Q: I have an important aqidah question. Some Muslim apologists are claiming Surah 51:47 is discussing scientific foreknowledge of the expanding universe in secular science. They claim the word "musiuna" in the ayah means "expanding", is this correct? I read in Surah 79:28, it says the heavens were "rafa'a", raised, which is past tense, which contradicts expanding. Does Al Quran teach an expanding, or static universe?
A: This verse does not speak about expanding. The great disservice that many modernists have done to Islam is that they have transformed the book of Allah into a science book. The Qur'aan gives assurance and a guarantee for hidaayat. It is not to be used as a book of science. These subjects are too insignificant in comparison to the high level discussions of the Qur'aan Shareef. Scientists are overwhelmed and overawed with their inventions and findings and they feel that there is nothing above what they have found and understood, whereas this is not a minuscule in comparison to the wisdom and knowledge of Allah Ta`ala.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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