Science and the Seven Earths

Apologists have come up with some extraordinary claims, including the claim that modern science proves the Qur'an correct in asserting the earth is made of seven "layers".

Seven Layers

This article seeks to show the error of the claim that verse 65:12 shows the earth composed of seven layers. We note the same dishonest approach taken to assign seven layers of the atmosphere - i.e. the double counting of layers.

The general scientific view is that the earth is composed of four or five major layers depending on whether one splits the mantle or not.^[1][2][3]

The five layers are as follows:

1. crust
2. upper mantle
3. lower mantle
4. outer core
5. inner core

There are two ways to classify the composition of the geosphere - chemically, into crust, mantle, and core, or functionally, in the case of the outer layers (crust and mantle) into lithosphere and asthenosphere.^[4][5]

From the evidence above, one can see the apologetic deceit because they double-count the lithosphere/asthenosphere while they also count the crust and upper mantle. Note that this is dishonest because these are alternative classifications. One cannot honestly count all lithosphere, asthenosphere, crust, and upper mantle together as one would be recounting the same rocks.

Recently new scientific hypotheses proposed by J. Marvin Herndon and Prof Xiaodong Song suggest the inner core may be further subdivided into four layers; the inner core, the innermost core, a sub-shell of fission material and decay products, and a subcore of uranium and plutonium forming the georeactor.^[6] If this new theory is accepted the number of layers of the earth rises to eight.

Seven Continents

The same apologists try to hedge their bets by claiming it is either seven layers or seven continents.

We suggest the former explanation (seven layers) is more accurate as all translations we have read refer to "earth" and not ground. Nevertheless, although the number of continents is traditionally considered seven, some geographers and scientists think there are only six as Europe and Asia are technically a single land mass (i.e. Eurasia) and on the same tectonic plate.^[7] Therefore, we suggest the traditional number of seven continents is more a cultural bias than an actual geographical/geological fact.

Seven Earths

There are Muslims who claim that Allah created seven earths.^[8] If we're not mistaken, this is another pseudo-scientific claim made by Maurice Bucaille.^[9] This is in fact the correct understanding of verse 65:12 supported by various hadiths and tafsir commentaries. However, we only know of one, our own, but no doubt future science will reveal the remaining six.

The scientific evidence do not support the claim that the Qur'anic verse 65:12 foretold the scientific accuracy of the seven layers of the earth when modern geology states that there are only four or five layers, or up to eight if the new hypotheses of the subcore georeactor are accepted.

And if these apologists cared to delve a little deeper into their own sources, they would discover that the seven earths being referred to in verse 65:12 are in fact flat islands, one under the other.^[10]

• A Qur’anic Understanding of the Universe
• Qur'an and the Descent of Iron Miracle

• Qur'an & Science Problem: The Seven Earths - Answering Islam