The Qur’an contains profound insights that align with modern scientific discoveries. One such example is the expansion of the universe, a concept only confirmed in the 20th century.
For centuries, scientists believed the universe was static, but later observations proved it is continuously expanding. This groundbreaking discovery, regarded as one of the greatest scientific revolutions, was mentioned in the Qur’an over 1,400 years ago, highlighting its timeless wisdom.
Quran 51:47وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بَنَيْنَٰهَا بِأَيْي۟دٍۢ وَإِنَّا لَمُوسِعُونَ And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander.
The Historical Perspective
Prior to the 20th century, the dominant view of the universe was that it was neither expanding nor contracting. Even prominent scientists like Einstein initially believed in a static universe because the prevailing scientific thought held that the universe was eternal and unchanging.
However, later observations overturned this idea, leading Einstein to abandon the cosmological constant, calling it his "biggest blunder."
Scientific Discoveries on Expansion
In the early 1920s, Russian physicist Alexander Friedmann and Belgian cosmologist Georges Lemaître mathematically demonstrated that the universe was continuously expanding.
This was further confirmed in 1929 when American astronomer Edwin Hubble made a groundbreaking observation through his telescope. He discovered that galaxies and stars were receding from one another, proving that the universe was expanding.
Stephen Hawking on the Expanding Universe
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking emphasized the significance of this discovery in his book A Brief History of Time, stating:
“The discovery that the universe is expanding was one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century.”
The Qur’an’s Remarkable Insight
While modern science confirmed this fact in the 20th century, the Qur’an explicitly mentioned the expansion of the universe over 1,400 years ago, long before the invention of the first telescope.
This serves as yet another example of the Qur’an’s remarkable compatibility with modern scientific discoveries.