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
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