Introduction

Maurice Bucaille in his scholarly work, The Bible,The Qur'an and Science has drawn our attention to some of the startling revelations in the Qur'an regarding astronomical aspects which could not be comprehended properly till the rise of modern science from the 17th century onward. As for instance the impact of the rotation and revolution of the earth and the inclination of its axis on the seasonal changes, changes in the duration of days and nights, and shift in the location of the setting and rising of the sun with the season, could be scientifically explained only in the late nineteenth century .The orbital movement of the celestial bodies such as the sun and the stars came to be scientifically established in the early 20th century.

The Origin of the Universe, its expansion and eventual termination are being scientifically explained now by the Big Bang Model. These modern scientific concepts were clearly visualized in the Qur'an as far back as the 7th century when observational facilities were not available, mathematical principles were not discovered, elementary principles (quarks) and fundamental forces (gravitational, electromagnetic, weak nuclear and strong nuclear) were not identified. It is therefore proposed to highlight in this papel. The validity of the Qur'anic revelations regarding the creation of the Universe and some salient astronomical phenomena in the light of modem scientific discoveries. They eloquently testify to the Qur'anic proclamation that it contains only the truth and nothing but the truth: "We sent down the (Qur'an) in Truth, and in Truth has it descended"[Children of Israel] XVII: 105).

Creation of Universe: Historical Background

Speculations about the Origin of the Universe date back right from the advent of human civilization. The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of the Hindus conceived of the emergence of a cosmic nucleus Hirnayangarbha (or Golden Egg) from water. This Golden Egg " is considered the source of existence of all mundane and heavenly entities because it contained fire (heat) within itself.') (Mi, 1966) p. 187). In ancient Greece the presocratic thinkers like Thales) Anaximander and Anaximenes of the 6th century B.C. "developed the view that the formation - of the world occurred-as a natural sequence of events." The Pythagorean School "stressed the concept of an ordered cosmos governed by mathematical relations) (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1974) vol. 18) p. 1007). These were mere speculations sans scientific approach.

The work of Copernicus in 1543 imparted scientific outlook to speculations about the Origin of the Universe and the planetary system. He rejected the geocentric concept of Ptolemy and assigned key role to the sun in the planetary system. This ushered in the era of scientific speculations about the Universe and solar system based on telescopic observations and mathematical principles initiated by Galileo- (heliocentric planetary system) and Newton (Laws of Motion) respectively. Since then distinguished scientists and philosophers such as Tyco Brahe) Emanuel Swedenborg, Immanuel Rant, Heinrich Lambert, William Herschel) Einstein, Friedmann, Hoyle, Edwin Hubble, Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking, and others have propounded various..scientific theories based on astronomical observations with sophisticated equipments and sound mathematical principles.

Despite these intense scientific investigations of more than three centuries with the help of powerful telescopes, space flights and highly sensitive instruments, the scientists still feel that their "present knowledge of the origin and evolution of the planets, stars, stellar systems, galactic systems and the universe is pitifully small" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1974, vol. 18, p. 1007).

However, even after admitting this gross inadequacy of knowledge of the Universe some of the scientists still venture to suggest that its complex system is a product of sheer chance or accident. They refuse to subscribe to the religious and yet rational view that the Universe has been created by Allah (God) with a purpose and design.

References to the creation of the universe are found in the Divine books of the three monotheistic religions, viz., Torah (Jews), Bible (Christians), Al-Qur'an (Muslims). Of these Divine books the Qur'anic texts only will be cited, because they have remained unaltered since they were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (P.B.H.) more than 1400 years ago. The maintenance of the purity of the original text of the Qur'an and its protection from corruption have been assured by Allah: 'We have, without doubt, sent down the Message and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption) (Al-Hijr: XV:9).

Further the Qur'an alone offers systematic and scientific account of the creation of the Universe and movement of the celestial bodies. It is indeed remarkable that the concepts in these respects revealed in the Qur'an in the early 7th century are being found increasingly valid with the progressive advance of science and sophistication in scientific tools and techniques of investigation. There are nearly seven hundred verses in the Qur'an which describe the natural phenomena and each one of them conforms to the natural laws which are being discovered by the scientists.

Origin of Universe: Scientific Theories

Scientific speculations with regard to the Origin of the Universe have resulted into the emergence of two principal theories viz., the Steady State Theory and Big Bang Model. The Theory of Steady State. conceptualised by Reimann Bondi, Thomas Gold and Fred Royle, assumes that "the universe is of infinite age and obeys a 'perfect cosmological postulate' such that it appears the same at all instants of time as well as at all locations in space," (Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 18, p. 1007).

It thus postulates that the Universe is not subject to evolutionary process. Its kinematic properties, like that of other cosmological models are "isotropic, homogeneous and expanding," (Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 18, p. 1007).
According to this theory the past cannot be distinguished from the present for they are the same hence the appearances of galaxies will not vary with distance. This, however, is contradicted by the radio astronomical observations which have conclusively established that "the occurrence of radio galaxies is evidently very different at different distances" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, vor. 18, p. 1007).

In contrast to the Steady State Theory, the Big Bang Model also called "fireball theory" (Lemaitre) or the Evolutionary Model Theory, assumes the origin of the Universe in a finite time frame. In terms of Doppler Effect "a backwards extrapolation of the presently observed expansion indicates that there has been a time in the past when all the matter in the Universe was highly compressed and extremely hot. This was the time of Big Bang which gave rise to expanding Universe" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 18, p. 1016).

In its early phase from time to (10 seconds) to time t2 (1000 years) the energy in the form of radiation (photons) is large compared with that in the form of matter. This is followed by a thermal balance between radiation and matter energy during time t3 years (t3 = 10 5 years).

After t3 the radiation and matter got "decoupled" leading to a steep fall in the temperature of the matter compared to radiation temperature. The temperature of matter in absolute terms had fallen to 1° K by time t4. This was followed-by galaxy formation and quasi stellar objects in the Big Bang time scale of t4 (10 8 years) and t5 years (5 x 10 9 years).

According to Rubble's discovery (1929) "the distant galaxies are apparently receding at speeds increasing with distance." This recession of galaxies implies an isotropic expansion of the Universe (Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 18, p. 1007).

The validity of the Big Bang Model of the Origin of the Universe has been strongly reinforced by the discovery of "the 3° K microwave background radiation spread allover the universe proved to be the relic radiation of the Big Bang," (Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson).

The Big Bang or the Evolutionary Model also implies that due to the process of contraction all of the material would eventually come back to a-central point in an implosion that would annihilate all forms of matter -stars, galaxies, and even individual atoms. The result would be another "cosmic bomb" which would explode and start the whole process over again. This annihilation of the cosmos bears striking similarity with the Qur'iinic description of the Day of Judgement.

However some of the astrophysicists assert that evidence is against this self-annihilation of the Universe since "the mean density of matter in the luminous visible parts of galaxies falls short of critical value by a factor of about 30" (Encyclopedia of Physics, 1981, p. 142). Hence based on "esoteric theories" and "uncertain data" they conclude that the Universe will continue to expand indefinitely, (Encyclopedia of Physics, p. 142).

This will, however, happen only "if the Universe is really completely self-contained having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end, it would simply be." Further the scientists have so far failed to offer a model that could describe the Universe in its totality. In case they attempt to do so such a model "would be much too complicated mathematically for us to calculate exact prediction," (Hawking, 1988, p. 144).

Although the scientists feel fairly confident that they "have the right picture at least back to one second after big bang," (Hawking, p. 124), they are nonetheless concerned about this crucial time gap of less than one second in their knowledge. In order to bridge it they must look into the beginning which the astronomers/astrophysicists acknowledge is not possible. In their own words:

"In an evolving Universe the astronomer looks into the past by looking into the distance.

But the further back he looks, the less precise the information he gets, and he certainly cannot see the actual beginning" (Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 18, p. 1018). Thus astronomers can never explain the Origin of the Universe as an observed fact and verifiable reality, neither a satisfactory mathematical model can be worked out to explain the complex system of the Universe.

However, the latest discovery of a quasar (quasi stellar object -a highly luminous phenomenon) "close to the edge of the Universe hence near the beginning of time" ( The Hindu, 27th December, 89) may throw new light on the cosmic evolution. The astronomers estimate that this quasar is "billions of light years away and that it existed when the Universe was only 7% of its present age," (Lemonick, p. 58). They are finding it problematic to explain its formation "that early, even under the influence of cold dark matter" (Lemonick, p. 58).

This discovery and that of the cosmic bubble which suggests uneven microwave (Huchra-Geller) may upset the current theories dealing with the Origin of the Universe.

Origin of Solar or Planetary System

In addition to the Origin of the Universe the existence of the solar or planetary system has also attracted the attention of astrophysicists and astronomers. They have also theorised about its origin. The important theories among them are: The Nebular Hypothesis, the Tidal Theory, the Planetesimal Theory, the Binary Star Theory, the Electro- Magnetic Theory and the Cepheid Theory .

The Nebular hypothesis of LapJace assumes that the solar system is born out of a rotating gaseous nebula. With its gradual cooling over a period of time the nebula would gradually contract leading to an increase in its speed of rotation. Consequently the centrifugal force will exceed the centripetal force resulting in the ejection of gaseous matters from the outer layer of the nebula. The ejected matter would then commence to revolve "in the equatorial plane of the nebula, in the same direction as that of the nebular rotation," (Smart, 1959, Pelican, p. 187).

This assumption in the Nebular Hypothesis is not supported by the disproportionately high angular momentum in the sun, WlIich constitutes the balance of Laplace's original nebula. In the Tidal Theory by Jeans and Jeffrey the formation of the planetary system is attributed to the interaction of the sun with a star passing close to it which caused massive gaseous tides leading to the formation of an unstable gaseous filament which broke into many fragments and exists in the shape of planets. This theory has immense difficulty in explaining the angular momentum of the planets and the enormous distances to which they were pulled out due to tidal effect.
The Binary Star Theory, to a large degree, answers objections raised regarding angular momentum but it also fails to account for the massive distances of the planets from the sun and how f did the "companion star" of the Binary System disappear. The Planetesimal Theory of Chamberlin -Moulten and the Cepheid Theory of BaneIji are variations of the Tidal Theory and tHerefore equally inadequate. Dr. Hannes Alfocus' Electro Magnetic Theory of the birth of the solar system is innovative but thoroughly unsatisfactory, for the author does not explain 'how the Sun becomes immersed in a cloud of ionised atoms,"(Smart, 1959, Pelican, p. 203).
The shortcomings of these theories are obvious for none can explain the whole truth cogently and cohesively. Here again the scientists, acknowledge that "We shall never know beyond a shadow of doubt how the Planetary System came into existence," (Smart, 1959, Pelican, p. 180).