A Comparative Study of Bible, Qur’an, Hadith and Modern Geological Findings

By: Moulana Aneesur Rahman Nadvi

This paper was presented in the two day International seminar on ‘Islam and Science’ organised by ITTI in Aligarh, India on 29-30 May 2022

The Bible states that our earth was created in 4004 BC. However, modern science claims that the age of our earth is 4.54 billion years. Obviously there is a clear contradiction between the Biblical statement and science. Contrary to the Bible, the Holy Qur’an and Hadith do not specify the date of creation of the earth. Rather, Qur’an and hadith point out miraculously towards some of the great geological events that have taken place in the geologic history of the planet Earth, so that the man could realize the truth of Qur’an and Hadith when he gains knowledge of these primordial events. Therefore, Islam has left the task of estimation of the age of the earth to man himself. One such important event that took place in the geological history of planet Earth is the existence of one supercontinent on earth and its subsequent disintegration into seven continents of different sizes.

Theory of Continental Drift and the Super Continent
According to modern geological studies, all the continents of earth once formed part of an enormous single land mass, a supercontinent, called Pangaea. This super continent was surrounded by a super ocean called Panthalassa.(1) According to geologists, this supercontinent existed until 200 million (20 crore) years ago. It then started to disintegrate and break up into pieces under the influence of geological forces, which later took the shape of seven continents.

The concept of existence of one supercontinent, Pangaea, is the most important theory of modern geology. Its significance in geology is the same as that of the Big-Bang Theory in astronomy and cosmology. The strings of all the sub-facts and theories of modern geology are connected with this theory. This theory is also called continental drift theory. All the modern theories of geology, including the existence and movement of tectonic plates, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, formation of mountains, etc., are based on this theory.

According to this theory, all the continents of the planet formed one single continent in the geologic past. Since the outer shell of the planet Earth, on which all the continents and the oceans are situated, are in the form of tectonic plates, which are in constant motion. Hence, all the continents and oceans are constantly moving with these plates. These continents have reached their present position after millions of years of movement. They are still on the move at a speed of 2.5 cm per year. Geologists believe that in the distant future, due to the same movement, they can meet once again to form one single continent, as they were in the geologic past.

Geological Evidence of the Pangaea
The theory of continental drift was first proposed by Alfred Wegener, a German geologist, in 1912. This theory was later elaborated by other geologists. The geological arguments put forward by Wagner and other geologists in support of this theory are as follows:

1. Plants similar to those in tropical areas once grew on Greenland in the geologic past.
2. Africa and Brazil, which are on the equator today, were once covered with glaciers.
3. Similar fossil plants have been found in coal deposits in North Africa and Europe.
4. If all the seven continents of the earth are joined together, then they become connected like a jigsaw puzzle.
5. After connecting these continental segments on the planet, the continuity of some of the mountain ranges on them is established on several continents as if they were once connected. For example, the Appalachian Mountains of USA, which experts believe were connected to the Caledonian mountain system which runs through Northern Ireland, Scandinavia and Scotland.
6. Fossils of similar land mammals in 100-million year old rocks of Asia, Europe and North America have been found.
7. The study of the magnetism in the ancient rocks of the planet Earth has also confirmed that all the continents of the planet Earth were connected in geologic times.(2)

These and many more such strong geological evidences confirm that all the continents of earth were connected and formed a supercontinent in the geologic past. Later, due to the influence of geological factors, they broke apart and took the shape of seven continents.

Mention of a Super Continent in Qur’an and Hadith
As stated earlier, the Qur’an and the hadith neither mentioned the date of the creation and origin of the universe, nor did they specify the date of the creation and beginning of planet earth, as was in the case of Bible. However, the Qur’an and the hadith have miraculously mentioned some of the cosmic and geological events that took place in the ancient past of the universe and the planet Earth, from which man can evaluate the antiquity of the universe and the Earth. We will discuss here a few Qur’anic verses and hadiths narrated in this regard. The verse 30 of Surah Al-Anbiya discusses a great event concerning the beginning of our universe which is as follows:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الَّذِيْنَ کَفَرُوْا أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ کَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا۔
“Do the disbelievers not realize that the heavens and the earth were joined together (so) We tore them apart.” (Qur’an:21:30)

Semantic richness of the words arz and sama
Before interpreting the above verse and the hadiths narrated in its commentary, it is necessary for us to first understand the lexical meaning of the words ‘arz’ and ‘sama’. In Arabic, ‘arz’ and ‘sama’ are very broad meaning words. They can accommodate many things in their lexical scope. Therefore, in Arabic, the word ‘sama’ applies to everything that is above. The following definition of ‘sama’ has appeared in Arabic dictionaries:

کل ما علاك فهو سماء۔
“Everything that is above you is sama.”(3)

Hence, the meaning of the word sama can include clouds, atmosphere, atmospheric layers, outer planets, space, stars, planets, asteroids and all celestial bodies. In the Qur’an and Hadith, this word has been used for all these meanings.(4) Similarly, in Arabic, the word ‘arz’ is the antonym of the word ‘sama’. It means everything that is below to man. The following definition of the word ‘arz’ has appeared in Arabic dictionaries:

کل ما سفل فهو أرض۔
Everything that is beneath and below is earth.(5)

Hence the meaning of the word ‘arz’ includes planet earth, continents, crust, land, soil, islands and a piece of land, etc. The meaning of these words will be determined by the context in which they have been used. This word has been used in Qur’an and Hadith for all these meanings.(6)

Two interpretations of the commentators
Now we come to the main topic. The verse of Surah Al-Anbiya is one of the most important verses with regard to the beginning of our universe and the creation of planet Earth. In the commentary of this verse, various hadiths have been narrated from the Companions and the companion’s companions which further explain and interpret this great cosmic event in various ways. Basically two kinds of sayings have been narrated from the companions and companion’s companions in the interpretation of this verse. One of them supports the Big Bang Theory, while the other supports the theories of creation of earth particularly the theory of continental drift and Pangaea. Its details are as follows:

Big Bang Theory in Quran and Hadith
The first sort of narrations in the commentary of verse 30 of Surah Anbiya which confirms the Big Bang Theory are narrated from Ibn Abbas, Qatada and Saeed ibn Jubayr. These narrations are as follows:

عن على عن بن عباس فى قوله (أولم ير الذين کفروا أن السماوات والأرض کانتا رتقا) يقول ملتصقين.
Ali narrates from Ibn Abbas that he says in the above saying of Allah Almighty that they (the earth and the celestial objects) were clinging to each other.(7)

عن سعيد عن قتادة (ان السماوات والأرض کانتا رتقا ففتقناهما) قال کان الحسن وقتادة يقولان کانتا جميعا ففصل اللہ بينهما بهذا الهواء۔
Saeed narrates from Qatadah about the above verse that Hassan and Qatadah used to say that the earth and the sky were together, Allah separated them by the air. (8)

أخرج أبو الشيخ عن سعيد بن جبير رضى اللہ عنه قال: کانت السموات والأرضون ملتزقتين، فلما رفع اللہ السماء وابتزها من الأرض، فکان فتقها الذى ذکر اللہ.
Abu Al-Sheikh narrates from Saeed bin Jubair that he said: The heavens and the earth were clinging to each other. When Allah Almighty raised the heavens and separated them from the earth, then this was its ‘fatq’ (separation), which Allah has mentioned.(9)

The literal meanings of ‘ratq’ are to be combined and merged. (10) The word ‘fatq’ is the antonym of the word ‘ratq’, which means to separate the things that are merged. (11) The literal meanings of the Qur’anic words ‘ratq’ and ‘fatq’ are also confirmed by the hadiths narrated in the commentary of this verse. Therefore, all these hadiths are very clear and unequivocal in their meanings and connotations, which support this very important theory of cosmology – Big Bang. It is a popular theory regarding the creation and origin of our universe. According to this theory, all the matter in our universe (celestial bodies, including the earth) expanded from an initial state of high density and temperature. Then came Big Bang explosion, after which the cosmic matter took the form of celestial bodies of different types and sizes. As a result, countless galaxies, stars, planets, moons and other kinds of celestial bodies came into existence. This explosion was of such great magnitude all the celestial bodies started moving away from each other. This expansion is going on even to date. This incident has been pointed out in verse 30 of Surah Anbiya and in the above mentioned hadiths.

In 1920, the famous scientist Edwin Hubble, with the help of a property of light called red shift, discovered that this incident occurred 13.7 billion years ago. On the basis of which the age of our universe was estimated to be 13.7 billion years.

In principle, the word ‘samawat’ (celestial bodies) has been used in the above hadiths in the plural form and ‘arz’ (earth) in the singular form. Hence, all the celestial bodies can be included in the lexical scope of the word ‘samawat’. According to this interpretation, the meaning of this verse would be that in the beginning, the entire matte of the universe was compressed into a single entity and this universe was created by dispersing this matter with a great explosion.
(to be cont.)

References:
1 – Encyclopedia Britannica, Online Edition, Article: Pangaea.
2 – World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 315, 1992 Edition.
3- Al Sihah fil-Lugha, Jawhari, P. 332; Lisan al-Arab, Ibn Manzoor, V. 14, P. 397; Taj al-Aroos, P, 84.7; Mukhtar al-Sihah, P. 326.
4- The author has discussed this subject in detail with examples from Qur’an and Hadith in an article titled “The Connotations of the Words ‘arz’ and ‘sama’ in the Qur’an and their Scientific Marvel”, Tameer-e-Fikr Magazine, March-April 2014, Quarterly Tahqeeqat Islami, Oct-Dec 2013.
5- Al Sihah fil-Lugha, Jawhari, P. 37; Lisan al-Arab, Ibn Manoor, V. 1, P. 87; Taj al-Aroos, V. 18, P. 226.
6- See “The Connotations of the Words ‘arz’ and ‘sama’ in the Qur’an and their Scientific Marvel”, Tameer-e-Fikr Magazine, March-April 2014, Quarterly Tahqeeqat Islami, Oct-Dec 2013.
7- Tafsir Tabari: V. 17, P. 18.
8- Ibid.
9- Al-Durr al-Mansur, V. 5, P. 626.
10- Al-Mufradat fi-Gharib al-Quran, P. 341.
11- Al-Mufradat fi-Gharib al-Quran, p. P. 623.