Throughout modern discussions of science and scripture, critics have frequently claimed that the Qur’an contains an inconsistency which it describes the Earth as existing before the heavens, the sun, and the stars. To such readers, this seems like a trace of ancient cosmology, an argument that revelation and scientific knowledge cannot coexist. Yet a closer look reveals something far richer: a deliberate use of language, perspective, and narrative order that transcends mere chronology and speaks to meaning beyond time itself.

The Controversial Verses

At first glance, it sounds like the Earth was created first, then the heavens, and only afterward the stars. Here is the blunder. Al-Qur’an is not the book of science. Its structure isn’t meant to be read like a chronological checklist.

For those who oppose Islam, this is a gotcha verse against Al-Quran, a supposed flaw to undermine the book as the word of God. Little did they know, God had already prepared for them.

The Verse That Answer Misconception

Now, for those who still insist that verse 7:54 is a contradiction from scientific reality, here’s the verse that will make even the most confident critic scratch their head. In Surah An-Nazi‘at (79:27–30), Allah says:

79:27 : Are you a more difficult creation or is the heaven? He [i.e., Allāh] constructed it.

79:28 : He raised its ceiling and proportioned it.

79:29 : And He darkened its night and extracted its brightness.

79:30 : And after that He spread the earth.

We will not be discussing “sky ceiling” or “spread the earth” here, as these issues have already been addressed in the following sections; Sky Being a Solid Dome, Shape of Earth.

Here in the verses above, Allah invites us to reflect on which creation is more difficult. It is the creation of human beings or the creation of the universe. It is a rhetorical question, because when we think about it, the creation of humans eventually became a repetitive process. After the first human was created, reproduction continued naturally from that point onward. Creating a universe on the other hand is an entirely different matter. It requires an unimaginable amount of energy, precision, intelligence, will and wisdom to bring it into perfect balance as we witness today.

In the next verse, Allah beautifully describes how He created the ceiling first, referring to the formation of the heavens and the atmospheric layers that serve as a protective canopy over us. As discussed in the link above, these atmospheric layers act as a shield, protecting us from harmful elements and objects entering from space.

Verse 79:29 indicates that the sun already existed at this stage, as the sequence of day and night is mentioned. However, such a cycle could not be observed without a surface to stand on, a point of reference for observation. Therefore, the earth was later spread out, completing the sequence of creation in a logical and harmonious order.

Conclusion

When we step back and read these verses not as a physics manual but as a divine address, the entire debate loses its weight. The Qur’an is not laying out a timeline of cosmic events; it is revealing purpose through order. The heavens are mentioned first because they represent the vast domain of divine power, and the Earth comes after because it is the stage of divine purpose, the home of moral beings who witness and reflect. Amazingly, this aligns perfectly with modern understanding, where the sun and the greater universe were created first, followed by the Earth that was later spread and prepared for life.

Those who approach the Qur’an searching for contradictions often miss its sophistication. What they call “scientific errors” are, in truth, rhetorical layers far beyond their reading. The Qur’an speaks from different angles, cosmic, linguistic, and human, all converging on one reality, which is the creation is not random, but deliberate.

So, the next time someone claims that the Qur’an “got it wrong,” remind them that revelation isn’t competing with science. It operates on a higher plane, addressing meaning where science cannot reach. The Qur’an does not ask us to calculate the universe; it asks us to contemplate it, and in doing so, recognize the One who brought it into being.

Oh, before I forget, the Qur’an never actually specifies which came first — the Earth or the sun. It simply describes their creation in meaningful stages, emphasizing purpose rather than sequence.

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