How Can Apparent Differences Between Authentic Hadith and Scientific Findings Be Reconciled?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
A hadith mentions that the sun, moon, and stars were created after the earth, but science suggests they are older. If this hadith is sahih, how do we reconcile it with scientific understanding?
Answer
Thank you for your question. May Allah reward you for reflecting on the verses of the Quran.
Allah Most High said, “It is He who created just everything on earth for your sake; And greater yet, He had turned His full intent to the sky before, perfecting it in consummate symmetry as seven heavens; and He well knows every single thing. [Quran, 2:29]
The ثم thumma in the verse is for tarakhi al-rutbi – understood as ‘moreover’ – and not for sequence. It indicates that the creation of the heavens is much more significant a sign than the earth. The earth is mentioned before because it is more relevant to us than the heavens.
Allah is not Subject to Time
The purpose of mentioning creation over various stages was: a) to show that a Creator created the world with purpose, intelligent design, and wisdom, and not a matter of chance; b) to repeat what Allah said in the Torah to remind people about its common source, and c) to teach patience and deliberation in all matters, and that Allah Ta’ala can “take His time” in punishing or revealing wisdom.’ [Razi, Mafatih al-Ghayb]
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Please go through the valuable answers and links below. In sha Allah, you will receive guidance and direction.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir 2:27
Earth Archive
The Quran: Science and the Unseen
Did Allah Literally Create the World in Six Days?
Hadiths On The Cosmos On Cosmic Revolution, Time, The Dying Sun And Energy
I pray this helps answer your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
