<Article>Quranic Cosmogony: Impact of Contemporary Cosmology on the Interpretation of Quranic Passages Relating to the Origin of the Universe

Abstract

Cosmogony refers to the origination of the physical universe and its evolution. With the modern cosmological theory of the ‘Big Bang' referring to the starting point of the known Universe, cosmogony has now become a subject for discussion among the scientific community. This paper discusses how modern scientific findings have influenced the interpretation of cosmogonical passages in the Quran specifically 21:30 (on the common origin of earth and sky), 25:59 (on the six days of creation) and 51:47 (on the expansion of the sky). In this study we will cover only the physical aspects of Quranic cosmogony focusing on modern scientific discoveries and Tafsirs, and comparing recent cosmological theories and Quranic scientific interpretations (tafsir al-ilmi) available in modern Tafsirs, books, and Internet sources with those in the classical works of Islam (turath al-Islami). Our study shows that modern scientific findings do indeed influence modern Muslims' understanding of the Quran's cosmogonical terms, concepts and narratives by modifying the older Tafsir sources, even deviating from them altogether and offering fresh ideas. We end this paper by discussing the modern cosmological interpretation approaches of tafsir al-ilmi, its challenges and hopes.