A person gazing into the sky on a clear night would look up in awe at the stars piercing the darkness. Such a breathtaking sight would naturally lead one to wonder: How did this universe which we call home get its start, and what are the laws that govern it?
How the universe began is a question that has fascinated people throughout the ages. Many scientists and philosophers agreed on one truth concerning the origin of the universe, namely that it had a beginning and was “created.”
However, in 19th century Europe, some circles began to speak out against this truth. What lay at the basis of their opposition was a belief originally put forth by a number of Greek philosophers, a belief known as “materialism.” This belief system considers matter to be the absolute ground of existence, rejecting the existence of anything else.
19th century materialists under the influence of certain ancient Greek philosophers wanted to carry this belief into astronomy, and so they claimed that the universe had no beginning and had in fact existed for all eternity. In this way, they also denied the existence of a Creator.
Years later, this materialist belief was disproved by 20th century science. Observations and calculations showed that the universe had been created by a large explosion some 15 billion years ago. The world of science came to accept the fact that the universe had been created. “Science Finds God,” trumpeted the cover of Newsweek magazine. Now let’s travel back in time to the beginning of 1900s and see how the Big Bang theory was formulated.
Your Lord is God, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then settled Himself firmly on the Throne. He covers the day with the night, each pursuing the other urgently; and the sun and moon and stars are subservient to His command. Both creation and command belong to Him. Blessed be God, the Lord of all worlds. (Qur’an, 7: 54)
