Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Seven Heavens - The Universe according to the Qur'an Pt 1

Seeing as we seem to be taking a break from my correspondence with "Kevin", I thought we'd continue the astronomical theme and look at some more claims of miraculous knowledge regarding the Earth's place in the Universe.
One of the pictures I chose to decorate the sidebar of Rational Islam is a pictorial representation of a common view of the cosmos held by ancient peoples. I'll reproduce it here so you can study it at your leisure...
Now let's look at some verses in the Qur'an that describe the Earth's place in the cosmos and how the solar system fuctions...
He Who created the seven heavens, one above the other ...
And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps ... (67:3,5)
And He completed them seven heavens in two days
and inspired in each heaven its command;
and We adorned the lower heaven with lamps,
and rendered it guarded... (41:12)
Do you not see how God has created the seven heavens
one above the other
,
and made the moon a light in their midst,
and made the sun as a lamp? (71:15-16)

PLATE VII. B. Construction of the Akkadian, Chaldean and Babylonian Universe.
(From Qaballah; Isaac Myer, 1888)

There is, as you can see, a remarkable similarity between the ancient Babylonian view of the universe and that described in the Qur'an...
"1. In the Babylonian conception of the universe the
earth occupied the central place. It was the accepted centre of their planetary system.
2. The northern half of the earth was called the upper, associated with life and light. The southern half was called the under, associated with darkness and death. The South and the Underworld are identical.
3. The upper or northern half of the earth was regarded as consisting of seven stages (tupukati), ranged one above the other in the form of a staged pyramid. The staged Temple of Nippur, according to Sayce, was a model of the Earth according to the belief of those who built it.
4. Correspondingly, the antarctic or under half of the Earth was supposed to consist of seven similar stages. The seven tupukati of the underworld are a facsimile of the seven tupukati of the over world." The Book of Earths - The Babylonian Universe (p60) (available at http://www.sacred-texts.com/earth/boe/boe10.htm)

So how do Islamic apologists explain this apparent copying of the geocentric view of the heavens which was so prevalent in Mohammad's time? Let's see what http://www.understanding-islam.com/ has to say...:
"The reference to the fact that God has created seven heavens [...] refers to the vastness of His creation. It says that God has not just created one sky -- i.e., one universe, but seven such skies -- or seven universes."
Yes, of course it does...obvious isn't it?

Just a reminder: if you fail to believe that the Qur'an has a divine origin because you are troubled by such things as the apparent illogicality of the stars being in the lower heaven with the moon,  then Allah promises to burn your skin off you for eternity...so merciful is He.



47 comments:

  1. Have you even considered that the first heaven which is lit by stars is the universe lit with stars, the remaining 6 are beyond our scope of vision.The diagram you have given has nothing to do with Islam

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    1. Im sure he did not!

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    2. The picture has nothing to do with Islam, it is a poor depiction of a man's limited imagination and scope of vision.

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  2. Can you then explain how the moon is supposedly "in the midst" of the stars?
    This seems to me to be the sort of remark a 7th century desert dweller might well make, but not the sort of thing an omniscient being would say.

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  3. @Anonymous

    //Have you even considered that the first heaven which is lit by stars is the universe lit with stars,//

    this is the same heaven[samaa] for which quran says that "water comes from heaven" ... "piece of sky/heaven can fall upon kuffars" ...blah blah blah ???

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    1. "this is the same heaven[samaa] for which quran says that "water comes from heaven" ...
      Really, how enlightening, you seem to be the all knowing about the Qur'an, or maybe I should say, the mighty Quranic interpreter. So, the moon, stars, and clouds are all twirling around side by side like good old pals in the same place, and together. That just makes me wonder, could have not even the stupidest person noticed that the clouds the moon, and the stars are in totally different realms, after all, if they were swimming along in our earthly sky, why is it clouds persistently cover the moon and stars and not vise versa….even with the necked eye, one can come to a conclusion that clouds are near to earth, yet the moon and stars are distant objects…same applies to the moon and stars. The Qur'an has hundreds of references to the universe, from how it started with a big bang, it gaseous condition, ongoing expanding, to how magnificent and great it is even greater than the creation of humans to how it will end with a big crunch.

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  4. For who made that topic...
    you are cursed person . you are not muslim
    you are a christian ! you are damn lier
    you played with the meaning of the Koran words
    That is Allah words !!!!!! the words of the only one mighty God !!!!!!!
    All the words that Koran says is a right & logical words
    But there is one way to show that the Koran not logical
    to explain it words in a wrong and ignorant way

    stars is a heaven ?? Sun is a heaven ?? moon is a heaven ??
    ARE YOU CRAZY !!!
    Qur'an is not a crazy book
    & not a joking book to say something silly like that

    Allah said that the heavens\skies is seven in many verse , that is right!
    But he didn't say that the sun is heavin or moon is heaven or whatever
    that is one of the verses:
    اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ وَمِنَ الْأَرْضِ مِثْلَهُنَّ ..الطارق:65
    the translation: is He Who created seven skies and of the earth a similar (number).... [Qur'an 65:12]

    The scientists reached since a close time that there is , [ 7 Atmosphere Layers = 7 Skies Layers ] and [ 7 Earth Layers ]
    And that information in the Qur'an from more than 1400 years ago

    The seven skies\Atmosphere Layers
    1- Troposphere
    2- Tropopause
    3- Stratosphere
    4- Stratopause
    5- Mesosphere
    6- Mesopause
    7- Thermosphere

    watch this:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4T4uD7sjBk&feature=BFa&list=PLB4932F1F48D49A87

    The seven earth Layers :
    1- Inner core 5150-6378 Km
    2- Outer core 2890-5150 Km
    3- "D'' layer 2700-2890 Km
    4- Lower mantle 650-2700 Km
    5- Transition region 400- 650 Km
    6- Upper mantle 40- 400 Km
    7- Crust 40 Km

    more : http://earthsci.org/processes/geopro/platec/plate.html

    And that verse is a miracle shows that the Qur'an is the words of the really creature of the words!! How would Muhammad (peace be upon him) write something like that and he is illiterate and there is no helpful devices.

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Dear Mariam,
      Thank you for your comment. May I just clear up one or two matters before I address the main points in comment.
      i. You're quite right...I'm not a Muslim. Neither am I a Christian. I am an atheist.
      ii. If your religion is true, then again you are quite right - I am cursed...cursed to have the skin burned off my back for an eternity by your merciful god. And the very fact that your god needs to threaten people with such sadistic torture to get them to believe in him, persuades me he is not real.
      Regarding the 7 Heavens, you ask me if I'm crazy to suggest that the Qur'an says the lowest heaven contains the stars. How else do you interpret "lamps"? Are we to suppose that the lowest heaven (the one you and the miracle seekers interpret as meaning the troposphere) has actual lamps then? And which of the seven layers you have identified contains the moon?
      I'm sorry but to suggest the Qur'an is referring to anything other than the ancient belief of the seven heavens is pure wishful thinking.
      I am delighted you took time to read this, however and hope you'll visit some of the other posts and give me your opinion.
      I'm always very happy to debate!

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    3. speaking of that interpretation I should expect to find prophets scattered in different layers of the atmosphere. (I am referring to the trip of Miraj, during which the prophet went to the heavens and saw prophets among other things)

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  5. //The seven skies\Atmosphere Layers
    1- Troposphere
    2- Tropopause
    3- Stratosphere
    4- Stratopause
    5- Mesosphere
    6- Mesopause
    7- Thermosphere//

    One of my ex-muslim friend call muslims as sheeplims...he is actually right..they purchase any bullshit their scientific preachers tell them ..now lets analyze this claim of Mariam and other scientific muslim using Quran itself. They say that seven heavens are seven layers of atmosphere. Good to see that

    Quran says seven heavens are above one another and lowest heaven/sky is adorned by lamps and those stars are thrown at devils.

    67:3[And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks?

    67:5 And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze.

    37:6 Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars

    Now Madam Maria please explain what are these lamps/stars and they must be some objects that are thrown at devils. So in which layer of atmosphere they fit ? And do you think like Quran that stars are too small that they can fit in Atmospheric layer ?

    Quran says Moon is placed in midst of seven heavens.

    71:15-16 See ye not how Allah has created the seven heavens one above another,'And made the moon a light in their midst, and made the sun as a (Glorious) Lamp.

    Please Maria enlighten us in which layer of atmosphere moon is placed ? and how does it fit in MIDST of atmospheric layers ?

    Quran says that Allah erected the heavens. So atmospheric layers are Erected. Mashallah

    13:2 It is Allah who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see;

    Quran says that heaven/sky is made of solid material and impenetrable

    21:32 And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.

    Now Madam Maria please tell us which sky allah is talking about that is protected ceiling ? Which sky(atmospheric level) is ceiling ?

    Quran says that part of Sky can fall upon us

    34:9 Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or [could] let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back [to Allah ].

    Maria, which sky allah is talking about this verse ? which atmospheric level has fragments that can fall ?

    It would be great if you can enlighten us more.....

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    1. I believe the 'lowest heaven' Allah refers to encompasses every star and planet we see in the sky today and the 'projectiles thrown at devils' are shooting stars.

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    2. //The seven skies\Atmosphere Layers
      1- Troposphere
      2- Tropopause
      3- Stratosphere
      4- Stratopause
      5- Mesosphere
      6- Mesopause
      7- Thermosphere//
      who tells you that this layers are heaves, this is only an interpretation of a stupid person. the first sky is above all planets and galaxies you have heard about. and the other skies you will never have an idea about. so shut your mout up Mr Azdaha ExMuslim!!!

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  6. //The seven earth Layers :
    1- Inner core 5150-6378 Km
    2- Outer core 2890-5150 Km
    3- "D'' layer 2700-2890 Km
    4- Lower mantle 650-2700 Km
    5- Transition region 400- 650 Km
    6- Upper mantle 40- 400 Km
    7- Crust 40 Km//

    Okey ...although Tafsir Ibn Abbas say that they are seven planets that are FLAT. But lets analyze this claim of Maria that how many layers are actual and Maria is being dishonest here.

    Basically there are 4 main layers of Earth

    1) Crust
    2) The Mantle
    3) The Outer Core
    4) The Inner Core

    Scientific Muslim dishonestly mention Sub Layers as Layers. And even if we take Sub Layers they are not seven they are more than seven. Let me tell you the complete structure with Layers and Sub Layers

    1) Crust
    1.1) Continental Crust
    1.2) Oceanic Crust

    2) The Mantle
    2.1) Upper Mantle
    2.1.1) Lithosphere
    2.1.2) Asthenosphere
    2.2) Transition Zone
    2.3) The Lower Mantle
    2.4) D"

    3) The Outer Core
    4) The Inner Core


    Maria please enlighten me how you got seven layers from them ? Did you cherry pick layers just like most of the muslims do with Quran+Hadiths ?

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    1. Dear Azdaha,
      We are known to only first level of Heaven that is wherein there are stars, planets and rest of cosmos. Beyond that we knew nothing. For us to know what lies beyond and which of physics law applies on remaining heavens is still of not your or mine authority.
      Well I am trying my best, hope you too believe in One mighty Being and a devil being. As devil is believing in you and leading you away from mighty being

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  7. As we know, the only source of light in the Solar System is the Sun. With advances in technology, astronomers discovered that the Moon was not a source of light but that it merely reflects the light reaching it from the Sun. The expression "lamp" in the above verse is a translation of the Arabic word "sirajan," which most perfectly describes the Sun, the source of light and heat.

    In the Qur'an Allah employs different words when referring to such celestial bodies as the Moon, the Sun and the stars. This is how the differences between the structures of the Sun and Moon are expressed in the Qur'an:


    Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers, and placed the moon as a light in them and made the sun a blazing lamp? (Qur'an, 71:15-16)

    In the above verse, the word "light" is used for the Moon ("nooran" in Arabic) and the word "lamp" for the Sun ("sirajan" in Arabic.) The word used for the Moon refers to a light-reflecting, bright, motionless body. The word used for the Sun refers to a celestial body which is always burning, a constant source of heat and light.

    On the other hand, the word "star" comes from the Arabic root "nejeme," meaning "appearing, emerging, visible." As in the verse below, stars are also referred to by the word "thaqib," which is used for that which shines and pierces the darkness with light: self-consuming and burning:

    It is the star that pierces through darkness! (Qur'an, 86:3)

    We now know that the Moon does not emit its own light but reflects that reaching it from the Sun. We also know that the Sun and stars do emit their own light. These facts were revealed in the Qur'an in an age when mankind simply did not have the means to make scientific discoveries of their own accord. It was an age when peoples' knowledge of celestial bodies was severely restricted, to say the least. This further emphasises the miraculous nature of the book of Islam.

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    1. Nur means only light, man. not reflected light. check d rest of d book for nur.

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  8. THE CREATION OF WHAT LIES BETWEEN THE HEAVENS
    AND THE EARTH

    The Qur'an contains a great many verses concerning the creation of the earth, the heavens and what lies between:

    We did not create the heavens and earth and everything between them, except with truth. The Hour is certainly coming, so turn away graciously. (Qur'an, 15:85)

    Everything in the heavens and everything on the earth and everything in between them and everything under the ground belongs to Him. (Qur'an, 20:6)

    We did not create heaven and earth and everything in between them as a game. (Qur'an, 21:16)

    Scientists state that first of all, a mass of hot gas increased in density. This mass later divided into smaller parts to form galactic matter and later still, the stars and planets. To put it another way, the Earth along with stars around it, are all parts which separated from a united body of gas. Some of these parts brought the suns and planets into being, thus leading to the emergence of the many Solar Systems and galaxies. As we have set out in earlier sections of this book, the universe was first in a state of "ratq" (fusion: combined together, united) and then became "fataqa" (divided into parts). The emergence of the universe is described with the most suitable words in the Qur'an, in such a way as to confirm the scientific accounts. 6

    On the occasion of every division, a few particles remained outside the new, fundamental bodies forming in space. The scientific name for these extra particles is "interstellar galactic material." Interstellar matter consists of 60% of hydrogen, 38% of helium and 2% of all other elements. 99% of the interstellar matter consists of interstellar gas and 1% of interstellar dust, which probably consists of heavy elements in small particles of 0,0001 to 0.001 mm in diameter. Scientists regard these substances as very important from the point of view of astrophysical measurements. These substances are so fine as to be capable of being regarded as dust, smoke or gas. However, when one considers these substances as a whole, they represent a larger mass than the total of all the galaxies in space. Although the existence of this interstellar galactic matter was only discovered in 1920, attention was drawn to the existence of these particles, described as "ma baynahuma"-translated as "everything between them"-hundreds of years ago in the Qur'an.7

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    1. Dear Anon,
      I am in awe of your indefatigable determination to see scientific miracles in the simplest of sentences. So "the Heaven and Earth and everything in between" is interpreted, not as a simple observation in simple language, but as a description of interstellar gas and and microscopic dust. How?????
      Wonderful!
      Allah was certainly very clever to make his description so vague that whatever was discovered later he could claim the credit for it! "Everything in between" is the catch-all phrase to end all catch-all phrases, isn't it?!

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    2. You should know the quran was revealed during a time of extreme ignorance. It was worded so that everyone (learned or not so) could understand.

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  9. THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE

    In the Qur'an, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago at a time when the science of astronomy was still primitive, the expansion of the universe was described in the following terms:

    And it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Qur'an, 51:47)

    The word "heaven," as stated in the verse above, is used in various places in the Qur'an. It is referring to space and the wider universe. Here again, the word is used with this meaning, stating that the universe "expands." The Arabic word "moosiaaoona" in the term "inna lamoosiaaoona," translated into English as "it is We Who are steadily expanding it", comes from the verb "evsea," meaning "to expand." The prefix "la" emphasises the following name or title and adds a sense of "to a great extent." This expression therefore means "We expand the sky or the universe to a great extent." This is the very conclusion that science has reached today. 1

    Until the dawn of the 20th century, the only view prevailing in the world of science was that "the universe has a constant nature and it has existed since infinite time." However, modern research, observations, and calculations carried out by means of modern technology have revealed that the universe in fact had a beginning and that it constantly "expands."

    At the beginning of the 20th century, the Russian physicist Alexander Friedmann and the Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaitre theoretically calculated that the universe is in constant motion and that it is expanding.

    This notion was confirmed by the use of observational data in 1929. While observing the sky with a telescope, Edwin Hubble, the American astronomer, discovered that the stars and galaxies were constantly moving away from each other. This discovery is regarded as one of the greatest in the history of astronomy. During these observations, Hubble established that the stars emit a light that turns redder according to their distance. That is because according to the known laws of physics, light heading towards a point of observation turns violet, and light moving away from that point assumes a more reddish hue. During his observations, Hubble noted a tendency towards the colour red in the light emitted by stars. In short, the stars were moving further and further away, all the time. The stars and galaxies were not only moving away from us, but also from each other. A universe where everything constantly moves away from everything else implied a constantly expanding universe. The observations carried out in the following years verified that the universe is constantly expanding.

    In order to gain a clearer understanding of this, let us imagine the universe to be the surface of a balloon being inflated. In the same way that the more the balloon is inflated, the further away the points on its surface move from one another, celestial bodies also move away from one another as the universe expands. This was theoretically discovered by Albert Einstein, regarded as one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century. However, in order to avoid violating the "static universe model" that was generally accepted at that time, Einstein laid that discovery aside. He would later describe this as the greatest blunder of his life. 2

    This fact was explained in the Qur'an in a time when telescopes and similar technological advancements were not even close to being invented. This is because the Qur'an is the Word of Allah: the Creator and Ruler of the entire universe.

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  10. THE EXPANDING EARTH

    It is He Who stretched out the earth and placed firmly embedded mountains and rivers in it and made two types of every kind of fruit. He covers over day with night. There are Signs in that for people who reflect. (Surat Ar-Ra‘d, 3)

    The Arabic term “madda al-arda” translated “as stretched out” in the above verse, means “to be covered, spread out, stretched, pulled out, expanded or opened.” The use of this word in the context of the earth in referring to the formation of mountains and rivers is exceedingly wise. Because looking at the scientific explanation of the formation of the earth, it does appear that mountains and rivers formed through the stretching and expansion of the earth.

    Modern science says that the earth had a very different appearance in the very earliest times to that which it has now. In his book Die Entstehung der Kontinente und Ozeane (The Origin of the Continents and Oceans) in 1915 the famous German scientist Alfred Lothar Wegener proposed that all the continents had originally been one single land mass. This great land mass later came to be known by the Greek name Pangaea, meaning “all continents.1 According to Alfred Wegener's theory of “continental drift,” put forward in 1912, the continents at the two ends of the Atlantic Ocean are still moving away from one another. This theory assumed its latest, present-day state with the development of the field of science known as the tectonic plates: Continents do not move away from one another by sliding over the ocean floor. The ocean floor and the continents drift together over a layer of liquid magma under great heat and pressure and known as the “astenosphere” or “upper crust.” Therefore, both the land continents on earth visible from the outside and also the crust under the sea are both in motion together.2

    Because the plates that bear the continents move in a manner described as contraction and expansion, or stretching, the continents are today moving away from one another at a rate of 3 cm a year.3 The most evident expansion taking place on the sea bed is that between Arabia and Africa, where the continents are moving away from one another three or four times faster. When the expansion takes place on the continent, rather than on the sea bed, the result is constantly widening valleys such as the Great Rift Valley in the East Africa-Arabia regions.

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  11. The Great Rift Valley is a geographical and geological formation stretching some 6000 km, from Sudan in North Africa to Mozambique in the east. The valley ranges from 30-100 km in width and is several thousand kilometers deep.4 This deep valley brought such formations as Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya into being as Africa and the Arabian Peninsula moved away from one another over a process lasting millions of years. The eastern part of valley consists of the River Jordan, the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. It then extends southward along the Red Sea and various lakes in Kenya. Most of these lakes are very deep and below sea-level.5

    The Book The Expanding Earth describes how it is not only mountains, but also certain river beds that formed due to the “expansion” of the earth:

    In statements regarding the continent of America, the Utah Geological Research Center says:

    The ranges and basins have been forming for the past 10 to 20 million years in response to east-west stretching of the earth's crust. Stretching creates tension that is released by slow continuous movement or sudden movement along a fault (a break in the earth's crust), which causes earthquakes. During an earthquake, the mountains rise while the valleys drop along the faults. The stretching continues today.6

    Facts such as the expansion of the earth can only be established by comprehensive research and common data from various contemporary branches of science. For example, photographs taken by satellite, the product of 20th century technology, have confirmed the view that the continents were once complementary to one another. Highly accurate measurements have revealed that the expansion in the earth’s crust is continuing at a slow but specific rate. The presence in the Qur’an of such special information at a time when nobody could determine anything about the continents and, what is more, about formations that took millions of years to develop, once again shows that it is the word of Allah. The way that the Qur’an, revealed 1400 years ago, contains such profound information about the formation of the earth, is one of its scientific miracles.

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  12. THE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

    One fact about the universe revealed in the verses of the Qur'an is that the sky is made up of seven layers:

    It is He Who created everything on the earth for you and then directed His attention up to heaven and arranged it into seven regular heavens. He has knowledge of all things. (Qur'an, 2:29)

    Then He turned to heaven when it was smoke. In two days He determined them as seven heavens and revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate. (Qur'an, 41:11-12)

    The word "heavens," which appears in many verses in the Qur'an, is used to refer to the sky above the Earth, as well as the entire universe. Given this meaning of the word, it is seen that the Earth's sky, or the atmosphere, is made up of seven layers.

    Today, it is known that the world's atmosphere consists of different layers that lie on top of each other.19 Based on the criteria of chemical contents or air temperature, the definitions made have determined the atmosphere of the earth as seven layers.20 According to the "Limited Fine Mesh Model (LFMMII)," a model of atmosphere used to estimate weather conditions for 48 hours, the atmosphere is also 7 layers. According to the modern geological definitions the seven layers of atmosphere are as follows:

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  13. 1. Troposphere

    2. Stratosphere

    3. Mesosphere

    4. Thermosphere

    5. Exosphere

    6. Ionosphere

    7. Magnetosphere

    The Qur'an says, "[He] revealed, in every heaven, its own mandate," in Surah Fussilat 12. In other words, Allah is stating that He assigned each heaven its own duty. Truly, as will be seen in following chapters, each one of these layers has vital duties for the benefit of human kind and all other living things on the Earth. Each layer has a particular function, ranging from forming rain to preventing harmful rays, from reflecting radio waves to averting the harmful effects of meteors.

    The verses below inform us about the appearance of the seven layers of the atmosphere:

    Do you not see how He created seven heavens in layers? (Qur'an, 71:15)

    He Who created the seven heavens in layers… (Qur'an, 67:3)

    The Arabic word "tibaqan" in these verses, translated into English as "layer" means "layer, the appropriate cover or covering for something," and thus stresses how the top layer is well suited to the lower. The word is also used in the plural here: "layers." The sky, described in the verse as being in layers, is without doubt the most perfect expression of the atmosphere. It is a great miracle that these facts, which could not possibly be discovered without the technology of the 20th century, were explicitly stated by the Qur'an 1,400 years ago.

    THE ROUNDNESS OF THE EARTH

    He has created the Heavens and the Earth for Truth. He wraps the night up in the day, and wraps the day up in the night. (Qur'an, 39:5)

    In the Qur'an, the words used for describing the universe are quite remarkable. The Arabic word which is translated as "to wrap" in the above verse is "takwir." In English, it means "to make one thing lap over another, folded up as a garment that is laid away." For instance, in Arabic dictionaries this word is used for the action of wrapping one thing around another, in the way that a turban is put on. The information given in the verse about the day and the night wrapping each other up includes accurate information about the shape of the world. This can be true only if the Earth is round. This means that in the Qur'an, which was revealed in the 7th century, the roundness of the world was hinted at.

    However, it should be remembered that the understanding of astronomy of the time perceived the world differently. It was then thought that the world was a flat plane and all scientific calculations and explanations were based on this belief. However, the Glorious Qur'an has employed the most definitive words when it came to describing the universe. These facts, which we could only correctly fathom in our century, have been in the Qur'an for a vast length of time.

    THE EARTH'S DIRECTION OF ROTATION

    You will see the mountains and reckon them to be solid; but they go past like clouds-the handiwork of Allah Who gives to everything its solidity. He is aware of what you do. (Qur'an, 27:88)

    The above verse emphasises that the Earth not only rotates but that it also has a direction of rotation. The direction of movement of the main cloud masses at 3,500-4,000 metres high is always from West to East. That is why it is generally the state of the weather in the West which is looked at in meteorological forecasts.18


    If only they had believed and had fear [and awareness of Allah]!
    A reward from Allah is better, if they only knew.
    (Qur’an, 2:103)

    Do you not know that Allah is He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs and that, besides Allah,
    you have no protector and no helper?
    (Qur’an, 2:107)

    The main reason why cloud masses are pulled from West to East is the direction in which the Earth rotates. As we now know, our Earth spins from West to East. This scientific fact, only recently established by science, was revealed 1,400 years ago in the Qur’an, at a time when the Earth was believed to be flat, and to be resting on the back of an ox.

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  14. These comment may give you more understanding and if u see anything u dont understand u can go to http://www.miraclesofthequran.com/scientific_index.html

    Please make sure u read through I hope u have time to read May Allah guide you ... Plus do u know scientifically its proven that God exists because they say someone must be behind the so called big bang.

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    1. Islamic scholar Ibn Kathir stated in his Tafsir that the seven heavens contained the moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in that order, confirming the origin of the belief. The number also has a significance in Quranic numerology

      So even Muslims' own tafsirs confirm that Muhammad was simply copying ancient myths...

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  15. Is there any chance to send me a translatable version of this picture, or that I help you translate it in arabic ? That would be so cool of you. you can reach me directly at : webmaster [at] koffar-tounes.info
    thnx

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  16. Hi sorry muslims,
    your "big bang theory" originated from chinese myth. your seven originated from hindu myth.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_creation_myth

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Heavens

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  17. c'mon,
    70 years before Muhammads birth, Indians already calculate about the earth very accurately. No one claim it is from god. Quran talking everything in abstract and claim credit for any modern science. Why don't you muslims find something from quran and prove it scientifically before non muslim find ?

    Sidereal periodsConsidered in modern English units of time, Aryabhata calculated the sidereal rotation (the rotation of the earth referencing the fixed stars) as 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.1 seconds;[28] the modern value is 23:56:4.091. Similarly, his value for the length of the sidereal year at 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds (365.25858 days)[29] is an error of 3 minutes and 20 seconds over the length of a year (365.25636 days).[30]

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryabhata

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  18. Then why is it so that Islam has become more popular and the most widely spread religion in the planet earth. Why not Hinduism or Buddhism. Despite the west calling Muslims as terrorists why is that so the people are so interested in knowing Islam. Surely because something out of this world is backing Islam up. Ask these questions to your selves. If you can not answer them you'll then find it nowhere but in Quran. May Allah guide you and me to the true path Ameen

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    1. simply because they did not use the sword to oblige people to believe that Allah sent a book and a religion ( islam) wich must be followed by everyone.
      They never claim their findings were from God and behead people for the sake of a religion.

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    2. As a fact no body read/understand Quran before conversion they convert due to political reason not because of science as most of these converts are poor/illiterate vulnerable people or have relationship issues we know that most of the western converts are black(Political) and women(Who according to Allah/Mohammad lacks intelligence)

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    3. Lol hurling insults and lies when you have no substance. Burn in your rage arrogant fool. The truth is not going to stop its spread.

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  19. Oh please! People aren't converting because of supposed scientific predictions. If they gave a stuff about science they wouldn't waste their precious time offering slavish devotion to an imaginary sky dwelling sadist invented by men.
    If they understood or cared for science they wouldn't close their eyes and ears to the fact that every one of the supposed scientific discoveries can be predated and claimed by the ancient Greeks, Babylonians, Ancient Chinese and a host of other civilisations. Half of the predictions are utterly wrong and the other half Plagiarised And misappropriated. Peoples conversions take place because of complex socio economic and social reasons

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    1. You are utterly wrong, there is nothing, nada, in the Qur'an that resembles the myths of the ancients. Every single and each verse in the Qur'an that speaks of a natural phenomena is 100% accurate and predates modern science by many hundreds of years! Tell me now, when were neutron stars, pulsar stars, black holes, expansion of the universe, cosmic interwoven fabric, gaseous smoky stage of the universe, rotation of the Earth, sunrises and sunsets on many other stars and planets in the universe , genetic experiments and cloning and changing the creation, evolution and the value of fossils in the understanding of how the creation began, the fossilization process of bones not only turning into dust but also into stones and iron, the presence of life in other planets, the atom and even that is which smaller than an atom, the beautifully detailed embryological development stages far more detailed, accurate and descriptive than all the ancient Greek myths which you despicably compare to the Qur'an, modern transportation methods, reduction of oxygen in higher altitudes, relativity of time, the introduction of iron to Earth from space, the Earth sustained and raised in space just like any other celestial object, the frontal decision making lobe of the brain and much more that is far more than a bunch of ancient Greek, Hindu or Chinese philosophers would have ever even imagined and what is so remarkable is the fact all the above and much more was delivered in the most beautiful language in a manner acceptable to primitive people living 1500 years ago and remarkable to people living in the 21 century. Every single error, I repeat, every single error or misunderstanding attributed to the Qur'an is false and unsubstantiated. All these errors and misunderstandings are attributable to mistakes in the Qur'an translations. To you atheist out their thinking and acting picky, logical and scientific, believe me when I tell you, I'm far more picky and suspicious than any of you will ever be, had I found one error in the Arabic Qur'an which lucky for me I fully understand in its original language, I would have tossed it in the nearest garbage long ago. Rest assure knowing you are on the wrong path and it wont be long before the grim surprise.

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    2. Can you give me the proofs that Quran indeed said about the 'neutron stars, pulsar stars, black holes, expansion of the universe, cosmic interwoven fabric, gaseous smoky stage of the universe, rotation of the Earth, sunrises and sunsets on many other stars and planets in the universe , genetic experiments and cloning and changing the creation, evolution and the value of fossils in the understanding of how the creation began, the fossilization process of bones not only turning into dust but also into stones and iron, the presence of life in other planets, the atom and even that is which smaller than an atom, the beautifully detailed embryological development stages far more detailed, accurate and descriptive'? Wow give some applause to this dude. LOL.

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    3. And give the proofs that Quran said about the 'modern transportation methods, reduction of oxygen in higher altitudes, relativity of time, the introduction of iron to Earth from space, the Earth sustained and raised in space just like any other celestial object, the frontal decision making lobe of the brain and much more that is far more than a bunch of ancient Greek, Hindu or Chinese philosophers would have ever even imagined and what is so remarkable is the fact all the above and much more was delivered in the most beautiful language in a manner acceptable to primitive people living 1500 years ago and remarkable to people living in the 21 century'. Even if what have you said is indeed true, what makes it true? Your answer is full of humor btw, haha :D

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  20. very informational

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  21. there is seven sky
    and seven earth
    there is lot of heavens
    and 7 types of hell
    that all things are made by ALLAH rabbul izzat for human and jinn to belive in return to ALLAH azz wajal

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  22. Is this another made-up so-called facts by the Quran? Hmm. Boring.

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  23. Brother You Said you are an Atheist yet you open a blog making only articles from your perspective and your level of understanding on Islam,I never saw you wrote one article on biblical contradictions even if a layman who starts reading bible in his right sense would detect numerous contradictions in it,I will say only one thing that quran should not be taken as scientific book but as a book of commandments as what to follow or not.
    Yet being only a commanding book yet it gives scientific evidences sorry not evidences but we can call it (signs)
    As I say one of your comments you said "Everything in between" is the catch-all phrase to end all catch-all phrases, isn't it?!
    Now in this what do you think does almighty needed to teach you a scientific lesson to prove quran
    Pls Only give those evidences which contradict not those words which only signify your hatredness towards Islam
    Pls forgive me brother
    but you really have to understand this let me give you an example have you ever designed websites or written coding then you can understand creation of the universe,humans animals because in programming you have to specify each and every aspect of event like if a user selects that then show them this answer if there as anything that is not mentioned in the coding it will not automatically execute whatever the computer wishes it only puts up information which you have written in the coding phase
    Similiary almighty god created this universe with a cycle of life being one thing dependent of another

    A simple procedure to know how god exists

    My question:Where did you Come from?
    Your Answer:I came from my parents.

    My Question:Where did your parents came from
    Your Answer:My parents came from their parents

    You can see that this cycle continues till there is only one couple left on the face of the earth right now the question arises who created this couple

    This is the basic foundation example of truthfulness of the almighty god.

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  24. I never understand this basis of this strange argument where you say "who created this couple". You sort of say "They exist therefore someone/thing created them". Why then not apply this again to the statement like "God exists so on the same basis who created God". The procedure you have used is too simple.

    If you follow this forward from the first point, did their children then start filling the world. Pretty small gene pool. Maybe "Adam and Eve" were some lower animal and their mutated offspring evolved into humans via pigs and monkeys.

    Use a different "simple" procedure based on parentage being an eternal process (and lets ignore evolution). If a supernatural being can visit us, why couldn't the first people themselves be alien beings.

    Lets take a different view. The Quran is full of "We" type statements like Sura 15v26 and v27. It clearly says "WE created man ..." and "And the Jinn race, WE had created ...". Who is this "WE".

    If God exists, God has made a lot of mistakes. I believe that it is more likely that Satan invented God.

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  25. We, God and heavenly hosts who were there when God created man. Satan is not the creator of anything except deception and ignorance. It is good to see that you are a student of Quran and you seek to understand it even though you mock it. May God have mercy on you, and grant you understanding.

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  26. You can see in the Qur'an, the words used for describing the universe are quite remarkable. The Arabic word which is translated as "to wrap" in the above verse is "takwir." In English, it means "to make one thing lap over another, folded up as a garment that is laid away." For instance, in Arabic dictionaries this word is used for the action of wrapping one thing around another, in the way that a turban is put on. The information given in the verse about the day and the night wrapping each other up includes accurate information about the shape of the world. This can be true only if the Earth is round. This means that in the Qur'an, which was revealed in the 7th century, the roundness of the world was hinted at.
    I really fond helpful this blog, I bookmark it and i also share this blog to my friend to understand the concept of Islam.

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  27. Boy is your astronomy off even compared to 2000 years ago. The stars are beyond Saturn, that's where God, or Allah if you like, resides. The first heaven is the Moon AND YOU"VE FORGOTTEN JUPITER!!!!!!!

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  28. just listen to the crystalline firmament and you can begin to understand.

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