THE SPLITTING ASUNDER OF "THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH" Another verse about creation of heavens is as follows: Do not Unbelievers see that heavens and earth were joined together (as one unit of creation), before We clove them asunder, and We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe? (The Qur'an, 21:30) The word ratq translated as "sewn to" means "mixed in each, blended" in Arabic dictionaries. It is used to refer to two different substances that make up a whole. The phrase "we unstitched" is verb fataqa in Arabic and implies that something comes into being by tearing apart or destroying structure of ratq. The sprouting of a seed from soil is one of actions to which this verb is applied. Let us take a look at verse again with this knowledge in mind. In verse, sky and earth are at first subject to status of ratq. They are separated (fataqa) with one coming out of other. Intriguingly, when we remember first moments of Big Bang, we see that a single point included all matter in universe. In other words, everything, including "the heavens and earth" which were not created yet, were included in this point in a condition of ratq. This point exploded violently, causing its matter to fataqa and in process created structure of whole universe. When we compare expressions in verse with scientific findings, we see that they are in perfect agreement with each other. Interestingly enough, these findings were not arrived at until 20th century. ORBITS While referring to Sun and Moon in Qur'an, it is emphasized that each moves in a definite orbit. It is He Who created night and day, and sun and moon. They swim along, each in an orbit. (The Qur'an, 21:33) It is mentioned in another verse, too, that Sun is not static but moves in a definite orbit: And sun runs to its resting place. That is decree of Almighty, All-Knowing. (The Qur'an, 36:38) These facts communicated in Qur'an have been discovered by astronomical observations in our age. According to calculations of experts on astronomy, Sun is traveling at enormous speed of 720,000 kilometers an hour in direction of star Vega in a particular orbit called Solar Apex. This means that sun travels roughly 17,280,000 kilometers a day. Along with Sun, and all planets and satellites within gravitational system of Sun also travel same distance. In addition, all stars in universe are in a similar planned motion. That entire universe is full of paths and orbits such as this one, is written in Qur'an as follows: By sky full of paths and orbits. (The Qur'an, 51:7) There are about 200 billion galaxies in universe, consisting of nearly 200 billion stars in each. Most of these stars have planets, and most of those planets have satellites. All of these heavenly bodies move in very precisely computed orbits. For millions of years, each has been "swimming" along in its own orbit in perfect harmony and order with all others. Moreover, many comets also move along in orbits determined for them. The orbits in universe do not only belong to celestial bodies. The galaxies also travel at enormous speeds in computed, planned orbits. During these movements, none of these celestial bodies cuts across another's path, or collides with another. Surely at time Qur'an was revealed, mankind did not possess today's telescopes or advanced observation technologies to observe millions of kilometres of space, nor modern knowledge of physics or astronomy. Therefore, at that time, it was not possible to determine scientifically that space is "full of paths and orbits" as stated in verse. However, this was openly declared to us in Qur'an that was revealed at that time:–because Qur'an is word of God.