Many Muslims today fall into a critical error: they seek to validate the Qur’an and Islam through the lens of modern science, as if Allah’s perfect word needs the approval of imperfect human observation.
This is a fundamental reversal of the correct Islamic worldview. The Qur’an is the Criterion (Al-Furqan), the ultimate standard of truth, and all human knowledge must be judged against it.
Therefore, the question is not whether Islam can be reconciled with the Big Bang, but whether the Big Bang theory contains echoes of a truth Allah revealed 1,400 years ago.
In this article I will try to re-center the discussion on this correct foundation.
Does Islam Believe in the Big Bang?
To be direct and clear, the answer is no. As a matter of principle, Islam does not “believe” in the Big Bang theory.
Belief in Islam refers to a set of absolute, unchanging truths revealed by Allah. These truths, which form our creed (aqidah), are accepted with certainty.
The Big Bang, however, is a scientific theory—an explanatory framework developed by human beings based on observation. Theories are, by nature, provisional and subject to change.
Therefore, we must be precise. Islam is the truth from Allah; it is the standard by which other ideas are judged, not the other way around.
The Islamic worldview carefully distinguishes between the absolute truths of revelation and the evolving nature of human scientific discovery.
Now, with this foundational principle established, we can explore what the Qur’an says about the universe’s origins and see how it directs our understanding.
1. Understanding the Big Bang Theory in Simple Terms
The Big Bang theory is a scientific model, not an established fact in the same way we know the sun rises from the east.
The Big Bang theory proposes that the universe began from an extremely hot, dense state and has been expanding and cooling ever since.
It is important to remember that science describes how things happen based on observation; it does not and cannot explain who initiated the process.
2. Distinguishing Between Divine Truth and Scientific Theory
In Islam, belief, or iman, pertains to the unseen realities revealed by Allah through His messengers.
These are matters of certainty, such as the existence and Oneness of Allah, the reality of the angels, the divine books, the prophets, the Day of Judgment, and divine decree.
Scientific theories, on the other hand, are man-made frameworks that attempt to explain the physical world.
They are subject to change, refinement, and even replacement as new evidence emerges. A Muslim’s faith is not contingent upon the findings of a laboratory.
3. A Muslim’s Faith (Iman) is Not Dependent on Scientific Validation
A Muslim’s certainty in Allah and the Qur’an comes from the divine source of the revelation itself, not from its alignment with modern science.
Our faith is not strengthened by scientific discoveries, nor is it weakened by their absence or contradictions.
The Qur’an is the word of the Creator, while science is the intellectual effort of the creation. Therefore, the ultimate standard for truth is the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), not the ever-shifting conclusions of secular science.
The Qur’an and the Origin of the Universe
When we turn to the final revelation, the Qur’an, we find profound descriptions of the universe’s origin that invite deep reflection.
These verses were revealed over 1,400 years ago, long before the advent of modern cosmology, yet they speak of a reality that scientists have only recently begun to observe.
One of the most powerful verses in this regard points to a singular, unified origin for the heavens and the earth. This verse directly challenges the reader to consider the very nature of creation.
1. The Heavens and Earth as a Joined Entity
Allah, the Most High, says in the Qur’an:
“Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?”
The Arabic word ratqan (رَتْقًا) signifies something that is sewn together, a single, integrated mass without a rift. The word fataqnahuma (فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا) means “We clove them asunder” or “We separated them.”
The heavens and the earth were initially one connected entity before Allah separated them.
This core concept of a unified origin followed by a separation is strikingly profound.
2. Does Islam Believe in a Creation Event from a Single Point?
This Qur’anic verse describes an initial state of oneness, a singular entity that was then rent apart to form the universe as we know it.
This description resonates with the Big Bang’s concept of a singularity.
However, a Muslim does not believe this because it sounds like the Big Bang theory. A Muslim believes this because Allah revealed it in His Book.
The potential parallel serves not to validate the Qur’an, but to show unbelievers a sign (ayah) of its divine origin.
The Expanding Universe is Another Qur’anic Parallel
The Qur’an does not stop at the initial moment of creation but also describes the ongoing nature of the cosmos.
The Qur’an points to a dynamic and expanding universe, a concept that was completely foreign to human thought until the 20th century.
This points to a continuous divine action, reminding us that Allah’s creation is not a static event that occurred in the distant past. Rather, He is actively sustaining and shaping the universe at every moment.
1. The Qur’anic Reference to an Expanding Heaven
Allah says in Surah Adh-Dhariyat:
“And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander.”
The key term here is lamūsi’ūn (لَمُوسِعُونَ). The root of this word means “to make wider” or “to expand.” Its form in the verse indicates an ongoing action.
Therefore, one of the things we can understand from this verse is that Allah built the heaven and is continuously expanding it. This statement is a direct and clear reference to the expansion of the universe, a fact confirmed by modern astronomical observations.
Again, this is a truth we accept from the Qur’an, independent of any scientific model.
2. How This Verse Complements the Idea of an Initial Creation Event
The concept of an expanding universe perfectly complements the idea of a singular origin. If the universe is currently expanding, it logically implies that it was smaller in the past.
Tracing this expansion backward in time leads one to conclude that it must have begun from a single point.
The Qur’anic narrative provides a complete picture: a unified beginning followed by a continuous, divinely-willed expansion.
Allah is The First Cause and Sustainer
While the parallels are thought-provoking, it is crucial to return to the core of Islamic belief.
From the unshakeable perspective of Tawhid (the absolute Oneness of Allah), any scientific theory can only ever hope to describe the “how” of creation, never the “Who.”
The primary focus for a Muslim must always be on Allah as the sole Creator, Originator, and Sustainer of all that exists.
All scientific inquiry, if undertaken with the right intention, should ultimately lead back to this foundational truth.
1. The Big Bang Describes a Process, Not the Initiator
The Big Bang theory, at its very best, is a description of a process. It describes a sequence of events: a singularity, an expansion, and the formation of galaxies.
It says nothing about where the initial singularity came from or what commanded it to expand.
Islam provides the definitive answer. Allah is the one who created the initial state and commanded it to be.
He is the ultimate power behind every physical process and every law of nature that science seeks to uncover.
2. The Creator (Al-Khaliq) and The Originator (Al-Badi’)
Among the beautiful names of Allah are Al-Khaliq (The Creator), who brings things into existence from pre-existing matter, and Al-Badi’ (The Originator), who creates in a new way, without any preceding example.
The creation of the universe from a state of oneness was a unique and original act that befits the name Al-Badi’.
The ongoing creation and shaping of the cosmos is a manifestation of His name Al-Khaliq. These divine names provide a far deeper understanding than any physical theory can offer.
3. The Question “What Came Before the Big Bang?” Points to God
Modern physics and cosmology hit a wall when faced with the question: “What came before the singularity?”
Science has no answer and, by its very nature, can never have one, as it is confined to the study of the created, temporal universe.
This very question highlights the need for a First Cause, an uncreated being who is not bound by time or space.
That First Cause is Allah, The First (Al-Awwal), who has no beginning and whose existence is necessary for all other existence.
That Brings Us to the Conclusion That…
Islam does not “believe in the Big Bang theory” as a matter of religious creed, but it does present a description of creation that is remarkably consistent with modern findings of a singular origin and an expanding universe.
For Muslims, these scientific discoveries can be seen as signs (ayat) that point to the truth of the divine revelation in the Qur’an and the absolute power of the Creator, Allah.
The core Islamic belief remains firm: Allah is the First, the Last, and the sole creator of all existence.
We strongly encourage you to continue your journey of learning by exploring the authentic principles of Islam from reliable and trustworthy sources.
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