Six or eight days of creation? How long did it take to create heaven and earth?

Six or eight days of creation? How long did it take to create heaven and earth?

7:54 Indeed, your Lord is Allah, the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six epochs, then He established on the Throne. He covers the night with the day seeking it rapidly; and the sun, and the moon and the stars are subjected by His command. Unquestionably, for Him is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.

(Verse 7:54 specifies that the heavens and the earth were created in six epochs; the root word of “ayyamin” (epochs) is “Ya-Waw-Miim”, and it means “day, era, time, today, age, period of time, etc.”, so that Arabic word can refer to long or short periods, but according to the context of Verse 7:54, it was six long periods, because, the Verse mentions the Throne, together with the creation of the heavens and the earth in six epochs; if the Throne is set as the frame of reference, the Throne is wider than the Earth (2:255 “His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth”); so time should pass much slower than on Earth. The theory of general relativity says that time passes slower near an object more massive than Earth)(Allah knows best)

10:3 Indeed, your Lord is Allah, the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, then He established on the Throne, disposing the affairs. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember?

11:7 And He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six epochs, and His throne was on the water that He might test which of you is best in deed. But if you say, "Indeed, you (will be) resurrected after death," those who disbelieved would surely say, "This is not but a clear magic."

25:59 The One Who created the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them in six periods, then He established over the Throne - the Most Gracious, so ask Him (as He is) All-Aware.

(The Verses explicitly say that the heavens and the earth were created in six periods, not eight as some non-Muslims say)(The Verses say “heavens”, so this may include other heavens beyond the nearest heaven (see my commentary of verse 41:12), so, the six periods of creation refers to the universe (the space and its contents (planets, moons, stars, galaxies)); and “Earth” does not only refer to planet earth, but according to the context earth can also mean matter, by which stars, planets and galaxies formed, while the heaven is space. This is also supported by Verse 21:30 which speaks about the big bang, and uses the words “heavens” and “earth”. Verse 21:30 says, “the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, then We parted them”. The big bang is how the universe expanded from a single point. All the matter, energy, and light; were all compacted into a dense point. The universe then expanded)(On the other hand, Verse 41:9 talks about the formation of ‘planet earth’)(Allah knows best)

41:9 Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in the One Who created the earth in two periods and you set up rivals with Him? That is the Lord of the worlds."

(Verse 41:10 mentions “Therein” (fiha), “it” and “its”. These words refer to the planet earth, mentioned in verse 41:9, because they are feminine in Arabic. This is also confirmed by Verses 15:19-22, in which mountains are mentioned and the sustenance is described and addressed to mankind)(Allah knows best)

41:10 And (wa) He placed therein (fiha) firmly-set mountains above it, and (wa) He blessed therein (fiha), and (wa) determined therein (fiha) its sustenance in four equal (sawaan) periods, for those who ask.

(The six periods of creation refers to the creation of the universe, on the other hand, these four equal periods only refer to planet earth. Notice that the word “created” is not mentioned, but it mentions “determined / decreed / measured”. This determination of sustenance, according to Verse 41:11, is previous to the formation of earth, because “thumma” (then) in Verse 41:11 indicates order, so the “four equal periods” would not be included in the six periods of the universe’s creation, because it was not “created” yet in those four periods, so Verse 41:10 explicitly says “determined”, not “created”)(Even if we include the four periods of determination of sustenance within the six periods of the universe’s creation, then there would be 6 periods as well, and not eight, because according to Verse 2:29, planet earth was created previously to the seven heavens, so the 2 “extra” periods (41:12) are not included in the creation of planet earth; so, 4 (determination of sustenance (41:10)) + 2 (creation of earth (41:9)) = 6 periods. Notice that only 2 periods out of 6 are referred as “creation” of planet earth)(Verse 41:10 is not chronologically ordered, because the Arabic word “wa” (and) does not specify order or timing, so Verse 41:10 mentions the mountains then the determination of sustenance, but it is not chronologically ordered. On the other hand, only the last sentence “and determined therein its sustenance in four equal periods” (41:10) is chronologically ordered in regard to Verse 41:11, because Verse 41:11 starts with “thumma” (then) which indicates order in Arabic, so, the determination of sustenance is previous to the formation of the universe in general, because, in Verse 41:11, heaven (space) and earth (matter) are required to come (to be formed) subsequently. Note: according to the context, “earth” in Verse 41:11 refers to “matter”, not to “planet earth”)(There is also distinction between “equal periods”, in determining the sustenance of earth, and “periods” in creation, which does not specify if those periods were equal or not)(Allah knows best)

41:11 Then (thumma) He directed towards the heaven while it was smoke, and He said to it and to the earth, "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said, "We come willingly."

(The last sentence in Verse 41:10 says, “determined therein its sustenance in four equal periods”, and is previous to Verse 41:11, because Verse 41:11 starts with “Thumma” (then). “Thumma” indicates order, so, the sustenance was determined / decreed / measured before the event in verse 41:11)(This Verse also confirms that “earth” may refer to matter)(According to the article “Accretion” in wikipedia: In astrophysics, accretion is the accumulation (“coming”) of particles into a massive object by gravitationally attracting more matter, typically gaseous matter (“smoke”), in an accretion disk. Galaxies, stars, and planets, are formed by accretion processes)(Allah knows best)

41:12 Then (fa) He completed them as seven heavens in two periods and He revealed in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and to guard. That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.

(“Fa” (then) indicates order, so after the accretion processes, the heaven and earth were completed as seven heavens in two periods)(This is confirmed by Verse 2:29, which supports that planet earth was created before “fashioning” the seven heavens)(In regard to the lamps in the nearest heaven: all the stars we see belong to the Milky Way galaxy. If we consider the combined light of many billions of stars, then we can see stars from other galaxies too, but still the nearest heaven is adorned with lamps. So one interpretation is that the Milky Way galaxy could refer to the nearest heaven. Another interpretation is that the nearest heaven is not only the Milky Way galaxy but it is also other stars and galaxies that have been detected in the sky. If so, the multiple heavens (universes) would lie outside and beyond these galaxies)(Allah knows best)

21:30 Do not see those who disbelieved that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, then We parted them and We made every living thing from water? Then will they not believe?

(This Verse might refer to the Big Bang (Big Bang: how the universe expanded from a single point. All the matter, energy, and light; were all compacted into a dense point. The universe then expanded))(Allah knows best)

65:12 Allah is He Who created seven heavens, and of the earth, the like of them. The command descends between them that you may know that Allah is All-Powerful over everything. And that Allah, indeed, encompasses all things in knowledge.

(This Verse might refer to the existence of planets in those seven heavens)(If “that created of the earth” is created likewise in seven heavens, then there would be a minimum of seven earths)(“The like of them” is feminine plural, it refers to seven heavens, which is also feminine plural)(Another (more likely) interpretation of Verse 65:12 is that “earth” means “matter”, so matter is the like of the heavens in size, because the heavens contain matter. This interpretation is supported by Verse 57:21, “a Garden whose width is like the width of the heaven and the earth” (so heaven and earth are mentioned as one size, which is also like the “Garden” (Paradise)). There is matter all over the universe (space). As much as 90 percent of the matter in the universe is invisible)(The two interpretations might not be mutually exclusive)(Allah knows best)

2:29 He is the One Who created for you all of that which is on the earth. Then (thumma) He turned to the heaven, and fashioned them seven heavens. And He is Knowing of all things.

(Note: this heaven which already existed, was “fashioned” in seven heavens (after creating that which is on earth). In other words, after creating that which is on the earth (not planet earth itself), “He turned to the heaven”, so the heaven already existed, in order to turn to it, then seven heavens were fashioned / perfected. Notice that the Verse does not even say the word “created” in regard to heaven, but says “turned to” and “fashioned”. It could also be interpreted that even the seven heavens had been previously created (Not just “the heaven”), because it says “fashioned them”, and “them / hunna” is feminine plural in Arabic, so it refers to the heavens which are also feminine, as if they had been made before, not in the moment in which they were fashioned (perfected), then the mention of “heaven” in singular would be a generic word, which (always) contains/contained seven heavens, just like the mention of “The Garden (Paradise)” in the Qur’an, which contains “gardens”. If this interpretation is correct, then the seven heavens, which already existed, were perfected / fashioned)(Allah knows best)

15:19 And the earth, We have spread it and cast therein firm mountains and caused to grow therein every well-balanced thing. 15:20 And We have made for you therein means of living and for those for whom you are not providers. … 15:22 And We have sent the fertilizing winds, and We sent down water from the sky, and We gave it to you to drink. And you are not its retainers.

2:117 Originator of the heavens and the earth. And (wa) when He decrees a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is.

(Verse 2:117 does not say that the heavens and the earth were created instantly or in short periods, because, on one hand, the Arabic word “and” (wa) starts a new sentence, and does not specify order or timing in regard to the previous sentence. On the other hand, the sentence does not say “creation”, but says “when He decrees a matter”; in this regard, for every matter there is also a decreed time (13:38), be it quick or slow, so Verse 2:117 does not specify how long took the creation of the heavens and the earth)(See also the link below “Quick or slow creation? How long does it take to create?”)(Allah knows best)

13:38 And certainly, We sent Messengers before you and We made for them wives and offspring. And it was not for a Messenger to come with a sign except by the leave of Allah. For everything is a time prescribed.

12:36 And two young men entered with him in the prison. One of them said, "Indeed, I see myself pressing wine." And the other said, "Indeed, I see myself carrying bread over my head from which the birds were eating. Inform us of its interpretation; indeed, we see you of the good-doers." ... 12:41 O my two companions of the prison, as for one of you, he will give wine (to) his master; and as for the other, he will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter has been decreed about which you both inquire."

(This is an example of a matter decreed, but it did not happen yet, because there is also a time decreed)(Allah knows best)

See also: Age of the universe in the Qur’an?

https://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/09/age-of-universe-in-quran.html

See also: Is there any contradiction in the Qur'an? (3) (Creation)

https://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2016/10/response-to-jl-mundodesconocido-does.html

See also: Is there any contradiction in the Qur'an? (0) (Index) https://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/03/refutation-of-so-called-internal.html

See also: Quick or slow creation? How long does it take to create?

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/02/quick-or-slow-creation.html