Time According To the Quran and Modern Science

By S. Arshad, New Age Islam 26 August 2022 Einstein Says Time Is An Illusion Main Points: 1. The speed of time varies with gravity. 2. Einstein said that Time is relative. 3. Time began with Creation. 4. Time depends on the motion of the Sun and the Moon of different galaxies. ---- Time has been a subject of scientific research and academic and philosophical discussion in the modern age. Many thinkers and scientists have tried to solve the mystery surrounding Time. A section of thinkers believed that Time and Space are the same while the other has the view that the cosmic consciousness is Time. On this issue, the Quran and the Upanishads give some clue. The Quran says that Time was created with the creation of the heaven and the earth. "Lo! the number of months with Allah is twelve by Allah's ordinance in the Day that He created the heaven and the earth."(Ad Dhariyat: 36) The verse makes it clear that Time was created with the creation of the universe. Chhandogya Upanishad also has similar views on Time. "In the beginning, this world was in a formless, nameless, un-manifest but subtle state. Afterwards as plant grows from its seed, the world gradually came into the manifest state. Firstly, it assumed the form of an egg. It remained in that state for one year. After that the egg was divided in two parts --- one part was silvery and the other was golden."(Chhandogya Upanishad: 3:19:1) The verse in the Chhandogya Upanishad also speaks about Time while speaking about creation. It says that Time started running with the creation of the Cosmic Egg as it remained in that state for one year. The two verses mean that Time is related to matter and therefore is an attribute of matter. The Quran speaks of Time in relation to twelve months, and months form out of days. Days (and Nights) are determined by the motion of the Sun and the Moon. Therefore, the speed of the Sun and Moon determine the speed of time. The modern science has discovered many Milky Ways in the universe. Every Milky Way has its own Sun and planets have their own Moon/Moons. Therefore, it can be inferred that the speed of the motion of the Sun of different Milky Ways will be different determining the speed of Time in the Milky Way. Moreover, according to the modern science, the mass of a planet determines its gravity which in turn determines its motion. Therefore, the speed of time in different planets will be different. This is why Einstein believed that Time is relative and is dependent on the density of the mass of a planet and its gravity. In his article "What Einstein meant by Time is Illusion", Jaine Trosper writes: "According to Einstein's own theories, time moves differently for someone below the sea level than for someone situated on the highest peaks on the planet (according to some studies, "at sea level you age one billionth of a second less every year than you would if you lived on top of Mt. Everest). This is due to a phenomenon posited by general relativity called gravitational time dilation. This theory of gravitational time dilation results in the difference in the time frame of different spheres of the universe. Interestingly, the Quran also speaks of the gravitational time dilation in two of its verses. "Verily, a Day in the sight of thy Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning."(Al Hajj:47) "He rules all the affairs from the heavens to the earth, in the end (all affairs) go up to Him, on a Day the space thereof will be a thousand years of your reckoning."(As Sajdah:5) In some verses, Creation (Khalq) and Amr (commandment) are said to be created by God. Amr has been interpreted in different ways by different exegetes. Khalq is the material form of things and living beings while Amr is their attributes, physical or mental properties and also the laws according to which they work or function. Therefore, time is also an Amr of a particular sphere of planet or of a particular part of a particular planet. According to an experiment, two highly accurate clocks were taken. One clock was taken to the space on an airplane. After returning to the ground, the airborne clock was a fraction of a second slower than the clock kept on the ground. This shows that the clock on earth runs faster. Hence, Time on Earth runs faster. This experiment proves the statement of the Quran that the clock of the earth is one thousand times faster than the heaven's clock. From this point of view, Time on different planets will be different because of the difference in density of its mass and gravity. Two properties of the planets --- motion and light create the sense of time in the universe. The clock of a planet is set according to the motion of the sun and the moon which creates night and day. The Quran says that God created night and day so that the mankind could keep an account of time. The movement of the sun and the moon marks the day and night. Because of the relativity of Time, Einstein said that Time was only an illusion. According to Buddhist philosophy, which influenced Einstein's thought, what is relative does not have a real existence and what does not have a real existence is an illusion. ----- S. Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com. URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-science/time-quran-modern-science/d/127801 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism