Did Allah Create the Universe in Six Days? Understanding the Quran and Modern Science

Answered by Mufti Naved Akhtar · 14 October 2026

Question

Hello, Could you please explain the following verse of the Quran (Surah Qaf, 50:38)?

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ

“We created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six days, and no weariness touched Us.”

Is the Quran seriously suggesting that the entire universe, including everything within it, was created in just six days? How can such a claim be reconciled with modern scientific findings?

According to scientific research, millions of years elapsed between the Big Bang and the formation of the earliest stars.

Source: https://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/questions/question55.html

Furthermore, the Earth itself formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago, and its formation involved processes extending over millions of years.

Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth

How, then, can the Quranic statement that the heavens and the earth were created in six days be understood in light of these scientific findings?

Response

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-raḥmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Dear Brother Ronald,

Thank you for your question.

Before addressing your objection, a minor correction is necessary. The verse you have quoted is from Surah Qaf (50:38), not 50:58.

Your objection is based on an apparent contradiction between the Quranic account of creation and the scientific understanding of the universe's history. According to contemporary cosmology, the universe developed over billions of years, whereas the Quran states that the heavens and the earth were created in six days.

The question, therefore, is whether the Quran actually teaches that the entire universe was created within six ordinary days of twenty-four hours each.

The answer lies in understanding what the Quran means by the word yawm (day), rather than imposing upon it a meaning that the text does not necessarily require.

1. What Does the Quran Mean by Six Days?

The Quran refers to the creation of the heavens and the earth in six days on several occasions, including:

Surah al-A‘raf (7:54)
-Surah Yunus (10:3)
Surah Hud (11:7)
Surah al-Furqan (25:59)
Surah al-Sajdah (32:4)
Surah Qaf (50:38)
Surah al-Hadid (57:4)

The expression used in these verses is:

خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ

He created the heavens and the earth in six days.

The Arabic word ayyām is the plural of yawm. Although yawm commonly refers to a day, its meaning is not invariably restricted to a period of twenty-four hours. Depending on the context, it may also denote a particular period, an interval of time, or a stage within a sequence of events.

Consequently, the expression sittati ayyām admits an interpretation referring to six distinct periods or stages of creation, without necessarily specifying their duration in terms of our ordinary days.[1][2][3]

This distinction is fundamental. The Quran establishes the number of periods associated with creation, but it does not explicitly define each of those periods as twenty-four terrestrial hours.

To assume otherwise is to introduce a restriction that requires independent justification.

2. The Twenty-Four-Hour Day Is an Earth-Based Measurement

Our familiar system of twenty-four hours is closely connected with the Earth's rotation and the historical development of methods for measuring time.

The division of a day into twenty-four equal hours was developed and refined over time, with significant contributions from ancient astronomers.[4]

More importantly, a terrestrial solar day is not an independent or universal unit applicable to every stage of cosmic history.

It is a measurement associated with the Earth's rotation in relation to the Sun. The average solar day is approximately twenty-four hours, whereas the Earth's rotation relative to distant stars takes approximately twenty-three hours and fifty-six minutes.

This raises an important question: On what grounds should a measurement derived from the present Earth-Sun system be imposed upon the Quranic description of the universe's original creation?

Indeed, classical Quranic commentators recognised this very difficulty long before modern discussions about the age of the universe.

Imam al-Qurtubi, while explaining the expression fi sittati ayyām, discusses the relationship between the ordinary meaning of a day and the existence of the Sun. He also records an interpretation according to which these days are different from the days familiar to us.[5]

Similarly, Imam al-Baydawi writes:

فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ أَيْ فِي سِتَّةِ أَوْقَاتٍ

“In six days,” meaning six periods of time.[6]

He further explains that the conventional day is measured by sunrise and sunset, whereas the discussion concerns creation before the establishment of that familiar order.

Thus, the possibility of understanding the six days as distinct periods is neither a recent invention nor an interpretation devised merely to accommodate modern scientific theories.

It has a recognised basis in the classical tradition of Quranic exegesis.

3. Time and Its Measurement Are Not Identical

There is a difference between the existence of time and the particular units by which human beings measure it.

Hours, days, months and years are methods of measuring duration. Their conventional meanings should not be confused with the nature of time itself.

The ordinary alternation of day and night on Earth is determined by the Earth's rotation in relation to the Sun.[7] However, it does not follow that all references to time, including those concerning the unseen or the earliest stages of creation, must be understood through this particular astronomical arrangement.

For example, Islamic commentators have discussed descriptions of morning and evening in Paradise without necessarily understanding them as dependent upon the same solar conditions that govern earthly life.[8]

This illustrates a broader interpretive principle: the meaning of a temporal expression must be determined by its context.

The Quran itself demonstrates that the word yawm is not always confined to the length of an ordinary terrestrial day.

Allah Ta‘ala states:

وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِندَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِّمَّا تَعُدُّونَ

And indeed, a day with your Lord is like a thousand years of those which you count. (Surah al-Hajj, 22:47)

Elsewhere, Allah says:

فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

In a day whose measure is fifty thousand years. (Surah al-Ma‘arij, 70:4)

Likewise, Rasulullah ﷺ referred to the Day of Resurrection as a day extending over fifty thousand years in the narration concerning those who withhold their obligatory Zakat. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 987a)

These passages do not establish that each of the six days of creation must equal one thousand or fifty thousand years. Their contexts differ, and it would be incorrect to impose one numerical duration upon every occurrence of yawm.

They do, however, demonstrate an important linguistic and interpretive fact: the Quranic use of the word “day” is not invariably limited to twenty-four hours.

The authors of al-Tafsir al-Wasit, published under the auspices of Majma‘ al-Buhuth al-Islamiyyah, explain the six days of creation as:

فِي سِتَّةِ أَوْقَاتٍ لَا يَعْلَمُ مَدَاهَا إِلَّا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى

Six periods whose duration is known only to Allah Ta‘ala.[9]

A similar explanation is found in Ruh al-Bayan, where the author interprets the six days as six periods and discusses the various usages of yawm in relation to time.[10]

It is therefore entirely reasonable to distinguish between the Quranic statement that creation occurred in six days and the additional assumption that those days must have consisted of precisely 144 terrestrial hours.

4. What Does Modern Science Actually Establish?

Let us now consider your objection from the perspective of contemporary scientific knowledge. According to the prevailing cosmological model, the observable universe has evolved over approximately 13.8 billion years, while the Earth formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago.

These estimates are supported by substantial astronomical observations and physical measurements.

The development of modern cosmology, particularly through the study of cosmic expansion, has greatly transformed our understanding of the universe's history. Works such as Steven Weinberg's The First Three Minutes discuss important aspects of this scientific development.[11]

There is no need to dismiss these findings merely because the Quran speaks of creation in six days.

The crucial question is whether the Quran actually asserts that the processes described by modern cosmology occurred within six ordinary Earth days.

As explained above, such a restriction is not necessarily demanded by the Arabic expression itself.

The scientific evidence concerns the physical history, development and estimated age of the universe. The Quranic verse affirms that the heavens and the earth were created by Allah according to His will and wisdom.

A contradiction could only be established if the Quran necessarily affirmed a proposition that the scientific evidence conclusively disproved.

It is not sufficient to adopt one possible interpretation of the Quranic wording, treat it as the only permissible interpretation, and then declare the Quran scientifically inaccurate. This would confuse the revealed text with a particular understanding of that text.

5. The Relationship Between Scientific Conclusions and Revelation

An additional distinction is necessary. Science is a systematic investigation of the natural world through observation, experimentation, mathematical reasoning and the evaluation of evidence.

Its achievements are considerable, and established scientific findings deserve serious intellectual consideration.

At the same time, scientific explanations differ in their levels of certainty. Some are supported by exceptionally strong evidence, while others remain provisional or depend upon models that may be refined as further evidence becomes available.

The history of cosmology itself illustrates how scientific understanding develops through successive discoveries and improved methods of observation. This does not mean that every scientific conclusion is merely a guess, or that scientific evidence may be dismissed whenever it appears inconvenient.

Rather, it means that one must carefully distinguish between an observed fact, a well-established scientific explanation, and a philosophical conclusion drawn from scientific research.

Likewise, one must distinguish between what the Quran explicitly states and what a particular commentator or reader understands it to imply.

The relationship between scientific knowledge and religious belief has been discussed in contemporary works addressing the philosophical foundations and limitations of scientific reasoning.[12]

The Quran is fundamentally a book of guidance, not a technical manual of astronomy or cosmology.

Its principal objective in describing creation is to direct human attention towards the power, wisdom and sovereignty of the Creator.

It would therefore be methodologically unsound either to reject established scientific evidence without justification or to force every scientific discovery into a Quranic verse.

The proper approach requires intellectual honesty towards both the text and the evidence.

6. Does Modern Physics Recognise Differences in the Measurement of Time?

Modern physics also provides useful illustrations of why time should not be treated as an entirely uniform experience under all physical conditions.

Einstein's theory of relativity established that the measurement of elapsed time can differ according to relative motion and gravitational conditions.

For example, clocks situated at different gravitational potentials do not necessarily record identical amounts of elapsed time. This phenomenon is known as gravitational time dilation and has received experimental confirmation.[13][14][15]

Furthermore, the duration of a planetary day varies considerably across the solar system.

Consider Venus. A single rotation of Venus relative to distant stars takes approximately 243 Earth days. Its solar day, however, lasts approximately 117 Earth days because of the combined effects of its rotation and orbital motion.[16]

This distinction illustrates that even within our solar system, the word day does not correspond to one fixed astronomical duration for every planet.

Such examples are useful for demonstrating the limitations of assuming that every reference to a day must correspond to the twenty-four-hour cycle familiar to us.

However, an important qualification must be kept in mind. The theory of relativity does not, by itself, establish the precise meaning of the Quranic six days, nor does it prove that those days represent billions of years.

The interpretation of the verse must ultimately rest upon the Arabic language, the Quranic context and the principles of Tafsir. Scientific examples may illustrate an interpretation, but they cannot independently determine it.

Earlier Muslim scholars also employed comparisons involving celestial movements and different measures of time to explain why the familiar earthly scale should not necessarily be treated as universal. Such discussions are recorded in Ma‘ariful Quran and other explanatory works.[17][18]

These historical illustrations should be appreciated within their intellectual context rather than presented as precise measurements established by modern astronomy.

7. Why Did Allah Create the Universe in Six Periods?

One further observation deserves attention. The verse under discussion concludes:

وَمَا مَسَّنَا مِن لُّغُوبٍ

And no weariness touched Us. (Surah Qaf, 50:38)

This conclusion is significant. The Quran does not present the six days as a limitation upon Allah's power, nor does it suggest that the Creator required a particular amount of time because of fatigue or inability. Allah is fully capable of creating whatever He wills.

The fact that creation is described in an ordered sequence therefore concerns His wisdom and decree, not any deficiency in His power.

The verse explicitly negates weariness and reinforces the distinction between divine creation and the limitations associated with human activity.

Accordingly, the question of why creation took place in six periods should not be confused with the question of whether Allah was capable of creating everything instantaneously.

His power is unlimited, while the particular manner in which He creates is determined by His wisdom.

Conclusion

In light of the above discussion, the objection that the Quran contradicts modern cosmology because it mentions six days of creation rests upon an assumption that has not been established.

The Quran certainly affirms that Allah created the heavens and the earth in six days. However, the Arabic expression does not necessarily require those days to be understood as six ordinary periods of twenty-four terrestrial hours.

Classical commentators recognised alternative explanations, including six distinct periods or intervals whose precise duration is not specified.

Consequently, the Quranic description of creation cannot simply be equated with the claim that the entire universe was formed within 144 hours.

Nor is it necessary to insist that each Quranic day corresponds to a particular number of millions or billions of years. The revelation has not supplied such a numerical equivalence.

The essential point is that the Quran does not specify the duration of the six periods in a manner that necessarily conflicts with the scientifically established antiquity of the universe.

We should therefore avoid creating an artificial contradiction by attributing to the Quran a claim that its wording does not compel us to accept.

The speech of Allah is true, and genuine knowledge of His creation cannot ultimately contradict genuine understanding of His revelation. Where an apparent conflict arises, the evidence and the interpretation must both be examined carefully.

A sincere investigation requires more than identifying an apparent disagreement between a translated verse and a scientific statement. It requires an understanding of the original language, the interpretive tradition, the relevant scientific evidence and the limits of what each actually establishes.

We hope that this explanation clarifies the misunderstanding and encourages a more careful consideration of the Quranic account of creation.

And Allah Ta‘ala Knows Best.

References

[1] Dr. Maurice Bucaille, The Qur'an and Modern Science, p. 6, as cited in the original fatwa.

[2] Tafsir Usmani, commentary on the six days of creation:

یعنی اتنے وقت میں جو چھ دن کے برابر تھا پیدا کیا۔ کیونکہ یہ متعارف دن اور رات تو آفتاب کے طلوع و غروب سے وابستہ ہیں جب اس وقت آفتاب ہی پیدا نہ ہوا تھا تو دن رات کہاں سے ہوتا۔ یا یہ کہا جائے کہ عالم شہادت کے دن رات مراد نہیں، عالم غیب کے دن رات مراد ہیں۔

[3] Tafsir Majidi, commentary on the six days of creation:

یوم سے مراد ظاہر ہے کہ یہ متعارف یوم چوبیس گھنٹوں والا تو ہو نہیں سکتا کہ یہ خود نتیجہ ہے حرکت ارض یا حرکت شمس کا اور بیان اس وقت کا ہورہا ہے جب یہ چاند، سورج، زمین، آسمان سرے سے موجود ہی نہ تھے، بلکہ مراد یہاں مطلق زمانہ ہے۔ یعنی چھ مختلف زمانوں میں یا چھ مراتب وجود کے ساتھ۔ ای فی ستۃ اوقات (بیضاوی۔ روح) اور یوم کے معنی مطلق مدت کے محاورۂ عرب میں برابر مستعمل ہیں۔ قد یعبر بہ عن مدۃ من الزمان ای مدۃ کانت (راغب)

[4] Scientific American, “How Did We Get 24 Hours in a Day?”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/experts-time-division-days-hours-minutes/

[5] Al-Jami‘ li-Ahkam al-Qur'an (Tafsir al-Qurtubi), vol. 7, p. 219:

وَالْيَوْمُ: مِنْ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ إِلَى غُرُوبِهَا. فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ شَمْسٌ فَلَا يَوْمَ، قَالَ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ. وَقَالَ: وَمَعْنَى (فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ) أَيْ مِنْ أَيَّامِ الْآخِرَةِ، كُلَّ يَوْمٍ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ، لِتَفْخِيمِ خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ.

[6] Anwar al-Tanzil wa-Asrar al-Ta'wil (Tafsir al-Baydawi), vol. 3, p. 15:

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ أي في ستة أوقات كقوله: وَمَنْ يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ أو في مقدار ستة أيام، فإن المتعارف باليوم زمان طلوع الشمس إلى غروبها ولم يكن حينئذ.

[7] Universe Today, “What Causes Day and Night?”

https://www.universetoday.com/59707/what-causes-day-and-night/

[8] Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Ma‘ariful Quran, vol. 3, p. 596.

[9] Al-Tafsir al-Wasit, Majma‘ al-Buhuth al-Islamiyyah, vol. 4, p. 48:

{فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ}: أي في ستة أَوقات لا يعلم مداها إلا الله تعالى أمَّا اليوم المعروف فإنه لم يحدث إلا بعد خلق السموات والأرض.

[10] Isma‘il Haqqi al-Burusawi, Ruh al-Bayan, vol. 4, p. 7:

فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ اى فى ستة اوقات فان اصل الأيام هو يوم الآن المشار اليه بقوله تعالى كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ وهو الزمن الفرد الغير المنقسم وسمى يوما لان الشان يحدث فيه فبالآن تتقدر الدقائق وبالدقائق تتقدر الدرج وبالدرج تتقدر الساعات وبالساعات يتقدر اليوم فاذا انبسط الآن سمى اليوم وإذا انبسط اليوم سمى أسابيع وشهورا وسنين ادوارا فيوم كالآن وهو ادنى ما يطلق عليه الزمان ومنه يمتد الكل ويوم كالف سنة وهو يوم الآخرة ويوم كخمسين الف سنة وهو يوم القيامة اى ادنى مقدار ستة ايام لان اليوم عبارة عن زمان مقدر مبدأه طلوع الشمس ومنتهاه غروبها فكيف تكون حين لا شمس ولا نهار ولو شاء لخلقها فى اقل من لحظة لكنه أشار الى التأنى فى الأمور فلا يحسن التعجيل الا فى التوبة وقضاء الدين وقرى الضيف وتزويج البكر ودفن الميت والغسل من الجنابة.

[11] Steven Weinberg, The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe.

For updated scientific estimates, see NASA, “What Is the Universe?”

https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-the-universe/

[12] Hamza Andreas Tzortzis, The Divine Reality: God, Islam and the Mirage of Atheism.

[13] “Gravitational Time Dilation,” Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_time_dilation

[14] “The Secret to a Longer and Happier Life Is Hidden in Einstein's Theory of Relativity,” Medium.

https://medium.com/swlh/the-secret-to-a-longer-and-happier-life-is-hidden-in-einsteins-theory-of-relativity-85bc2e07ce48

[15] The Independent, “Einstein's Theory Is Proved — and It Is Bad News If You Own a Penthouse.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/einsteins-theory-is-proved-and-it-is-bad-news-if-you-own-a-penthouse-2088195.html

[16] “Day Length on Other Planets,” ThoughtCo.

https://www.thoughtco.com/day-length-other-planets-4165689

For the distinction between Venus's rotation period and solar day, see NASA, “Venus: Facts.”

https://science.nasa.gov/venus/venus-facts/

[17] Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Ma‘ariful Quran, vol. 3, p. 597.

[18] Tahir Mahmood Malik, Inkishafaat-e-Haq, p. 58.