The Quran is not a text book on Cosmology or science, but a book in religion. Religion, however, is a deliberately constructed conscious way of life and requires facts, meanings and values, and these are interdependent. The Quran, therefore, provides us with as much knowledge about the fundamental nature of the universe and its contents as is required to lead an intelligent life in adjustment to Reality. This knowledge does not merely consist of facts, but these have to be presented in a manner relevant to human existence and to provide values. It provides a guidance leaving man to make the efforts and explore it further. This is, in fact, the purpose of his existence.

The Quran tells us that there is a purpose for the Universe.

Human beings have an inbuilt need to make sense of existence and to work for a purpose. But this is not itself the only justification for accepting a purpose. Human beings are not independent of the rest of existence and cannot develop characteristics that do not already exist or are potentialities in the Universe. Since the whole of reality by definition cannot have anything external to it, then there can be no external cause for any change in it. All changes must then be attributed to purpose or Intention. Existence is a unitary system in which all things interact and are inter-dependent and, therefore, have a function with respect to the whole. They must adjust to it. The implication is that there is a Universal Plan, a direction of development, and that all things in it are means to the fulfilment of that purpose. That is all facts arise from this, have meanings in terms of it, and all values, good and evil, are also judged objectively in terms of this purpose.

The purpose of creation is given by the following Hadith Qudsi:-

The purpose, it seems is increasing consciousness and knowledge.

It is not, therefore, a fully deterministic direction of development, but beings arise and are tested and selected.

The Universe also contains Beneficence and Mercy (tolerance), besides Justice, Truth, Kinship (relationships, variation and similarity), Order and Harmony. (See 2:105, 2:218, 2:266, 3:74, 6:115, 21:33, 41:12, 67:3, 71:15 etc.). These notions, which underlie any study of nature, form too vast a subject to be discussed here.

Mankind is not the end or main purpose of creation, but exists to serve the purpose. They were created from its materials, forces and laws. Indeed, man can be replaced if he does not fulfil the purpose.

Creation is by the will, word, or command of Allah. Its cause is an impulse from outside the Universe. That is, no cause for it, known or knowable, from examining the contents of the Universe can be found.

We have Allah > Command > Universe. Allah is related to created things by His command.

The Universe was created by what might be called bits of order, information, or truth. And everything in it has a definite duration and inherent life history. It is not matter or energy that are primary concepts, but it is the Purpose that creates Order (negentropy or virtue). Nothing can be recognized if there is no order or regularity, nor can things be predicted or controlled. It is, therefore, Order or Truth which brings the Universe into existence and it is also that which gives us knowledge and control. The notion of Order requires the notion of something controlling it. And if this order changes also in an ordered way then this requires the notion of purpose. Energy may be thought of as being the result of order - it refers to behaviour and something has to exist to have behaviour. But behaviour must itself have some kind of pattern to be recognized. Matter can be regarded as the result of the formation of local eddies or organization of energy. This is almost the reverse of the scientific way of thinking.

There are certain immutable laws in the Universe. Indeed, if this were not so, then there would be chaos. We could not recognize or predict anything.

However, Allah can do as He wills (2:253, 3:37,40,47 etc.), and though He wills these Laws, they do not account for the whole of existence. The implication is that things are not as determined as classical Western physics would have us believe. Since all things are caused by Allah, the notion of "chance" can also be dismissed. Instead of the duality of Determinism and Chance, the Quran has the Divine or Universal Will or Command as the fundamental force. All other forces may be regarded as differentiating out of this.

The unfolding of the universe takes place in a pre-determined and regular manner.

There is continuous creation. The Universe is not static, but is constantly being recreated.

Creation comes out of nothing :-

It may, therefore, be supposed, but Allah knows best, that the Universe is like a thought in the Mind of Allah (Universal Consciousness).

Obviously, all things within Universal Consciousness will feel resistance with respect to each other and it is this that produces the notion of inertia or matter, while the interaction defines energy.

Creation took place from a single unit :-

Creation took place in an instant, by a single impulse, rule or Law. The great variety and multiplicity we see, therefore, arises by elaboration from this singularity. Science, too, tries to reduce everything to a single Unified Field Theory. This would appear to confirm that after the initial impulse all things evolve by the inherent impulse in them.

The Universe is stratified into several levels of existence. The causal forces descend from the higher to the lower levels. The visible Universe, also known as the physical Universe, is only the lowest of them. Similar stratification applies to human affairs. Knowledge, too, has many levels of comprehensiveness and synthesis.

Levels of existence may, perhaps, be compared to an Onion and explained as follows:- The Universe contains Clusters containing galaxies, these contain Solar Systems, some of which contain planets. All these form different levels of organization. The lowest heaven is the Solar system, the centre of which is the sun. The sun should be regarded as a nucleus that controls events in the Solar system through its gravity and radiations. It is a transforming agent which uses hydrogen as fuel, absorbed from the surroundings, produces the other elements and energy and radiates these out into the rest of the Solar system and outer space. There are many Solar Systems, but they all collectively form one level. The Solar system belongs to a Galaxy of many Solar systems. It too has a centre, probably a Black Hole. Not only has this a strong gravitational force that absorbs materials, but it also transforms and radiates into the rest of the galaxy. The Galaxy may be regarded as the second heaven and all galaxies collectively may be regarded as another level. And so on to seven heavens and levels. That which we call the Universe may only be third heaven or level. Beyond the seventh heaven is Allah. The Quran also speaks of the Throne of Allah, which might refer to an Absolute Centre. But as each successive level is within the previous, we exist in all these levels and interact with them.

From another point of view: We have material objects, these may be composed of crystals or cells, which are composed of molecules, which are composed of atoms. These contain sub-atomic particles which may be composed of electromagnetic substance, photons, and so on. The whole of the Universe, or any object in it could be looked at from the point of view of any of these levels. The Universe could be regarded as a field of forces rather than consisting of material objects. A material object, including man, does not exist only in the macro-material world, but also as an entity composed of, and living in the world of cells, molecules, atoms, nuclear particles, and the electromagnetic field. Interactions at these different levels is quite different. The cause is not so much prior to the effect in time, but lies at a higher level. The events on this earth, for instance, depend on causes in the Solar System, particularly the sun. It is likely that in the same way as iron filings take up the shape of a magnetic field, so also are the materials on earth controlled to create things. Organic evolution would then not be much different from the way technology, say aeroplanes, evolve in the minds of the inventors.

The objects at the lower level appear separate with gaps between them. But they are less separate when seen from the higher or deeper levels. The various stars seen as material objects seem separate from each other, but they are all connected by gases, gravity, electrical fields and so on.

According to another classification we have a material, an emotional, a mental, a conscious and other higher levels of existence - a total of 7 corresponding to the number of heavens. These levels are distinguished by the fact that they are accessible to corresponding human faculties e.g. sensation, feeling, thought, consciousness and the other levels are represented by experiences such as insight, inspiration and revelation. When we discuss human culture, sociology, law, art or psychology we are not, in fact, dealing with gross matter. The world we inhabit is one of culture not accessible to animals. Access to higher levels require the cultivation of faculties still dormant in man.

It may be assumed that the original single Impulse, or general force, divides into several particular or special forces at the next level. And these again sub-divide into further forces. The result of the operation of the increasing number of these forces and their laws is ever-greater rigidity as we proceed downwards. Existence may, therefore, be represented as a series of levels, a ladder, or a pyramid, or by concentric circles, from the subtlest to the coarsest. Increasing freedom and power are found the higher one goes. However, we must not think of these as existing in space and time. They are levels in Qualitative Space and coexist in our own space. This may be compared to the student who has to learn mathematics by learning how to add each sum separately at first. Then, having understood the principle of addition, he can add together any sum he has not seen before. Later, he also understands the principle of multiplication. Still later, he understands the principles of manipulating numbers. He can now use symbols instead of numbers; he understands Algebra. And so on. There is increasing flexibility and power and greater capacity for self-fulfilment. It is not inconceivable that human consciousness can penetrate into still deeper levels. The reason why they are also called higher levels is not difficult to see. We are connected with the rest of the Universe, the heavens above, through the sub-atomic and radiant levels, which also exist within us.

Conversely, we may fall to denser levels and suffer from increasing restrictions and limitations. This produces suffering and the condition is called Hell.

In this connection it should be remembered that the disbeliever is defined as one who is spiritually deaf, blind and has a diseased heart (2:7-10, 18 and elsewhere).

Since, all things are made with Truth, then we may say that Truth descends from the Higher to the lower level. In so far as we recognize only the denser material things, we could say that they are actualizations of the potentialities already contained at higher levels. Each object is a particularization of something more universal at the higher level. They are revelations. Evolution is progressive revelation. Knowledge is revelation into human consciousness and also has levels.

Evolution cannot, therefore, as the Western Biologists tell us, be the result of the accumulation of chance mutations. This would flout the Second Law of Thermodynamics which requires that all things degenerate - i.e. order tends to fall into disorder as we all know because we have to make constant repairs and nothing constructs itself. But order can increase only when information and energy are introduced from a higher level to a lower - e.g. from the sun into the earth. From the scientific point of view the Universe began with the Big Bang, it is expanding and evolving ever since by this initial impulse. But the Second Law of Thermodynamics requires that energy can only flow from a place of greater density to one of lower density, not in the opposite direction. This gives us the direction of Time, but also ensures that the Universe should be moving towards death where nothing can happen because everything becomes uniform. From another point of view, things that are ordered will tend to degenerate into increasing disorder, but no order can spontaneously arise out of disorder. Causes and efforts are required to bring about order. Thus houses and machinery always require maintenance and repair. This applies also to man himself. The ascent up the levels or Ladder towards the source, Allah, requires appropriate efforts.

Thus we have a mystery:- How did the initial order at the Big Bang arise? What was its cause? This cannot be explained by means of the Laws of Physics since they too arose in the Big Bang. There is, therefore, a greater more fundamental Reality outside the Universe which bought forth the Universe and all things in it, something from which the information or truth responsible for the nature of things proceeds.

The Universe has a beginning, but also an end.

This verse, however, also refers to the Seeker of Allah, one who surrenders fully - he surrenders fully and sees nothing but Allah because he has reached the Apex of the Pyramid. Indeed, there IS nothing besides Allah. The Universe and all things in it may, from one point of view, be regarded as illusions since they come out of Nothing. However, because they are created by Allah, they are real. As real as ourselves because we interact with them. It is question of how we define the real. There is ultimately only Unity and the separations which account for the world of relativities does not really exist except in our limited minds - or they are surface phenomena. The world we see, owing to the limitation of our senses and other mental faculties by which we process the data of experience, is also different from the created world, and may be regarded as an illusion.

In fact we have seven definitions of Truth or Reality:- (i) Type 1, Truth T - that which people think is true and is a mixture of experience, fantasy, wishful thinking, expectancy, assumptions, habits, accidental associations, pattern making, desire for explanation and justification. (ii) Type 2, Truth D -the descriptive or verbal truth as we may convey to others verbally. Different people may understand this differently. (iii) Type 3, Truth S - the subjective - that which we experience. (iv) Type 4, Truth C - The communal or sociological - that which arises in a community owing to a common culture, environment, way of life or common agreement, consciously or unconsciously. (v) Type 5, Truth O - the objective - Things as they exist in the Created world apart from human observers. We interact with this world but are only aware of very little of this. But science is increasing our knowledge and awareness of this. (vi) Type 6, Truth T - The Transcendental Truth - All things in the created world are interconnected, form a unity and have a meaning and function with respect to Allah. (vii) Type 7, Truth A - The Absolute Truth - the fundamental and ultimate Truth.

Surrender to Allah (Islam) is, therefore, either the effort to achieve this ultimate objectivity, in thought, motive and action, or the condition of being in the state of having achieved it.

At first there was only Allah, the Eternal, self-existing Absolute Unity. He created the Universe out of nothing. And the Universe will collapse back into nothing. But Allah creates and recreates. Thus we have two opposite processes: - there is a process of creation, involution, also called Descent, from unity and subtlety with increasing density to maximum multiplicity. And a process of evolution or Ascent (not to be confused with Darwinian Evolution, though that may be part of the process) back towards Unity. These cyclic processes are both simultaneous and successive. Though the idea is compatible with the Big Bang Theory, it is not necessary. There could be a central Sun or Black Hole from which the Universe emerges and into which it is re-absorbed periodically. Or the two processes are taking place simultaneously. Or each of these processes becomes alternately dominant.

Human beings were also created from a single soul, and are required to re-unite and surrender to Allah, returning to the original Unity.

Although the depth of meaning in this verse needs several chapters, it is not difficult to see that the recommendations in it are those which lead to unity. Obviously, Islam (surrender) means re-unification with Allah as does the word religion (binding back to one's source).

It is possible that there may be many Universes, and that this is merely one of many cycles. There is a great cycle within which there are many lesser cycles. And so on. There is the cycle of day and night, the cycles of the seasons and great historical cycles. They all appear to be connected with the rotation of the earth, its revolution round the sun, and the motion of the sun round the centre of the Galaxy. It is also likely that the Universe itself expands and then contracts and re-expands in great cycles. Death and resurrection are seen in nature when autumn and spring and summer follow winter. We must consider these cycles to be symbols for, or particular examples of, the general principle of Universal Cycles.

Creation consists of pairs of opposites:-

We are required to recognize the pair in creation, but we are also required to transcend them and return to the creator of the pair.

In the beginning there was nothing. Perhaps, the Universe arises by the creation of a pair of opposite factors or forces, 0 = +F and -F. Everything else follows from the interactions of these two forces. This is a state of disequilibrium where something is taken away from one part of a fundamental "Canvass", leaving a hole or state of Passivity, and added elsewhere causing a state of Order. This must be the consequence of the arising of Purpose or Will. We have not only male and female, but matter may be electro-positive or electro-negative. The building blocks of the Universe are positrons and electrons, protons and negatrons, and so on. There is both matter and anti-matter. Furthermore, mind (consciousness) cannot be known without matter or matter without mind, good without evil, pleasure without pain, and vice versa. All Ideals have their opposites, and Prophets have their opponents. The mind itself is incapable of recognizing anything except through some contrast. In so far as Science studies things, it may be that it can trace everything to these original two opposite forces and show how they arose from nothing, but it cannot tell us how or why an original nothingness should suddenly produce something. This is because knowledge is relative. But relativity itself has no meaning except in relation to an Absolute. When, therefore, we speak of "nothing" existing in the beginning, we speak of things, phenomena, the world of relativity. But Allah is not a thing. Things have limits in space, time and qualities. No such limits apply to Allah, the Absolute. The purpose of Religion, however, as the verse shows, is to transcend or reconcile the pair of opposites and return to Unity, to Allah. This is a state before the arising of Laws that define the Universe.

There is a constant interaction or flow of energy between the positive to the negative. This should be regarded as a third reconciling factor *F. It can be regarded as having kept the other two combined before they separated, but now tries to re-combine them. The creative impulse or Command C produces the triad +F, *F, -F. Here *F represents C which flows from the Absolute A. Thus A > C > *F. The behaviour of the entity does and should conform to C which conforms to A. Note that we do have a Trinity here, but in Islam only A is Allah or God. As C and *F are dependent they cannot be separately gods. On the other hand they are not separate from God. The distinction exists only in our thinking.

We can define an opposition as a stimulus that makes us conscious or activates us, and the purpose of the activity is to reconcile the opposition. If we define an opposition as a problem, then this third factor is the solution. Then life, a term which can be used for energy, behaviour, action, has the purpose of solving problems. Energy arises out of tension between opposites. All entities and organisms are problem solving devices or reconciling forces (e.g. between inner need and external supply, between inner contradictions or outer conflicts). Ultimately they must lead to Re-unification. All entities may, therefore, be regarded as having a cosmic function and arising because of it, in accordance with their position within the whole - their address in spacetime determines their exact nature and function. In essence they are information processing devices. This idea should be compared with that of Scientific Biology where the purpose of life is said to be survival and reproduction by organisms arising through random mutations, though the environment does the selection.

The two opposites forces are also causes which combine partially to form the third factor e.g. the effect or child, which is, of course, a result of the attraction between male and female. The interaction between knower and object produces knowledge. Order, energy and inertia also form a triad. The phenomenal world can, therefore, be described by means of triads. Note, however, the following verse :-

This acquires a new meaning - Allah is not to be confused with anything in the created world. We must transcend it and surrender to Allah. If we form attachments to anything in it what happens when the Universe collapses back into Allah?

There is an interaction, an ascent and descent of influence and forces, between the different levels of the Universe. The time in which these interactions take place is relative. That which is experienced as a long time at one level may be equivalent to a short time at a higher level. What is a year to us, for instance, may be no more than a day to the planet earth.

One of the mysteries of the Universe is that Mathematics can explain the structure of the Universe. Here again the Quran agrees.

The implication must be that there are certain fundamental units, X, from which all things in the universe are built. Things must then be multiples of these units, and bear mathematical relationships with each other. Some types of atomic or quantum theories are, therefore, implied.

The Universe was created in six stages, Ages or cycles.

A Day has a beginning and an end. But there are sequences of days and these need not be infinite. The whole sequence may be regarded as another Period. This period will also have a sequence of similar periods creating another period at a higher level. And this may go on to a great many levels. Each of these levels can be regarded as Eternal with respect to the previous. Thus, though we may say that time at one level has a beginning and comes to an end it does not do so at the next level.

There is a Universal Memory.

This Guarded or Preserved Tablet may be regarded as the Blue Print from which the Universe was created. It is not to be understood as referring to a material object. The Universe may be regarded as a process of actualization of what is contained in the Tablet as potentialities. There could be different Tablets for each Universe. The process of Actualization, however, is different from the Preserved Tablet and the Record - forming, perhaps, another triad. Everything that happens is recorded in the fabric of space-time itself and facilitates the next events. Human beings can have access to this to varying degrees, and this constitutes inspiration or revelation. If everything is controlled by the laws of cause and effect, then the Universe may be regarded as a network of such processes. It is not time which passes, but we who pass from place to place on this network. All objects or events, recognised by the order contained in them, and having a certain amount of permanence or inertia, may themselves be regarded as deposits of memory.

This obedience may be interpreted as implying that it was in their nature to behave in this way rather than requiring some imposed force.

The creation of this Solar system is described as follows:-

Several points needs to be made. It was not known at the time when the Quran was revealed that the heavenly bodies moved each in their own orbits. The word "nur" is used for the moon. This implies something that reflects light. But the word "siraj " is used for the sun. This implies a source of light, something that burns. The word "najm" is used for stars. It is associated with the word "thakib", and this also implies something that burns to produce light. The word "kawkab" refers to planets that reflect light unlike the stars.

The earth was created as follows :-

Mountains are known to have the following functions: - They create a difference of level on earth, thereby controlling the air circulation, the weather by diverting the winds, and produce the water cycle on which life depends. They cause rain to fall out of the air, which is made to rise and cool, thereby creating rivers that irrigate the earth. They lock up much of the water in the form of snow which would otherwise have raised sea levels and drowned the land.

Once the earth was created, Life was created in Water.

The process of generation of life is described as taking place in many stages:-

The Universe is populated by creatures other than plants, animals and man. Some of these have contacts with human beings.

That some people, throughout history, have had experiences of angels and jinn is undeniable. In the past they were regarded as gods and demons. In modern days, however, these experiences are often regarded as being purely subjective, as illusions or hallucinations or as archetypes within the unconscious mind. Yet they are held in common and this is a criterion of objectivity. But the interpretation of the experiences may be subjective. If they are made of subtler substances and the sensitivity of people varies then it should not be surprising that only a few can experience them. On the other hand much depends on how the real is defined. Images in the mind, ideas, dreams, visions and mirages are obviously real experiences. But what falsifies them is to suppose that they are material objects outside us. There may be phenomena in the external world that are not available to the senses, but which nevertheless induce experiences though these may differ from person to person or culture to culture. There is a difference between things in themselves and the experience of them, and both differ from their description. The experience of the colour red is not similar to the light waves of the frequency, which induce it. Names can be given to very complex pattern of experiences or that which produces them that cannot be analytically described. Entities may exist in the minds of individuals but also in the collective mind, which can also be divided into a conscious, a subconscious and an unconscious part. There is no good reason why creatures other than made of cells and other forms of gross matter should not exist. Matter is an epiphenomena. The real thing is a Pattern or Order, a bundle of Truth.

Islam is concerned with these patterns and relationships rather than with the isolated objects. The Quran points to the rhythms and harmonies in nature and the interdependence and inter-connectedness of things. These relationships are not necessarily linear, simple or directly causal. They could, perhaps be classified as follows:- (i) An object A affects another B. (ii) A causal factor A produces an effect B. (iii) Where something is transferred from one thing A to another B. (iv) Non-linear changes, where a factor A causes changes in B which affects A. (v) The relationship between A and B is the cause that affects A and B. (vi) A complex situation A consisting of many factors a, b, c, d….etc. affect each of the subordinate factors. (vii) A factor A produces several factors B1, B2, B3….etc. These may exist within or outside A or be connected. (viii) A whole A affects and is affected by its parts B1, B2, B3…etc. (ix) There are influences between the Higher level A (x) A or its derivatives B1, B2, B3 may be directly independent of each other, but there is a correspondence or resonance between them. They are similitudes of each other. There is a general pattern that applies to all. It is, for instance supposed by many rationalists, scientists in particular that Astrology is a superstition because it supposes that distant planets affect human nature. It is true that there is no scientific evidence for any of the claims made by Astrologers and Islam does not mention it, except in so far as it can be included in the general instruction not to follow things of which one has no knowledge (5:104, 17:36) and condemnation of magic spells and behaviour (5:3, 5:90, 6:138-144). But we do know that the planets in their orbits do affect each other through gravitation, magnetic and electric fields and that human beings are also affected by these. Apart from this the motion of the planets and stars may be regarded as Cosmic Clock that measures time. Though the clock and calendar do not determine the changes in the seasons and the growth of crops the natural cycles they represent do. Things are not as simple as some rationalists would have us believe.

But apart from this it can be shown that the concept of God is not unreasonable. If, as some people claim, the mind consists of complex electrical events in the brain, then we must consider that this planet, the Solar System, the Galaxy and the Universe are also complex electrical and electro-magnetic Fields. We are certainly affected by, and affect, them. If consciousness is associated with these phenomena within us, then they are likely to be associated with them in the Universe. Their effect in us will certainly produce psychological events though these may be sub-conscious or interpreted variously by the conscious mind.

However, it is more likely that consciousness has to do with the Basic or Quantum Field rather than with electronics or electromagnetics, the same field which pervades the Universe and from which it arose. So parapsychological research appears to show. Future research, no doubt, will give us more accurate knowledge.

One of the central techniques used by Religions is prayer. It is believed that this establishes an interaction between the human and the Universal Consciousness and it is possible to draw strength, courage, capabilities, inspiration, peace, healing, bliss and the fulfilment of desires through this contact as long as inner effort is made to harmonize. But atheists tend to ridicule the idea though advances in the science of Psychology are showing positive results.

It is well known in some communities that people like Witch doctors can kill by inducing the belief that certain rituals will kill you. Other kinds of debilitating psychological states such as confusion and despair can also be induced. Faith healers and many modern Doctors use the Placebo effect to heal people in the same way. Psychosomatic effects and things like accident proneness are quite well known now. Hypnotists can make you see and do things you cannot normally see or do, or the reverse. Most people do not or cannot do things not because they are incapable, but because they think they cannot, while still others can perform what seem superhuman feats because they think they can. Nothing can be achieved without an appropriate state of mind. All knowledge and motivation is, after all a psychological phenomena. Self-hypnosis is a good way of showing the power of mind over body. The phrase "its only in the mind" has lost its meaning. The research of Physicists makes the Universe seem more and more like patterns in a Universal mind. This should not really be surprising because the scientific description of the world consists, after all, of patterns in the scientist's mind. So the sceptic could regard prayer at least as a form of concentration of desire, of self-suggestion, faith or positive thinking which has self-modifying effects. And this possibility is built into the nature of the Universe.