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Quranic Miracle: Universe is steadily expanding
Modern Muslims du'aah have made the claim that the expansion of the universe was foretold in the Qur'an. This claim was never made before the discovery by modern science that the universe is constantly expanding, and moreover a close reading of the text makes clear that the Qur'an does not actually claim it.
They present the following translation of the verse 51:47:
Muhammad Assad: AND IT IS We who have built the universe with [Our creative] power; and, verily, it is We who are steadily expanding it.
Zakir Naik writes regarding this verse:
Criticism
Critics point out that the term “lamūsi‘ūn لَمُوسِعُونَ ” in this verse is a "NOUN" and not a "Verb", and it describes "God" and not the "heaven" (i.e. the term “wa-innā lamūsi‘ūn وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ” means "God is the Expander", and not "the Universe is Expanding").
Thus the earlier Quran Translators translated it as under:
Moreover, the root word of لَمُوسِعُونَ (lamūsiʿūna) is و س ع . However in Quran, this word and it's derivatives have been used in the meanings of "Encompassing".
Look at the following verses:
Also see verses 7:89 and 20:98.
Also see verse 65:12, where directly the word of "احاط" (encompass) has been used instead of "wasi'a"
ٖThus few translator used this figurative meaning:
Critics also point out that exactly the same grammar has been used in the next verse 51:48.
In this verse, the word الْمَاهِدُونَ (spreader/smoother) has exactly the same grammar (Active Participle Form I) as the word لَمُوسِعُونَ (i.e. expander) in the previous verse, but no one translated it as "earth is steadily spreading out".
Universe consists of "Space", while Quranic HEAVEN is a solid canopy which could not expand
Critics also point out that according to science, universe consists of space and galaxies are travelling away from each other in this space and thus it is considered as an expansion of the universe.
But according to the writer of Quran, :
Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens; and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance; then set not up rivals unto Allah when ye know (the truth).
The word translated as canopy is binaa or binaan ( بِنَاء ). This word means "building"[1]. Here, the heavens are described as a multi-story building over the earth. There are seven layers or stories to this building called the heavens. The heavens are built on a foundation called "the earth". The tafsir of Ibn Kathir, among others, elaborates this[2]:
And according to the tradition in Sahih Bukhari, prophets are residing upon these solid heavens along with their nations, and solid things don't expand
References:
- ↑ بِنَاء binaa - Lane's Lexicon page 261
- ↑ Tafsirs 2:22