http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Love-Astronomy/2824243 << where I first wrote it
THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY! THERE IS A LOT, INCLUDING ORBITS AND STUFF THAT I OMITTED ON PURPOSE!
Let's go to the beginning, to the very beginning.
Photons could not travel "in the beginning", there was no light. The universe was condensed in an "alpha state". It composed mainly of Hydrogen, Helium and a little of Lithium. When a gas becomes too hot it ionizes and becomes opaque like today's smoke.
The Qur'an is fully compatible with the big bang, as we see:
[Quran 41.11] Then He directed himself to the Heaven when it was SMOKE, and then said to it and to Earth: "Come willingly or by force" they said "We do come willingly"
After the big bang, the condensed matter started to expand, the universe was created in a state of timelessness.
[Quran 21.30] Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the Earth were meshed together then We ripped them apart? And then We made of water everything living? Would they still not believe?
The Qur'an continues, talking about the expansion of the universe.
[Quran 51.47] And the heaven, We built it with craftsmanship and We are still expanding.
There are two opposing orders in the universe, symmetry order and grouping order. They can be seen all over in nature. These are described in the Qur'an:
[051:049] And of everything have we created pairs that you may reflect.
Notable examples of the two orders in the universe:
The honey bee makes honeycombs in a hexagonal shape. A hexagon is the most appropriate geometric form for the maximum use of a given area.
Examples of symmetrical orders in the universe:
Additionally, the Qur'an tells us:
"He Who created the seven heavens in
layers. You will not find any discrepancy in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again-do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and exhausted! "(Qur'an, 67:3-4)
We see rings and layers:
[55:37] When the sky disintegrates, and turns rose colored like paint.
As you can see every simple thing is made from a pair of these orders:
Of course, a big example of symmetry order, the Ka'aba:
What will be the ultimate fate of the universe?
The universe will end with the big crunch in the Qur'an.
21:104 "The Day when We will fold the heaven like the folding of a [written] sheet for the records. As We began the first creation, We will repeat it. [That is] a promise binding upon Us. Indeed, We will do it."
Basically the big bang will reverse and the universe will go to a zero state (flatten out). This is based on Einstein's works on astronomy. The universe will one day expand so much that it will collapse into a black hole. It implies that the universe's action is going to reverse. This is the hypothesis on everythingforever.com.
The Qur'an: "Say: “Can any of your idols initiate creation, then revert it?†say “It is God who initiates the creation, and then reverts it. Then, how could you deviate?†(10:34)"
Additionally, the age of the Earth and the universe is given in relativity to each other, as Einstein's theory states that time is relative.
We see the Earth was created in two periods (youms):
Quran 41:9 "Say, "Do you indeed disbelieve in He who created the earth in two days and attribute to Him equals?..."
...and the universe in six:
Your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then settled Himself firmly on the Throne... (Qur'an, 7:54)
Now when we divide the age of the Earth / the age of the universe, we get
2 days / 6 days = 1/3. Let's check this with what modern science has to say. The age of the universe is 13.7 billion years old. One third of 13.7 billion = 4.5 billion years, the age of the Earth.
How do we know that it's not talking about literally 6 days? Well because, we see throughout the entire Qur'an that time is relative.
On that Day He will call you, and you will answer (His Call) with (words of) His Praise and Obedience, and you will think that you have stayed (in this world) but a little while! (Surat al-Isra, 52)
And on the Day when He shall gather them together, (it will seem to them) as if they had not tarried (on earth) longer than an hour of a day: they will recognise each other. (Surah Yunus, 45)
He will say: "What number of years did you stay on earth?" They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day: but ask those who keep account." He will say: "You, stayed for only a little while – if you had only known!" (Surat al-Mumenoon, 112-114)
Yet they ask you to hasten on the Punishment! But Allah will not fail in His Promise. Truly, a day in the sight of your Lord is like a thousand years of your reckoning. (Surat al-Hajj, 47)
The angels and the spirit ascend to him in a day the measure of which is like fifty thousand years. (Surat al-Maarij, 4)
Then We drew (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they could not hear). Then We wakened them up so that We might know which of the two parties would best calculate the time that they had tarried. (Surat al-Kahf, 11-12)
Such (being their state), we roused them (from sleep), so that they might question each other. Said one of them, "How long have you stayed (here)?" They said, "We have stayed (perhaps) a day, or part of a day." (At length) they (all) said, "Allah (alone) knows best how long you have stayed here.... (Surat al-Kahf, 19)
Or (take) the instance of one who passing by a hamlet, all in ruins and quite desolate, said: "Oh! how shall Allah (ever) bring it to life, now that it is dead?" Therefore, Allah caused him to die for a hundred years, then brought him back to life. Allah asked: "How long did you tarry (thus)?" He said: (Perhaps) a day or part of a day." He said: "No, you have tarried thus a hundred years; but look at your food and your drink; they show no signs of age; and look at your donkey: And so that We may make you a sign to the people, look further at the bones, how We bring them together and clothe them with flesh." When this was shown clearly to him, he said: "I know that Allah has power over all things." (Surat al-Baqara, 259)
