The Creation of the Heavens and the Earth

Allah informs us in the Quran that He created the Heavens and the earth in six days. God was not exhausted nor did He face any difficulty in creating this. He, the Exalted, says: “And We did certainly create the heavens and earth and what is between them in six days, and there touched Us no weariness.”(Qur’an 50:38)

God could easily have created all of this within a mere moment. God, the Exalted, says: “And to Allah belongs the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. And the command for the Hour is not but as a glance of the eye or even nearer. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.”(Qur’an 16:77)

If God could have created this in the flicker of an eye, why didn’t He? Imam Ibn al-Jozi, may God have mercy on him, gave insight into this issue. He said:

God wanted to show his infinite wisdom behind creation. Creating all existence quickly would be evident of His power; whereas, creation in a slow manner would be evident of His wisdom.
God wanted to show His slaves the importance of being patient.

Another scholar, Al-Qurtubi, mentioned another reason in relation to this. He said: “God created the heavens and earth in six days to show that everything has a set term in life.”

God, the Exalted, says: “Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals? That is the Lord of the worlds." And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures'] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information] of those who ask. Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly." And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing.” (Qur’an 41:9-12) Sayyid Qutub, may God have mercy on him, said: “The two days in which God created the earth and the two in which He created the mountains and ordained His ordainments for each are indeed of His days. Their length is unknown to us; they are not simple 24 hour intervals as we are accustomed to today. These days maybe the periods in which the earth is known to have formed and come into existence. Allah knows best.”

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