Origin Of Univers1

Origin of universe M Mubashir Hassan The subject of the origin of the universe has always been a hot topic for discussion. Various thinkers have given their own views and in the recent past we have learned a good deal on the origin of the universe. Precisely saying there are only three ways through which the universe could have come into existence: (1) Universe has existed since eternity. (2) The universe came into existence of its own by an element of chance. (3) Someone created the universe. Let us examine the above three propositions in the light of facts that have come into light recently. Steady-state theory:

For a long time the question of the origin of the

universe perplexed the materialists and for quite some time they consoled themselves under the shade of steady state theory. The steady-state theory holds that the universe has no beginning or end. This theory was espoused by atheists as it was in accordance with their own thoughts. They were not ready to give up this theory and for a long time tried to defend it by all means but at last, under the growing influence of evidence against this theory, it had to be given up. Various scientific findings were against the steady-state theory but finally it was the second law of thermodynamics which shattered the steady state model. According to the second law of thermodynamics, processes taking place in a closed system always tend toward a state of equilibrium. The universe is a closed system and no energy is being fed into it from outside. The second law implies that given enough time, the universe will reach a state of thermodynamic equilibrium, i.e. there would be no more free energy available. Or in other words all the life processes would come to a halt. If the universe existed for infinite time and did not begin to exist, then it should now be in a state of equilibrium or in other words the second law of

thermodynamics implies that the universe didn’t exist since eternity but at certain instant came into existence. The Big Bang theory: Hubble discovered in 1929 that light from distant galaxies was shifting towards red portion of the spectrum. Hubble came to the conclusion that the universe was expanding. As one traces the expansion back in time, the universe becomes denser and denser until one reaches a point of infinite density from which the universe began to expand, and at some point in the past-probably around 15 billion years ago-the entire known universe was contracted down to a single mathematical point. This single initial point (which was practically nothing at all) exploded all of a sudden and whole of the universe came into existence. We can say that universe emerged out of nothing. The initial explosion has come to be known as the "Big Bang." The universe began from a state of infinite density. Space and time were created in that event and so was all the matter in the universe. Time commenced from the instance of Big Bang. Before the occurrence of the Big Bang, there was no flow of the time as we perceive it at present. There was stillness. George Gamow and his students Ralph Alpher and Robert Herman predicted the existence of background radiation in the late 1940s and early 1950s.or in other words they said that if the Big Bang theory were correct, these radiations should exist. Finally in 1964 German-born American physicist Arno Penzias and American physicist Robert Woodrow Wilson discovered the background radiation, lending further credence to the Big Bang theory To summarise, the big bang theory tells us that: The universe came into existence from a single point which was practically nothing at all. And when this single point exploded, matter was thrown out equally in every direction which was in the form of suspended particles, like a smoky mass. As this mass found no resistance, this mass is since then moving out at a very high speed or the universe is expanding. Big Bang theory tells us that: 1. All the universe was initially a single mass

2. Initially it was in the form of suspended particles, like smoke. (Smoke is dispersion of small liquid or solid particles, usually produced by a combustion process.) 3. Finally Galaxies formed out of this smoky form and these Galaxies are moving away from each other or in other words the universe is expanding. Regarding the theory of the Big Bang, it simply tells us how the universe originated. That much is its scope. It can’t tell us as to why the Big Bang happened at all. What was the cause behind the Big Bang? Knowing he cause of something does not imply/prove that it happened all by itself. The scientists have only discovered the stages of its coming into existence and nothing more. They have not found out that universe came into existence of its own, though they are trying to make us believe so. They can’t tell us what was before the big bang and what (and Who) caused the Big Bang. The symmetry which is observed in the universe and also at the sub-atomic level can’t be a result of a blind explosion. Explosions cause destruction and destroy whatever comes in their vicinity. Any explosion that becomes the cause of a great symmetry can’t be caused without some external direction. The Big Bang could not have occurred blindly. Since whatever begins to exist has a cause, the universe/ Big Bang must have had a cause. There is a Being Who caused the Big Bang. If any book tells us abut such phenomenon such as the Big bang a long time ago, we should have no doubt that such is book was revealed by the originator of the universe. Let us know examine what the Qur’an says about the origin/creation of the universe. Creation of the universe in the Holy Qur’an The creator of the universe had long before described the process of the formation of the universe in his infallible book, long before the scientists discovered the fact. “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation) before We clove them asunder? We made

from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?" (Al-Qur’an 21:30) The Big Bang has only helped us to understand that whole of the universe was initially a single mass as Qur’an has already mentioned this fact. Let us ponder over this verse and realise who are addressed in this verse? “Moreover He Comprehended in His design the sky and it had been (as) smoke: He said to it and to the earth: ‘Come ye together willingly or unwillingly.’ They said: ‘We do come (together) in willing obedience.’” (Al-Qur’an, 41:11) As for as I think, this verse refers to the stage when Allah ordered the smoky form to coalesce into different stars and planets and many more things which are not yet in our knowledge. “And it is we who have built the universe with (our creative) power; and verily, it is we who are steadily expanding it.” (Al-Qur’an, 51:47) The scientists have proved that whole of the universe is expanding. When these three verses are read together, we get a picture about how the creation of the universe was brought about; the process which we have understood recently. Allah says in the Qur’an that the universe was created in six days. But these six days are not same as 24 hours a day as we calculate the time. The concept of time is faulty; it is relative concept. Einstein says that for two different bodies moving at different velocities, the passage of time is different. In our universe too we see that near black bodies time is distorted. Time moves at a slower pace and inside the black bodies there is no time at all. Besides we have reference to it in the other places in the Qur’an itself. “It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six Days and is firmly established on the Throne (of authority): ye have none besides Him to protect or intercede (for you): will ye not then receive admonition? He rules (all) affairs from the heavens to the earth: in

the end will (all affairs) go up to Him on a Day the space whereof will be (as) a thousand years of your reckoning. (Al-Qur’an, 32:4-5)” “The angels and the Spirit ascend unto Him in a Day the measure whereof is (as) fifty thousand years” (Al-Qur’an, 70:4) From the above verses it is clear that the 24 hours as a day is only for human calculations, and Allah might have intended something else when He says six days and a human being in his faulty and imperfect knowledge understood something else. Human knowledge is imperfect and the words of Allah need a high level of understanding to comprehend them and it is by degrees that these verses are comprehended by us. For these are Allah’s words and would need time to become fully comprehensible to human beings. There are many yet verses whose meaning has not come into our knowledge. Allah alone knows when the real import of those verses would be comprehended by us. Allah has made the Qur'an easily comprehensible for human beings so He has to address us in the language that would be easy for us; and with the development of the human faculties the meaning of His words would become clearer. “And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember: then is there any that will receive admonition?” (AlQur’an, 54:17) Anyone may ask why didn’t the Muslims, who read the Holy Qur’an, declare the Big Bang earlier; to such persons the answer lies in the above mentioned verse (Al-Qur’an, 21:30) of the Holy Qur’an where it has been prophesied that the unbelievers would discover the same. “Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together…… …” Not only does Allah inform us about the origin of the universe but also about its end and when a new universe would come into existence and when everyone would be brought before the creator.

‘On that Day We shall roll up the heavens like a scroll of writings; just as We originated the first creation, so shall We produce it again - that is Our promise, and We will fulfill it.’ (21:104) The author can be e-mailed at: [email protected] Mubashir Hassan S/o M.A. Dar R/o Zirpora Bijbehara Ph. No. 9419924672