The Cosmos in the Qur’an (The Heavens, the Earth, and What Lies Between Them)

Introduction

The Qur’an presents a conception of the cosmos grounded in references to the heavens, the earth, and what lies between them, and to the creatures and systems within them, through terms describing creation, its function, and its basic elements.

The Qur’anic Conception of the Cosmos

The Qur’an views the cosmos as an intentional divine creation consisting of the heavens, the earth, and what lies between them, operating within a tightly ordered system founded on subjection to service and balance. The heavens are seven, arranged in cosmic levels, and the earth is prepared for life, with its firmly anchored mountains and means of livelihood. Meanwhile, the sun, moon, stars, winds, and rain operate within a precise system that preserves the regularity of time and life, with no element being random or independent of divine governance.

The Qur’an also presents the cosmos as “signs” pointing to the Creator: its description is not confined to material structure but extends beyond it to meaning and purpose. Within this conception, the human being is not a marginal element but a vicegerent on earth, living under trial and testing. The entire cosmos is subjected to human service so that human beings may fulfill their role, linking existence to a clear purpose: worship, the apprehension of meaning, and a relationship with the Creator.

First: The Creation of the Cosmos

﴿اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ﴾ (God is the Creator of all things.) [الزمر: ٦٢]

﴿خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا﴾ (He created the heavens and the earth and what lies between them.) [الفرقان: ٥٩]

It states that creation took place in ﴿سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ﴾ (six days), and, concerning the beginning of creation, it also states:

﴿أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا﴾ (That the heavens and the earth were joined together, then We parted them.) [الأنبياء: ٣٠]

Second: The General Structure of the Cosmos

The heavens: ﴿وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا﴾ (And We built above you seven mighty heavens), ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا السَّمَاءَ سَقْفًا مَحْفُوظًا﴾ (And We made the heaven a protected roof), ﴿وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ﴾ (By the heaven of recurring return).

The earth: ﴿وَالْأَرْضَ مَدَدْنَاهَا﴾ (And the earth—We spread it out), ﴿جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ فِرَاشًا﴾ (He made the earth a resting place for you), and a cradle, an expanse, and a place of settlement. It contains means of livelihood and is made tractable; ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا فِيهَا رَوَاسِيَ﴾ (And We placed firmly anchored mountains in it); and it contains vegetation and life.

What lies between the heavens and the earth: ﴿وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا﴾ (And what lies between them), ﴿مَا خَلَقْنَاهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ﴾ (We did not create them except in truth).

Third: The Components of the Cosmos Mentioned in the Qur’an

The sun and moon: ﴿وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ حُسْبَانًا﴾ (And the sun and moon as a means of reckoning), ﴿كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ﴾ (Each swims in an orbit), ﴿وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ﴾ (And He subjected the sun and moon to service).

Stars and planets: ﴿وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ﴾ (And We adorned the lowest heaven with lamps), ﴿بِزِينَةٍ الْكَوَاكِبِ﴾ (With an adornment—the celestial bodies), ﴿وَبِالنَّجْمِ هُمْ يَهْتَدُونَ﴾ (And by the stars they find their way).

Meteors: ﴿شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ﴾ (A piercing flame), ﴿وَجَعَلْنَاهَا رُجُومًا لِلشَّيَاطِينِ﴾ (And We made them missiles against the devils).

Water, winds, and clouds: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ﴾ (And We made every living thing from water), ﴿فَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً﴾ (Then We sent down water from the sky), ﴿وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ﴾ (And the directing of the winds), ﴿يُزْجِي سَحَابًا﴾ (He drives clouds along).

Fourth: The Manner of Creation in the Qur’an

﴿كُن فَيَكُونُ﴾ (“Be,” and it is.) [البقرة: ١١٧]

It also states: ﴿خَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ﴾ (He created all things), and ﴿فَسَوَّاهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ﴾ (Then He fashioned them into seven heavens), and ﴿خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ﴾ (He created the heavens and the earth in six days).

Fifth: The Concept of the Earth in the Qur’an through Its Terms

The earth is described in the Qur’an through several expressions: “We spread it out,” “a resting place,” “a cradle,” “an expanse,” “a place of settlement,” “means of livelihood,” and “tractable”; it contains firmly anchored mountains and vegetation.

Sixth: The Seven Earths

﴿وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ﴾ (And of the earth, the like of them.) [الطلاق: ١٢]

The Qur’an does not detail the nature of this “likeness,” but confines itself to affirming its existence within creation.

The Western Scientific Conception of the Cosmos

The Western scientific model views the cosmos as a vast material system that originated and developed through observable and measurable natural laws, most prominently in the model of the Big Bang and cosmic expansion. The cosmos consists of galaxies, stars, planets, gases, and energy, and its motion and interactions are explained through the laws of physics, such as gravity, relativity, and quantum mechanics, without needing to posit unseen divisions or cosmic strata of a metaphysical character.

This conception rests on a descriptive, empirical method that focuses on “how things happen,” not “why they exist.” That is, it explains the mechanisms of the cosmos’s emergence and development without incorporating the idea of purpose or an end into the structure of science itself. Within this framework, the human being is therefore regarded as part of nature and the outcome of long evolutionary processes, rather than as a cosmic center, while science remains neutral toward existential or teleological questions.

Seventh: A Comparison of the Two Models

The Qur’anic model rests on the seven heavens, the earth, and what lies between them, with the sun, moon, and stars within the lowest heaven, accompanied by functional descriptions: adornment, guidance, and subjection to service. Its character is that of a descriptive, functional, teleological model focusing on function and meaning within the system.

The modern Western scientific model rests on the Big Bang, cosmic expansion, galaxies, stars, planets, nebulae, and the laws of physics concerning gravity, energy, and relativity. It does not adopt the concept of “seven heavens” as material strata. Its character is that of a physical, mathematical, measurement-based model focusing on material structure and laws.

Principal Points of Difference

The structure of the cosmos: The Qur’an presents seven heavens, an earth, and what lies between them; science presents a single, expanding cosmos without a sevenfold stratification.

The location of celestial bodies: In the Qur’an, the sun, moon, and stars are within the lowest heaven; in science, the sun is a star, and stars are distant suns within galaxies.

The purpose of description: In the Qur’an, it is guidance, meaning, and the general order; in science, it is measurement, physical explanation, and prediction.

The concept of heaven: In the Qur’an, it is a broad concept encompassing strata or a cosmic horizon; in science, it is an extended cosmic space.

Eighth: The Reason for the Creation of Jinn and Humans and Its Relation to the Two Models

﴿وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ﴾ (I created jinn and humans only that they might worship Me.) [الذاريات: ٥٦]

﴿لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا﴾ (That He might test you as to which of you is best in deeds.) [هود: ٧]

﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾ (I am placing a vicegerent on earth.) [البقرة: ٣٠]

The purpose is thus threefold: worship, trial, and vicegerency on earth. This is what philosophy calls a teleological model.

The Qur’anic model contains a purpose for creation, meaning, and an end. In it, the cosmos is “intended,” the human being is the focus of trial and testing, and the relationship between Creator and creature is central. It therefore accords directly with the ideas of trial, worship, and vicegerency.

The Western scientific model explains how the cosmos originated and how phenomena operate, relies on natural laws, and posits no final cause for existence. It therefore does not address “why the human being came to exist for trial or worship,” but only the mechanism.

The Qur’anic model provides the reason directly, whereas the scientific model does not discuss purpose at all: it is teleologically neutral.

Points of Conflict between the Two Models

The Qur’anic model—a purposive conception of the cosmos and the human being: The cosmos is created in truth and has a purpose: worship, trial, and vicegerency; existence is not in vain. The human being is the focus of trial, the earth is a testing ground, and the cosmos is subjected to service for the human role. Creation and governance are by God’s will, “Be, and it is,” and phenomena operate within a divine order.

The Western scientific model—a physical, mechanistic conception: The cosmos has no purpose within the model, which explains “how,” not “why.” The human being is the outcome of evolution, not the center of the cosmos but part of nature. Explanation rests solely on physical laws, without unseen intervention, in a self-organizing cosmos.

Concerning the Concept of Stars

The Qur’an presents them as lamps and adornment in the heaven, while science defines them as nuclear gaseous spheres. Their function in the Qur’an is adornment and guidance; in science, it is energy and the formation of elements. Explanation in the Qur’an is teleological; in science, it is physical and causal.

Concerning the Sun and Moon

In the Qur’an, they are subjected to service in an orbit; in science, they are a star and a rocky moon. Their relationship to human beings in the Qur’an concerns reckoning, time, and subjection to service; in science, it concerns physical effects. Explanation in the Qur’an is teleological; in science, it is causal.

Two Paths to Understanding the Cosmos

The Qur’anic model does not present the cosmos as mute matter, but as a system of signification: all cosmic phenomena are presented as signs pointing to the Creator. Creation, governance, and subjection to service are fundamental elements in understanding the cosmos; the purpose of existence forms part of the structure of explanation; and reflection on the cosmos is directed toward faith and knowledge of God.

This is a model that makes the cosmos itself intentional evidence leading human beings to knowledge of the Creator and to connecting existence with Him.

The Western scientific model builds its explanation on a material, empirical method: it explains phenomena solely through the laws of nature, focuses on how things happen rather than why they exist, separates scientific explanation from teleological or metaphysical questions, and does not incorporate the idea of the Creator into the scientific explanatory model.

This is a model that explains the cosmos as a physical system operating according to laws, without making reaching the Creator part of its scientific path.

General Conclusion

The Qur’anic model of the cosmos regards it not merely as matter to be described, but as an “intended” system bearing meaning and purpose. Within it, the heavens, the earth, and what lies between them are presented as a creation connected to divine will, function, and signification, such that description itself is directed toward bringing out the purpose of existence.

The Western scientific model, by contrast, presents the cosmos as a purely material system, explained through physical and mathematical laws and understood through structure, interaction, and motion, without incorporating purpose or meaning into the framework of scientific explanation itself.