Islamic Concept of Origin of Universe

(Islamic Cosmology)

With regard to With regard to With regard to

Origin Constitution Destiny

Is it enshrined in
the very destiny
compatible with of the world that
Did the world Is the world Is the world real?
the human the final and total
have an origin? essentially good
purpose of life triumph of virtue
over vice—is
irrevocably
assured
 With regard to Origin
1. The world is not eternal but has been created
by God:

Fatara Badaa Bada’a

‫فطر‬ ‫بدع‬ ‫بدأ‬
2. The world has been created by the All-Wise,
All-Powerful, All-Controlling God with exquisite
Plan and Design:
‫َو َخلَ َق ُك َّل َش ْي ٍء َف َق َّد َرهُ َت ْق ِد ًيرا‬
It is He Who created every thing, and ordained
for it a measure (establishing thereby exquisite
Plan and Design)
3. The world created for a serious and definite
Purpose:
‫اه َما إِاَّل‬‫ن‬ ‫ق‬ ‫ل‬ ‫خ‬ ‫ا‬ ‫م‬ )38 ( ‫ين‬ ِ
‫ب‬ ِ
‫ع‬ ‫ا‬‫م‬ َ ِ
ُ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ‫اَل‬ َ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ ‫الس َم َاو‬
‫ه‬ ‫ن‬َ ‫ي‬ ‫ب‬ ‫ا‬‫م‬ ‫و‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ر‬ ‫أْل‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ ‫ات‬ َّ ‫َوَما َخلَ ْقنَا‬
‫ْح ِّق َولَ ِك َّن أَ ْك َث َرُه ْم اَل َي ْعلَ ُمو َن‬
َ ‫ب‬ ‫ل‬‫ا‬ِ
“We created not the heavens, the earth, and all
between them, merely in (idle) sport: We
created them not except for just ends, But most
of them do not understand.”
4. Creation of the world is for a moral end—the
world is a Moral Order:
‫ت َو ُه ْم اَل‬ ‫ب‬ ‫س‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ا‬‫م‬ِ‫ب‬ ٍ
‫س‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ن‬ ِ
َ ُّ ُ َ ْ ُ ‫ْح ِّق َول‬
‫ل‬ ‫ك‬ ‫ى‬‫ز‬‫ج‬ ‫ت‬ ِ َ ِ َّ
ْ ََ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َ ُ ‫َو َخلَ َق الل‬
‫ل‬‫ا‬‫ب‬ ‫ض‬‫ر‬ ‫أْل‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ ‫ات‬‫او‬‫م‬ ‫الس‬
َّ ‫ه‬
‫يُظْلَ ُمو َن‬
“And Allah has created the heavens and the
earth with purpose (and for just ends) and in
order that every soul may find the recompense
of what it has earned, and none of them be
wronged.” (45:22).
 With regard to Constitution

1. The world is real:

‫ْح ِّق‬‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ِ‫ب‬ ‫ض‬ ‫ر‬َ ‫أْل‬ ‫ا‬‫و‬ ِ

‫ات‬‫او‬‫م‬ ‫الس‬
َّ ‫ق‬
َ ‫ل‬
َ ‫خ‬
َ ‫ي‬ ِ
‫ذ‬ َّ
‫َو ُه َو ال‬
َ َ ْ َ ََ
“And it is He Who has created the heavens and
the earth in Truth (or, as real).” (6:73).
2. The world is essentially Good and it is the
Best Possible World:
‫س َن ُك َّل َش ْي ٍء َخلَ َق ُه‬
َْ‫َح‬
‫أ‬ ‫ي‬ ِ َّ‫ال‬
‫ذ‬
“… He Who has made every thing which He has
created Most Good …”
This is in contradistinction to the world-view
entertained by pagan cultures, e.g., Hellenism,
that the forces of nature are pitched in
conspiracy against humanity for bringing about
frustration in human struggles.
3. Basis for struggle in the form of pairs of
conflicting forces functioning under the Law of
Opposites, is ingrained in the very constitution
of the world:
‫َوِم ْن ُك ِّل َش ْي ٍء َخلَ ْقنَا َزْو َج ْي ِن لَ َعلَّ ُك ْم تَ َذ َّك ُرو َن‬
“And in all things We have created pairs (—pairs
of opposites and pairs of complimentaries—):
that haply you may reflect (and obtain the
guidance involved).”
 With regard to Destiny
Realisation of the Moral Ideal enshrined in the very
Destiny of the world:
The following verse refers to the success of the forces of the
Good and the defeat of the forces of Evil, both in the earthly
career of humanity and the Life Hereafter:
‫َح َسنُوا‬
‫أ‬ ‫ين‬ ِ َّ‫ض لِيج ِزي الَّ ِذين أَساءوا بِما َع ِملُوا ويج ِزي ال‬
‫ذ‬ ِ ‫ر‬َ ‫أْل‬‫ا‬ ‫ي‬ِ‫ات وما ف‬
ِ ‫او‬ ‫م‬‫الس‬
َّ ‫ي‬ ِ‫ولِلَّ ِه ما ف‬
ْ َ َ ََ ْ َ ُ َ َ َ َ ْ ْ ََ َ َ َ َ
‫ْح ْسنَى‬ُ ‫ب‬
‫ل‬ ‫ا‬ِ
“Yes, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on the
earth: so that He may recompense those who do evil
according to their deeds, and He may reward those who do
good with what is best.” (53:31).
 Islamic Cosmology
1. Law of Obedience
2. Divine Intervention in Universal Laws