid dome (the firmament) holding back upper waters, a concept mirrored in Mesopotamian texts like the Enuma Elish. The “heavens and earth” here aren’t fully separated as distinct entities until the broader creation process unfolds, but 1:6-8 marks the initial division of sky from what lies below.

In summary, the concept of the earth and sky separating mentioned in Quran 21:30, while plagiarized from the Bible Genesis 1:6-8, is scientifically wrong.

Do not place your faith on a religion that is entirely based on lies.