The Universes (Alamin) in the Quran
Mohammad Abdullah. I am a researcher, columnist in Islamic research. I am also very interested in Islamic Studies
The universes (alamin) that are mentioned in the Quran are discussed below under the following headings:
i. Samawaat
ii. Jannaat
iii. Different Universes
- Super Space and Barzakh
- Araf, Channels, and Sidratul-Muntaha
- Illiyin and Sijjin
vii. Arsh.
Only The Almighty , The All-Wise, The Omniscient Allah knows the real facts of the universes. We may estimate based on the islamic divine book Al Quran. We may consider some facts from the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Samawaat
This universe, where we are living now, is called “Samawaat” in the Quran. Samawaat means Skies. The study of the Quran reveals that the space of the universe is shaped into seven spherical waves, one inside another—like the peels of onion. These waves of space are skies. Each sky contains innumerable galaxies. We are in the First (Innermost) Sky. The space though waved is continuous. One does not have to believe the existence of skies blindly. Several recent observations indicate that the skies should exist—though the theories have not been developed to harness the idea in the books of science [The skies are deliberately discussed in Section-7 of Chapter-2].
Jannaat
The Jannaat is a separate universe altogether. The hint of its location is given in the following verses: ―Be quick in the race for forgiveness from your Lord Allah and for a Jannaat whose width is that of the ‗Skies and Lands‘ (this universe), prepared for the righteous…‖ [Al Quran 3:133] ―Race to forgiveness from your Lord and the Jannaat, the width of which is as the width of the ‗Sky and Land‘ (this universe)‖ [Al Quran 57:21] (https://quran.com/57/21?translations=48,84,17,101,20,85,18,41,95,19,22)
According to the above verses, the width of the Jannaat is equal to the width of this universe (Samawaat). If two entities are equal in width, one cannot remain inside another. So, the Jannaat and the Samawaat are two separate universes. Holy Bible gives similar indication: “Because only a few will be saved, God created two universes, instead of only one” – 2 ESDRAS 7:50, Holy Bible (GNB) (https://www.bible.com/bible/69/2ES.7.50.GNTD)
Some say that the Time began at the Big Bang, and that there is nothing beyond the Big Bang, and so on, because they do not know. Allah is ever living, and He has other creations at the outside of this universe.
Separate Universes
The following factors confirm that the Jannaat and the Samawaat are two separate universes: Factor 1: Separate by Origin From the Big Bang, ultimately from the Big Bounce, this universe (Samawaat) has been created, not the Jannaat. ―Do not the unbelievers see that the Skies and the Lands (this universe) were joined together before We clove them asunder‖ [Al Quran 21:30] According to the above verse, there were lands (dusts and asteroids) in the initial universe. So, the universe started from a Big Bounce; and in light of the Quran, we are living in the 2nd Cycle (figure below).
FIGURE 1.1: The Quran‘s Model of Cyclic Universe (https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf)
The cycles are described below: Only almighty Allah knows the real facts of the universes. We may just estimate.
1st Cycle: The universe started from the Big Bang-1. It produced hydrogen and helium (smoke) mainly. The space was uniform (single-sky-universe), and the smoke spread evenly throughout the space..
Allah infused gravitational force into the universe / smoke: ―Moreover, infused His force (thumma istawa) into the Sky (ila i-samai) while it had been smoke…‖ [Al Quran 41:11]
The gravitational force started contracting the universe. The contracting universe produced reasonable amounts of heavier elements, at least up to silicon. The heavier elements produced dusts and asteroids (lands).
2nd Cycle: Ultimately, the contracting universe had a Big Bounce, and the universe restarted as a seven-sky-universe (Present / 2nd Cycle). “The Big Bounce is a hypothesized cosmological model for the origin of the known universe. It was originally suggested as a phase of the cyclic model or oscillatory universe interpretation of the Big Bang, where the first cosmological event was the result of the collapse of a previous universe…” – WIKIPEDIA, The Free Encyclopedia
In the expanding seven-sky-universe, the galaxies could rapidly form. The long
lasting stars and planets formed in the galaxies directly from the elements up to silicon (elements heavier than silicon or so formed later in the stars). 3rd Cycle: This universe will collapse again into a Big Crunch and will restart (Big Bang-2) after the Judgment and Salvation: ―On the day when We will roll up the Skies (present universe) like the rolling up of the scroll for writings (Big Crunch); as We originated the first creation (Big Bang-1), We shall reproduce it (Big Bang-2)—a promise on Us; surely We will bring it about.‖ [Al Quran 81:104]. In the third cycle, the sinners will be scattered in the galaxies. The galaxies are objects of hell. [The matter is deliberately discussed in Sections 4 and 10 of Chapter-21.] A Creator is not essential for a cyclic universe. The cycles of expansion and contraction may be going on forever. So, a cyclic universe may be eternal. But, the Quran indicates that the universe is cyclic. However, it clearly mentions that Allah created the universe at the beginning of the previous cycle. So, the Samawaat and the Jannaat are separate creations by origin and evolution.
Only The Almighty , The All-Wise, The Omniscient Allah knows the real facts of the universes. We may estimate based on the islamic divine book Al Quran. We may consider some facts from the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Factor 2: Different Destiny The Jannaat is everlasting according to the Quran and Hadith. So, the Jannaat cannot exist inside a universe that will collapse by rolling up its Skies: ―On the day when We will roll up the Skies (Samawaat / this universe) like the rolling up of the scroll for writings…‖ [Al Quran 21:104] ―All that on it will perish, but will abide the Face of thy Lord, full of Majesty and Honor.‖ [Al Quran 55: 26–27] The Jannaat cannot be a one-inside-another anti-universe as well, because if the universe collapses, the anti-universe too will collapse. So, the Jannaat is altogether a separate universe, existing beyond this universe (Samawaat). Factor 3: Different Nature We live in a protected planet. So, we do not understand how violent the universe (Samawaat) is! The fluctuating high-pitch sounds we hear while tuning a radio-set originate in gigantic explosions occurring in distant galaxies and quasars. The entire space is showered with harmful radiations. Nothing can remain unchanged. It is a dangerous place indeed. It cannot be a home of peace and eternal salvation. (https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf)
The universe (Samawaat) is timed. Here aging and ultimate death / decay are inevitable. But, according to the Quran and Hadith, the Jannaat is evergreen by nature. So, these have to be separate universes. Factor 4: Homes of Jinns and Humans This universe (Samawaat) contains roughly six times more dark matter than matter. So, bulk of the universe is not sensible to us, and only a tiny Earth is useful. It is not our universe; it belongs to the anti-creatures like the jinns, created from anti-matter.
FIGURE 1.2: Matter and Dark Matter The jinns are intelligent anti-creatures. They are living in this universe from their inception. They are created suitable for this universe. They are sometimes called Sons of the Skies (Samawaat / this Universe). This universe (Samawaat) is their home universe.
Primarily, Allah settled Adam and Eve in the Jannaat. So, it is obvious that He created them suitable for the Jannaat. The Jannaat is our home universe. There are billions of peaceful planets, full of water. The Believers will be taken back to the Jannaat after the Judgment. The Disbelievers will be live in this universe (Samawaat) full of violent galaxies and fire. Before the creation of this universe (Samawaat), Allah created a huge quantity of water to produce the planets of the Jannaat mainly. [The Jannaat is deliberately discussed in Section 23 of Chapter 3]
Arsh
The Arsh is beyond the Super Space, holding the universes.
FIGURE 1.3: Likely disposition of universes Allah has an exclusive domain in the Arsh. He comes out of the domain by extending His Kursi (Thorne): (https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf)
Abu Dharr Al Ghifari narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said, ‗By Him in whose hand is my soul, in comparison to the Kursi, the seven skies and lands (this universe) is nothing but like a ring thrown in a desert, and certainly the hugeness of the Arsh over the Kursi is like the desert over that ring.‘ [Tafsir Ibn Katheer]. There are many angels as well. They are commonly called the Angels of Arsh. The Pen, Disc, and related systems are in the Arsh. The Arsh is the Headquarters of Allah. [Arsh, Kursi, Pen, and Disc are deliberately discussed with references in Section-9 of Chapter-6] 1c-v. Super Space and Barzakh All creations, except the Arsh, are located in the Super Space. The Super Space is divided by a super barrier (Barzakh) into two parts: the Eastern Super Space and the Western Super Space. The Barzakh is a space with different nature where matter cannot survive. However, the light can pass through the Barzakh, as in the Night Journey, Prophet (pbuh) saw some planets of the Jannaat from an object of the Seventh Sky. Due to the Barzakh, one cannot go from one universe to the other except through special channels:
―O ye assembly of jinns and men, if it be ye can pass beyond the boundary of the ‘Skies and Lands’ (this universe), pass ye! Not without authority shall ye be able to pass!‖ [Al Quran 55:33] The Samawaat (this universe) is located in the Eastern Super Space and the Jannaat is located in the Western Super Space. 1c-vi. Araf, Channels, and Sidratul-Muntaha There is a huge land called Araf below the Arsh. ―Araf means ―Elevated Land.
The Araf may be considered as the third universe. It is the preliminary sanctuary of the universal angels. The Araf is divided by a Veil into two parts: the Eastern Araf and the Western Araf. The Eastern Araf is extended into the eastern Super Space, and the Western Araf is extended into the western Super Space. See figure 1.4. [The Araf is deliberately discussed in Section-9 of Chapter-6] https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf
https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf
FIGURE 1.4: Barzakh and Channel ―Lord of the two Easts and the two Wests. Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny?‖ [Al Quran 55:17-18] In above verse, two Easts are the Eastern Araf and the Samawaat that are located in the Eastern Super Space; two Wests are the Western Araf and the Jannaat that are located in the Western Super Space. The Eastern Araf connects the Samawaat (this universe) by a pair of channels, and the Western Araf connects the Jannaat by another pair of channels. In the Night Journey (Miraz), Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saw these channels. The accompanying angel called the channels as the ―Channel of Light‖ and the ―Channel of Darkness‖. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) moved into the Eastern Araf through one of these channels. [The channels are deliberately discussed in Section-9 of Chapter-6]
(https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf) The Sidratul-Muntaha is hanging over the Araf from the Arsh. It looks like an up-side-down plant with two main branches. One branch connects the Eastern Araf, and another branch connects the Western Araf. Thus, the Sidratul-Muntaha works as the communication hub of the universes. It controls the transfer of creatures, matter, and information. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) moved into the Arsh and later into the Jannaat through the Sidratul-Muntaha. The Sidratul-Muntaha does another important job. An angel cannot go out of the universe for which it is created. The instructions coming down from the Arsh are passed to the angels through Sidratul-Muntaha. An angel cannot learn at its own. Sidratul-Muntaha infuses information into the angels, and redesigns them to perform their tasks. The Sidratul-Muntaha is based on divine servers and has related systems to do these. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) saw that the angels were falling on the leaves of Sidratul-Muntaha for being designed and tasked. [The Sidratul-Muntaha is discussed with references in Section-9 of Chapter-6] The Arsh is connecting the universes by Sidratul-Muntaha and Channels. See figure 1.3. 1c-vii. Illiyin and Sijjin The Illiyin and the Sijjin are located inside the Barzakh. See figure 1.3. These are holographic worlds of the dead humans.
The Illiyin is for the people destined to the Jannaat. It is in the high Barzakh closely below the Araf. The Sijjin is in the deep Barzakh. It is for the people destined to the hell. See figure 1.3. A dead human is recreated virtually with his soul (nafs), genome code, and memories that are collected and stored by the angels. The virtual human is then projected into a holographic world (Illiyin or Sijjin) where other dead humans are already living their virtual lives. They will remain in the Illiyin or Sijjin until the Day of Resurrection. The souls (nafses) are corrected and further developed in the virtual life. [The Illiyin and the Sijjin are deliberately discussed in Chapter-83] https://www.alqurantafsir.com/_files/ugd/185ca2_7f5703f8d041449193e0fa01e706ef46.pdf
