Seven Heavens in Quran

“”The theory of gravity is not correct, and is easily disproved, if gravity truly was an attraction of mass why don't things get pulled sideways towards mountains for example, as for the emperors new suit, dark matter, it's a fiction created to hide the major problems with the false theory of the big bang, anyway people love to believe the majority who are held in subjugation to the sovereign propaganda[.]

—"Abdun Nur", disproving this miracle and simultaneously disproving gravity(No, we're not sure either.)

Party Like It's 632 Islam

Turning towards Mecca

Salman Rushdie Islamic Party of Britain Islamic Education & Research Academy Al-Muntada Trust Dhimmi Kaaba (français) Ayman al-Zawahiri Hezbollah Zakir Naik IslamQA Iran Dhu al-Qarnayn v - t - e

"Seven Heavens in Quran" is a document by Speed-Light.info (an Islam apologism/evangelism site) that purports to show that the Qur'an contains scientific foreknowledge when it "predicted" that humans could enter space.

The following is a side-by-side rebuttal.

Rebuttal

From Speed-Light.info's article, Seven Heavens:

RationalWiki commentary:

The superimposed heavens in the Quran are the extra spatial dimensions in modern physics.

This introductory statement nicely summarizes Speed-Light.info's claim. Sadly, Speed-Light.info will fail to relate the writings of the Qur'an to spatial dimension anywhere in their article.

Astronomers have just confirmed the existence of Dark Matter. This mysterious Dark Matter is invisible however it provides the bulk of gravity that holds galaxies (not the regular matter that forms stars and planets). This invisible Dark Matter has weird collision properties (collisionless). Simply put: we cannot see Dark Matter nor collide with it but we can detect its gravity. In this image, two huge clusters of invisible Dark Matter (in blue) clashed with each other: With each cluster having a mass of 10,000 galaxies (each cluster a quadrillion times the mass of the Sun, 1015!!!) (See: Universe Today). However upon impact, instead of disintegrating into smaller pieces, they passed through each other unscathed! This means that they did not collide with each other either! They simply passed through each other!!!

ZOMG dark matter!!1!1! In reality, the existence of dark matter is currently hypothetical and has not been detected directly, though its existence is pretty well-justified at this point.

In order to explain why this invisible Dark Matter neither collides with each other, nor does it collide with us but still we detect its gravity, physicists and cosmologists are working on theories with extra dimensions. Traditionally scientists thought that we live in a four dimensional universe: Time and the usual three spatial dimensions of length, width and height (x,y,z). However today there is evidence for six extra spatial dimensions. So we cannot see nor collide with this Dark Matter because it is mass in the remaining six extra dimensions. (YouTube)

ZOMG alternate dimensions!!1!1! Indeed, some physicists are working with (hypothetical) additional dimensions in order to explain dark matter. At the same time, many physicists are working on the (also hypothetical) idea that dark matter is just another particle in this dimension. (And others, also hypothetically and with much less theoretical evidence, disagree that it even exists.) Neither "side" has "won", because, as noted earlier, actual observation of dark matter is very scanty. It is thus dishonest to claim that dark matter has been proven to reside in multiple dimensions.

According to the Quran, we cannot see nor collide with Jinn but they have weight: [Quran 55.31][:] ["]We [Allah] will settle your affair, both you of weight (man and jinn)[".] The Jinn have weight means that we can detect their gravity and they can detect our gravity. So according to the Quran we cannot see the Jinn nor collide with them but we can detect their gravity.

Speed-Light.info is essentially trying to equate jinn with dark matter. This is problematic for three reasons. First, no scientific report (ever!) has ever detected the gravity of "jinn". Trying to label this idea as scientific is ridiculous. Second, Qur'an 15:27 and 55:15 tell us that jinn were made from fire, which (1) actively outputs electromagnetic radiation in the form of heat, the opposite of dark matter, and (2) is the result of chemical reactions. All known chemicals are made up of matter (normal, non-dark matter), which doesn't exhibit the qualities of dark matter. Thus, saying that jinn are actually dark matter is not only stretching beyond reasonable interpretation (that jinn are merely supernatural spirits of Muhammad's time) but is against the Qur'an's own teachings. Third, many of the other translations emphasize that both humans and jinn are weighed down with sin, not physically heavy. It's unclear what translation the author is using, and it doesn't appear to be any of the mainstream ones. For example, Qur'an 55:31 (Muahmmad Asad) states: [ONE DAY] We shall take you to task, O you sin-laden two! And at least one tafsir supports this view: "[Verse 55:31] O you burdens of the earth [ie, the jinn and humans],29 [Verse 55:32] We shall soon be free to call you to account.30 .... 29 Thaqalan is derived from thiql which means a burden, and thaqal is the burden loaded on a conveyance. Thaqalan (dual) therefore would mean: 'two loaded burdens'. Here this word refers to the jinn and [m]en[ ]who are both loaded on the earth. As the addressees here are those jinn and men who have turned away from the service and obedience of their Lord and Sustainer, they have been addressed as: [']burdens of the earth[.]' In other words, the Creator is warning these two unworthy groups of His creation, saying; 'you who have become a burden for My earth, I am soon going to take you to task'[,]" Abul A'la Maududi, Qur'an 55:31

Just as the Jinn is [sic] of different type that we cannot see nor collide with but we can detect their gravity, there are six other Heavens that we cannot see nor collide with either but we can detect their gravity, superimposed above the visible one: [Quran 41.12][:] ["]So [Allah] decreed them as seven heavens (one above the other) in two days and revealed to each heaven its orders. And We [Allah] adorned the lowest heaven with lights, and protection. Such is the decree of the Exalted; the Knowledgeable.["] According to the Quran, only the lowest heaven has visible light. This means that this Dark Matter exists in the six Heavens superimposed above the lowest one.

First, there is no textual support for giving this non-collisional property (which the Qur'an states that jinn have) to the heavens. Right now, all the Qur'an says is "jinn don't collide" and "there are 7 heavens". There is equation of the jinn and the heavens – and it would surely be a confusing universe if this were so! Second, this is fallacious logic: P1: 6 of the 7 heavens are invisible objects. P2: Dark matter is an invisible object. C1: 6 of the 7 heavens are made of dark matter. This doesn't make sense because it follows the invalid form: P1: A is in category C. P2: B is in category C. C1: A is B. Not all things in category C are necessarily exactly the same. We might as well say: P1: The sky is blue. P2: The sea is blue. C1: The sky is the sea.

Also according to the Quran, each of these remaining six Heavens is of a different type and each has its own planets like Earth: [Quran 65.12][:] ["]Allah is the one who created seven Heavens and from Earth like them (of corresponding type); [Allah’s] command descends among them so that you may know that Allah is capable of anything and that Allah knows everything.["] Earth is not a unique planet in Islam. Other planets like Earth do exist throughout the other six Heavens. It is just that we cannot see them nor collide with them but we can detect their gravity.

And now Speed-Light.info is simply misinterpreting the Qur'an. Qur'an 65:12 (Pickthall) states: Allah it is who hath created seven heavens, and of the earth the like thereof. The commandment cometh down among them slowly, that ye may know that Allah is Able to do all things, and that Allah surroundeth all things in knowledge. This verse does mention additional Earths, created somewhere. However, this verse in no way implies that it is impossible to collide with the other heavens or that we can detect the gravity of the other heavens; it merely states that these heavens and earths exist, but does not state any of their properties. To add anything to this verse is to say that the Qur'an, as is, is incomplete and imperfect – which is exactly the opposite of Speed-Light.info's goals.

General relativity predicted gravitational lensing, that is, the gravitational field generated by a galaxy causes the light passing through it to bend (change direction). Dark Matter does not emit any light but we can still map its location by using gravitational lensing, that is, by detecting where light is bending in places where it shouldn't. In the above image and video light gets bent by invisible Dark Matter in places where it shouldn't. Moslems say that this is how God challenges nonbelievers to detect the remaining six superimposed Heavens: [Quran 67:3-4][: "][Allah] is the one who created seven superimposed Heavens "سبع سموات طباق". You do not see variations in the formations of the Compassionate, so redirect your sight, do you see any creation (Futtur in Arabic فطور)? Then redirect your sight again, your vision returns to you in defeat and regret.["] Futtur in Arabic فطور means creation out of nothing (it does not mean "rip"). So the question in the Quran is "Do you see any creation out of nothing?". Your initial answer should be NO. But in the second verse, when you are supposed to redirect your sight your answer will change to YES, with defeat. Why should you redirect your sight when you observe Dark Matter? Why should you look to another direction and then back? Well the gravity of a massive object makes you see the background stars in another direction: Gravitational Lensing & Seven Heavens This is how we detect Dark Matter today, the background images are lensed at a certain angle. Since Dark Matter does not emit any light then we have to trace the light from the background galaxies. From the distances and the angle of lensing we estimate the mass of the Dark Matter. So when detecting the superimposed seven heavens you have to look away and then back in order to measure the angle. No angle no Dark Matter. How could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years have known that light could change direction? How could he have known about Dark Matter and Gravitational Lensing?

Yes, general relativity predicts gravitational lensing. Yes, if we accept general relativity, then the existence of dark matter would cause gravitational lensing. Neither statement is controversial; however, neither is predicted by the Qur'an. Qur'an 67:3-4 (Pickthall) states: Who hath created seven heavens in harmony. Thou (Muhammad) canst see no fault in the Beneficent One's creation; then look again: Canst thou see any rifts ? Where in the verse is gravitational lensing mentioned? Nowhere! "Rifts" (like cracks in a vase, or imperfections in general) are not the same thing. Moreover, this is terrible translation. The author says that, instead of "rip" (or "rift"), we should consider it to mean "creation", providing the word "فطور". Yet "فطور" in fact means "breakfast"! The actual word, according to the word-for-word translation of Quran.com, is "futurin" (اسم مجرور), and means "flaw".

The Quran insists on seven superimposed heavens. We are in the lowest heaven, Angels are in the seventh, and Satan (Jinn) is in one heaven in-between. However all seven heavens are superimposed. There are two angels at your shoulders right now.

Approved by Science!!

The Jinn can pass right through you. The Quran says that we cannot see them nor collide with them but we can detect their gravity. However these are the exact same properties of Dark Matter, we cannot see them nor collide with them however we can detect their gravity. String Theory explains what they are: They are mass in other dimensions.

Traditionally physicists thought that the smallest particles in atoms were point like, that is, they looked like points. However recently discovered evidence suggest that the smallest particle is not point like, as previously thought, but rather a vibrating string of energy. But physicists also discovered that these strings need more than three spatial dimensions to vibrate in. Particularly they need six extra spatial dimensions.

Again, String theory is a hypothesis; there is currently insufficient evidence to say it is true or false.

In all versions of String Theory there are 10 dimensions: "Time" plus the usual three spatial dimensions x,y,z (4 dimensions, our observable universe) plus six extra spatial dimensions making a total of ten dimensions (1 time + 9 spatial = 10 dimensions).

Of anything Speed-Light.info has said, this is the most damning. If there are 10 dimensions – four of which are the ones we can observe – then there are only 6 remaining dimensions. Yet the Qur'an, according to Speed-Light.info, speaks of 7 additional heavens. Even according to Speed-Light.info, we have only two alternatives: either the Qur'an is right, and String Theory (which Speed-Light.info is so enamored of) is wrong – or the Qur'an is wrong and String theory is right.

(YouTube) In this animation the strings with different colors are actually vibrating in different dimensions. They do not interact with each other except gravitationally. The two dimensional membrane that they are attached to in this animation is the three dimensions that we are used to projected on 2D (for this presentation). Photons only travel on this 2D plane (again for this presentation), and this is why we cannot see them. We can only detect the strings' gravitational shadow on the 2D plane. Other competing theories like M-Theory has one extra spatial dimension (making the total 11 dimensions), however this extra spatial dimension is for the description of strings themselves (whether a string is a one-dimensional object like a thread, or whether a string is a rolled up two-dimensional membrane like a tube). If the strings have thickness (or variable thickness as in this animation) then we need this 11th dimension in order to describe them (to describe the tube). However if the strings have no thickness (always unity) then there is no need for the 11th dimension. In any case, in all currently competing theories, this Dark Matter is strings vibrating in six extra spatial dimensions. And in all those theories gravity is a force carried by gravitons (just like magnetism is carried by photons). Gravitons are emitted from strings and are then absorbed by other strings even those vibrating in other dimensions (different colors in this presentation). The place where gravitons travel is called the bulk (different than the 2D plane where light travels in this presentation).

First. String. Theory. Is. Hypothetical. Second, this is just technobabble for the average reader – it is likely here to imply that the author is intelligent and must thus be right, rather than to convince them with reasonable arguments.

[Quran 20.6][: "]To Him belongs what is in the Heavens and what is on Earth and what is between them and what is under the soil.["] Not only does the superimposed heavens (extra dimensions) belong to Allah but also what's between them (برزخ, the bulk where gravitons travel). The bulk is a location just like under the soil is a location. From a physics point of view, we are not living in a "Universe" but rather in a "Multiverse"; several universes superimposed above each other. Gravity is the only thing shared between these parallel universes: (YouTube) The invisible Dark Matter is simply mass in other dimensions. You might ask how does those six extra spatial dimensions look like: (YouTube)

The science isn't necessarily wrong. (Again, it is hypothetical.) It is, however, utterly ridiculous to assume that the Qur'an discussing the (hypothetical) sharing of gravity between dimensions. Qur'an 20:6 (Pickthall) states: Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, and whatsoever is between them, and whatsoever is beneath the sod. Gravity – or weight, or things being heavy – is not even mentioned within this verse. In fact, the verse doesn't state that anything is shared between the heavens, merely stating "whatsoever is between them". Again, for this verse to make sense, it must have meaning inserted into it – which defeats the Qur'an as being perfect. And, again, dimensions are not mentioned – unless one goes against conventional translations of "heavens".

Extra dimensions are tiny and curled up at each point in space. To envision a single extra dimension imagine the ant in the above video shrinking billions of times. Then this ant becomes small enough for transition to the extra circular dimension (like a roller coaster): Speed of Light

Alas – the hoola hoops are attacking! This statement has little to do with the Qur'an. But, nevertheless, it manages to be completely wrong. First, as noted, extra dimensions are hypothetical, with no solid empirical backing at this time. Second, and more importantly, you can't just get "into" extra dimensions by being really really small. (Probably.)

However instead of one extra circular dimension there are six dimensions and not necessarily circular; but they are all curled up at each point in space. The ant would encounter multiple routes like this: Speed of Light

If "multiple routes" is supposed to mean "quantum pom-poms", then this is a perfect illustration.

As long as the ant remains in any of those extra dimensions we would not be able to see the ant nor collide with it but we would still detect its gravity. In M-Theory the Dark Mater is not only mass in other dimensions but they are in parallel universes (where the laws of physics might not be the same as ours). The only thing shared among those superimposed parallel universes is gravity. Add our universe to those parallel universes you get the Multiverse.

Hypo. Thetical.

Speed of Light

On the other hand God swears by the heaven that has weaves: [Quran 51.7][: "]And the heaven that has weaves (Hubuk in Arabic).["] Hubuk is plural of Habka which means a knot or a weave. Doesn't the route that this ant needs to take look like a weave? Of course. Actually those Seven Heavens (Multiverse) are parallel universes woven together (literally).

First, this is hypothetical. Again. Second, this is an unscientific approach; it doesn't matter what the image Speed-Light.info provides looks like, it matters what it actually is. And, at this point, it is impossible to say whether Third, the verse of the Qur'an doesn't actually say that the heavens are interwoven – merely that they have weaves. The Pickthall translation of Qur'an 51:7 doesn't even mention weaves: By the heaven full of paths And this is supported by the word-by-word translation of Qur'an.com, which states that Qur'an 51:7 is: By the heaven full of pathways

God also swears that someday we will travel to one of those extra dimensions: [Quran 84.16-18][: "]I swear by the afterglow of sunset... You will ride one layer from another layer.(لتركبن طبقا عن طبق)["] Here "Tabak طبق" is a noun meaning "a layer". The adjective "Tibak طباق" means "superimposed" and is used in describing the seven heavens "سبع سموات طباق". The superimposed heavens in the Quran are the extra spatial dimensions in modern physics.

Speed-Light.info interestingly uses an ellipsis (...) here. Wonder why? Qur'an 84:16-19 (Pickthall) states: Oh, I swear by the afterglow of sunset, And by the night and all that it enshroudeth, And by the moon when she is at the full, That ye shall journey on from plane to plane. Apparently, according to Speed-Light.info, the Qur'an thinks that the heavens are "superimposed" only when the moon is full. Unless physics is one way for 27 days and completely different the other 1, this is bullshit. Moreover, it's hard to say that the heavens are "superimposed" in modern physics – not only is the science hypothetical, but dimensions aren't clearly "above" or "below" each other (there's no "hierarchy" of dimensions).

Today we are sure that we are not living in a "Universe" but rather in a "Multiverse". No physicist today believes that we are living in the three-dimensional universe of the Christian Bible (where not even time is a dimension!).

True. But just because some other religion failed, does not mean Islam is correct – this is a false dichotomy.

Moslems ask how could an illiterate man who lived 1400 years have known that we are living in a Multiverse?

Short answer: He didn't. Long answer: Through gross misinterpretation of his words, that's how.

Summary

Summary of claim: The Qur'an accurately claims that seven alternate dimensions exist, which would have been unknowable to contemporary science.
Does this statement meet all criteria necessary for Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge?

1. Is it correct? Possibly. Alternate dimensions are hypothesized to exist.
2. Is it in the Qur'an? Yes. The Qur'an simplistically describes seven alternate dimensions.
3. Is it unambiguous? No. In order to make this into foreknowledge, the Qur'an would have to be massively more specific about what the dimensions do.
4. Was it outside of contemporary knowledge? Yes. Alternate dimensions which allow physics to function were ahead of their time.
5. Was it outside of contemporary technology? No. Stating that "alternate dimensions exist" requires no technology or science – it is a common myth of many cultures.

Thus, this statement is not an example of Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge.

See also

• Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge