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Age of the Earth and Age of the Universe from Religious Points of View

"The creation of the heavens and of the Earth is indeed more grandiose than the creation of Man. Yet most men understand not." (40:57). Age of the Earth and Age of the Universe from Religious Points of View. Presented by: Kamel BEN SALEM. Summary. Introduction Age of the ear th

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Age of the Earth and Age of the Universe from Religious Points of View

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  1. "The creation of the heavens and of the Earth is indeed more grandiose than the creation of Man. Yet most men understand not."(40:57)

  2. Age of the Earth and Age of the Universe from Religious Points of View • Presented by: • Kamel BEN SALEM

  3. Summary • Introduction • Age of the earth • Age of the universe • Religion and cosmology 2. The creation process according to the Holy Books 3. Determining the age of the earth and of the universe 4. The evaluation of the dating methods 5.Conclusion

  4. Introduction • Vision in the middle ages (blurred) • Earth = center of the universe • Sun = satellite of the Earth • Stars = ornament of the sky • Concern limited to problem of the Earth • Is it eternal ? • Has it a beginning/end? • How old is it? 1

  5. Age of the Earth • Variations :  few millions few thousands  few billions years Stabilization (’08-’09) : 4.57 Gyr 2

  6. Modern cosmology • Study of the cosmos (Discovery ofgalaxy) • Expansion of the universe • Estimation of the age of the universe * Variation : 1020 Gyr * Stabilization : 13.7 Gyr 3

  7. Religion and cosmology • Position of the ancient church • Reason has to be subdued to faith : everything is in Genesis • Warn against discovery temptation (St-Augustine, IVth C.E) • Contribution of the Qur’anic revelation  • Addresses invitations to : • Reading/Science : "Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists) ..." (96 :1) 4

  8. Focusing on what exists in the heavens and on Earth "Say :“Behold all that is in the heavens and the earth ...”.(10:101). 5

  9. Exploring earth and space : "O assembly of Jinns and Humans, if you can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! Not without a power shall ye be able to pass!" (55 :33). 6

  10. The creation process according to the Holy Books 7

  11. Creationaccording to the Bible: instantaneous • “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day.” (Exodus 20:11). • “And God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” (Genesis 1:5) • Creation lasted six days (1 day = 24 hours) 8

  12. Day 3 5 6 1 2 4 0 Waters Above Firmament Waters Below Waters Below Sheol 9

  13. God Creator of Author of No Conflict Nature Scripture Human Human Interpretation Interpretation Potential Conflict Biblical Studies Science 10

  14. Creation according to the Qur’an: progressive creation (still lasting) • Importance of the creation • "The creation of the heavens and of the Earth is indeed more grandiose than the creation of Man. Yet most men understand not."(40:57) • The Divine Command is expressed ≡ its realization follows for certain (in a slow progressive manner according to the human scale). • "God’s command comes, so seek not to hasten it."(16:1) 11

  15. Comparison between the Biblical and the Qur'anic Theses • Bible / Qu’ran : the same number of days of creation (6 days) • Bible (1 day of creation = 24 hours) • Qur’an (1day of creation = a very long period) • Universality of the message • "Say (O Muhammad) : “We believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord : We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Him (God) we have submitted”."(3:84) Muhammad Abraham Moses Jesus 12 ......

  16. Determination of the ages of the Earth and of the Universe 13

  17. The Notion of Day according to the Qur'an • Two types of days • days cited as classical days (24 hours) He (Zachariah) said: “O my Lord! Make a sign for me”. God said: “Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals. And remember your Lord much (by praising Him again and again), and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning”. (3:41) • days cited as a long period (epoch-day) "Yet they ask thee to hasten on the punishment! But God will not fail in His promise. Verily a day in the sight of thy Lord is as a thousand yearsof your reckoning. "(22:47) "The angels and The Spirit will ascend unto Him within a day (period of time) the measure whereof is fifty thousand years." (70:4) 14

  18. The Nature of ‘Years’ in the Qur'an: Sidereal Year • The choice to define the term ‘year’ was dictated by social, cultural and religious considerations • The Qur’anic revelationwas destined to Humanity in its entirety "We have not sent thee but as a universal (Messenger) to men, giving them Glad tidings, and warning them (against sin), but most men understand not. "(34:28) "O assembly of Jinns and Humans, if you can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! Not without a power shall ye be able to pass! " (55:33) "O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most pious of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things)." (49:13) • The years quoted in the Qur’an are of sidereal nature 1 year = 365.256361414 days 15

  19. Method of Estimation • Question: "A questioner asked concerning a fateful torment about to befall the unbelievers, which none can avert. From God, the Lord of the ways of ascent." (70:1-3) • Answer: the date of this punishment (therefore of Judgement) will occur in a time span of one day equivalent to 50000 years "The angels and The Spirit will ascend unto Him within a day (period of time) the measure whereof is fifty thousand years."(70:4)  16

  20. Method of Estimation • The punishment will arrive when a certain number of extraordinary events occur : • The Day that the sky will be like molten metal. (70:8) • And the mountains will be like flakes of wool.(70:9) • This corresponds to the phenomena that touch particularly our planet and generally our solar system. 17

  21. Method of Estimation • Exegesis of Al-Qurtubi (13th century) : Ibn ‘Abbas (companion and cousin of Prophet Muhammad) said: • the beginning of the creation Doomsday • Big bang End of the solar system 50 000 years 50 000 years 18

  22. Method of Estimation • Period equivalent to : • 50 000*365.256361414 = 18262818.070 days (non classical). • Reasons : • “fifty thousand years” : not followed by “of your reckoning” • 1 non classical day = 1000 years “of human’s reckoning”. 19

  23. Method of Estimation The ascent will occur at the deadline of 18262818070years “of our reckoning” So, be patient, with a good patience. Verily! They see it (the torment) afar off, But We see it (quite) near. (70:5-7) 20

  24. Phases of Creation of the Universe and the Earth according to the Qur'an "We created the heavens, the earth and what is between them in six days (periods), and no weariness touched Us. (50:38) Say : “Do you disbelieve Him Who created the earth in two periods? Do you ascribe equals to Him. He is the Lord of the Worlds”."(41:9) "He set in the (earth) mountains standing firm. He blessed it. He measured therein its sustenance in four periods, in due proportion."(41:10) 21

  25. Phases of Creation of the Universe and the Earth according to the Qur'an 6 days 4 days 2 days 2 days day ≡ period 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 End of Solar System: He set in the (earth) mountains standing firm. He blessed it. He measured therein its sustenance in fourperiods, in due proportion… (41:10) Actual state: God is He Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them in sixperiods (32:4) Beginning of earth creation:Say: “Do you disbelieve Him Who created the earth in twoperiods? Do you ascribe equals to Him. He is the Lord of the Worlds”.(41:9) Stabilization of the General Structure of our Universe: Then He ordained them seven heavens in twoperiods, and He assigned to each heaven its mandate by Revelation. (41:12) Beginning of the Big Bang: The heaven, We have built it with power, Verily We are expanding it. (51:47) 22

  26. Ages of the Earth and the Universe according to the Qur'an 8 periods=18262818070 years Period (P) =2282852259 (2 billion 282 million 852 thousand 259 years) Age of the Earth = 2P = 4565704517 years = 4 billion 565 million 704 thousand 517 years. Age of the Universe = 6P = 13697113553 years = 13 billion 697 million 113 thousand 553 years. 23

  27. Evaluation of the Dating Methods of the Age of the Earth • Terrestrial rocks : alteration in the course of time • Meteorites : nonalteration in the course of time • Three methods applied to Allende meteorite Our approach 24 Stabilization (’08-’09) : 4.57 Gyr

  28. Evaluation of the Dating Methods of the Age of the Earth We dispose of 3 different overlapping intervals choice of the common subinterval 25

  29. Evaluation of the Dating Methods of the Age of the Earth Iodine/Xenon Uranium/Lead Lead/Lead 4.560 4.568 4.562 4.480 4.620 4.564 4.566 4.565 4.561 4.563 4.567 • Interval width = 70 Myr • Interval width = 3 Myr • Interval width = 4 Myr Qur’anic value 26

  30. Evaluation of the Dating Methods of the Age of the Universe • Three categories of methods • Methods based on a cosmological model • Globular Cluster Ages • Methods based on radioactive dating Our approach Stabilization (’08-’09) : 13.7 Gyr 27

  31. A New Re-evaluation of the Hubble Coefficient H = 1/Age of the universe =1/13.697115 =73.3008075058142 km/sec/Mpc 28

  32. Conclusion • The Biblical and Qur'anic creation theses seem to diverge • The Qur’anic revelation is a continuity of what had been revealed to the other prophets • "Say (O Muhammad) : “We believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord : We make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Him (God) we have submitted”."(3:84) • Position of western thinkers about the Qur'anic revelation. • "(I swear)… by the canopy raised high and by the boiling sea..."(52:5-6) 29

  33. Conclusion • Qur’an leads the reader to think and meditate about the major events that will occur in our Universe • The discovery of accurate facts on phenomena is reserved for Men of Science • Presence of many Qur'anic statements which have a scientific appearance, seems to be a challenge to human explanation • "Do they not then consider the Qur'an carefully? Had it been from other than God, they would surely have found therein many a contradiction. " (4:82) 30

  34. Thanksforyour ATTENTION. Place to your Questions

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