By Mohammad Shahab Khokhar
One of the biggest mysteries in science is how the universe was formed. There are certain scientific theories that are promising, but the entire process including the different stages of the creation or formation of the universe have not been understood beyond doubt.
In fact, there are many gaps in our understanding of how the universe came into existence. Perhaps we need divine guidance to truly understand it.
I must warn that this article is not an attempt to solve all the mysteries surrounding the creation of the universe, I wish it was. It is rather an attempt to provide a framework that can help us take a quantum leap in our understanding of the formation of the universe.
In the Holy Quran Allah states that the universe was created in 6 days, the Arabic word used here is “yaum” which can also mean any other duration and not necessarily a 24 hour day.
Allah, however, does not leave this interpretation to chance. In other verses in the Holy Qur’an Allah states that a day (yaum) can be of a thousand years [25:48], or even fifty thousand years [70:5]
The creation of the universe in 6 “days” is mentioned 7 times in the Holy Qur’an (7:55, 10:4, 11:8, 25:60, 32:5. 50:39 and 57:5). The first such mention is in Chapter 7:
[7:55] Surely, your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods; then He settled Himself on the Throne. He makes the night cover the day, which pursues it swiftly. And He created the sun and the moon and the stars, all made subservient by His command. Verily, His is the creation and the command. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
If indeed the universe was created in 6 stages, how can we understand each of the 6 stages, what transpired during each stage and how each stage shaped the universe we see today?
What if we tried to understand the creation of the universe based on a unique interpretation of some verses of the Holy Qur’an by the Promised Messiah (as)?
In Sura Muminoon, Chapter 23 of the Holy Qur’an, Allah explains the six stages of the birth of a human, from the sperm all the way to “another creation”. [23:14-15]
In the same Sura there is also a description of the six stages of spiritual development of a believer (Momin). [23:2-10]
The Promised Messiah (as) has discussed at length how these 6 stages of the physical and spiritual development of a human are closely related. In his book Brahin Ahmadiyya part V (Rohani Khazain Vol 21, page 185-221), we can find the detailed description of each of the stages and how the two sets of stages are related.
The Promised Messiah (as) states:
“So God has divided both types of developments in six stages and has designated the sixth stage as the pinnacle of progress and has shown the correlation between the spiritual and physical development in such a detailed and open way that since the creation of the humans no human mind has explored this point to this extent.” [Rohani Khazain Vol 21, page 185]
Now let’s look at the verses of the Sura Muminoon that outline the 6 different stages of the physical and spiritual development of a human being:
Stage-1
Physical: [23:14] Then We placed him as a drop of sperm in a safe depository;
Spiritual: [23:3] Who are humble in their Prayers
Stage-2
Physical: [23:15] Then We fashioned the sperm into a clot;
Spiritual: [23:4] And who shun all that which is vain,
Stage-3
Physical: [23:15] then We fashioned the clot into a shapeless lump
Spiritual: [23:5] And who are active in paying the Zakat,
Stage-4
Physical: [23:15] then We fashioned bones out of this shapeless lump;
Spiritual: [23:6] And who guard their chastity
Stage-5
Physical: [23:15] then We clothed the bones with flesh
Spiritual: [23:9] And who are watchful of their trusts and their covenants,
Stage-6
Physical: [23:15] then We developed it into another creation
Spiritual: [23:10] And who are strict in the observance of their Prayers.
Now let’s turn to the relationship between the different stages of the physical and spiritual development of a human being and the creation of the universe.
The Promised Messiah (as), in his book Aina Kamalate Islam (Rohani Khazain Vol V) explains the relationship of a human with the universe and gives a unique perspective on how our understanding of the human body can help us uncover the secrets of the universe.
“We should understand that a human is a microcosm and is filled with all of the conditions, features, attributes, qualities and peculiarities of the macrocosm (the universe)”. (p 173 footnotes)
“There is no doubt that a human is a microcosm and contains within itself a manifestation of all aspects of the macrocosm. An extremely useful practice would thus be that when we are not able to understand a hidden attribute of the complex wonders of the macrocosm we should approach the microcosm and see what testimony it bears about that matter because these two universes are complimentary to each other and the one universe that we have seen on the particle level can be treated as a measure to diagnose the other universe and that testimony should be adequate for us”. (p 175 footnotes)
“We cannot escape the fact that the system of the macrocosm should be similar to the proven system of the microcosm, created by the one and only God. The fact that both universes have been created by the same being should demand that both systems be in the same shape and form so both systems together point towards the working of the one creator”. (p176-177, footnotes)
In the light of the interpretation of the verses of the Holy Qur’an by the Promised Messiah (as) we can safely conclude that:
- The stages of the physical and spiritual development of a human being are highly related
- A Human being is a microcosm and a manifestation of the macrocosm (universe)
- Understanding the human can lead us towards understanding the universe
As we briefly mentioned, the formation of the universe is not completely understood by science. However, all theories and observations point to distinct stages in the formation of the universe.
Let’s now plot a simple table to begin to explore any possible correlation between the 6 stages of the physical development of a human and the creation of the universe:
| No. | Physical Stage (Human) | Creation Stage (Universe) | Interpretation |
| 1. | Sperm Drop (Nutfah) in Safe Place | Singularity / Big Bang | This correlates to the cosmic singularity – the theoretical point of infinite density and temperature that preceded the Big Bang. Like the “drop of sperm,” it was an incomprehensibly compact, primordial “essence” containing all the potential energy and fundamental forces that would eventually expand and form the universe. The “safe depository” can be metaphorically understood as the initial, contained state before the immense expansion. |
| 2. | Sperm into Clot (Alaqah) | Cosmic Inflation | This parallels the period of cosmic inflation immediately after the Big Bang, where the universe underwent an unimaginably rapid, exponential expansion. As the universe expanded and cooled rapidly, the initially unified forces began to separate, and the most basic fundamental particles (quarks, leptons, etc.) began to coalesce from the raw energy. This is the universe transforming from an undifferentiated “drop” into a more cohesive, albeit still primordial, “clot” of fundamental matter and forces. |
| 3. | Clot into Lump (Mudghah) | Formation of Proto-Structures | This relates to the period when the universe cooled further, allowing quarks to bind together to form protons and neutrons. The universe was still a hot, dense plasma, where light particles (photons) were constantly scattering off charged particles (protons, electrons). While not yet forming stars or galaxies, this was the universe’s “shapeless lump” – a uniform, undifferentiated mass of fundamental building blocks, organizing themselves before forming larger structures. |
| 4. | Lump into Bones (Idham) | Dark Matter | This can be metaphorically associated with the formation of dark matter halos. Dark matter, though invisible, is believed to have provided the gravitational “scaffolding” or “bones” in the early universe. These denser regions of dark matter acted as gravitational wells, drawing in ordinary matter. They were the initial, invisible frameworks around which the visible structures of the universe – galaxies and galaxy clusters – would eventually form. Just as bones preceded flesh, these gravitational frameworks preceded the visible cosmic structures. |
| 5. | Bones Clothed with Flesh (Lahm) | Stars and Galaxies | This stage aligns with the formation of the first stars and galaxies. As ordinary matter was pulled into the gravitational wells of the dark matter halos (“bones”), it collapsed and ignited, forming the first luminous stars. These stars, and the galaxies they coalesced into, represent the “flesh” that began to “clothe” and define the underlying dark matter structures. This is also the period where the cosmic web began to emerge – vast filaments of galaxies interspersed with voids, giving the universe its large-scale, complex structure. |
| 6. | New Creation (Khlaqan Akhar) | Universe of Today | This powerful phrase encapsulates the universe as we know it today, and its ongoing evolution. This includes the continued formation of new stars and solar systems, the chemical enrichment of the cosmos through stellar deaths, the emergence of complex molecules, and ultimately, the conditions for life to arise on planets like Earth. It signifies the universe reaching a state of immense complexity, diversity, and dynamic activity, where emergent phenomena, including consciousness, are possible. It is truly “another creation,” constantly unfolding and revealing new wonders. |
Now let’s look at the correlation of the stages of spiritual development with the formation of the universe:
| No. | Spiritual Stage (Human) | Creation Stage (Universe) | Interpretation |
| 1. | Humility in Prayer | Singularity / Big Bang | The universe began with submission to divine will-absolute unity, like a soul humbling itself in prayer before God. This represents a state of pure intention and beginning. |
| 2. | Shunning the Vain | Separation of Matter from Chaos | Universe starts to focus on development, shunning the vain that could hinder in its progress, the universe moved from chaos and randomness toward order. Dark matter, laws of physics, and cosmic filtering started shaping form from formlessness. |
| 3. | Paying the Zakat | Formation of Stars and Galaxies | Zakat purifies wealth and gives back to the less fortunate. Stars are formed and begin giving light, forming the productive structure of the universe. Energy is shared and distributed—symbolically, the universe “gives back.” |
| 4. | Guarding Chastity | Stabilization of Planetary Systems | Guarding chastity is discipline and preservation—just as planets form stable orbits, protecting the balance needed for life. Boundaries and limits are formed. Chaos is restricted. Purpose begins. |
| 5. | Keeping Trusts and Covenants | Earth Becomes Habitable | This reflects trustworthiness and responsibility. Earth becomes a home, holding the trust (Amanah) of sustaining life. The biosphere forms-air, water, land-signifying readiness for stewardship. |
| 6. | Strict in Prayers | Arrival of Humanity / Conscious Life | The final stage is the rise of conscious life, who can pray, reflect, worship, and fulfill the divine purpose—just as the spiritually mature human is consistent and disciplined in their connection with God. |
The physical stages of the human body mirror the structural formation of the universe.
While the spiritual stages of the human soul mirror the purpose and journey for which the universe was created.
This triple correspondence (universe ↔ body ↔ soul) reflects the deep interconnectedness between creation, form, and purpose, central to Islamic cosmology.
As mentioned earlier the primary purpose of this article is not to try to solve the most perplexing problems in Physics, but to lay down a foundation based on the Qur’anic teachings which can provide a framework to solve such problems.
To further explore this concept let us briefly look at the most complex part of the creation of the universe as per current science.
What happened immediately after the big bang and during the inflation period is a big mystery. We cannot replicate the conditions of the big bang in our laboratories and there is no other way to show any experimental proof. The mathematics is also very complex and it is not possible to prove beyond doubt as to what happened in that fraction of a second.
The big bang did not happen in any space or time; in fact there was no space or time before the big bang. Space and time were created as part of the big bang.
If we look at the first step in the birth of a human as mentioned in the Qur’an, the process starts with a drop of sperm. The sperm carries within it the information that is vital to the formation of a human being.
However, the sperm cannot turn into a human by itself. It contains only 23 of the 46 chromosomes, while the remaining 23 are contained in the egg.
The sperm turns into an alaqah only after it fertilizes the egg. So, the so-called “singularity” needs an equally important “pair” to get to the second stage of creation. This is not what today’s science tells us.
However, science tells us that the big bang or the singularity suddenly expanded and that is how space and time were formed. The process of inflation that caused the expansion is based on a hypothetical scalar field. We don’t have much understanding of the scalar field and how it caused the inflation to occur.
Perhaps, looking at the first few steps in the process of the formation of a human being we can get a better understanding of how cosmic inflation happened and what caused it.
We will further explore this fascinating correlation between the first few steps in the formation of a human with the first few stages of the creation of the universe in the next part, inshaAllah.
About the Author
Mohammad Shahab Khokhar, MS, MBA, writes on science, spirituality and technology. He is especially interested in the study of science from the perspective of the Holy Qur’an.
He can be reached at: shahab@quantumjump.io
