I refuse to believe “that the universe is expanding”, even though scientists claim otherwise based on their observations.
Reflect on Surah Al-Ma‘arij and Surah As-Sajdah. In these two surahs, a time measurement has already been set for us to imagine how vast this universe is. That measurement of time has already been fixed: 50,000 years in Surah Al-Ma’arij, 1,000 years in Surah As-Sajdah, and 500 years in the hadith of Jami’ at-Tirmidhi (2588) and two other hadiths cited in Kitab at-Tawheed by Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab رحمه الله.
Allah says in His Book:
“The angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years.” [Surah Al-Ma’arij, 70:4]
“He arranges (every) affair from the heaven to the earth, then it (affair) will ascend to Him, in one Day, the measure whereof is a thousand years of your reckoning (i.e. reckoning of our present world’s time).” [Surah As-Sajdah, 32:5]
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“If a pellet like this one, and he pointed to one like Al-Jumjumah (a small yellow seed, and the name comes from the word ‘cranial cavity’) were to be dropped from the heavens to the earth – and it is the distance of traveling five hundred years it would reach the earth before the night-fall. But if it were dropped from the top of the chain (referring to chain mentioned in the Qur’an, 69:32) it would travel for forty years, day and night, before it would reach its foundation or bottom.” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi (2588)]
In Kitab at-Tawheed, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab رحمه الله dedicated a chapter to explaining the verse: “And they did not appraise Allah with true appraisal, while the earth entirely will be within His grip on the Day of Resurrection” [The Noble Qur’an, Surah Az-Zumar, 39:67].
Within this chapter, he cited several narrations regarding the distances between the heavens. Two of them are as follows:
On the authority of Ibn Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه, he said: “Between the lowest heaven and the one above it is five hundred years, and between each heaven and the next is five hundred years, and between the seventh heaven and the Throne is five hundred years, and between the Throne and the water is five hundred years, and the Throne is above the water, and Allah is above the Throne, and nothing of your deeds is hidden from Him.”
This narration states:
- Between the lowest heaven and the one above it: 500 years
- Between each heaven and the next: 500 years
- Between the seventh heaven and the Kursi (Footstool): 500 years
- Between the Kursi and the water: 500 years
- The Throne is above the water, and Allah is above the Throne
On the authority of ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib رضي الله عنه, he said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Do you know how far it is between the heavens and the earth?’ We said: ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He said: ‘Between them is a journey of five hundred years, and from each heaven to the next is a journey of five hundred years, and the thickness of each heaven is a journey of five hundred years, and between the seventh heaven and the Throne is a sea, the distance between its bottom and top being like the distance between the heavens and the earth. And Allah Almighty is above that, and nothing of the deeds of the children of Adam is hidden from Him.’”
This hadith mentions:
- Between heaven and earth: 500 years journey
- From one heaven to another: 500 years journey
- The thickness of each heaven: 500 years
- Above the seventh heaven is a sea, the distance between its bottom and top is like between heaven and earth
- Allah the Most High is above all of that
These lessons highlight the importance of understanding:
- The distance from one heaven to another
- The distance between heaven and earth
If the universe were truly continuously expanding, as mentioned in some English translations of the Qur’an, then the time measurement would also keep increasing from the past until now. The 50,000-year period that has already been determined in the Qur’an may have extended to 50,XXX years by now. Which do you prioritise in this matter: the claims of scientists, or the evidence from the Qur’an and the Sunnah?
May this be beneficial. Allah knows best. 🤗